IC Markets vs Interactive Brokers

IC Markets vs Interactive Brokers Comparison Table 2024
IC Markets	Interactive Brokers
Review 4.8	Review 4.3

IC Markets is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker known for its excellent pricing, comprehensive range of trading instruments, and premium trading technology. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Australia, the brokerage is regulated by the ASIC, CySEC and FSA, and has attracted more than 180,000 clients from over 200 countries.	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 Based on 2 IC Markets customer reviews	4 Based on 2 Interactive Brokers customer reviews
Comment by Reviewer
"IC Markets offers superior pricing, exceptionally fast execution and seamless deposits. The introduction of advanced charting platforms, notably TradingView, and the Raw Trader Plus account, ensures it remains a top choice for intermediate to advanced day traders."	"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
IC Markets offers among the tightest spreads in the industry, with 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs, making it especially cost-effective for day traders. As a tightly regulated and widely respected broker, IC Markets prioritizes client security and transparency, helping to ensure a reliable trading experience globally. With ultra-fast execution speeds averaging 35 milliseconds and deep liquidity, IC Markets provides an optimal trading environment for scalpers, hedgers, and algorithmic traders. IC Markets offers fast and dependable 24/5 support based on firsthand experience, particularly when it comes to accounts and funding issues. You have access to over 2,250 CFDs across various markets, including forex, commodities, indices, stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies, allowing for diversified trading strategies.	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
While IC Markets offers a selection of metals and cryptos for trading via CFDs, the range is not as extensive as brokers like eToro, limiting opportunities for traders interested in these asset classes. The breadth and depth of tutorials, webinars and educational resources still need work, trailing alternatives like CMC Markets and reducing its suitability for beginners. There are fees for certain withdrawal methods, including a $20 wire charge, which can eat into profits, especially for frequent withdrawals. Despite four industry-leading third-party platforms, there is no proprietary software or trading app built with new traders in mind. Interest isn't paid on unused cash, an increasingly popular feature found at alternatives like Interactive Brokers.	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 MT4/MT5 Broker 2023 - DayTrading.com Best Forex Broker 2022 - DayTrading.com Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com Best Trading App 2020 - DayTrading.com
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto	Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies
Demo Account
Yes	Yes
Minimum Deposit
$200	$0
Trading Platforms
MT4 MT5 cTrader TradingView TradingCentral DupliTrade	Trader Workstation (TWS) IBKR Desktop GlobalTrader Mobile Client Portal AlgoTrader OmniTrader eSignal TradingCentral
Payment Methods
BPAY Credit Card Klarna Mastercard Neteller PayPal POLi Rapid Transfer SafeCharge Skrill Swift UnionPay Visa Wire Transfer	ACH Transfer Automated Customer Account Transfer Service Cheque Debit Card TransferWise Wire Transfer
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots	$100
Regulator
ASIC, CySEC, FSA	FCA, SEC, FINRA, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB
Margin Trading
Yes	Yes
Margin Rate
	1.55 - 2.59%
STP Account
No	Yes
ECN Account
Yes	No
DMA Account
Yes	Yes
MAM Account
Yes	Yes
PAMM Account
Yes	No
LAMM Account
No	No
Demat Account
No	No
AI / Machine Learning
No	Yes
Robo Advisor
No	Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes	Yes
Market Maker
No	No
P2P Trading
No	No
Spot Trading
Yes	Yes
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android	iOS & Android
App Review
IC Markets deliver mobile apps for their cTrader, MT4, MT5 and TradingView platforms. They have been developed on Android and iOS separately, taking full advantage of the functionality available on each. With raw pricing, and spreads from 0.0, the apps deliver an excellent trading tool for all levels of trader. Yet what really stands out is how they’ve managed to maintain the lightning-fast execution speed IC Markets is known for, right within the apps. It’s a seamless trading experience that feels both professional and highly responsive.	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
4.2	4.5
iOS App Rating
3.1	4.3
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade	Capitalise.ai & TWS API
Copy Trading
Yes	No
Copy Trading Platform
Launched in February 2023, the IC Social app offers an intuitive way to learn, share, and mirror the positions of other traders with just a few clicks. Additionally, the app features risk management tools and supports dedicated trading groups. Alternatively, IC Markets grants access to Signal Start, along with well-known third-party copy trading platforms including ZuluTrade and cTrader Copy.
Social Trading
Yes	No
Trade Signals
Signal Start
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	$0
Islamic Account
Yes	No
Account Currencies
USD EUR GBP CAD AUD NZD JPY CHF HKD SGD	USD EUR GBP CAD AUD INR JPY SEK NOK DKK CHF AED HUF
Stock Exchanges
Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) CAC 40 Index France DAX GER 40 Index Dow Jones Euronext FTSE UK Index Hang Seng IBEX 35 Nasdaq New York Stock Exchange Russell 2000 S&P 500	Borsa Italiana CAC 40 Index France Chicago Mercantile Exchange Euronext IBEX 35 Japan Exchange Group Korean Stock Exchange London Metal Exchange London Stock Exchange Nasdaq Nasdaq Nordic & Baltics New York Stock Exchange Russell 2000 Shenzhen Stock Exchange Toronto Stock Exchange
Commodities
Cocoa Coffee Corn Gold Natural Gas Oil Orange Juice Silver Soybeans Sugar Wheat	Aluminium Gold Lead Natural Gas Precious Metals Soybeans Zinc
CFD Trading
You gain access to over 2,250 CFDs, available for trading 24/5 across popular markets such as forex, commodities, indices, stocks, and bonds. Utilizing deep liquidity and advanced bridge technology, IC Markets ensures optimal conditions for scalpers, hedgers, and algo traders alike.	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
1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global)	1:50
FTSE Spread
1.0	0.005% (£1 Min)
GBPUSD Spread
0.23	0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Oil Spread
0.03	0.25-0.85
Stocks Spread
0.02	0.003
Forex Trading
IC Markets maintains its commitment to providing exceptionally tight 0.0-pip forex spreads on major currency pairs such as EUR/USD. This makes it an excellent option if you are seeking superior execution, with an average of 35 milliseconds. Additionally, if you are a high-volume trader, you can benefit from rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot.	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.
Forex App
IC Markets deliver mobile apps for both their cTrader and MT5 platforms. Both have been developed on android and iOS separately, taking full advantage of the functionality available on each. With raw pricing, and spreads from 0.0, the apps deliver an excellent trading tool for all levels of trader. The speed of execution synonymous with IC Markets is retained across their apps.
GBPUSD Spread
0.23	0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURUSD Spread
0.02	0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURGBP Spread
0.27	0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Assets
75	100+
Cryptocurrency
IC Markets offers 20+ cryptocurrencies which are tradable via CFDs, including lesser-known tokens such as Avalanche, Kusama and Uniswap. Commission-free trading is available, and experienced crypto traders can access high leverage up to 1:200 in the MetaTrader platforms.	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 42.036	0.12%-0.18%
Coins
BTC BCH DOT DSH EMC EOS ETH LNK LTC NMC PPC XLM XRP ADA BNB DOG UNI XTZ	BTC LTC ETH XRP
Crypto Lending
No	No
Crypto Mining
No	No
Crypto Staking
No	No
Auto Market Maker
No	No

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