Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs GBE brokers, 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 GBE Brokers offer distinct offerings to online brokerage clients, highlighted by their trust ratings and regulatory credentials. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers is publicly traded and holds an impressive trust score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating they are highly trusted. It boasts 9 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, underscoring its strong regulatory standing. Despite not being a bank, Interactive Brokers’ extensive credentials provide a solid assurance to investors.
In contrast, GBE Brokers, established in 2013, is not publicly traded and scores a 71 on ForexBrokers.com's trust scale, categorizing it as average risk. GBE possesses just 1 Tier-1 license and lacks Tier-2 licenses, which implies less regulatory backing compared to its counterpart. While it isn't a bank either, potential clients of GBE Brokers should consider these factors when evaluating trust and security.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2013 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers are two notable online brokers known for their commissions and fees in forex trading, but they have distinct offerings. Interactive Brokers boasts a competitive pricing structure, although specific average spreads for forex are not readily published. During the third quarter of 2024, the EUR/USD currency pair had an average spread of 0.19 pips, translating to an all-in cost of 0.59 pips after commissions. Traders at Interactive Brokers face a minimum commission of $2 per order side, potentially dropping to 0.08 basis points for highly active traders with volumes as high as $5 billion monthly, positioning them among the top brokers for competitive forex trading costs. The broker has earned a commendable 5-star rating and is ranked #2 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for its exceptional commissions and fees.
GBE Brokers, on the other hand, does not provide average spread data, making direct comparison more challenging. While they maintain a reasonable 4-star rating for commissions and fees, GBE Brokers stand at #37 in the ForexBrokers.com ranking out of 63. For traders seeking transparency in forex trading costs, this could be a potential downside. Nonetheless, GBE Brokers still holds its ground as a competitive choice in the market, with fees that may appeal to specific trading strategies or preferences.
To sum up, while both Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers offer unique benefits, Interactive Brokers leads with a more transparent and competitive fee structure, especially advantageous for highly active traders seeking cost-effective solutions in forex trading. With consistent recognition in industry rankings, Interactive Brokers remains an excellent choice for those prioritizing commissions and fees. Meanwhile, GBE Brokers presents an alternative worth considering, although it may not match the top-tier efficiency of Interactive Brokers in commission and fee offerings.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 |
| 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 | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| 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 it comes to the variety of investment options, Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers present distinct choices for traders. Interactive Brokers provides access to an impressive 8,500 tradeable symbols, significantly outpacing GBE Brokers' 500 symbols. Forex enthusiasts will find both brokers equipped to handle forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, with Interactive Brokers offering 90 forex pairs while GBE Brokers offers 71. What sets Interactive Brokers apart is its capability to offer direct exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing investors to purchase shares like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Vodafone (VOD-GB: London Stock Exchange). Meanwhile, GBE Brokers does not provide the option to invest in exchange-traded securities on these exchanges, directing their clients to alternatives such as copy trading—a feature Interactive Brokers does not offer.
In the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency, Interactive Brokers has the edge with the ability to facilitate both actual cryptocurrency purchases and derivatives. In contrast, GBE Brokers limits its cryptocurrency offerings to derivatives only. These differences in investment ranges are mirrored in their ratings: Interactive Brokers receives a full 5-star rating for its investment variety, while GBE Brokers garners a 3.5-star rating. In a ranking of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers takes the top spot as the #1 broker for range of investments, demonstrating its comprehensive offerings. GBE Brokers ranks at #44, reflecting a more limited array of investment options.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 71 |
| 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 the trading platforms of Interactive Brokers and GBE brokers, both offer a variety of features that cater to different trading needs. Both brokers provide simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts, which are great for beginners wanting to practice strategy without any financial risk. Interactive Brokers stands out with its proprietary platform developed in-house, providing traders a tailored experience. In contrast, GBE brokers relies on popular third-party platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5, which are favored by traders for their range of built-in tools and extensive community support. Both brokers offer desktop and web-based trading platforms, making it convenient for traders to access their accounts from any device.
