Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Libertex, 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 and Libertex differ clearly on trust and oversight. Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977 and listed on a stock exchange, is rated 99 out of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, which places it in the highly trusted range. It holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, adding to its strong regulatory profile. It is not a bank.
Libertex, founded in 1997 and not publicly traded, also is not a bank, but its regulatory standing is more limited. ForexBrokers.com gives it a Trust Score of 79 out of 99, which falls in the average risk range. Libertex holds 1 Tier-1 license and 1 Tier-2 license, so traders comparing the two will generally see Interactive Brokers as the more regulated and better trusted option.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Libertex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1997 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Interactive Brokers comes out ahead on commissions and fees overall, earning 5 stars and ranking #1 out of 36 brokers for this category. Its forex pricing is built around low commissions rather than marked-up spreads, with EUR/USD pricing in Q3 2024 showing an average spread of 0.19 pips and an estimated 0.59 pips all-in after commission. The broker charges as little as $2 per side on forex trades, with lower rates available for very active traders, although the minimum fee can make smaller trades more expensive in relative terms.
Libertex is also competitive, but it is not quite as low-cost as Interactive Brokers, earning 4 stars and ranking #21 out of 36 brokers. On EUR/USD, its most recent published average spread was 0.3 pips, and forex trading on the main platform costs 5 euros per side (or 10 euros round turn) per 100,000 units, rising to 6 euros per side on MT4 and MT5. Libertex also has a 10 euro monthly inactivity fee after six months without trading or account activity, though international wire transfers are free.
In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is the better pick for low commissions and strong pricing on larger forex trades, especially for active traders, while Libertex may appeal to traders who want low entry costs and a straightforward fee structure. If cost is your main focus, Interactive Brokers is the cheaper choice more often than not, but Libertex still offers fair pricing on its main forex pairs.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Libertex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 1.3 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a much wider range of investments than Libertex, with 8,500 tradeable symbols compared with 1,573 at Libertex. It also provides access to 100 forex pairs, while Libertex lists 46. For investors who want to trade both U.S. and international exchange-traded securities, Interactive Brokers has the edge: you can buy real shares on major U.S. and overseas exchanges, such as Apple or Vodafone, while Libertex does not offer these direct stock purchases.
The two brokers differ in other key areas too. Both support forex trading, but only Libertex offers copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, while Interactive Brokers lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency instead of a CFD. These differences help explain why Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 36 for Range of Investments, compared with Libertex at 4 stars and #25.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Libertex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1573 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 46 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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). | 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 Libertex both give traders a choice of desktop and web platforms, plus free paper trading accounts for practice. Each also lets users place trades directly from a chart, which can make it easier to act quickly when spotting a setup. Where they differ is in platform style and extra tools: Interactive Brokers offers its own in-house platform, while Libertex does not, and Libertex stands out by supporting copy trading as well as both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.
For traders who want a wider range of platform options, Interactive Brokers may have the edge, especially since it earns a 5-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers in that category. Libertex still covers the basics well and may appeal to traders looking for MT4, MT5, or copy trading, but it is rated 4 stars and ranks #27 out of 36. In short, Interactive Brokers looks stronger for all-around platform quality, while Libertex may suit traders who prefer MetaTrader or social-style trading features.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Libertex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | 43 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Libertex both offer iPhone and Android apps, along with price alerts and watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account. Where they differ is in charting tools. Interactive Brokers gives mobile traders 155 technical studies and lets users draw trendlines on charts, while Libertex does not offer technical studies in its app and does not support trendline drawing. Neither app auto-saves chart drawings.
For overall mobile trading app quality, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead with a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. Libertex earns 4 stars and ranks #28 out of 36. If mobile charting and deeper analysis matter most, Interactive Brokers has the edge, while both brokers still cover the basics well on iPhone and Android.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Libertex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 0 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers offers a stronger market research experience than Libertex overall. It provides daily market commentary, research from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, plus Trading Central tools, sentiment data, an economic calendar, and forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. Libertex also gives traders forex news, Trading Central tools, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, but it does not include daily commentary, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, which leaves it with fewer research options.
This wider range of tools 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 Libertex is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26. For traders who want more built-in market insight and analysis, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Libertex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| 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 who want to learn before they trade, Interactive Brokers stands out as the stronger choice for education. It offers forex and CFD learning materials, regular educational client webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos as well as 10 advanced videos, giving new traders and more experienced users plenty to explore. That depth shows in its education rating, too: Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers for Education at ForexBrokers.com.
Libertex also provides some educational content, but it falls well behind Interactive Brokers in this area. It does not offer monthly educational webinars, and it does not meet the 10-video mark for either beginner or advanced trading topics. While Libertex still receives a 4-star Education rating, it ranks #35 out of 36 brokers, making it a much less complete option for beginners looking for ongoing trading lessons and forex or CFD-focused learning.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Libertex
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | 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 Libertex. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Libertex finished with an overall rank of #32.
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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Libertex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 |
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Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency, while Libertex does not; however, Libertex offers cryptocurrency CFDs and Interactive Brokers does not, making Interactive Brokers better for direct crypto ownership and Libertex suited to CFD trading.
When comparing Interactive Brokers vs Libertex for deposits and withdrawals, both support ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires, but Libertex also offers PayPal and Skrill while Interactive Brokers does not, making Libertex the more flexible option for funding methods.
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 | Libertex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Libertex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1997 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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 | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1573 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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). | 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 | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 43 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 0 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Libertex Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Libertex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Libertex Review |
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