Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Exness, 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 Exness are both well-known names in the online brokerage space, but their levels of regulatory oversight and public trust differ significantly. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers is a publicly traded company, adding an extra layer of transparency and accountability. While it is not a bank, the firm holds an impressive nine Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly trusted, and two Tier-2 licenses. With a top-notch Trust Score rating of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers is among the most reliable and secure options available.
Exness, on the other hand, was established in 2008 and is not publicly listed. Like Interactive Brokers, Exness is not a bank. It holds two Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, indicating a solid but more modest level of regulatory commitment compared to Interactive Brokers. The firm has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 81, placing it in the "trusted" category but behind Interactive Brokers when it comes to overall security and trust. While both brokers serve their clients well, their differences in trust ratings and regulation make Interactive Brokers the more reliable choice for those prioritizing these aspects.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
Interactive Brokers and Exness stand as two prominent names in online brokerage, yet they differ in their commissions and fees structures. Interactive Brokers tends to offer competitive pricing, although it doesn't publicly list average forex spreads, which can make direct comparisons challenging. In the third quarter of 2024, the average spread for EUR/USD at Interactive Brokers was noted at 0.19 pips, culminating in a total spread of 0.59 pips when including commissions. Its forex trading commissions start at 0.2 basis points per side, with a minimum fee of $2 per order ($4 per round turn). This setup supports both IBKR Lite and IBKR Pro accounts, which allow forex trading but aren't commission-free. Interactive Brokers not only boasts a five-star rating for commissions and fees, it also ranks #2 out of 63 brokers in this category according to ForexBrokers.com.
Exness, on the other hand, provides a diverse array of account types, with five primary options available, including two standard and three professional accounts. Trading costs with Exness vary by account type, with its two commission-based accounts offering lower spreads compared to commission-free options. For example, the Raw account charges a commission of up to $7 per round turn lot ($3.5 per side) with lower spreads and market execution. The Zero Spread account has a nominal commission charge of $0.05 per trade, coupled with zero spreads under certain conditions. Exness enjoys a four-star rating for its commissions and fees, placing it at #35 out of 63 brokers, according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Interactive Brokers and Exness in terms of investment options, the sheer variety offered by Interactive Brokers stands out. With an impressive 8,500 tradeable symbols, it eclipses Exness, which offers 227 symbols. Both platforms allow for forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, with Interactive Brokers providing 90 tradeable forex pairs and Exness slightly ahead at 96. A significant difference lies in their offering of exchange-traded securities; Interactive Brokers allows clients to purchase securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple and Vodafone shares, whereas Exness does not allow direct purchases of such securities outside of CFDs.
In the realm of cryptocurrency, Interactive Brokers enables the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies and their derivatives, while Exness only offers cryptocurrency derivatives. Additionally, Exness supports copy trading, a feature Interactive Brokers does not provide. When rated for their range of investments, Interactive Brokers leads with a perfect 5-star rating and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Exness holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked #55, highlighting that Interactive Brokers offers a broader and more versatile selection of investment opportunities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 227 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 96 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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.
When comparing Interactive Brokers and Exness, both platforms offer several features catering to new and experienced traders alike. Both provide free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice without financial risk. Each broker has developed proprietary trading platforms and offers a Windows-based desktop download and web-based trading options. Though neither platform supports third-party options like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, Exness includes copy trading and supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which may appeal to those who favor trading automation and flexibility. Interactive Brokers, however, does not support MetaTrader 4 or 5 but compensates with a substantial variety of 659 watch list columns compared to Exness's 7.
In terms of charting tools, Interactive Brokers offers 85 drawing tools, slightly less than Exness's 87. Both platforms enable direct trading from stock charts, which provides convenience for active traders. Despite these similarities and Exness's flexibility with copy trading and MetaTrader support, Interactive Brokers is rated higher for its trading platforms and tools, earning a perfect 5-star rating. It ranks 3rd out of 63 brokers in this category on ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Exness receives a respectable 4-star rating and is ranked 26th. This comparison highlights Interactive Brokers as a top choice for comprehensive trading tools, while Exness appeals to traders who prioritize copy trading and MetaTrader capabilities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary 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 |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 107 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Exness both offer user-friendly mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android devices, enabling traders to stay updated wherever they are. These apps provide essential features such as stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and viewing multiple time frames on charts. However, a key difference lies in watchlist syncing; Interactive Brokers enables users to sync their watchlists between the mobile app and online accounts, a feature Exness does not provide. Additionally, Interactive Brokers offers a wider array of 97 technical studies compared to Exness's 35, offering traders more analytical tools to aid in decision-making.
Although both platforms allow for the creation of real-time quote watchlists, they do not automatically save chart drawings. When it comes to ratings, Interactive Brokers shines with a 5-star rating for its mobile trading app, while Exness follows closely with 4 stars. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers is ranked as the #4 mobile trading app by ForexBrokers.com out of 63 brokers, showcasing its higher reputation in the industry, whereas Exness ranks at #26. This comprehensive feature set makes Interactive Brokers an appealing choice for traders looking for an app that combines flexibility and a rich array of analytical tools.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and Exness both offer a range of tools and news services for market research, yet they differ in certain areas. Both brokers provide daily market commentary and forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They also include Trading Central's analytics and sentiment-based trading tools, which help investors understand market trends. While neither broker features research tools from Autochartist, Interactive Brokers stands out by offering market research from TipRanks and tools from Acuity Trading, options that Exness doesn't provide.
For those relying on an economic calendar to keep up with global events, both Interactive Brokers and Exness have this feature. However, when it comes to overall research capabilities, Interactive Brokers holds a higher rating, earning 5 stars compared to Exness's 3.5 stars. As per ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers is ranked third out of 63 brokers for their research services, while Exness lags behind at number 41. This suggests that Interactive Brokers may offer a more comprehensive suite of research tools for traders seeking in-depth market insights.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources available to beginners offered by Interactive Brokers and Exness, it's clear that both platforms have a commitment to educating their users, particularly in the areas of forex and CFDs. Interactive Brokers excels in this domain by not only providing a plethora of educational articles, videos, and archived webinars but also by hosting monthly online webinars. Their comprehensive searchable archive allows users to revisit and learn at their own pace. Exness also offers a wide range of educational content with a focus on forex and CFDs, though it falls short in providing monthly live webinars.
Interactive Brokers further distinguishes itself by providing a more complete package for both beginners and advanced traders. It offers more than 10 beginner-focused educational videos and meets the needs of the more experienced trader with an equally substantial collection of advanced trading videos. Additionally, Interactive Brokers supplies an investor dictionary with numerous investing terms to empower traders with better understanding. Exness, while offering an excellent set of resources for beginners and a comprehensive investor dictionary, does not match the depth of advanced content provided by Interactive Brokers. These differences are reflected in their education ratings, with Interactive Brokers receiving a top-tier 5-star rating and a high ranking by ForexBrokers.com as the third out of 63 brokers, while Exness holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks #47.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 Exness. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #43.
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
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Interactive Brokers provides the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Exness only offers the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Interactive Brokers supports ACH and SEPA transfers along with bank wires for fund deposits and withdrawals, whereas Exness provides options for Skrill and Visa or Mastercard in addition to bank wires, but does not support ACH, SEPA transfers, or PayPal for these transactions.
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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2008 | |
| 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 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 227 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 96 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary 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 | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 107 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 87 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Exness Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Exness Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill