Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Eightcap, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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Interactive Brokers and Eightcap are both regulated online brokers, but their profiles differ. Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, is publicly traded and not a bank. Eightcap, founded in 2009, is privately held and also not a bank. According to the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score, Interactive Brokers scores 99/99 (highly trusted, 90–99), while Eightcap scores 87/99 (trusted, 80–89).
Regulatory breadth is another key difference. Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Eightcap holds 3 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license. In short, both are regulated and trusted, but Interactive Brokers carries the highest Trust Score and a wider set of top-tier licenses.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead of Eightcap for active forex traders. IBKR uses a commission-based model rather than marking up spreads, and while it does not publish average forex spreads, its Q3 2024 EUR/USD average spread was 0.19 pips, with an estimated all-in cost of about 0.59 pips after commission. Its forex pricing starts at 0.00002% of the U.S. dollar trade value per side, with a minimum charge of $2 per order ($4 round turn), and lower rates are available for very high-volume traders. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #2 out of 36 for commissions and fees.
Eightcap also offers low-cost forex trading, especially on its Raw account, which lists an average spread of 0.06 pips plus a $3.50 commission per side. That works out to an estimated all-in cost of about 0.76 pips, which is still competitive but slightly higher than the lowest-cost brokers. Eightcap is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #20 out of 36 for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, both brokers offer fairly low trading costs, but Interactive Brokers is the cheaper choice for commissions and fees overall, especially for larger or more active forex traders. Eightcap remains a solid option, but its total trading cost is a bit higher than IBKR’s.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a much wider range of investments than Eightcap, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more markets in one place. It supports 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, compared with Eightcap’s 803 symbols and 55 forex pairs. Both brokers offer forex trading, but Interactive Brokers also gives clients access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone directly.
The differences are even clearer in crypto. Interactive Brokers lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, while Eightcap does not offer delivered crypto but does provide cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker offers copy trading. Overall, Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Eightcap is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #30, reflecting its more limited selection.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 803 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 Eightcap both give traders access to paper trading, desktop software for Windows, and web-based platforms, so each broker covers the basics for practice and day-to-day trading. Both also let users place trades straight from a chart, which can make order entry quicker and more convenient. Neither broker offers copy trading, so traders looking for a follow-the-leader setup will need to look elsewhere.
The main difference is in platform choice. Interactive Brokers has its own in-house trading platform, while Eightcap does not, but Eightcap stands out for supporting both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which many forex and CFD traders prefer. In platform and tools ratings, Interactive Brokers scores 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Eightcap earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32, making Interactive Brokers the stronger overall pick for trading platforms and tools.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 100 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Eightcap both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, along with stock or forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts, which is helpful for basic technical analysis. For mobile trading features, Interactive Brokers stands out with a much larger charting library, offering 155 technical studies compared with Eightcap’s 100.
There are also a few clear differences in daily use. Eightcap’s app automatically saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not. In ratings and industry rankings, Interactive Brokers leads with a 5-star score and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers for mobile trading apps, while Eightcap holds a 4-star score and a #32 ranking. Overall, both apps cover the essentials, but Interactive Brokers offers more charting tools and stronger third-party recognition.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers comes out ahead of Eightcap for market research overall. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, Acuity Trading research, and an economic calendar, but Interactive Brokers adds more depth with forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Trading Central and TipRanks research tools. Eightcap does not offer those extra research sources, which limits the amount of third-party insight available to traders.
That gap is reflected in their ratings and rankings. Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #3 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Eightcap receives 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #34. For traders who want more market news, analysis, and research options in one place, Interactive Brokers offers a stronger research setup than Eightcap.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers is the better pick for beginners who want to learn before they trade. It offers forex and CFD education, regular online client webinars, and plenty of beginner-friendly videos, along with advanced lessons for traders who want to keep building their skills. That wide range of learning material helps explain why Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Eightcap also provides beginner trading videos and some forex or CFD learning content, but its education offering is much smaller overall. It does not hold monthly educational webinars, and it falls short on advanced video content for experienced traders. As a result, Eightcap is rated 3.5 stars for Education and ranks #31 out of 36, making it the weaker choice for traders who want more learning support.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
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 Eightcap. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Eightcap finished with an overall rank of #30.
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
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Eightcap
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 |
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When comparing online brokers, Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrency (but does not offer crypto CFDs), while Eightcap offers cryptocurrency trading via CFDs (but does not support buying the underlying coins).
Interactive Brokers vs Eightcap: for deposit and withdrawal options, Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers but not PayPal or Skrill, while Eightcap supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA (Visa/Mastercard not specified for either).
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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Eightcap Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 803 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 100 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Eightcap Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Eightcap Review |
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