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 (5 stars, ranked #2 of 63 for Commissions and Fees) and Exness (4 stars, ranked #36 of 63) both offer competitive pricing, but they go about it differently. IBKR doesn’t publish average forex spreads, yet during Q3 2024 we observed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.19 pips, translating to an effective all-in cost of about 0.59 pips after commission—low by industry standards. Exness pricing varies by account: its commission-based accounts generally deliver tighter spreads than its commission-free options.
Interactive Brokers aggregates quotes from 17 major interbank dealers and doesn’t mark up spreads; instead, it charges a commission. Forex commissions start at 0.00002 (0.2 bps) of the USD trade value per side with a $2 minimum per order ($4 round turn), roughly $16–$40 per million round turn ($8–$20 per side). For a standard 100,000 EUR/USD trade, the commission works out to about 0.40 pips, which—paired with the Q3 2024 average spread—produced an all-in of ~0.59 pips. Note the $2-per-side minimum makes smaller-than-100k trades proportionally pricier. Very active traders can qualify for discounts (minimum charge dropping to $1.50 per order above $1B/month and $1 above $5B), and IBKR supports RFQ for large orders. IBKR Lite and Pro support forex but are not commission-free.
Exness offers five main account types. Standard Cent and Standard are spread-only with higher spreads; Pro tightens spreads and lets you choose instant (dealer) or market (agency) execution. Its commission-based choices aim for the tightest pricing: the Zero Spread account uses market execution and charges a $0.05 per-trade commission, while the Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn per lot ($3.50 per side) with low spreads; both have a 30% margin-call trigger and no leverage or stop-out restrictions. Bottom line: frequent traders executing standard-lot (or larger) orders may find IBKR’s commission model delivers very low all-in costs, while Exness appeals to those wanting simple spread-only accounts or near-zero spreads with a fixed commission.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a far wider range of investments than Exness. IBKR lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols, including 90 forex pairs, while Exness has 209 symbols with 96 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot. A key difference is stock access: Interactive Brokers lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. markets (such as Apple) and on international exchanges (such as Vodafone). Exness does not offer exchange-traded stocks.
For crypto, Interactive Brokers supports both actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and crypto derivatives, whereas Exness offers only crypto derivatives. Exness provides copy trading, while Interactive Brokers does not. In independent assessments of range of investments, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com; Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #56. In short, Interactive Brokers suits investors who want deep market access across stocks, forex, and crypto, while Exness is better for traders focused on forex and copy trading with fewer overall markets.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 209 |
| 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.
Interactive Brokers and Exness both offer free paper (demo) trading, proprietary platforms, web-based platforms, Windows desktop platforms, and the ability to trade directly from price charts. According to ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms & Tools, while Exness is rated 4 stars and ranks #26.
The big differences come down to platform choice and social features. Exness supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and includes copy trading, which suits traders who want social trading and the MetaTrader ecosystem. Interactive Brokers does not support MT4/MT5 and does not offer copy trading, but its in-house tools are backed by a 5-star rating and #3 ranking and are available on web and Windows desktop with chart trading. Choose Exness if you want MetaTrader and copy trading; choose Interactive Brokers if you prefer a top-rated, broker-built platform suite.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 107 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Exness both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. A key difference is watchlist syncing: Interactive Brokers syncs symbols between the mobile app and your online account so changes carry over, while Exness does not. For charting, Interactive Brokers includes 97 technical indicators, compared with 35 on Exness. Neither app auto-saves chart drawings.
In independent testing of mobile trading apps, Interactive Brokers earned 5 stars and ranked #4 out of 63 brokers, while Exness received 4 stars and ranked #26. If you want deeper charting tools and synced watchlists across devices, the Interactive Brokers mobile app stands out. If you prefer a simpler setup with alerts and essential charting, the Exness mobile app still gets the job done.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | ||
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and Exness both deliver solid market research essentials. Each provides daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Both brokers also include Trading Central tools and sentiment data that show the ratio of long and short positions, helping traders spot trends. Neither broker offers Autochartist.
The key differences come from extra third‑party research. Interactive Brokers adds TipRanks and Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), while Exness does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers, whereas Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #42. If you want broader, integrated research such as TipRanks insights plus Acuity Trading signals, Interactive Brokers has the edge; if you only need core news, calendar, and Trading Central analysis, both will meet that need.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 vs Exness for beginner education: Interactive Brokers earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness scores 3.5 stars and ranks #47. Both brokers run client webinars at least monthly and offer sizable video libraries that include 10+ beginner videos and 10+ advanced videos. Details about whether either broker provides a searchable archive of past webinars, a 50+ term investing dictionary, or at least 10 dedicated forex/CFD education pieces were not specified.
For new traders who want a stronger, more comprehensive learning path, Interactive Brokers is the safer bet based on its higher rating and ranking. Exness can still suit beginners who value frequent webinars and video lessons, but you may want to confirm the availability of archived sessions, a glossary, and dedicated forex/CFD materials before committing.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
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
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Exness
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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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 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 | 81 | |
| 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 | 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 | ||
| 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 SCA 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 | 209 | |
| 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 | 0.65 | N/A | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| 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 | 107 | |
| 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 35 | |
| 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 | 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | 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 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Exness Review |
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