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Interactive Brokers vs Forex.com : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers

VS
Forex.com

Forex.com

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Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

Market maker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1993

2001

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3.12M

454k + Customers


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

SEC, FINRA, NYSE, FCA, FINMA, CFTC, MAS, SFC, CBI, IIROC, JFSA, MiFiD

CIRO, FSA, MAS, CySEC, NFA, CFTC, CIMA, FCA, ASIC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

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

Best HNW Service, Best Broker for CFDs, Best in Class Overall Best in Class Mobile Trading Apps Best in Class Offering of Investments Best New Tool Performance Analytics

Security Measures

SIPC

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

No


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

150 Markets including Forecast and event contracts, Spot currencies,US spot Gold, Hedge funds

5, 500+ Stocks

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

No

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

No

Futures

Yes

No

Bonds

Yes

No

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

IBKR global Trader, Client Portal, Desktop, Mobile, Trader workstation, APIs, Forecast Trader, IMPACT

Forex.com Proprietary platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

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

Standard, Raw spread, MetaTrader account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

$100

Leverage Available

10:1 to 50:1

50:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

EUR 5,000,000

No information

Commission (per account type)

$0

Raw account - $7 per 100k USD traded

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginner to advanced traders

Beginners to experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

ACH transfer, Link a new bank account, Bank wire, Transfer from wise balance, Scan a check , Mail a check, SEPA

Credit/ debit card, bank wire

Withdrawal Methods

ACH, Check, Direct debit, Transfer to wise balance, Canadian ETF transfer, SEPA

Credit/ debit card, bank wire

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

Neteller, skrill


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Traders' Academy (Online Courses), IBKR Webinars, Market Insights and Analysis, Trader's University (Video Tutorials), IBKR Quant Blog (Quantitative Trading), Customer Education (Trading Guides)

Forex Trading University, Market Analysis and Insights, Webinars, Video Tutorials, Trading Guides and eBooks, Market News and Research


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

IBKR Lite: Commission-free U.S. stocks, ETFs, and specific mutual funds, IBKR Pro: $0.005 per share, minimum $1 per trade

Commission: Fixed $7 USD per $100k USD traded

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Fixed spread

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.65/contract

NA

Futures Contract Fees

$0.85

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

$1.50

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

50:1

50:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$15 inactive for 12 months

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

$5

Advisory Fees

It depends up on the account type

$30

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

over $10 million free

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

NA

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

$0.03

0.50%

Withdrawal Fee

$10 outgoing wire transfer fee

Free for bank transfers and debit cards, US: $25, International: $40, except over $10,000


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday Overnight trading hours: 8:00 PM ET - 3:50 AM ET, Sunday through Friday

Depends on the instrument offer


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Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

24/7

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: 1 (888) 919-0022, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat

Live chat: https://www.forex.com/en/contact-forex-com, Phone New accounts: Tollfree: 1-877-367-3946, International: 1-908-731-0750 Existing customers: Tollfree: 1-877-367-3946,Email New accounts: [email protected] Existing customers & inquiries: [email protected] International: 1-908-731-0750

Support Languages

33

5


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Greenwich, Connecticut

30 Independence Blvd Suite 300, 3rd Floor, Warren, New Jersey 07059, US.

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.
If minimizing trading costs is your top priority, Interactive Brokers might be more attractive due to its lower commissions. Meanwhile, Forex.com justifies its moderate fees with more robust tools and professional-grade features.
While Interactive Brokers prioritizes fast registration with minimal steps, Forex.com focuses on a thorough vetting process that gives more flexibility in choosing account types and features.
Traders who value simplicity and execution speed may prefer Interactive Brokers platform. Meanwhile, Forex.com offers more flexibility through tools like advanced order types and multi-screen support.
Interactive Brokers stands out for active traders with robust tools, while Forex.com suits investors seeking simplicity and ease of use.