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 and is rated 5 stars for commissions and fees, ranking #1 out of 36 brokers. Instead of building costs into wider spreads, IBKR charges a commission model that can be very economical for active traders. In Q3 2024, the EUR/USD effective all-in cost was about 0.59 pips after commission, and a $100,000 EUR/USD trade works out to roughly 0.40 pips in commission equivalent, plus any market spread. The main drawback is the $2 minimum per side, which can make smaller forex trades less cost-effective.
IFC Markets is more mixed on pricing. It is rated 4 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #34 out of 36 brokers. Its standard EUR/USD spread averages 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average, though its ECN account is better for active traders, with an effective spread of about 1.1 pips after commission. IFC Markets also has no inactivity fee and offers some active trader discounts, which may help offset costs for some users.
Overall, Interactive Brokers is the lower-cost choice for forex commissions and fees, especially for frequent or larger traders. IFC Markets can still be a reasonable option, particularly if you value the ECN account or want to avoid inactivity charges, but its pricing is generally less competitive than IBKR’s.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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, with about 8,500 tradeable symbols compared with 630 at IFC Markets. It also provides access to 100 forex pairs, versus 49 at IFC Markets, and lets clients trade forex as either a spot contract or CFD. For investors who want more than forex, Interactive Brokers stands out by offering exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, including stocks like Apple and Vodafone, plus the ability to buy actual cryptocurrency rather than only a crypto derivative.
IFC Markets does cover some key bases, including forex trading, international exchange-traded securities, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, it does not offer U.S. exchange-traded shares or actual cryptocurrency purchases, which makes its lineup smaller overall. This difference is reflected in independent ratings: Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #33.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 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 wide set of platform choices, including a free paper trading account, their own in-house platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based browser platform. Both also let users trade directly from a stock chart, making it easier to place orders while reviewing market moves. When it comes to trading tools, Interactive Brokers stands out with a 5-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools and a strong #2 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #32.
Where the two brokers differ most is in extra platform features. IFC Markets supports copy trading and both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which may appeal to traders who want familiar third-party software and social trading options. Interactive Brokers does not offer copy trading, MT4, or MT5, but it remains a top pick for traders who want an advanced built-in platform and a broad range of ways to access the markets.
| 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 offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, plus price alerts, watchlist syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Both apps let traders manage their accounts and follow markets on the go, making them useful choices for mobile investing and forex trading.
The main difference is in charting and overall app quality. Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 at IFC Markets, and it earns a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating from ForexBrokers.com, where it ranks #4 out of 36 brokers. IFC Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #37, though it does have one handy edge: its app automatically saves chart drawings, 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 stands out for market research, giving traders daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading. It also includes sentiment data showing long and short positioning, along with an economic calendar for tracking upcoming global events. IFC Markets also offers daily commentary, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, but it does not provide the same level of outside news and third-party research tools.
That gap is reflected in the ratings and rankings: Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 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 #33. In short, both brokers cover the basics, but Interactive Brokers offers a much wider set of research resources for traders who want more market insight.
| 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 to learn, Interactive Brokers stands out as the stronger choice for educational support. It offers forex and CFD learning content with at least 10 dedicated pieces, plus online client webinars held at least once a month. It also provides 10 or more beginner videos and 10 or more advanced videos, giving new traders and more experienced users plenty of material to work through. That breadth helps explain why Interactive Brokers earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers in this category.
IFC Markets also gives beginners access to trading education, including at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, but it falls behind Interactive Brokers in other key areas. It does not offer monthly online client webinars, and its Education score is lower at 3.5 stars, with a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #26 out of 36. For shoppers focused on learning support, Interactive Brokers offers the more complete set of beginner-friendly educational resources.
| 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 #36.
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) | 100 | 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) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/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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