Select Your Brokers to Compare
Firstrade vs Interactive Brokers
Broker Name
Firstrade
Interactive Brokers
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
STP broker
Market maker
Years of Existence / Established Year
1985
1993
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
1Million
3.12M
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
FINRA, SEC
SEC, FINRA, NYSE, FCA, FINMA, CFTC, MAS, SFC, CBI, IIROC, JFSA, MiFiD
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders in 2024, Professional Trading 2024, #1 Best Online Broker in 2023, Best for Advanced Traders, Best Online Broker in 2024, Best Stock Broker for International Trading
Security Measures
SIPC
SIPC
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No
Yes
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
2200+ ETFs including CDs, Treasury bills, Notets and bonds, Primary market CDs, Zeros and strips and more
150 Markets including Forecast and event contracts, Spot currencies,US spot Gold, Hedge funds
Currency Pairs
No
Yes
Commodities
No
No
Indices
Yes- Through ETFs
No
Cryptocurrencies
Yes- Through ETFs
Yes
CFDs
No
No
ETFs
Yes
Yes
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Options
Yes
Yes
Futures
No
Yes
Bonds
Yes
Yes
Mutual Funds
Yes
Yes
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
Yes
No
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
Yes
No
Equities
No
No
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
No
MT5
Yes
No
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
No
Copy Trading
No
Yes
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
Firstrade platform
IBKR global Trader, Client Portal, Desktop, Mobile, Trader workstation, APIs, Forecast Trader, IMPACT
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Brokerage account- Individual, Joint, Custodial, Retirement- Retirement (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA), Corporate, Trust, International, Education Planning, Business Planning
Individual, Joint, Trust, IRA and UGMA/UTMA Accounts, Non-Professional Advisor Accounts, Family Office Accounts, Small Business Accounts, Advisor Accounts, Money Manager Accounts, Broker & FCM Accounts, Proprietary Trading Group Accounts, Hedge Fund & Mutual Fund Accounts, Compliance Officers, Administrators, Institutional Hedge Fund Investors
Demo Account (Yes/No)
No
Yes
Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)
No
Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0
$0
Leverage Available
No
10:1 to 50:1
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
Depends on asset class
EUR 5,000,000
Commission (per account type)
$0
$0
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Both beginners and experienced traders
Beginner to advanced traders
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
Wire Fund Transfer, Check deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer
ACH transfer, Link a new bank account, Bank wire, Transfer from wise balance, Scan a check , Mail a check, SEPA
Withdrawal Methods
Wire Fund Transfer, Check Deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer, Withdrawal of sales proceed
ACH, Check, Direct debit, Transfer to wise balance, Canadian ETF transfer, SEPA
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
No
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
Yes
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Education Center, Investment Education Videos, Option Guide, Margin Guide, Webinars, Tax center, Blogs, Upcoming IPOs
Traders' Academy (Online Courses), IBKR Webinars, Market Insights and Analysis, Trader's University (Video Tutorials), IBKR Quant Blog (Quantitative Trading), Customer Education (Trading Guides)
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
Commission for stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual funds- $0, Fixed income- Treasury Bills, Notes & Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Agency Bonds, Secondary Market CDs, Zeros & Strips- Net yield basis, Primary Market CDs- $30, Broker-Assisted Stock & Options Trades- $19.95 (+$0.50/Contract)
IBKR Lite: Commission-free U.S. stocks, ETFs, and specific mutual funds, IBKR Pro: $0.005 per share, minimum $1 per trade
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
Typical
Fixed spread
Per Lot Fees
NA
NA
Options Contract Fees
$0
$0.65/contract
Futures Contract Fees
NA
$0.85
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
$1.50
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
NA
Maximum Leverage
No
50:1
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$0
$0
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
NA
NA
Advisory Fees
0.20-0.30%
It depends up on the account type
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
NA
over $10 million free
Statement or Document Fee
$2-$5
NA
Account Opening Fee
$0
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
$0
$0
Deposit Fee
$0
$0
Currency Conversion Fee
3%
$0.03
Withdrawal Fee
$25-$75
$10 outgoing wire transfer fee
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
Yes
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
Pre-Market: 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET Regular Market: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET After-Hours: 4:05 PM to 8:00 PM ET
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday Overnight trading hours: 8:00 PM ET - 3:50 AM ET, Sunday through Friday
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET
24/7
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
Phone: U.S. Toll Free: 1-800-869-8800, Outside the US: 1-718-961-6600, E-mail, FAQ, Fax: 1-718-961-3919
Phone: 1 (888) 919-0022, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat
Support Languages
3
33
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
30-50 Whitestone Expwy. Ste. A301 Flushing, NY 11354
Greenwich, Connecticut
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
Explore More Broker Matchups
Here are more Comparisons to help you choose wisely
Our Latest Contents
Stay updated with our newest insights and guides!
Top Broker Reviews
Discover brokers trusted by global traders.
No