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 earns a 99/99 Trust Score from ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the highly trusted range (90–99). Exness scores 80/99, which ForexBrokers.com classifies as trusted (80–89). For context, 70–79 is average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 should not be trusted.
Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, is publicly traded and not a bank; it holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses (Tier-1 is considered highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted by ForexBrokers.com). Exness, founded in 2008, is not publicly traded and not a bank; it holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers generally comes out ahead of Exness for cost-conscious forex traders. IBKR uses commission-based pricing rather than adding a markup to spreads, and its EUR/USD pricing was measured at an effective all-in spread of about 0.59 pips after commission in Q3 2024. Forex commissions start at $2 per order per side, which can make very small trades feel expensive, but the pricing can become even better for very active traders. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers in this category.
Exness offers several account types, and its trading costs vary depending on which one you choose. Standard accounts do not charge commission but usually come with wider spreads, while the Zero Spread and Raw accounts charge commission in exchange for tighter pricing. The Zero Spread account charges a small per-trade commission, and the Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn lot, or $3.5 per side. Exness is rated 4 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #32 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick if your main goal is lower forex trading costs, especially for larger or more active orders. Exness may still appeal to traders who want account choice and simple spread-based pricing, but its fees and spreads are less competitive overall. In short: IBKR is better for price-sensitive forex trading, while Exness offers more variety in how you pay for trades.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Interactive Brokers offers a much wider selection than Exness. Interactive Brokers gives clients access to about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, while Exness offers 239 tradeable symbols and 78 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading, but Interactive Brokers stands out for investors who want more choice across markets.
Interactive Brokers also lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as U.S. stocks and shares listed in London. It also offers actual cryptocurrency purchases, while Exness does not. Exness, however, offers cryptocurrency CFDs instead of the real asset. Neither broker offers copy trading. Overall, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars for range of investments and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers, while Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #35.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 78 |
| 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 Exness both give traders a wide set of platform choices, including free paper trading, a desktop app for Windows, a web platform, and the ability to trade directly from charts. Each broker also offers its own in-house platform, making it easy to get started without relying only on third-party software. One key difference is that Exness supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while Interactive Brokers does not. Neither broker offers copy trading in this comparison.
When it comes to trading tools, Interactive Brokers has the edge overall. ForexBrokers.com rates it 5 out of 5 for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks it #2 out of 36 brokers, compared with Exness at 4 out of 5 and #15 out of 36. In simple terms, both brokers cover the basics well, but Interactive Brokers stands out for its platform experience, while Exness may appeal more to traders who want MT4 or MT5 support.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Exness both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Neither app automatically saves chart drawings, so traders will need to reapply them if they switch devices or reopen a chart. For everyday mobile trading needs, both platforms cover the basics well and make it easy to keep track of markets on the go.
The main difference is in charting depth and overall mobile app ratings. Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 100 at Exness, giving it more chart tools for active traders. It also earns a 5-star rating for mobile trading apps and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness holds a 4-star rating and ranks #18. If chart features and higher mobile app ratings matter most, Interactive Brokers has the edge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and Exness both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Trading Central tools, and an economic calendar with key global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist. Where Interactive Brokers stands out is in the wider range of research extras it offers, including sentiment data, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading, which give traders more ways to check market direction and find trade ideas.
That difference shows up in the ratings too. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars for research and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #32. In short, both brokers cover the basics well, but Interactive Brokers offers a broader set of research tools for traders who want more market insight.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, Interactive Brokers and Exness both give new traders plenty of learning material. Each broker offers forex or CFD education with at least 10 pieces of content, plus monthly educational webinars and at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos. That means both platforms provide a wide range of resources for people who want to learn the basics as well as traders looking to build more advanced skills.
Even so, Interactive Brokers stands out more clearly in this area. It earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness holds a 3.5-star Education rating and ranks #21. For beginners who want the strongest mix of lessons, videos, and webinars, Interactive Brokers appears to offer the more complete education experience.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Exness. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
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.
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Interactive Brokers
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Exness
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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Interactive Brokers vs Exness: Interactive Brokers lets you buy real, delivered cryptocurrency (not CFDs) but does not offer crypto CFDs, while Exness offers cryptocurrency CFDs but does not support purchasing actual delivered crypto.
Interactive Brokers vs Exness: for deposits and withdrawals, Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires (no PayPal or Skrill), while Exness offers Skrill and bank wires (no PayPal and no ACH/SEPA); 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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| 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 | 8 | 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 (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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 78 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 106 | |
| 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 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 | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Exness Review |
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