For those who value advanced charting features, Interactive Brokers offers an impressive 85 drawing tools compared to GBE brokers’ 15, demonstrating a clear advantage for technical analysis enthusiasts. Additionally, the ability to customize watch lists is significantly greater with Interactive Brokers, which allows for 659 columns, overshadowing GBE brokers’ 7. While GBE brokers support copy trading, Interactive Brokers does not, potentially appealing to traders who prefer following and copying seasoned investors. In terms of overall ratings and rankings for trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers receives top marks with 5 stars and ranks third out of 63 brokers, showcasing its strong reputation in the trading community. GBE brokers, while holding a respectable 4-star rating, places 57th, indicating there may be room for further enhancement in their tool offerings.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers offer secure and reliable options for iPhone and Android users. Each provides stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and view different time frames on charts. Both platforms also support creating watchlists with real-time quotes, ensuring that traders can track their desired assets efficiently. However, a key difference is Interactive Brokers' watchlist symbol syncing, which lets users seamlessly sync changes between their mobile app and online account—an option not available with GBE Brokers.
Interactive Brokers shines with a broader set of 97 technical studies for charting, compared to GBE Brokers' 30 studies. However, GBE Brokers uniquely offers auto-saving of chart drawings, which is not available with Interactive Brokers. When rated on their overall mobile trading app experience, Interactive Brokers scores a high 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, GBE Brokers receives a 4-star rating and ranks #57, suggesting that Interactive Brokers may offer a more comprehensive trading experience for those prioritizing advanced charting tools and app integrations.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research offerings, Interactive Brokers stands out compared to GBE Brokers. Both companies provide daily market commentary and maintain an economic calendar displaying global news events. However, Interactive Brokers goes further by offering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature absent with GBE Brokers. Traders using Interactive Brokers also gain access to research tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading—resources that aren't available through GBE Brokers. Additionally, both brokers offer sentiment-based trading tools, but the breadth of Interactive Brokers' research capabilities significantly outshines that of GBE Brokers.
The enhanced market research offerings of Interactive Brokers are reflected in their ratings and rankings. They receive a stellar five-star rating for research, ranking them third out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, GBE Brokers is rated three stars and ranks near the bottom at number 62. For those who rely heavily on market research to guide their trading decisions, Interactive Brokers offers more comprehensive resources that can provide valuable insights for traders of all experience levels.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| 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 Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers in terms of educational resources for beginners, Interactive Brokers emerges as a more comprehensive choice. Interactive Brokers offers a wide range of educational content specifically focused on forex and CFDs, with over 10 pieces of content, including articles and videos. Additionally, they provide monthly online webinars and a searchable archive of past webinars, contributing to a well-rounded educational experience. Meanwhile, GBE Brokers falls short in these areas, offering fewer educational resources for individuals interested in learning about forex and CFDs.
Interactive Brokers excels with its offering of more than 10 beginner and advanced trading videos, catering to both new and experienced traders, whereas GBE Brokers does not offer a comparable selection. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers has an investor dictionary with definitions for over 50 terms, assisting beginners in grasping essential trading concepts. These efforts have earned Interactive Brokers a five-star rating for education and a third-place ranking out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, GBE Brokers holds a three-star rating and ranks last in the education category, highlighting the significant gap in educational support between the two brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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 GBE brokers. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while GBE brokers finished with an overall rank of #57.
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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GBE brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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Interactive Brokers provides investors with the opportunity to purchase both actual delivered cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas GBE Brokers only offers cryptocurrency derivatives, not the actual cryptocurrencies themselves.
While both Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers support ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing account funds, GBE Brokers additionally offers options such as PayPal, Skrill, and Visa or Mastercard, which are not available with Interactive Brokers.
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 | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2013 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 71 | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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