Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs IFC Markets, 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, established in 1977, is a well-known choice in the online brokerage industry. It stands out with its impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, putting it in the highly trusted category. The company is publicly traded, enhancing transparency and investor confidence. Despite not being a bank, Interactive Brokers holds a significant number of regulatory approvals with 9 Tier-1 licenses deemed highly trusted and 2 Tier-2 licenses indicating a trusted status. This solid regulatory framework makes Interactive Brokers a preferred choice for many investors seeking security and reliability in their online trading experiences.
On the other hand, IFC Markets, founded in 2006, presents a more moderate risk profile with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 73, placing it in the average risk category. Unlike Interactive Brokers, IFC Markets is not publicly traded, which may influence investor perceptions of transparency. The company does not hold any Tier-1 licenses, but it does maintain 1 Tier-2 license, suggesting a foundational level of trust. While both brokers are not banks, the differences in their regulatory and trust profiles are key factors for potential investors to consider when choosing between these platforms.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When comparing Interactive Brokers to IFC Markets in terms of commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers emerges as a strong contender, offering highly competitive pricing. Although it does not publicly provide average forex spreads, data from Q3 2024 reveals an average EUR/USD spread of 0.19 pips, or 0.59 pips including commissions. Forex commissions start at 0.00002 of the U.S. dollar trade value per side, with a minimum of $2 per order. For active traders who can meet high monthly trading volumes, commission costs may decrease further. Interactive Brokers charges between $16 to $40 per million round turn, depending on trading activity, and benefits from price aggregation across 17 major interbank forex dealers. Overall, Interactive Brokers scores a 5-star rating for its commissions and fees, ranking #2 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
Conversely, IFC Markets offers its own advantages, though it presents a slightly higher average spread on the EUR/USD pair at 1.44 pips compared to the industry average of 1.08 pips. Nonetheless, active traders find better conditions with the new ECN account, achieving effective spreads of 1.1 pips by factoring in a 0.005% commission. While lacking in low spreads when compared to Interactive Brokers, IFC Markets compensates by waiving inactivity fees and providing active trader discounts. The broker, though not as cost-effective as Interactive Brokers, still earns a respectable 4-star rating and is ranked #39 in the commissions and fees category by ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, while both brokers offer unique benefits, Interactive Brokers stands out for offering lower commission costs and a highly competitive trading environment, particularly for high-volume traders. Meanwhile, IFC Markets is a viable option for traders who can benefit from its ECN account structure and absence of inactivity fees. When evaluating based on commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers secures a top-tier position in the industry.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | 1.1 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the range of investments offered by Interactive Brokers and IFC Markets, it’s clear that each platform has its strengths. Interactive Brokers offers a vast array of 8,500 tradeable symbols, including spot and CFD forex trading with 90 different forex pairs. This brokerage also allows clients to buy and sell exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets, expanding the investment opportunities significantly. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers provides options for purchasing actual delivered cryptocurrency, as well as derivatives. Despite not offering copy trading, Interactive Brokers' extensive range of investments earns it a five-star rating, securing the top spot in the ForexBrokers.com ranking for this category.
IFC Markets, while offering a respectable selection of 630 tradeable symbols, focuses on what is popular among many traders by providing spot and CFD forex trading with 49 forex pairs. It also features international exchange options, although it does not include U.S. exchange-traded securities like Interactive Brokers. IFC Markets supports copy trading, which is a plus for those interested in replicating strategies, but it stops short of offering actual delivered cryptocurrency transactions, only providing derivatives instead. With these offerings, IFC Markets garners a 3.5-star rating for its range of investments, placing it at #43 in the ForexBrokers.com ranking.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Interactive Brokers and IFC Markets, both brokers stand out with proprietary platforms that meet the needs of traders using different devices. They each offer desktop and web-based platforms for Windows, alongside free virtual demo accounts. However, Interactive Brokers shines with a five-star rating for its trading platforms, ranking it third out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, IFC Markets has a respectable four-star rating and is ranked 36th. This difference is partly due to the impressive 659 fields available for watch lists and the 85 drawing tools for charting offered by Interactive Brokers, surpassing IFC Markets' options.
