Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs easyMarkets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Interactive Brokers and easyMarkets offer distinct online brokerage experiences, each carrying unique regulatory credentials. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers stands out as a highly trusted choice with a stellar ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99. This makes it a reliable option for traders seeking security and confidence. Notably, it holds nine Tier-1 licenses, signifying top-tier trust and compliance, and two Tier-2 licenses, elevating its trusted status further. Additionally, being publicly traded adds transparency to its operations.
In comparison, easyMarkets, established in 2001, also offers a secure trading environment with a trust score of 84, which qualifies it as a trusted broker according to ForexBrokers.com. easyMarkets holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, showcasing its commitment to adhering to trusted regulatory standards. However, it is not publicly traded, which is a factor some investors may consider when evaluating transparency and accountability. While both brokers are not banks, they provide robust trading platforms, each appealing to different trader preferences and risk appetites.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) vs easyMarkets on commissions and fees: IBKR charges a small commission on top of tight interbank prices, while easyMarkets lists fixed or variable spreads depending on platform. For this category, IBKR is rated 5.0/5 stars and ranks #2 of 63 brokers; easyMarkets is rated 3.5/5 stars and ranks #53 of 63.
At IBKR, EUR/USD averaged 0.19 pips in Q3 2024; after adding commission, the effective all-in spread was about 0.59 pips. Forex commissions start at 0.00002 of the USD trade value per side (minimum $2 per order, or $4 round trip), equivalent to $16–$40 per million round turn, with volume discounts that can cut the minimum to $1–$1.50 per order. As an example, buying then selling $100,000 of EUR/USD adds roughly 0.40 pips in commission to the prevailing spread, and trades smaller than 100,000 units become proportionally pricier due to the minimum. IBKR aggregates quotes from 17 major dealers and does not mark up spreads.
At easyMarkets, EUR/USD spreads are platform-dependent: fixed at 0.8 pips on the easyMarkets platform and TradingView; on MT4 the Standard account is about 1.7 pips while VIP is 0.7 pips; on MT5 spreads are variable starting from 0.7 pips. In practice, that means the typical EUR/USD cost at easyMarkets will often be higher than IBKR’s effective 0.59 pips, unless you qualify for a lower-spread tier or catch especially tight variable pricing.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers vs easyMarkets: when it comes to range of investments, Interactive Brokers stands out. It offers about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, while easyMarkets lists roughly 230 symbols and 63 forex pairs. Both support forex trading and cryptocurrency derivatives, but only Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual cryptocurrency. Interactive Brokers also provides access to exchange-traded U.S. and international stocks (think Apple or Vodafone), whereas easyMarkets does not offer direct share dealing.
If you want copy trading, easyMarkets has it and Interactive Brokers does not. However, for sheer market access and product variety, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, compared with easyMarkets’ 3.5 stars and #55 ranking. Traders seeking the widest selection of markets and the ability to invest in real stocks and crypto may prefer Interactive Brokers, while those who value a simpler lineup with copy trading might lean toward easyMarkets.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 230 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 63 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Interactive Brokers and easyMarkets both provide simulated paper trading with a free demo account. Each offers a proprietary (in-house) platform along with a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform, and both let you place trades directly from charts. The key differences are third-party integrations and social features: easyMarkets supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and includes copy trading, while Interactive Brokers does not support MT4/MT5 and does not offer copy trading.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars and ranks it #3 out of 63 brokers, while easyMarkets earns 4 stars and ranks #36. If you want MetaTrader compatibility or copy trading, easyMarkets is the better fit. If you prefer an in-house platform with a demo account, desktop and web access, and a wide range of tools, Interactive Brokers is a top pick.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and easyMarkets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app lets you build watchlists with real-time quotes and keeps your watchlists synced with your online account. For charting on the go, both apps support drawing trendlines, though neither app auto-saves those drawings. If you rely on signals, note the difference in price alerts: Interactive Brokers supports stock and forex alerts, while easyMarkets does not. Interactive Brokers also offers more technical indicators for charts (97 vs. 81 on easyMarkets), which can help with deeper analysis.
In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earned 5 stars and ranked #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while easyMarkets earned 4 stars and ranked #32. In short, traders who want more analytics and built-in alerts may prefer the Interactive Brokers mobile app, while easyMarkets still covers key basics for everyday monitoring and trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 81 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and easyMarkets both deliver daily market commentary, top‑tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones), Trading Central tools, trader sentiment gauges, and a full economic calendar. Neither broker includes Autochartist. Where Interactive Brokers pulls ahead is in its added research from TipRanks and extra tools from Acuity Trading, which broaden stock and macro insights that easyMarkets doesn’t provide.
For overall research quality, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while easyMarkets holds 3.5 stars and ranks #44. If you want the widest range of third‑party research and data, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick; if you need the essentials—news, commentary, Trading Central, sentiment, and a calendar—easyMarkets covers the basics.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers and easyMarkets both support beginner traders with recurring online education: each broker hosts at least one client webinar per month and offers 10+ beginner video lessons, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. That said, Interactive Brokers stands out for overall quality, earning 5 stars for Education and ranking #3 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while easyMarkets earns 3.5 stars and ranks #39. If you want a more comprehensive learning path, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick; easyMarkets still provides a helpful starting suite of webinars and videos.
Details such as a searchable archive of past webinars, an investor dictionary with 50+ terms, and dedicated forex or CFD education libraries were not specified for either broker. If those features matter to you, check each broker’s learning center. For most beginners, both platforms deliver accessible trading education through videos and live sessions, with Interactive Brokers offering the higher-rated experience overall.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than easyMarkets. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while easyMarkets finished with an overall rank of #42.
Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 84 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Interactive Brokers supports the purchase of actual delivered cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas easyMarkets offers only cryptocurrency derivatives, not the actual digital currencies.
Interactive Brokers vs easyMarkets: both support ACH/SEPA and bank wire deposits/withdrawals, neither supports PayPal, only easyMarkets supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | easyMarkets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 230 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 63 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 81 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | easyMarkets Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | easyMarkets Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill