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.
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Interactive Brokers (founded 1977) and IFC Markets (founded 2006) differ in profile and transparency. Interactive Brokers is publicly traded, while IFC Markets is privately held. Neither company is a bank.
In regulation and safety, the gap is clear. Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses and has a 99/99 ForexBrokers.com Trust Score, which sits in the highly trusted 90–99 range. IFC Markets holds 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses, with a 73/99 Trust Score—an average-risk rating (70–79). On this scale, 80–89 is trusted, 60–69 is high risk, and below 59 is not trusted.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 5 |
Interactive Brokers stands out for low forex trading costs, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.19 pips in Q3 2024 and an estimated all-in spread of about 0.59 pips after commission. Its forex commissions start at 0.00002, or 0.2 basis points, of the U.S. dollar trade value per side, with a minimum charge of $2 per order ($4 round turn). That means smaller trades can feel pricier, but larger and more active forex traders may benefit from lower costs and volume-based discounts. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
IFC Markets is more mixed on pricing. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average of 1.08 pips, so it is less competitive for standard forex trading. The broker’s ECN account improves pricing for more active traders, with effective spreads around 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of the trade. IFC Markets also does not charge inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts, which can help lower overall trading costs. IFC Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #33 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
Overall, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice for traders focused on keeping commissions and fees as low as possible, especially for active forex trading and larger order sizes. IFC Markets can still be appealing for those who value no inactivity fee and ECN pricing, but its typical spread costs are higher. If low trading costs are your top priority, Interactive Brokers has the clearer edge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a much wider range of investments than IFC Markets, making it a stronger choice for traders who want more ways to build a portfolio. It gives access to about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, plus exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets. It also lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, while not offering cryptocurrency CFDs. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments category, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 36 brokers.
IFC Markets also supports forex trading and lets clients trade exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, but its selection is far smaller overall. The broker offers about 630 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, does not provide U.S. exchange-traded shares, and focuses more on CFD-style crypto trading rather than delivered crypto. IFC Markets does stand out for copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but its Range of Investments score is 3.5 stars and it is ranked #32 out of 36, so its market selection is much more limited than Interactive Brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Interactive Brokers and IFC Markets both give traders a choice of paper trading, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web-based platform, so each broker covers the basics well for trading across devices. Both also let users trade directly from a stock chart, which can make order entry quicker and easier for active traders. When it comes to platform extras, though, the two brokers differ: IFC Markets supports copy trading plus MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while Interactive Brokers does not offer those tools.
For trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers has the edge overall, earning 5 out of 5 stars and ranking #2 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with IFC Markets at 4 out of 5 stars and #30. In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is a stronger pick for traders who want a highly rated all-around platform experience, while IFC Markets may appeal more to those who want MetaTrader and copy trading options.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC 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 IFC Markets both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, watchlist syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. For everyday mobile trading needs, both brokers cover the basics well and let users stay connected to their accounts from a phone or tablet.
The biggest difference is in charting and overall app quality. Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical studies in its mobile charting tools, compared with 30 at IFC Markets, giving active traders many more ways to analyze price action. Interactive Brokers also earns a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds a 4-star rating and ranks #35. One area where IFC Markets has an edge is that it auto saves chart drawings in the app, while Interactive Brokers does not.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers offers a wider range of market research tools than IFC Markets. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar with current and upcoming global events. However, Interactive Brokers goes further by including forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus research tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading. IFC Markets does not offer these extra research sources.
That difference is reflected in their ratings and rankings. Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Research category, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #31. For traders who want more market insight and more third-party research options, Interactive Brokers stands out as the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, Interactive Brokers has a clear edge over IFC Markets. Interactive Brokers offers forex and CFD learning materials, monthly online client webinars, at least 10 beginner trading videos, and at least 10 advanced videos for more experienced traders. It also holds a 5-star Education rating and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers for Education at ForexBrokers.com, making it a strong choice for traders who want plenty of guidance as they learn.
IFC Markets also provides beginner and advanced trading videos, but it does not offer monthly online client webinars, and its education offering is rated lower overall. While it still gives new traders some helpful content, its 3.5-star Education rating and #25 ranking out of 36 suggest a more limited learning experience compared with Interactive Brokers. For learners who want more frequent teaching sessions and a wider range of educational support, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 IFC Markets. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
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
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Online broker Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but does not offer cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas IFC Markets offers cryptocurrency CFDs but does not support buying actual (delivered) crypto.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal methods, Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers while IFC Markets supports bank wires but not ACH/SEPA; neither broker offers PayPal or Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability 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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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
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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 | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Japan (FSA 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, FSRA, or CMA 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. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | IFC 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 | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | IFC 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 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | IFC 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 |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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