Interactive Brokers vs Spreadex 2026

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 vs. Spreadex: Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977 and publicly traded, is not a bank. Spreadex, founded in 1999, is privately held and also not a bank. On the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score, Interactive Brokers earns 99/99 (highly trusted, 90–99), while Spreadex scores 70/99 (average risk, 70–79).

Regulation and licenses: Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (considered trusted). Spreadex holds 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. This difference in top-tier licensing aligns with their Trust Scores and is useful context when comparing these online brokers.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Year Founded info	1977	1999
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	No	No
Tier-1 Licenses info	8	1
Tier-2 Licenses info	2	0
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	0

Fees

If your priority is low commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers tends to come out cheaper than Spreadex for forex. Interactive Brokers: 5/5 stars and ranked #2 of 63 for Commissions and Fees by ForexBrokers.com. Spreadex: 4/5 stars and ranked #25 of 63. The main difference is that Interactive Brokers uses a commission-based model paired with tight raw spreads, while Spreadex prices through the spread.

Interactive Brokers does not publish average spreads, but in Q3 2024 we observed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.19 pips, or about 0.59 pips all-in after commissions. Commissions start at 0.00002 (0.2 bps) of the USD trade value per side with a $2 minimum per order ($4 round turn), which equates to roughly $16–$40 per million round turn. On a $100,000 EUR/USD trade, the commission works out to about 0.40 pips on top of the spread. Note that the $2 minimum makes smaller trade sizes proportionally more expensive. High-volume traders can qualify for lower minimums ($1.50 per order above $1B/month; $1 above $5B), and IBKR aggregates prices from 17 interbank dealers with RFQ available for large orders.

Spreadex averaged 0.81 pips on EUR/USD in January 2024, with its 0.6-pip minimum achieved 60% of the time that month. Compared with Interactive Brokers’ observed 0.59-pip effective all-in cost, Spreadex’s typical pricing is higher. Active or high-volume traders are likely to find Interactive Brokers more cost-efficient, while casual traders who prefer a simple, spread-only structure may appreciate Spreadex’s straightforward pricing.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Minimum Deposit info	$0	$0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	0.226 info	0.81 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	0.226 info	N/A info
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Range of investments

Interactive Brokers vs Spreadex: both support forex trading (CFD or spot) and both earn 5 stars for Range of Investments, yet their lineups differ. Spreadex lists about 10,000 tradeable symbols compared with Interactive Brokers’ 8,500, but Interactive Brokers offers more forex pairs (90 vs 52). In independent rankings for this category, Interactive Brokers is #1 out of 63 brokers, while Spreadex is #13.

For share dealing, Interactive Brokers lets you buy exchange-traded U.S. and international stocks (not CFDs), such as Apple or Vodafone; Spreadex does not offer direct share ownership. In crypto, Interactive Brokers supports buying actual cryptocurrency, while Spreadex focuses on cryptocurrency CFDs (not the coins themselves). Neither broker offers copy trading. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want direct stocks, real crypto, and a larger list of forex pairs; pick Spreadex if you value a very large overall symbol count and prefer trading crypto via CFDs.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	8500	10000
Forex Pairs (Total) info	90	52
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	No
Copy Trading info	No	No
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	Yes	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	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.

Trading platforms and tools

Interactive Brokers vs Spreadex: both brokers offer simulated (paper) trading with a free demo account, and each provides a proprietary, web-based trading platform. A key difference is desktop access—Interactive Brokers offers a Windows download platform, while Spreadex does not. Both let you place trades directly from charts. Neither broker supports copy trading, and neither offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) or MetaTrader 5 (MT5).

For Trading Platforms and Tools, ForexBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 out of 5 stars and ranks it #2 of 63 brokers, while Spreadex earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #34. If you want a Windows desktop platform and a higher-rated toolkit, Interactive Brokers stands out; if you’re comfortable trading in a browser, both are suitable options.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	Yes	No
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	155	58
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	Yes

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

Forex trading apps

Interactive Brokers and Spreadex both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and both support stock and forex price alerts. A key difference is watchlist syncing: Interactive Brokers syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Spreadex does not. In third-party evaluations by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, compared with Spreadex at 4 stars and #33.

If you rely on in-depth charting, Interactive Brokers stands out with 155 built-in technical studies. Both apps let you draw trendlines, though neither app auto-saves chart drawings. Overall, Interactive Brokers suits traders who want powerful charting and seamless watchlists on the go, while Spreadex covers the essentials for mobile trading with a simpler setup.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Android App info	Yes	Yes
Apple iOS App info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info	Yes	No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	155	N/A
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	No	No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Interactive Brokers and Spreadex both deliver daily market commentary and stream forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each broker includes an economic calendar and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions, helping traders gauge market mood at a glance.

The key differences are in third‑party research. Interactive Brokers integrates Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading tools, while Spreadex offers Autochartist for pattern recognition but lacks those other providers. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s assessments, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers, whereas Spreadex earns 4 stars and ranks #27. If you want a wider mix of external research providers, Interactive Brokers stands out; if you value Autochartist’s technical scans, Spreadex may fit the bill.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info	Yes	Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	Yes	Yes
Autochartist info	No	Yes
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

Choosing a broker for learning as a beginner? Both Interactive Brokers and Spreadex offer at least 10 beginner-focused trading videos to help you get started. Interactive Brokers also hosts online educational webinars at least once a month, giving you a chance to learn live and ask questions, while Spreadex does not run monthly webinars.

If you plan to advance your skills, Interactive Brokers provides at least 10 advanced trading videos, whereas Spreadex does not meet that advanced threshold. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars for education and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers; Spreadex earns 4 stars and ranks #33. Beginners who want frequent live lessons and room to grow may prefer Interactive Brokers, while those who just need starter videos may find Spreadex suitable.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Webinars info	Yes	No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos 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 Spreadex. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Spreadex 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	Spreadex
Overall Rating info
Trust Score info	99	70
Range of Investments
Trading Fees
Trading Platforms
Research
Mobile Trading
Education

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Brokers or Spreadex?

What funding options does each broker offer?

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Overall Rating	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Overall Rating info
Trading Fees
Range of Investments
Trading Platforms
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	70
Winner	check_circle
Review	Interactive Brokers Review	Spreadex Review

Broker Screenshots	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info

Regulation	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Trust Score info	99	70
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	No info
Tier-1 Licenses info	8	1
Tier-2 Licenses info	2	0
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	0

Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted)	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info	Yes	No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info	Yes	No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info	Yes	No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info	Yes	No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info	Yes	No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info	Yes
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info	Yes	Yes
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	Spreadex
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info	No	No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info	No	No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) info	Yes	No
India (SEBI Authorised) info	Yes	No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info

Investments	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	8500	10000
Forex Pairs (Total) info	90	52
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	No
Copy Trading info	No	No
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	Yes	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	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	Spreadex
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	0.226 info	0.81 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	0.226 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	Spreadex
Minimum Deposit info	$0	$0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	No

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

Trading Tools	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	155	58
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	Yes
Charts can be saved info	Yes	Yes

Mobile Trading	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
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	No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	155	N/A
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	No	No
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

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

Education	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Webinars info	Yes	No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	No

Major Forex Pairs	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
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	Spreadex Review

Overall	Interactive Brokers	Spreadex
Overall Rating info
Trading Fees
Range of Investments
Trading Platforms
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	70
Winner	check_circle
Review	Interactive Brokers Review	Spreadex Review