Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Markets4you, 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 Markets4you offer stark differences when comparing their history and regulation credentials. Established in 1977, Interactive Brokers is publicly traded and boasts a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, reflecting a high level of trust and reliability. Its credibility is further supported by holding an impressive nine Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, recognized as the gold standard in the industry. In contrast, Markets4you, founded in 2007, remains privately held and scores a Trust Score of 61. With no Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, Markets4you is categorized under high-risk, which potential investors should consider carefully.
Choosing between Interactive Brokers and Markets4you involves understanding their trustworthiness and regulatory standings. Interactive Brokers offers greater peace of mind with its extensive regulatory compliance and public trading status, signaling stability and transparency to its clients. On the other hand, Markets4you’s lack of top-tier licensing and lower trust rating could pose concerns for risk-averse traders looking for secure brokerage services. Thus, investors and traders seeking a reliable and trusted broker might favor Interactive Brokers over Markets4you.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When comparing commissions and fees between Interactive Brokers and Markets4you, Interactive Brokers stands out with its competitive pricing, although precise comparisons can be challenging due to varied reporting on average spreads. For forex traders, Interactive Brokers charges commissions starting at 0.2 basis points per U.S. dollar trade value, with a minimum of $2 per order. This is supplemented by average spreads, with recent data showing the EUR/USD pair at a low effective all-in spread of 0.59 pips after commission. While Markets4you does not provide average spread data, Interactive Brokers' clear pricing structure illustrates its strong position in this aspect.
Interactive Brokers uses a commission-based model, charging between $16 and $40 per million round turn, which equates to $8 to $20 per side. This model ensures direct access to prices from 17 major interbank forex dealers. Moreover, active traders enjoy discounted rates when meeting specific monthly volume requirements, where charges can drop significantly with increasing trade volumes. Markets4you does not provide comparable information, making Interactive Brokers a more transparent choice for cost-conscious traders.
In terms of ratings, Interactive Brokers shines with a 5-star ranking for commissions and fees, ranking #2 out of 63 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com. Conversely, Markets4you receives a modest rating of 3.5 stars, placing them at #54 out of the same 63 brokers. This notable difference underscores Interactive Brokers' leadership and dedication to offering favorable and clear pricing structures for forex trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| 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 Markets4you both offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, but the scope of their investment options differs significantly. Interactive Brokers provides access to an impressive 8,500 tradeable symbols, including 90 forex pairs, while Markets4you offers just 150 symbols with 43 forex pairs. A key distinction between the two is Interactive Brokers' offerings of exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, allowing clients to invest in stocks like Apple and Vodafone. Conversely, Markets4you does not provide access to these exchange-traded securities. Both brokers cater to cryptocurrency enthusiasts, although Interactive Brokers goes a step further by offering the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies alongside cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Markets4you only offers derivatives.
Furthermore, Interactive Brokers has garnered a perfect 5-star rating for its range of investments, ranking number one out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, Markets4you holds a 3.5-star rating, placing 58th in the same category. While both brokers cater to different needs, Interactive Brokers stands out for its extensive variety and global reach, appealing to investors seeking a broad spectrum of opportunities. Meanwhile, Markets4you may attract those interested in copy trading, a feature it offers that Interactive Brokers does not.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 43 |
| 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.
When comparing Interactive Brokers and Markets4you, both brokers offer a range of trading platforms and tools tailored to accommodate both beginners and seasoned traders. Both brokers provide simulated trading options with free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice strategies without financial risk. They also offer proprietary platforms developed in-house, Windows-based desktop platforms, and web-based trading platforms, providing flexibility in how you choose to engage with the market. However, despite these similarities, Interactive Brokers and Markets4you show notable differences in their offerings. Interactive Brokers lacks support for copy trading and popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5, which Markets4you does provide.
