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 |
Interactive Brokers charges commissions instead of marking up spreads, and it shows in the totals. In Q3 2024, we recorded an average EUR/USD spread of 0.19 pips at IBKR, for an effective all-in cost of about 0.59 pips after commission. By comparison, IFC Markets’ average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips (above the 1.08-pip industry average), though its new ECN account can bring effective costs down to about 1.1 pips after commission. For Commissions and Fees, Interactive Brokers is rated 5/5 stars and ranks #2 of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets is rated 4/5 stars and ranks #40 of 63.
IBKR’s forex commissions start at 0.00002 (0.2 basis points) of the trade’s U.S. dollar value per side, with a $2 minimum per order ($4 round turn). On a standard $100,000 EUR/USD trade, that equates to roughly 0.40 pips in commission on top of whatever spread you receive. Because of the $2-per-side minimum, smaller trade sizes become relatively more expensive. High-volume traders can qualify for lower pricing, with minimums dropping to $1.50 per order above $1 billion in monthly volume and as low as $1 at $5 billion; quoted commission ranges are roughly $16–$40 per million round turn.
IFC Markets keeps things simple with no inactivity fees and offers discounts for active traders. Its headline average spread on EUR/USD is 1.44 pips, but the ECN account improves value to about 1.1 pips effective cost after a 0.005% commission charged on both sides of the trade. While that’s an improvement for frequent traders, the data still favors Interactive Brokers for lower typical costs on standard-size forex trades.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 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.
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) offers a much wider range of investments than IFC Markets. IBKR lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, versus IFC Markets’ roughly 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Crucially, IBKR lets clients buy exchange-traded securities in the U.S. and abroad—think actual shares like Apple on Nasdaq or Vodafone in London—while IFC Markets supports exchange-traded shares only on international venues and not on U.S. exchanges. Reflecting this breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates IBKR 5 stars and ranks it #1 of 63 for Range of Investments, while IFC Markets earns 3.5 stars and ranks #44.
Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot, and both offer cryptocurrency derivatives; however, only Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual, delivered crypto. IFC Markets adds copy trading, which IBKR does not. In short, choose Interactive Brokers if you want the widest market access, including real stocks in the U.S. and overseas plus direct crypto, while IFC Markets may appeal if you prioritize copy trading within a smaller, CFD-focused lineup.
| 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.
Interactive Brokers and IFC Markets both check the basics for platform access: each offers a free paper trading/demo account, a proprietary platform, and both desktop software for Windows and a web-based platform. Where they differ is third‑party integrations and social features. IFC Markets supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and offers copy trading, while Interactive Brokers does not support MT4/MT5 and does not offer copy trading. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For tools, both brokers let you place trades directly from charts. Interactive Brokers stands out for depth, with 85 drawing tools and an extensive 659 watchlist fields, compared with IFC Markets’ 15 drawing tools and 7 watchlist fields. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars and ranks it #3 out of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, while IFC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #37. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want highly customizable charting and watchlists; pick IFC Markets if MT4/MT5 access and copy trading are priorities.
| 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.
Interactive Brokers and IFC Markets both check the key boxes for mobile trading. Each offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, synced watchlists across devices, trendline drawing, and multiple chart time frames. That means you can track markets and manage positions on the go, whether you use Apple or Android.
The differences show up in charting depth and workflow. Interactive Brokers packs in 97 technical studies versus 30 at IFC Markets, giving more tools for technical analysis. However, IFC Markets auto-saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not—handy if you mark up charts often. In industry reviews, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps, while IFC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #53. If you want fuller indicator choice, Interactive Brokers stands out; if you value simpler chart markup with auto-save, IFC Markets has an edge.
| 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.
For market research, Interactive Brokers offers more depth than IFC Markets. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning. The difference is in extras: Interactive Brokers includes premium forex news from Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, plus Trading Central analysis, TipRanks insights, and tools from Acuity Trading. IFC Markets does not offer these third‑party research suites or premium news feeds. Neither broker includes Autochartist.
These added resources help Interactive Brokers earn 5 stars for Research and a #3 ranking out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds 3.5 stars and ranks #41. If you want richer third‑party research and integrated tools in one place, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick; if you only need the basics—headlines, commentary, sentiment, and a calendar—IFC Markets covers the essentials.
| 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
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| 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 | 0.65 | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill