Interactive Brokers vs TD Ameritrade

Interactive Brokers vs TD Ameritrade Comparison Table 2023
Interactive Brokers Review 2023 TD Ameritrade Review 2023
4.3

Interactive Brokers is #13 in our CFD broker rankings.

4

TD Ameritrade is #36 in our broker rankings.

United States Flag Traders from US accepted
United States Flag Traders from US accepted

Interactive Brokers is a leading global brokerage that provides access to a comprehensive offering of stocks as well as forex, futures, metals, bonds and cryptos. The firm has over 40 years experience in the online trading industry and is heavily regulated by SEC, FCA, IIROC, and SFC. Traders use the proprietary Trader Workstation and can access powerful tools and data feeds as well as comprehensive educational resources.

TD Ameritrade is a leading discount brokerage offering a vast range of instruments including forex, stocks, futures, options and crypto. The company has nearly 40 years of experience and authorization from the SEC, FINRA and CFTC. Trading takes place via its well-known thinkorswim platform, which offers sophisticated tools and features including stock screeners and calculators.

Comment by Reviewer
"Serious traders seeking a regulated broker with unparalleled access to stock markets should look at IB. Their range of stocks can't be beaten." "Traders who want access to a huge range of stocks from a reputable broker with low fees should consider TD Ameritrade. On the downside, we miss access to the familiar MetaTrader 4 software."
Pros
  • Gives retail traders unmatched access to global stocks with tens of thousands available from 100+ market centres in 24 countries
  • Direct market access, including to the FTSE 100 index, the CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX 40
  • You can trade from multiple account types, such as IRA, single registered, joint
  • Proprietary workstation comes with powerful tools and charting capabilities
  • Regulated by some of the world's most reputable bodies including in US
  • You have a reliable real-time market data feed, that rarely goes offline
  • Diverse payment options and account currencies
  • Commission reimbursement with Toggle AI
  • Low commissions and tight spreads
  • Advanced order types, including OCO and brackets
  • Automated trading capabilities, including robo-advisors
  • Several trading platforms including proprietary award-winning software
  • TD Ameritrade provides rich in-depth research and educational resources
  • Extended 24/7 trading hours allow for international access to the markets
  • The broker facilitates automatic syncing between desktop and mobile trading platforms
  • There is access to over 350 technical studies, 20 drawing tools and 8 Fibonacci tools
  • Active chat rooms to share ideas and communicate with thousands of experienced traders
  • The Economic Data tool allows access to a range of data about the health of global economies
  • Management Services and Essential Portfolios. Reviews of which show high levels of customer satisfaction
  • Portfolio margin gives some users increased leverage by basing margin requirements on total portfolio risk
Cons
  • Due to the pricing structure, this firm can be more expensive for aggressive traders who trade over $100,000 shares a day
  • Platform and web interface are complex and difficult for beginners to pick up
  • Accessing products like CFDs is not straightforward compared to competitors
  • The TWS platform falls short in terms of technical charting
  • Mediocre customer support
  • CFD trading not available
  • No MT4 or MT5 integration
  • Fractional shares are not offered
  • No direct cryptocurrency trading
  • Broker-assisted trade commissions are around $25
  • Stringent margin maintenance requirements and high fees
  • New traders may be overwhelmed by the vast amount of information and tools available
Awards
  • Best Broker for Beginners 2022 - Investopedia Best Online Broker Awards
  • Best Online Broker for Stock Trading Platform and Research 2022 - NerdWallet's Best-Of Awards
  • #1 Platform & Tools, #1 Active Trading, #1 Options Trading, #1 Customer Service, and #1 Phone Support 2022 - StockBrokers.com Online Broker Review
Instruments
Stocks, Futures, E-minis, Options, CFD, Forex, Crypto, Exchange Linked Warrants Stocks, Futures, E-minis, Options, Forex, Crypto, ETFs, Volatility Index
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $0
Trading Platforms
  • AlgoTrader
  • OmniTrader
  • eSignal
  • TradingCentral
  • eSignal
  • AutoChartist
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
$100 $0
Regulator
SEC, FCA, IIROC, SFC SEC, FINRA, CFTC
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
1.55 - 2.59%
STP Account
Yes No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
Yes Yes
MAM Account
Yes Yes
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
Yes No
Robo Advisor
No Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No No
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes No
Mobile Apps
iOS, Android and Windows iOS & Android
Auto Trading
Yes - Auto trading available via bots
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No Yes
Custodial Account
No Yes
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0 $0
Islamic Account
No No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • INR
  • JPY
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HUF
  • USD
Stock Exchanges
Commodities
CFD Trading
Trade leveraged CFDs on thousands of global stocks as well as 13 global indices, 80+ forex pairs, and London gold and silver. Leverage is available in line with regulatory requirements. CFD trading not offered
Leverage
1:50
FTSE Spread
0.005% (£1 Min)
GBPUSD Spread
Commission (.20 pts x trade value)
Oil Spread
N/A
Stocks Spread
From 0.003 per share, variable
Forex Trading
Trade 85 major, minor and exotic forex pairs via CFDs on IB's FXTrader platform with tight spreads and low commissions, or trade forex on the spot market. They offer more FX assets than almost any competitor. Trade 70+ forex pairs including majors, minors or exotics via the desktop, mobile or webtrader app with no commission and 1:2 leverage. The choice of currencies is wider than most forex brokers.
Forex App

TD Ameritrade offers currency trading via Android and iOS mobile and tablet apps. Users can speculate on over 75 currency pairs with low fees and advanced trading tools. Deposit funds and manage accounts in a few clicks.

GBPUSD Spread
Commission (.20 pts x trade value) Variable
EURUSD Spread
Commission (.20 pts x trade value) Variable
EURGBP Spread
Commission (.20 pts x trade value) Variable
Assets
70+ 75+
Cryptocurrency
Buy and hold Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum and Litecoin with low commissions of 0.12%–0.18%. Fees are low and the broker offers a secure environment to invest in digital assets. Gain exposure to cryptocurrency markets through OTC crypto trusts, mutual funds and ETFs and Bitcoin futures. This offers portfolio diversification opportunities and trading vehicles beyond standard crypto CFDs.
Spread
Variable Commission fees apply
Coins
  • BTC
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • XRP
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • MBT
  • MET
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
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