Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs FOREX.com, 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 vs FOREX.com: Interactive Brokers was founded in 1977, while FOREX.com began in 1999. Both are publicly traded companies and neither is a bank. Each earns a 99/99 Trust Score from ForexBrokers.com, placing them in the highly trusted range (90–99).
On regulation, Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses; FOREX.com holds 7 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Tier-1 licenses are viewed as highly trusted and Tier-2 as trusted by ForexBrokers.com, signaling strong oversight for clients at both brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 7 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead of FOREX.com for most forex traders. Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its forex pricing is commission-based rather than spread-marked up, with Q3 2024 EUR/USD average spreads of 0.19 pips and an estimated all-in spread of about 0.59 pips after commission. The main thing to watch is the $2 minimum commission per side, which can make very small trades more expensive, though costs can drop for high-volume traders.
FOREX.com earns 4.5 stars and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers in the same category. Its pricing depends on the account type you choose. The Standard account is usually more expensive, with typical EUR/USD spreads around 1.4 pips in the U.S., while the newer RAW Spread account offers tighter pricing, with typical EUR/USD spreads near 0.13 pips plus commission. FOREX.com also offers volume-based rebates, but for many traders, especially in the U.S., the total cost can still be close to the Standard account unless monthly trading volume is very high.
In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is generally the cheaper choice for commission and fee pricing, especially for active forex traders who want low all-in costs and can meet higher volume tiers. FOREX.com may still appeal to traders who want different account types, platform choices, and execution styles, but its pricing is usually less competitive overall. If low costs are your top priority, Interactive Brokers has the edge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.00 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 1.13 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| 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 and FOREX.com both give traders access to forex as either a CFD or a spot contract, and both also let clients trade exchange-listed stocks on U.S. and international markets. When it comes to overall market choice, however, Interactive Brokers offers a wider menu, with about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, compared with FOREX.com’s 5,500 symbols and 80 forex pairs. Both brokers are rated 5 stars for Range of Investments, but Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while FOREX.com is ranked #6.
There are also some key differences in crypto access. Interactive Brokers lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, while FOREX.com does not offer delivered crypto. On the other hand, FOREX.com offers cryptocurrency CFDs, which Interactive Brokers does not. Neither broker supports copy trading. Overall, if you want the broadest range of investments, Interactive Brokers has the edge, while FOREX.com still provides a solid mix of forex, stocks, and crypto CFD trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 80 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 FOREX.com both give traders a wide choice of platform options, including a free paper trading demo, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Both also let users place trades directly from a chart, which can make it easier to act quickly while reviewing price movement. When it comes to trading tools, each broker earns 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, showing that both are strong choices for traders who want flexible ways to access the market.
The main difference is in platform extras. FOREX.com supports both MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Interactive Brokers does not offer either platform. Neither broker offers copy trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, Interactive Brokers ranks #2 out of 36 brokers, while FOREX.com ranks #5 out of 36, making Interactive Brokers the slightly stronger pick overall for platform and tools quality.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 90 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and FOREX.com both make it easy to trade on the go, since each offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, watchlist syncing, and trendline drawing tools. Both mobile platforms are also highly rated, earning 5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, Interactive Brokers places #4, while FOREX.com comes in slightly higher at #2.
Where they differ most is in charting. Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 90 at FOREX.com, which may appeal to traders who want more chart detail. On the other hand, FOREX.com has a helpful convenience feature that automatically saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not. For traders who want a mobile app with strong everyday tools, both are solid choices, but FOREX.com has the edge in ranking and saved chart work, while Interactive Brokers stands out for deeper charting options.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 90 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, both Interactive Brokers and FOREX.com give traders a strong set of tools. Each offers daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Both also include Trading Central tools and a sentiment feature that helps show whether traders are mostly long or short on a pair or instrument. Neither broker offers Autochartist, so that part of the research lineup is the same.
The main difference is that Interactive Brokers adds more third-party research options. It includes TipRanks and Acuity Trading tools, while FOREX.com does not. Even so, both brokers earn 5 out of 5 stars for Research, with Interactive Brokers ranked #3 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com and FOREX.com ranked #7. Overall, Interactive Brokers has the edge for research depth, but FOREX.com still provides a solid research experience for everyday traders.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers and FOREX.com both give beginners plenty of help to learn how forex and CFD trading works. Each broker offers at least 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, monthly client webinars, and a wide selection of beginner and advanced videos. Both also earn a top 5-star Education rating, so either platform can be a strong place to start if you want to build your trading knowledge step by step.
The main difference is in the overall education ranking. Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers for Education by ForexBrokers.com, while FOREX.com is ranked #4. That gives Interactive Brokers a slight edge for learners who want the highest-rated educational setup, but FOREX.com still offers a strong range of beginner-friendly resources and ongoing webinars for new traders.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FOREX.com. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #4.
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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FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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Interactive Brokers enables buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but does not offer crypto CFDs, while FOREX.com provides cryptocurrency CFDs but does not allow purchases of real, delivered crypto.
Interactive Brokers vs FOREX.com: both brokers support ACH/SEPA and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, but only FOREX.com offers PayPal and Skrill, while Visa/Mastercard availability is 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 | FOREX.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | FOREX.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 7 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | Yes | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| 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) | No |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 80 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.00 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 1.13 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 90 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 90 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FOREX.com Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | FOREX.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | FOREX.com Review |
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