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Interactive Brokers vs Markets4you 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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.

Interactive Brokers
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 8500
Markets4you
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 61
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 150

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 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 logoInteractive Brokers
Markets4you logoMarkets4you
Year Founded info 1977 2007
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1

Fees

Interactive Brokers (5 stars; ranked #2 of 63 for Commissions and Fees) outclasses Markets4you (3.5 stars; ranked #55 of 63) on pricing clarity and overall cost. While Interactive Brokers does not publish average forex spreads, Q3 2024 data shows the EUR/USD averaged about 0.19 pips, with an estimated all-in cost near 0.59 pips after commission. Markets4you does not provide average spread data, which makes side-by-side cost comparisons harder.

Interactive Brokers charges a commission instead of marking up spreads, aggregating prices from 17 major interbank dealers (agency execution). Forex commissions start at 0.00002 (0.2 basis points) of the U.S. dollar trade value per side, with a $2 minimum per order ($4 round turn), equivalent to roughly $16–$40 per million round turn ($8–$20 per side). Example: buying and then selling $100,000 of EUR/USD adds about 0.40 pips in commission to the prevailing spread. Keep in mind the $2-per-side minimum makes smaller-than-100k trades proportionally pricier. IBKR Lite and IBKR Pro both support forex but are not commission-free.

Active traders at Interactive Brokers can qualify for lower minimums as volume rises (e.g., the minimum drops to $1.50 per order above $1 billion in monthly volume and can reach $1 at $5 billion), and large orders can be handled via RFQ to help reduce market impact. By contrast, with Markets4you lacking published average spread figures, its 3.5-star score and #55 ranking suggest it trails price leaders like Interactive Brokers on fees and transparency.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Markets4you logoMarkets4you
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.59 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Interactive Brokers offers a far wider range of investments than Markets4you. IB provides about 8,500 tradeable symbols versus 150 at Markets4you, and 90 forex pairs versus 43. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot. Only Interactive Brokers offers direct access to exchange‑traded U.S. and international stocks (such as Apple on NASDAQ and Vodafone in London). In crypto, IB lets you buy actual coins and trade crypto derivatives, while Markets4you limits you to crypto derivatives. If copy trading matters, Markets4you has it; Interactive Brokers does not.

These gaps show in third‑party ratings: for Range of Investments, ForexBrokers.com gives Interactive Brokers 5/5 stars and ranks it #1 of 63 brokers, while Markets4you earns 3.5/5 stars and ranks #59. If you want the broadest selection across stocks, forex pairs, and crypto, Interactive Brokers is the stronger match; if you prefer copy trading and can accept fewer markets, Markets4you may fit.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Markets4you logoMarkets4you
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 150
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 43
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 Markets4you both offer paper trading with free virtual demo accounts, proprietary platforms, Windows desktop software, and web-based platforms. Both let you place orders straight from charts. Key differences: Markets4you supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while Interactive Brokers does not support copy trading or MT4/MT5. Neither broker integrates DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.

For platform tools, Interactive Brokers provides 85 drawing tools and a highly customizable watchlist with 659 fields, compared to Markets4you’s 15 drawing tools and 7 watchlist fields. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers, while Markets4you earns 4 stars and ranks #53. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want extensive charting tools and deep watchlist customization; pick Markets4you if MetaTrader and copy trading are must-haves.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Markets4you logoMarkets4you
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 85 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 659 7

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

Forex trading apps

Interactive Brokers and Markets4you both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android with price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, trendline drawing, and multiple chart time frames. A key difference is syncing: Interactive Brokers syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Markets4you does not, which can matter if you manage lists across devices.

For charting depth, Interactive Brokers includes 97 technical studies versus 30 with Markets4you. However, Markets4you auto saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not. Ratings reflect these trade-offs: Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, whereas Markets4you holds 4 stars and ranks #51. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want more tools and synced watchlists; pick Markets4you if autosaving drawings and a simpler setup are priorities.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Markets4you logoMarkets4you
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

For market research, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Markets4you holds 3.5 stars and ranks #48. Both brokers cover the essentials, but Interactive Brokers adds wider third‑party coverage and sentiment data that can help you see how other traders are positioned.

Both offer daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones or similar), Trading Central tools, and a global economic calendar. Markets4you includes Autochartist for chart patterns and trade ideas, while Interactive Brokers provides a sentiment tool showing long/short ratios. Interactive Brokers also features research from TipRanks and tools from Acuity Trading (Signal Centre); the availability of TipRanks or Acuity Trading at Markets4you is not specified in the provided information.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Markets4you logoMarkets4you
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes No
TipRanks info Yes
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

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 logoInteractive Brokers
Markets4you logoMarkets4you
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes No
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes No

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 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 logoInteractive Brokers
Markets4you logoMarkets4you
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 61
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Brokers or Markets4you?

Interactive Brokers allows investors to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency in addition to cryptocurrency derivatives, while Markets4you only offers the option to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.

What funding options does each broker offer?

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.

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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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Overall Rating Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 61
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review
Broker Screenshots Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
IBKR mobile watchlist. IBKR Desktop platform charts. Interactive Brokers research Traders Insight daily analysis article detail Interactive Brokers IBKR Podcast video.
Regulation Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Trust Score info 99 61
Year Founded info 1977 2007
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info No info
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
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 No info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info Yes No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 150
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 43
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 Markets4you
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.59 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
Inactivity Fee info No No
Execution: Agency Broker info Yes No
Execution: Market Maker info No Yes
Funding Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
Trading Platforms Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Trading Tools Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 659 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 85 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No Yes
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
TipRanks info Yes
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes No
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes No
Major Forex Pairs Interactive Brokers Markets4you
GBP/USD info Yes No
USD/JPY info Yes No
EUR/USD info Yes No
USD/CHF info Yes No
USD/CAD info Yes No
NZD/USD info Yes No
AUD/USD info Yes No
Review Interactive Brokers Review
Overall Interactive Brokers Markets4you
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 61
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Review Interactive Brokers Review
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