Interactive Brokers vs SimpleFX

Interactive Brokers vs SimpleFX Comparison Table 2024
Interactive Brokers	SimpleFX
Review 4.3	Review 4.2

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.	SimpleFX is an online broker specializing in CFD and cryptocurrency trading, with multi-currency accounts, STP execution, low pricing and no minimum deposit. Bringing innovation and gaining recognition at numerous industry events since 2014, SimpleFX now caters to retail traders from over 190 countries, boasting a client base exceeding 200,000 active users.
Customer Reviews
4 Based on 2 Interactive Brokers customer reviews
Comment by Reviewer
"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."	"SimpleFX is ideal for users looking to deposit, trade and withdraw in popular cryptos such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. It also stands by offering its own SimpleFX Coin, providing rebates and exclusive perks to holders."
Pros
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.	SimpleFX’s proprietary WebTrader - powered by TradingView - delivers a stable day trading environment with a user-friendly interface that’s accessible even to novice traders. With MT4 support, experienced traders can access sophisticated charting tools, advanced technical indicators, customizable algorithms, and expert advisors (EAs) for automated strategies. SimpleFX underwent a revamp in 2021, now sporting a slicker client area with faster load times and a social trading community where you can exchange ideas. With leverage up to 1:1000, day traders have the potential to amplify their positions significantly, allowing for greater exposure to market movements and magnified returns (as well as losses). The range of cryptocurrencies available for trading is broad, encompassing well-known selections such as ADA, BTC, and ETH, as well as more specialized options like YFI, YFII, and ZEC.
Cons
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.	SimpleFX operates with weak regulatory oversight, allowing it to offer high leverage, but meaning it faces less stringent supervision from authorities compared to brokers like IG which operate in tightly regulated jurisdictions. While the Bloomberg TV news feed and economic calendar are valuable resources, the lack of research tools like Autochartist and Trading Central is a serious disadvantage for traders wanting support in identifying opportunities. The educational tools are okay but not great. The ‘Opinion’ section needs updating more frequently while video tutorials covering market analysis and risk management would be valuable additions for beginners. The availability of only a few non-crypto funding methods is a downside for traders seeking more diverse and convenient options for managing their accounts.
Awards
	Best Support 2023, Crypto Expo Europe The Best Trading Platform Cryptocurrency, World Expo 2022 - Warsaw Best Mobile App 2020 - Rankia Awards The Best Trading Platform, Finance World Expo 2019 - Zug Best Cryptocurrency Trading Platform, Cryptocurrency World Expo 2018 - Berlin
Instruments
Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies	CFDs, Forex, Indices, Stocks, Commodities, Cryptos
Demo Account
Yes	Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0	$0
Trading Platforms
Trader Workstation (TWS) IBKR Desktop GlobalTrader Mobile Client Portal AlgoTrader OmniTrader eSignal TradingCentral	WebTrader MT4
Payment Methods
ACH Transfer Automated Customer Account Transfer Service Cheque Debit Card TransferWise Wire Transfer	Bitcoin Payments Credit Card Ethereum Payments FasaPay Neteller Skrill Wire Transfer
Minimum Trade
$100	0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB	FSC
Margin Trading
Yes	Yes
Margin Rate
1.55 - 2.59%
STP Account
Yes	Yes
ECN Account
No	No
DMA Account
Yes	No
MAM Account
Yes	No
PAMM Account
No	No
LAMM Account
No	No
Demat Account
No	No
AI / Machine Learning
Yes	Yes
Robo Advisor
Yes	Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes	Yes
Market Maker
No	No
P2P Trading
No	No
Spot Trading
Yes	No
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android	iOS, Android + WebTrader
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.	SimpleFX provides a proprietary app for both Apple and Android mobile devices. The application boasts a user-friendly design, facilitating easy opening and closing of trades with access to the broker’s 220+ tradable assets. However, occasional unresponsiveness during testing, alongside an average charting package, means it won’t meet the needs of highly active traders.
Android App Rating
4.5	3.8
iOS App Rating
4.3	4.4
Auto Trading
Capitalise.ai & TWS API	Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No	No
Social Trading
No	Yes
Trade Signals
	Yes
VPS Hosting
No	No
Tournaments
No	No
Demo Competitions
No	No
Ethical Investing
Yes	No
Custodial Account
No	No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No	No
Inactivity Fee
$0	3%
Islamic Account
No	No
Account Currencies
USD EUR GBP CAD AUD INR JPY SEK NOK DKK CHF AED HUF	USD EUR GBP
Stock Exchanges
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	Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) CAC 40 Index France DAX GER 40 Index Dow Jones Euronext FTSE UK Index Hang Seng IBEX 35 Japan Exchange Group London Stock Exchange Nasdaq National Stock Exchange Of India New York Stock Exchange Russell 2000 S&P 500 SIX Swiss Exchange
Commodities
Aluminium Gold Lead Natural Gas Precious Metals Soybeans Zinc	Cocoa Coffee Copper Corn Cotton Gold Natural Gas Oil Palladium Platinum Silver Soybeans Sugar Wheat
CFD Trading
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.	SimpleFX stands out with highly leveraged trading options up to 1:1000 covering popular asset classes, including stocks, indices, currencies and commodities. Additionally, the social community serves as an excellent resource for gathering CFD strategy tips and short-term trading ideas.
Leverage
1:50	1:1000
FTSE Spread
0.005% (£1 Min)	1.3
GBPUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value	1.2
Oil Spread
0.25-0.85	0.04
Stocks Spread
0.003	Variable
Forex Trading
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.	SimpleFX provides a comprehensive selection of around 60 currency pairs, from majors like GBP/USD to exotics like CHF/PLN. Forex trading fees are competitive, averaging 0.9 pips on EUR/USD during testing, while MetaTrader 4, available on desktop, web and mobile, was built specifically for trading currencies online.
GBPUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value	1.2
EURUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value	0.9
EURGBP Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value	1.0
Assets
100+	57
Cryptocurrency
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.	SimpleFX’s strongest offering is its crypto trading environment, with a growing range of tokens, including Bitcoin and Ethereum paired with the USD. Its crypto-based accounts also ensure a smooth trading experience for crypto enthusiasts, while the bespoke staking service allows capital to be utilized for margin trading.
Spread
0.12%-0.18%	45.57
Coins
BTC LTC ETH XRP	ADA APE ARB AVA BCH BNB DASH DOT EOS ETC ETH FET FIL INJ LNK LTC MATIC NEO SOL TIA WAVE XTZ YFI ZEC
Crypto Lending
No	No
Crypto Mining
No	No
Crypto Staking
No	Yes
Auto Market Maker
No	No

Review	Review
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