ATFX vs Interactive Brokers

ATFX vs Interactive Brokers Comparison Table 2024
ATFX Interactive Brokers
2.9
4.3

Interactive Brokers is #1 in our CFD broker rankings.

United States Flag Traders from US not accepted
United States Flag Traders from US accepted

Founded in 2017, ATFX is a highly regulated forex, CFD and spread betting broker aimed at professional clients. The brand is recognized globally, with offices in 10 countries and multiple awards. With tight spreads from 0 pips, zero commissions and fast payment methods, the broker has become a popular choice among professional investors.

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a premier brokerage for experienced traders, providing access to 150 markets in 33 countries, along with a suite of comprehensive investment services. With over 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed firm adheres to stringent regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, amongst others, and is one of the most trusted brokers for trading around the globe.

Customer Reviews
4
Comment by Reviewer
"From asset managers to high net-worth individuals, ATFX is a popular pick for investors looking for premium execution and customized liquidity solutions." "Interactive Brokers is one of the best brokers for advanced day traders, providing powerful charting platforms, real-time data, and customizable layouts, notably through the new IBKR Desktop application. Its superb pricing and advanced order options also make it highly attractive for day traders, while its diverse range of equities is still among the best in the industry."
Pros
  • Prime execution and tailored liquidity for professional clients
  • Strong FCA and CySEC regulation with excellent reputation and industry accreditations
  • Unrestricted trading in the MT4 platform with hedging and EAs permitted and no requotes
  • Highly competitive spreads from 0.6 pips and no commissions
  • No fees on deposits with fast processing within 30 minutes
  • High quality, expert-led webinars, e-books and trading courses
  • Premium account holders get full access to Trading Central
  • IBKR is one of the most respected and trusted brokerages and is regulated by top-tier authorities, so you can have confidence in the integrity and security of your trading account.
  • The TWS platform has clearly been built for intermediate and advanced traders and comes with over 100 order types and a reliable real-time market data feed that rarely goes offline.
  • The new IBKR Desktop platform takes the best of TWS while adding bespoke tools like Option Lattice and Screeners with MultiSort to create a genuinely impressive trading experience for day traders at every level.
  • There's a vast library of free or paid third-party research subscriptions catering to all types of traders, plus you can enjoy commission reimbursements from IBKR if you subscribe to Toggle AI.
  • IBKR continues to deliver unmatched access to global stocks with tens of thousands of equities available from 100+ market centres in 24 countries.
  • While primarily geared towards experienced traders, IBKR has made moves to broaden its appeal in recent years, reducing its minimum deposit from $10,000 to $0.
  • With low commissions, tight spreads and a transparent fee structure, IBKR delivers a cost-effective environment for short-term traders.
Cons
  • Retail clients not supported
  • Only one platform available
  • Fewer assets than many alternatives
  • TWS’s learning curve is steep, and beginners may find it challenging to navigate the platform and understand all the features. Plus500's web platform is much better suited to new traders.
  • IBKR provides a wide range of research tools, but their distribution across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page lacks consistency, leading to a confusing user experience.
  • Support can be slow and frustrating based on tests, so you might find it challenging to reach customer service representatives promptly or encounter delays in resolving issues.
  • You can only have one active session per account, so you can’t have your desktop program and mobile app running simultaneously, making for a sometimes frustrating trading experience.
Awards
  • Best Trading Experience - Forex Brokers Awards 2021 - Fxdailyinfo
  • Best Fintech Forex Broker - Forex Brokers Awards 2021 - Fxdailyinfo
  • Top 10 Hot Brands of the year 2021 - The CEO Views
  • Best Forex MT4 Broker - Global - Global Forex Awards 2021 Retail - Holiston Media
  • Best Forex - Fintech Broker Global - Global Forex Awards 2021 Retail - Holiston Media
  • 10 Most Influential Companies of the Year 2021 - The Chief’s Digest
  • The Most Trusted Brand of the Year 2021 - The Business Fame
  • Best Forex MT4 Broker, Asia - Forex Brokers Awards 2021 - Fxdailyinfo
  • Best Institutional Forex Broker - Global Forex Awards 2021 - Holiston Media
  • Best Forex MT4 Broker, Asia - Global Brands Magazine Awards 2021 - Global Brands Magazine
  • Institutional Forex Broker of the Year 2021 - Fintech Awards 2021 - Wealth & Finance International
  • Best Trading Service in Vietnam - Traders Awards 2021 - Trader’s Fair
  • Best Institutional Forex Broker - Global Forex Awards 2021 - Holiston Media
  • Institutional Forex Broker of the Year 2021 - Fintech Awards 2021 - Wealth & Finance International
  • Best LATAM Region Broker - ADVFN International Financial Awards 2021 - ADVFN
  • Best Institutional Forex Broker - Global Forex Awards 2021 - Holiston Media
  • Best Forex Introducing Broker Programme, Middle East - Global Forex Awards 2021, Retail - Holiston Media
  • Institutional Forex Broker of the Year 2021 - Fintech Awards 2021 - Wealth & Finance International
Instruments
Forex, CFDs, indices, commodities, cryptos, spread betting Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$5000 $0
Trading Platforms
  • MT4
  • AutoChartist
  • Trader Workstation (TWS)
  • IBKR Desktop
  • GlobalTrader
  • Mobile
  • Client Portal
  • AlgoTrader
  • OmniTrader
  • eSignal
  • TradingCentral
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots $100
Regulator
FCA, CySEC, ADGM FCA, SEC, FINRA, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
1.55 - 2.59%
STP Account
Yes Yes
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No Yes
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No Yes
Robo Advisor
No Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No Yes
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Mobile Apps
iOS, Android + browser based platform iOS & Android
App Review

The IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform.

Android App Rating
4.6
iOS App Rating
3.4
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader Capitalise.ai & TWS API
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
VPS Hosting
Yes No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No Yes
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0
Islamic Account
No No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • INR
  • JPY
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • AED
  • HUF
Stock Exchanges
Commodities
CFD Trading
A good suite of CFDs across shares, indices, commodities and cryptos. Clients can leverage up to 1:200 on silver and gold contracts with minimum deposits from $5,000. Over 8,000 CFDs are offered on a vast array of instruments, encompassing stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Moreover, the TWS platform lends itself to seasoned day traders, offering a comprehensive selection of over 100 order types and algorithms, alongside premium market data sourced from reputable sources such as Reuters and Dow Jones.
Leverage
1:400 1:50
FTSE Spread
7.7 0.005% (£1 Min)
GBPUSD Spread
0.0 - 1.0 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Oil Spread
1.0 - 3.0 0.25-0.85
Stocks Spread
Variable 0.003
Forex Trading
Access tight spreads from 0 pips on a decent range of 44 currency pairs. Pro clients can strategise and test out the technical features in the MT4 demo account. IBKR presents an extensive range of over 100 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, surpassing the offerings of nearly all leading alternatives, though not CMC Markets. Forex trading occurs over multiple platforms and boasts institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.1 pips and 20 complex order types, including brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders.
GBPUSD Spread
0.1 var 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURUSD Spread
0.1 var 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURGBP Spread
0.1 var 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Assets
44 100+
Cryptocurrency
Trade the world's most popular crypto assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Cardano. MT4's vast library of Expert Advisors can be used for creating automated strategies. IBKR lets you purchase and hold Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at competitive commission rates and without needing a crypto wallet. Additionally, there is a range of other diverse assets to explore, such as crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, as well as futures contracts like the BAKKT Bitcoin Futures.
Spread
BTC 25 pips, ETH 4 pips 0.12%-0.18%
Coins
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • ADA
  • LNK
  • BCH
  • BNB
  • DOGE
  • DOT
  • UNI
  • XLM
  • BTC
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • XRP
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
More Comparisons
ATFX
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Interactive Brokers
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