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Interactive Brokers vs Interactive Investor : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers

VS
Interactive Investor

Interactive Investor

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Broker Overview

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

Market maker

None

Years of Existence / Established Year

1993

1995

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3.12M

over 430,000


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

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

FCA

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 Stocks and Shares ISA - The Times Money Mentor Awards 2024 Boring Money Best Buy ISA - AIC Shareholder Engagement Award 2024 Boring Money Best Buy Pension - AIC Shareholder Engagement Award 2024 Best online stock broker 2023 - ADVFN International Financial Awards

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

43,000 + funds, Shares, Glits

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

No

CFDs

No

No

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

No

Futures

Yes

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Yes

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

Yes

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

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

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

Online ii Community - for social trading

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes only Web


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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

Trading Account SIPP Stocks & Shares ISA Junior ISA Cash Savings Managed ISA Joint Trading Account Company Account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

Euro 250

Leverage Available

10:1 to 50:1

Info not available

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

EUR 5,000,000

Varies for each product

Commission (per account type)

$0

Monthly fee ISA / Trading account - £ 4.99 for investment upto £ 50,000 - £ 11.99 (no limit) SIPP - £ 5.99 for investment upto £50,000 - £12.99 (no limit) ISA + Trading Account + SIPP - £ 9.99 for investment upto £75,000 - £ 21.99 (no limit)

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

Beginner to advanced traders

Beginners


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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

Cash savings Ac - Bank transfer Debit cards Cheque Payit from Natwest

Withdrawal Methods

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

Bank Transfer

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.)

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

StockScreener - Intuitive tool to explore the markets


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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

UK & US shares, funds, ETFs, bonds and gilts - £3.99, Other international shares - £9.99 / £5.99 (Super Investor), Dividend reinvestment - £0.99, For value over £100,000 - 0.04% of trade value, Buying / Selling other international shares - £9.99, For value over £25,000 - 0.10% of trade value, International trading fees for super investors - £5.99

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Fixed spread

Info not available

Per Lot Fees

NA

£ 3.99 per trade

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

Info not available


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

Super Investor plan - £ 19.99 per month Super Investor + SIPP = £29.99 per month

Advisory Fees

It depends up on the account type

$0

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

over $10 million free

NA

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

NA

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

Administrative charges Share certificate withdrawal - £ 35 + VAT - Per certificate Failed payments or late settlement - £ 25 Paper documents - £ 3 + VAT per document Contract notes sent by post - £ 1.50 + VAT per document VCTs processing charge - £ 30 per application

Deposit Fee

$0

£ 0

Currency Conversion Fee

$0.03

Value converted FX charge £ 0 - £ 24,999.99 1.5% £ 25,000 - £ 49,999.99 1.25% £ 50,000 - £ 99,999.99 1.00% £ 100,000 - £ 599,999.99 0.50% £ 600,000 or more 0.25%

Withdrawal Fee

$10 outgoing wire transfer fee

Urgent withdrawals cost - £15


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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)

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

UK- Pre-market: 7 AM - 9:30 AM After-hours: 4:05 PM - 8 PM


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Customer Support

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

24/7

7.45am to 5.30pm (GMT) Monday - Friday

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

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

Tel: 0345 607 6001 From abroad: +44 113 346 2309

Support Languages

33

1


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Greenwich, Connecticut

Leeds One Embankment, Neville Street, Leeds, LS1 4DW

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.
Interactive Brokers stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, interactive investor offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.
If speed and simplicity matter to you, Interactive Brokers delivers a streamlined account setup. In contrast, interactive investor includes more documentation and KYC checks, which can delay access but ensures strong compliance.
New traders may find Interactive Brokers interface more welcoming, while interactive investor appeals to experienced users looking for tools like heatmaps, screeners, and market sentiment overlays.
Interactive Brokers caters to serious traders who value advanced features, whereas interactive investor appeals to beginners due to its user-friendly platform.