Interactive Brokers shines in areas like charting tools and watch list customization. With an impressive 85 drawing tools and 659 fields for watch lists, it allows for highly detailed market tracking and analysis. On the other hand, Markets4you offers 15 drawing tools and just 7 fields for watch lists. These differences are reflected in their ratings, with Interactive Brokers earning 5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, ranking it 3rd out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, while Markets4you receives 4 stars and ranks 52nd. Despite these disparities, both platforms allow for trading directly from stock charts, providing a streamlined and interactive trading experience.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Markets4you both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, allowing traders to keep track of their investments on the go. Both platforms provide stock and forex price alerts to help investors stay informed. While Interactive Brokers supports watchlist symbol syncing to ensure changes are updated across devices, Markets4you does not offer this feature. In terms of charting capabilities, Interactive Brokers provides an impressive selection of 97 technical studies compared to the 30 available from Markets4you. However, Markets4you has the edge with the ability to auto-save drawings on their charts, a feature lacking in Interactive Brokers.
Both trading apps allow users to view multiple time frames and draw trendlines on charts, enhancing technical analysis. Real-time quotes and customizable watchlists are also available on both platforms. Interactive Brokers has a higher overall user satisfaction, boasting a 5-star rating for their mobile trading apps, while Markets4you holds a 4-star rating. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers is ranked #4 out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps by ForexBrokers.com, significantly outperforming Markets4you, which ranks at #50. These distinctions highlight Interactive Brokers' more comprehensive offering for mobile trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Interactive Brokers and Markets4you both cater to traders who seek daily insights, offering commentaries and forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, Interactive Brokers has a slight edge with more diverse research tools. While both platforms incorporate Trading Central's analytics, Markets4you includes Autochartist's offerings, whereas Interactive Brokers provides exclusive access to sentiment-based trading tools and high-rated research from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, like their Signal Centre. This diversity may make a noticeable difference for traders looking for varied analysis types.
Users interested in a comprehensive market overview will appreciate Interactive Brokers' array of tools, which include detailed economic calendars similar to those offered by Markets4you. However, the overall quality and variety of research tools at Interactive Brokers contribute to its top-tier research rating of 5 stars, in contrast to the 3.5-star rating of Markets4you. This difference in ratings and rankings signifies Interactive Brokers' stronger research capabilities, landing it at an impressive 3rd place out of 63 brokers, compared to Markets4you's 47th place ranking. Ultimately, Interactive Brokers seems to offer a more extensive toolset and higher-caliber resources for market research enthusiasts.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, Interactive Brokers stands out with a comprehensive collection of materials on forex and CFDs, offering more than 10 educational pieces such as articles and videos. They consistently run online webinars monthly, which can be a great way for new traders to learn directly from experts. Additionally, Interactive Brokers provides a searchable archive of recorded webinars, letting users revisit valuable sessions at their convenience. An appealing feature for beginners is their library of more than 10 videos specifically crafted to introduce trading concepts. To bolster learning, they also offer a dictionary containing over 50 investing terms, ensuring traders understand essential concepts. With a perfect 5-star rating in education and a ranking of 3rd out of 63 brokers, Interactive Brokers is a solid choice for those looking to start their trading journey on the right foot.
Markets4you also provides over 10 educational pieces focused on forex and CFDs, helping beginners grasp the complexities of these subjects. However, they miss the mark by not offering monthly online webinars, which may limit real-time learning opportunities. Although they do have a searchable archive of past webinars, the lack of webinars might leave beginners yearning for more structured learning. Markets4you does not have the beginner-focused video library Interactive Brokers offers, nor do they have the advanced educational materials for experienced traders. Their lack of a detailed investor dictionary may also be a hurdle for new investors unfamiliar with trading terminology. With an educational rating of 3.5 stars and a rank of 26th out of 63 brokers, Markets4you may offer a starting point but lacks the comprehensive educational support offered by Interactive Brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 Markets4you. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Markets4you finished with an overall rank of #56.
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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Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 61 |
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Interactive Brokers allows investors to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency in addition to cryptocurrency derivatives, while Markets4you only offers the option to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.
Interactive Brokers supports ACH, SEPA, and bank wire transfers for depositing and withdrawing funds, whereas Markets4you accepts Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but does not offer ACH or SEPA transfers, with neither broker supporting PayPal transactions.
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 | Markets4you | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 61 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 61 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 43 | |
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | No | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | No | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | No | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | No | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | No | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | No | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | No | |
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Markets4you | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 61 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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