Although both platforms allow users to trade directly from stock charts, they diverge in additional offerings. IFC Markets supports popular trading platforms MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and offers copy trading, unlike Interactive Brokers. Moreover, while neither broker provides access to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, IFC Markets may appeal to traders seeking these specific integrations. Ultimately, both brokers ensure a comprehensive trading experience, yet Interactive Brokers edges out IFC Markets with its extensive tools and higher industry ranking for trading platforms.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary 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 | 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 IFC Markets offer comprehensive platforms for iPhone and Android users. Each app excels in providing essential trading features like stock and forex price alerts and real-time quotes. Users can also enjoy in-sync watchlists, meaning additions or changes are seamlessly reflected across the app and the online account. While both platforms allow for drawing trendlines and viewing various time frames on charts, Interactive Brokers stands out by offering 97 technical studies compared to IFC Markets’ 30. However, IFC Markets has the edge with auto-saving drawings, a feature lacking in Interactive Brokers' app.
In terms of user ratings, Interactive Brokers shines with a 5-star rating, while IFC Markets holds a respectable 4-star rating. This higher user satisfaction reflects Interactive Brokers’ superior mobile trading experience, corroborated by its impressive #4 ranking out of 63 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category by ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, IFC Markets is positioned at #52 in the same category, indicating room for improvement. Overall, Interactive Brokers offers a slightly more advanced mobile trading app that caters to the needs of users looking for an extensive range of technical tools and a high-quality user experience.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| 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 IFC Markets. Both brokers provide daily market commentary and feature economic calendars, keeping traders informed about current and upcoming global economic events. However, Interactive Brokers excels in providing forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, while IFC Markets lacks such high-tier news sources. Additionally, Interactive Brokers offers tools from Trading Central and research insights from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, which provide traders with in-depth analysis and trading signals. In contrast, IFC Markets doesn't incorporate these advanced research tools, resulting in fewer resources for traders looking for detailed market analysis.
Both Interactive Brokers and IFC Markets offer sentiment-based trading tools that provide insights into market sentiment by displaying the ratio of long and short positions across currency pairs. Despite this similarity, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars for its research capabilities, placing it third among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, IFC Markets holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks significantly lower at 40th. The comprehensive market research tools and high-quality news sources make Interactive Brokers a preferable choice for traders seeking extensive research capabilities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 the educational offerings for beginners between Interactive Brokers and IFC Markets, both platforms provide a wealth of resources on forex and CFDs topics. Each has over 10 educational pieces such as articles, videos, and archived webinars. Additionally, both brokers boast an extensive library of beginner and advanced educational videos, contributing to their comprehensive learning environments. A significant advantage Interactive Brokers has over IFC Markets is its monthly online client webinars and accessible archive of past sessions, which IFC Markets does not offer.
Interactive Brokers also shines with a five-star rating in the education category, ranking 3rd out of 63 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com. This positions it significantly higher than IFC Markets, which holds a 3.5-star rating and the 30th place ranking. Both brokers feature investor dictionaries containing over 50 investing term definitions, aiding in developing an informed trading journey. Overall, Interactive Brokers appears to offer a more enriching and accessible educational experience for beginners compared to its counterpart IFC Markets.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 IFC Markets. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
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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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Interactive Brokers provides the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies alongside cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas IFC Markets only offers the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives and does not support the buying of actual delivered cryptocurrencies.
In comparing the deposit and withdrawal options of Interactive Brokers and IFC Markets, Interactive Brokers supports ACH, SEPA, and bank wire transfers, but does not offer PayPal, Skrill, or credit card options, whereas IFC Markets offers bank wire and credit card options but lacks support for ACH, SEPA, PayPal, and Skrill payments.
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 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | 1.1 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary 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 | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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