Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Trading 212, 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.
Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers emerges as a highly trusted name in online brokerage, reflected by its nearly perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. Despite not functioning as a bank, the firm distinguishes itself with its publicly traded status and impressive regulatory footing, boasting nine Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses. This extensive regulatory compliance places it in a league favored by investors seeking a reliable and transparent trading platform.
Conversely, Trading 212, established in 2004, holds a Trust Score of 80, positioning it as trusted but not as secure as its competitor. The private company holds three Tier-1 licenses and lacks any Tier-2 licenses, which might be a consideration for those prioritizing regulatory oversight in their brokerage choice. While not a bank, Trading 212 still manages to maintain a presence in the online trading community, appealing to investors with different priorities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) and Trading 212 take different paths on pricing. IBKR charges a small commission and shows very tight forex spreads, while Trading 212 advertises zero commission on CFDs but relies on wider spreads. In our ratings, IBKR earns 5 stars for Commissions and Fees and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers, while Trading 212 earns 4 stars and ranks #50 out of 63.
At IBKR, EUR/USD averaged 0.19 pips in Q3 2024, with an effective all‑in cost around 0.59 pips after commission. Forex commissions start at 0.00002 (0.2 bps) of the U.S. dollar trade value per side with a $2 minimum per order ($4 round turn), which equates to roughly 0.40 pips on a $100,000 EUR/USD trade. IBKR aggregates quotes from 17 major dealers and does not mark up spreads; commissions range from $16–$40 per million round turn, with volume discounts that can lower the minimum to $1–$1.50 per order for very high monthly volumes. Note that the $2 per‑side minimum makes smaller trade sizes proportionally pricier.
Trading 212’s CFD and forex pricing hinges on the spread. It has begun publishing average spreads, and for April 2025 the EUR/USD averaged 2.7 pips—well above the industry average and far wider than IBKR’s all‑in cost. While there’s no extra commission on CFDs at Trading 212, the wider spread generally means higher trading costs than IBKR for the same forex trade size. (Trading 212 also offers an Invest account with a €1 minimum and a CFD account with a €10 minimum deposit.)
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.59 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 2.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
If you’re comparing Interactive Brokers and Trading 212 for range of investments, both cover a lot. Interactive Brokers lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols, while Trading 212 offers roughly 7,868. For forex, Trading 212 features 146 pairs versus 90 at Interactive Brokers, and both support forex via CFDs or spot. Each lets you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. markets (think Apple shares) and on international exchanges (like Vodafone in London). Both provide crypto CFDs; only Interactive Brokers also lets you buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency. Neither platform offers copy trading.
Independent ratings echo the breadth: both earn 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com. In the same category, Interactive Brokers ranks #1 out of 63 brokers, while Trading 212 sits at #16. In short, Interactive Brokers edges ahead for overall market access and real crypto ownership, whereas Trading 212 stands out for a larger selection of forex pairs.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 7868 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 146 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 Trading 212 both provide free paper trading (demo accounts) and let you place orders directly from charts. Each offers its own in-house platform and a web-based platform, but only Interactive Brokers adds a Windows desktop download. 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 at 5 stars and ranks it 3rd out of 63 brokers, while Trading 212 earns 4 stars and ranks 20th. If you want a Windows desktop platform and higher-rated tools, Interactive Brokers stands out; if you’re happy trading in a browser, Trading 212 delivers a straightforward web experience.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 54 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Trading 212 both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing with your online account, and drawing trendlines on charts. A practical difference is chart drawings: Trading 212 auto-saves your annotations, while Interactive Brokers does not, which may matter if you switch screens or sessions.
For charting depth, Interactive Brokers includes 97 technical studies, while Trading 212 offers 104. In overall app quality, ForexBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars and ranks it #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps; Trading 212 earns 4 stars and ranks #17. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want a higher-rated mobile trading app experience, or pick Trading 212 if auto-saved drawings and a few extra indicators are your priority—both are strong options for trading on the go.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers vs Trading 212: market research comparison. Interactive Brokers provides daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. It also includes Trading Central analysis tools, a sentiment gauge, TipRanks insights, Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre, and an economic calendar. Trading 212 offers forex news from leading sources, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, but it lacks daily commentary, Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading. Neither broker offers Autochartist.
For research depth, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #45. If you want daily commentary and a wider set of third‑party research tools, Interactive Brokers stands out. If you only need news headlines, market sentiment, and a calendar, Trading 212 may cover the basics.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For new traders comparing Interactive Brokers and Trading 212, the education lineup shows clear differences. Interactive Brokers holds a 5-star education rating and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 scores 3.5 stars and ranks #21. Both brokers offer at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so you can move from the basics to more complex strategies with either platform.
Interactive Brokers also runs client education webinars at least once a month, giving you live sessions to learn and ask questions; Trading 212 does not offer monthly webinars. The data provided does not confirm whether either broker has a dedicated library of 10+ forex or CFD-specific lessons. If you want top-rated, structured learning with regular live events, Interactive Brokers stands out. If you mainly want a video library to learn at your own pace, Trading 212 can still be a solid option.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
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 Trading 212. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
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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Trading 212
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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Interactive Brokers supports purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trading crypto CFDs, whereas Trading 212 does not offer real crypto ownership but does provide crypto CFD trading.
Interactive Brokers vs Trading 212: both support ACH/SEPA and bank wire deposits/withdrawals, Trading 212 additionally supports PayPal while neither supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2004 | |
| 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 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 7868 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.59 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 54 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Trading 212 Review |
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