Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Markets.com, 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 and Markets.com differ significantly in their regulatory backgrounds and trust ratings. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers boasts a Trust Score of 99 out of 99, making it highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com. It holds 9 Tier-1 licenses, which are the most trusted type, along with 2 Tier-2 licenses. Interactive Brokers is publicly traded, but it does not operate as a bank.
Meanwhile, Markets.com, established in 1999, has a Trust Score of 93. It holds 3 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, reflecting a strong, though slightly lesser, level of regulatory confidence. Unlike Interactive Brokers, Markets.com is not publicly traded and also does not function as a bank. Both brokers offer secure platforms, but their different levels of regulatory oversight and public ownership set them apart for traders seeking peace of mind in their online trading experience.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
For commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers clearly outperforms Markets.com. Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #2 of 63 brokers for this category, while Markets.com scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #51 of 63. Although Interactive Brokers doesn’t publish average forex spreads, we obtained Q3 2024 data showing the EUR/USD averaged 0.19 pips, with an effective all-in cost of about 0.59 pips after commission. Markets.com does not provide average spread data, which makes direct cost comparisons harder.
Interactive Brokers uses an agency-style model with no spread markups, aggregating prices from 17 interbank dealers and charging a commission instead. Typical commission ranges are $16–$40 per million round turn ($8–$20 per side), or 0.00002 (0.2 basis points) of the U.S. dollar trade value per side, with a $2 minimum per order ($4 round turn). On a $100,000 EUR/USD trade, the commission works out to roughly 0.40 pips on top of the spread. Note the $2 per-side minimum makes smaller-than-100k trades proportionally pricier. High-volume traders can unlock lower pricing, down to 0.08 basis points per side and reduced minimums ($1.50 per order above $1B monthly volume; $1 at $5B), and can use RFQ for large orders.
By contrast, Markets.com does not publish average spreads, so its day-to-day trading costs are less transparent. Based on ratings and rankings alone, its value for commissions and fees trails Interactive Brokers. If keeping forex costs low and predictable is your priority, Interactive Brokers stands out; if considering Markets.com, check live spreads and any account-specific commissions before you trade.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Markets.com both support forex trading as either CFDs or spot contracts, but their overall range of investments differs significantly. Interactive Brokers lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, compared with Markets.com’s 2,179 symbols and 57 forex pairs. Crucially, Interactive Brokers lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), while Markets.com does not offer direct share ownership on those exchanges.
Feature-wise, Markets.com offers copy trading, whereas Interactive Brokers does not. For crypto, Interactive Brokers supports both actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and crypto derivatives; Markets.com offers crypto derivatives only. Based on scope, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, while Markets.com holds 4 stars and ranks #30. In short, Interactive Brokers suits those wanting the widest product access, while Markets.com may appeal to CFD-focused traders who value copy trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 2179 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 57 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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). | 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 Markets.com both offer comprehensive trading platforms that cater to a wide range of traders. Each broker provides a proprietary platform, web-based trading, and Windows-based desktop download options. For those looking to practice without the risk, both brokers offer simulated trading accounts. However, when it comes to additional features, Markets.com stands out with its support for popular third-party platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and a copy trading option. In contrast, Interactive Brokers provides a more professional trading experience with an extensive array of 85 drawing tools, the ability to trade directly from stock charts, and a staggering 659 watchlist columns, ensuring in-depth analysis and monitoring capabilities.
When evaluating the quality of trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers earns a notable 5-star rating, ranking third among 63 brokers as assessed by ForexBrokers.com. This recognition is a testament to its feature-rich offerings and advanced charting tools. On the other hand, Markets.com is rated 4 stars, securing the 27th position in the same category. While it lacks some of the advanced features found with Interactive Brokers, Markets.com excels with popular external platforms, providing accessibility and familiarity for many traders. Both platforms have their strengths, catering to different trading priorities and preferences.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 89 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 4 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 6 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Markets.com both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, and watchlists that sync with your online account. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earned 5 stars and ranked #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Markets.com received 4 stars and ranked #34.
For charting, Interactive Brokers stands out with 97 technical studies, trendline drawing, and support for multiple time frames such as intraday, daily, and weekly (note that drawings don’t auto-save). Markets.com supports trendline drawing and alerts, but its Markets.com app has no built-in technical studies; if you use MT4, you’ll get MT4’s default set instead. Markets.com’s app does not offer multiple time frames, and drawings also don’t auto-save.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Interactive Brokers and Markets.com, both platforms provide daily market commentary and access to top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, a significant differentiator is that Interactive Brokers includes tools from Trading Central for technical analytics, which Markets.com lacks. Additionally, Interactive Brokers presents a more comprehensive offering with market insights from TipRanks and research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, enhancing the depth of its market research capabilities. In contrast, these features are absent from Markets.com.
Both brokers offer sentiment-based trading tools and economic calendars to keep traders informed of global events. However, due to its extensive research resources, Interactive Brokers stands out with a higher rating of five stars for research compared to Markets.com's four stars. This distinction is reflected in their rankings on ForexBrokers.com, where Interactive Brokers holds the impressive third position, while Markets.com ranks 17 out of 63 brokers evaluated. This demonstrates Interactive Brokers' superior market research offerings, making it a compelling choice for traders who prioritize research in their online brokerage experience.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 it comes to providing educational resources for beginners, Interactive Brokers stands out compared to Markets.com. Interactive Brokers offers a comprehensive collection of educational materials, boasting over 10 pieces focused on forex and CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Furthermore, it provides online client webinars monthly and maintains a searchable archive that allows users to revisit past sessions. Beginners can also benefit from Interactive Brokers' extensive educational videos tailored to new traders and an investor dictionary with definitions for more than 50 investing terms. These features contribute to Interactive Brokers' impressive 5-star rating in education, ranking it third out of 63 brokers.
On the other hand, Markets.com offers several notable educational resources but falls short in a few areas. While it does provide regular educational webinars and beginner videos, it lacks a comprehensive collection specifically focused on forex and CFDs and does not offer a searchable archive of past webinars. Additionally, Markets.com does not feature an investor dictionary. Consequently, these limitations contribute to its 4-star education rating and a rank of 34th out of 63 brokers, showcasing a noticeable gap compared to Interactive Brokers in supporting beginners through educational services.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 Markets.com. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Markets.com finished with an overall rank of #23.
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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Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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Interactive Brokers provides the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency and offers cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Markets.com does not offer actual cryptocurrency purchases but does provide cryptocurrency derivative options.
Interactive Brokers and Markets.com differ in their fund transfer options, with Interactive Brokers supporting ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires, while Markets.com offers Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires but does not support ACH, SEPA, or PayPal for deposits and withdrawals.
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 | Markets.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 2179 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 57 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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). | 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 | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 6 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 89 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 4 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | ||
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Markets.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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