Interactive Brokers vs Markets.com 2025

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.

Regulation

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 info	1977	1999
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	No	No
Tier-1 Licenses info	9	3
Tier-2 Licenses info	2	1
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	1

Fees

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 info	$0	$100
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	0.59 info	N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	0.65 info	N/A info
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Range of investments

Interactive Brokers vs. Markets.com: For range of investments, Interactive Brokers lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols versus 2,179 at Markets.com. Interactive Brokers offers 90 forex pairs compared with 57 at Markets.com, and both support forex trading via CFDs or spot. Interactive Brokers also lets you buy real exchange‑traded stocks on U.S. and international exchanges (for example, Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), while Markets.com does not offer real share dealing. Markets.com does include copy trading, which Interactive Brokers does not. For crypto, Interactive Brokers supports both actual coin purchases and crypto CFDs; Markets.com offers crypto CFDs but not direct coin purchases.

Ratings back this up: Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments at ForexBrokers.com, while Markets.com holds 4 stars and ranks #30. In short, Interactive Brokers suits traders who want the widest selection across stocks, forex, and crypto, whereas Markets.com may appeal if you want CFD trading with copy trading features.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	8500	2179
Forex Pairs (Total) info	90	57
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	No
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	Yes	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	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.

Trading platforms and tools

Interactive Brokers and Markets.com both deliver strong trading platforms and tools, including free paper trading (virtual demo accounts), proprietary platforms, and access via Windows desktop and web browsers. Key differences: Markets.com supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and includes copy trading, while Interactive Brokers does not support MetaTrader and does not offer copy trading.

For charting and order execution, Interactive Brokers lets you place trades directly from charts, whereas Markets.com does not. Both provide customizable watch lists and modern charting tools. In independent testing, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Markets.com earns 4 stars and ranks #27. Choose Markets.com if you want MetaTrader and copy trading; pick Interactive Brokers if you prefer top-rated in-house platforms with chart trading baked in.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	Yes	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	155	89
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	No

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Interactive Brokers and Markets.com both check the key boxes for mobile trading: each offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts for stocks and forex, and watchlist syncing so your symbols stay aligned between mobile and your online account. That makes either platform convenient for monitoring markets on the go and keeping your setups consistent across devices.

Where they differ is charting depth. Interactive Brokers includes 97 technical studies in its mobile app, while Markets.com’s own app has none; if you use Markets.com through MetaTrader 4, you’ll get MT4’s default indicators instead. Both apps let you draw trendlines, but neither auto-saves drawings. In independent testing, Interactive Brokers earned 5 stars and ranked #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Markets.com earned 4 stars and ranked #34. For traders who want richer in-app analysis, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick; for basic trading and alerts, both get the job done.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Android App info	Yes	Yes
Apple iOS App info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	97	(default on MT4, none on Markets app)
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	No	No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

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 (Articles) info	Yes	Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	Yes	Yes
Autochartist info	No	No
Trading Central info	Yes	No
Client sentiment data info	Yes	Yes
TipRanks info	Yes	No
Acuity Trading info	Yes	No
Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginner education, Interactive Brokers and Markets.com both offer a steady stream of learning content. Each hosts client webinars at least once a month and provides large libraries of video lessons, including 10 or more videos tailored to beginners as well as 10 or more for advanced traders. That means newcomers can watch step‑by‑step videos and join live sessions to build skills at a comfortable pace on either platform.

Where they differ is in overall quality and recognition. Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com, while Markets.com earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #34. Based on this, beginners who want the strongest all‑around learning experience may prefer Interactive Brokers, though Markets.com still delivers frequent webinars and sizable video libraries. Note: the provided data does not confirm whether either broker meets the specific benchmark of 10 or more educational pieces focused solely on forex or CFDs.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Webinars info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

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	Markets.com
Overall Rating info
Trust Score info	99	93
Range of Investments
Commissions & Fees
Platforms & Tools
Research
Mobile Trading
Education

FAQs

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Overall Rating	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Overall Rating info
Commissions & Fees
Range of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	93
Winner	check_circle
Review	Interactive Brokers Review

Broker Screenshots	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info

Regulation	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Trust Score info	99	93
Year Founded info	1977	1999
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	No	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	Yes info	Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info	9	3
Tier-2 Licenses info	2	1
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	1

Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted)	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info	Yes	Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info	Yes	No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info	Yes	No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info	Yes	No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info	Yes	No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info	Yes
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info	Yes	No
USA (CFTC Authorized) info	Yes	No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info	No	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	Yes info	Yes info

Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted)	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info	No	No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info	No	Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info	Yes	No
India (SEBI Authorised) info	Yes	No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info

Investments	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	8500	2179
Forex Pairs (Total) info	90	57
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	No
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	Yes	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	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 account info	0.59 info	N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	0.65 info	N/A info
Inactivity Fee info	No	No
Order execution: Agency info	Yes	No
Order execution: Market Maker info	No	Yes

Funding	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Minimum Deposit info	$0	$100
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	No

Trading Platforms	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	Yes	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	Yes
cTrader info	No	No

Trading Tools	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Price Alerts info	Yes	No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	155	89
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	No
Charts can be saved info	Yes	Yes

Mobile Trading	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Android App info	Yes	Yes
Apple iOS App info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	97	(default on MT4, none on Markets app)
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	No	No
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info	Yes	No

Research	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info	Yes	Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	Yes	Yes
Autochartist info	No	No
Trading Central info	Yes	No
TipRanks info	Yes	No
Client sentiment data info	Yes	Yes
Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Education	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Webinars info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes

Major Forex Pairs	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info	Yes	Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review	Interactive Brokers Review

Overall	Interactive Brokers	Markets.com
Overall Rating info
Commissions & Fees
Range of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	93
Winner	check_circle
Review	Interactive Brokers Review