TradingCritique

Select Your Brokers to Compare

Freetrade vs Interactive Brokers

Broker Name

Freetrade

Freetrade

VS
Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2016

1993

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1.5 M

3.12M


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FCA

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

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online trading platform 2024

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

Yes

SIPC

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

6200+ U.S Treasury Bills, Investment trust

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

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

No

Indices

No

No

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

No

No

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

No

Yes

Futures

No

Yes

Bonds

No

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

No

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

No

Copy Trading

Yes

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Freetrade web and mobile trading platform

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

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

General investment account, Stocks and shares ISA, Personal pension account

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

100:1

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)

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginner to advanced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, debit card, Apple pay, google pay

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

Withdrawal Methods

Linked bank account

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

Apple pay , google pay

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

No

Yes

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

Learn (Trading Education), Freetrade Blog (Market Insights), Webinars, Investing Guides, Video Tutorials, Community Forum

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


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

FX fee of 0.59%

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)

Variable

Fixed spread

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

NA

$0.65/contract

Futures Contract Fees

NA

$0.85

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

$1.50

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

100:1

50:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$0

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

It depends up on the account type

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

over $10 million free

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

£10.97

$0

Deposit Fee

£5

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

Exchange rate + 0.99%

$0.03

Withdrawal Fee

£5

$10 outgoing wire transfer fee


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM GMT Monday to Friday: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET (2:30 PM - 9:00 PM GMT) European Market Hours- Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM CET (8:00 AM - 4:30 PM GMT)

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


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Customer Support

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

24/5

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Help hub, community forum, E-mail, Social media

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

Support Languages

1

33


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Level 2, The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, England, E1 6QL

Greenwich, Connecticut

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.
Freetrade stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, Interactive Brokers offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.
The account creation flow at Freetrade is modern and app-driven, making it seamless for new users. Interactive Brokers, however, leans toward traditional processes with forms and verifications that take more time.
If you're looking for platform speed and ease of execution, Freetrade delivers a smooth experience. Interactive Brokers, however, is tailored toward traders who want deeper analysis tools and portfolio insights.
Freetrade stands out for active traders with robust tools, while Interactive Brokers suits investors seeking simplicity and ease of use.