Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs FP Markets, 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 FP Markets: Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, is a publicly traded online broker, while FP Markets, founded in 2005, is privately held. Neither firm is a bank.
Regulation and trust: Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses; FP Markets holds 2 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2. According to ForexBrokers.com, their Trust Scores out of 99 are 99 for Interactive Brokers and 90 for FP Markets—both within the highly trusted 90–99 range. Interactive Brokers offers wider top‑tier coverage and a near‑perfect score, while FP Markets provides fewer licenses yet still earns a highly trusted rating.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2005 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Interactive Brokers and FP Markets both offer low-cost trading, but they use different pricing styles. Interactive Brokers charges commission-based forex pricing rather than widening spreads, and its EUR/USD pricing was about 0.19 pips in Q3 2024, with an estimated all-in cost of 0.59 pips after commission. Its forex commissions start at 0.00002 of U.S. dollar trade value per side, with a $2 minimum per order, which can make smaller trades feel more expensive. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
FP Markets is also a strong choice for low trading costs, especially on its commission-based Raw ECN account. On EUR/USD, the Raw account averaged 0.1 pips in October 2023, with an all-in cost of about 0.8 pips after commission, while the Standard account is costlier because of wider spreads, averaging 1.1 pips. FP Markets’ cTrader Raw account charges a flat $6 round-turn per standard lot for forex trading. FP Markets is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #11 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is the cheaper pick for many forex traders, especially active ones who can benefit from volume discounts, while FP Markets still offers very competitive pricing through its Raw ECN setup. FP Markets may be a better fit for traders who want a straightforward low-cost platform choice, but its standard pricing options and some Australia-specific account tiers can add extra costs. If commissions and fees are your main concern, both brokers are competitive, but Interactive Brokers has the edge overall.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 AUD |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.9 |
| 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.
When it comes to the range of investments, Interactive Brokers gives traders more ways to build a diversified portfolio. It offers about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, plus access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges. That means you can buy real shares such as Apple in the U.S. or Vodafone in London, and you can also buy actual cryptocurrency rather than a crypto CFD. Interactive Brokers does not offer copy trading or crypto CFDs, but its lineup of investable assets is wide and is reflected in its 5-star range of investments rating and #1 ranking out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
FP Markets also gives traders access to forex trading, with about 10,000 tradeable symbols, which is more than Interactive Brokers in total symbol count. It offers 71 forex pairs, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, making it a strong choice for traders who want CFD-based exposure. However, it does not provide exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and it does not support buying actual cryptocurrency. FP Markets is rated 4.5 stars for range of investments and ranks #17 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s comparison.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 71 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| 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 FP Markets both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including free paper trading, their own in-house platforms, desktop downloads for Windows, and web-based trading. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make placing orders faster and easier. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers, while FP Markets is rated 4 stars and ranked #22, showing that Interactive Brokers has the edge overall for platform quality and tools.
FP Markets stands out for traders who want extra platform flexibility, since it supports copy trading plus MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which Interactive Brokers does not offer. This makes FP Markets a better fit for traders who prefer popular third-party platforms or want to follow other traders. Interactive Brokers, by contrast, is a stronger choice for those who want a top-rated all-in-one trading environment with advanced built-in tools and a highly regarded platform experience.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and FP Markets both provide mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each lets users set stock or forex price alerts. Both apps also support drawing trendlines on charts. Where Interactive Brokers stands out is in watchlist syncing, which lets changes made on the mobile app and online account stay matched across devices. Its app also offers 155 technical studies for chart analysis, giving traders more chart tools to work with than FP Markets.
FP Markets does have a useful mobile app, and it includes auto-saving for chart drawings, which Interactive Brokers does not. Still, Interactive Brokers has the edge overall in mobile trading. It is rated 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #20. For traders who want stronger watchlist syncing and more charting features, Interactive Brokers is the better choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | MetaTrader (Default) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and FP Markets both give traders plenty of market research support, including daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Trading Central tools, sentiment data, and an economic calendar. That means both brokers make it easy to track headlines, spot trends, and keep an eye on major global events. Where Interactive Brokers stands out is in its extra research options, with TipRanks and Acuity Trading available, while FP Markets adds Autochartist for chart-based ideas and signals.
Overall, Interactive Brokers has the stronger research offering. It earns a 5-star research rating and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Research category, compared with FP Markets’ 4-star rating and #22 ranking. If you want the broader mix of research tools, Interactive Brokers has the edge, while FP Markets still covers the basics well and includes Autochartist for traders who like technical scanning.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| 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.
When it comes to beginner-friendly education, both Interactive Brokers and FP Markets give new traders a lot to work with. Each offers forex or CFDs learning content with at least 10 pieces focused on those topics, plus online client webinars held at least once a month. Both brokers also provide 10 or more beginner videos and 10 or more advanced videos, so learners can start with the basics and keep building their skills over time.
Even so, Interactive Brokers has the edge overall for education. It earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #22. For beginners who want the widest range of learning materials and the strongest overall education offering, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice, though FP Markets still gives traders a solid set of resources.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FP Markets. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19.
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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FP Markets
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 |
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Interactive Brokers vs FP Markets: Interactive Brokers supports buying actual, delivered cryptocurrencies but not crypto CFDs, whereas FP Markets offers cryptocurrency CFDs but does not allow buying the underlying coins.
For deposits and withdrawals, Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers but not PayPal or Skrill, while FP Markets lacks ACH/SEPA yet accepts PayPal and Skrill and also supports bank wires; Visa/Mastercard availability for both is not specified.
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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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | FP Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2005 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.9 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 AUD | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | MetaTrader (Default) | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | FP Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | FP Markets Review |
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