TradingCritique

Select Your Brokers to Compare

Robinhood vs Interactive Brokers

Broker Name

Robinhood

Robinhood

VS
Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers

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Broker Overview

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

STP

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2013

1993

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

24.2 M

3.12M


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA,SIPC, SEC

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

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Future Trends Corporates Award -2024, Future Trends Leader Award- 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

SIPC, FDIC

SIPC

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

No

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

5000+ trading instruments

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

Yes

Yes

CFDs

No

No

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

Yes

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)

No

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

No

No

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Mobile, web trading, Desktop trading

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.)

Margin, IRA, and cash 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

2:1

10:1 to 50:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

EUR 5,000,000

Commission (per account type)

$0

$0

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

Beginners

Beginner to advanced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

ACH, Instant bank transfer, Debit card, Wire transfer

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

Withdrawal Methods

Instant bank transfer, Debit card, Standard bank transfer

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

Learning Tutorials, Webinars, Market news and insights, Support and community

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

Exchange and regulatory fees: $55 per trade, with a maximum of $0.02, Margin fees: 5.75%

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)

NA

Fixed spread

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.01

$0.65/contract

Futures Contract Fees

NA

$0.85

Markup Fees on Spread

0.50%

$1.50

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

2:1

50:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$5 per month

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

It depends up on the account type

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

over $10 million free

Statement or Document Fee

$2 per month

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

0.03%

$0.03

Withdrawal Fee

Withdrawal : 1.75%, Bank transfers- 0, Outgoing wire transfer $25 Domestic overnight check delivery $20, ACATS, Outgoing $100

$10 outgoing wire transfer fee


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

8 PM ET Sunday until 8 PM ET Friday

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)

7 AM - 9 PM ET

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

App chat 24/7 , Phone- 650-761-7789, Robinhood Crypto- 888-275-8523

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

Support Languages

1

33


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Menlo Park, California , U.S.

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.
Robinhood is known for competitive pricing on basic trades, especially for beginners. However, Interactive Brokers fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.
New users will likely find Robinhood sign-up process more intuitive. Meanwhile, Interactive Brokers takes a more regulated path to onboarding, which could benefit traders seeking high capital limits and detailed agreements.
Robinhood integrates well with algorithmic trading tools and third-party plugins. In contrast, Interactive Brokers emphasizes educational content and built-in research features within its platform.
Robinhood stands out for active traders with robust tools, while Interactive Brokers suits investors seeking simplicity and ease of use.