Cobra Trading or Interactive Brokers – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare Cobra Trading and Interactive Brokers in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
Cobra Trading vs Interactive Brokers Comparison Table 2024
Established in 2003, Cobra Trading is a US-based brokerage specializing in equities and options contracts. The firm offers 3 powerful platforms and is aimed at professional clients or those looking for retirement accounts. Cobra Trading is regulated by the NFA and SIPC and is a member of FINRA.
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a premier brokerage for experienced traders, providing access to 150 markets in 33 countries, along with a suite of comprehensive investment services. With over 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed firm adheres to stringent regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, amongst others, and is one of the most trusted brokers for trading around the globe.
Pros
I’m happy with the broker’s regulatory status in the US, with oversight from reputable bodies including the SIPC, NFA and FINRA. This, coupled, with the broker’s strong reputation since 2003 is a great sign of a trustworthy firm
I think the choice of 3 platforms means all strategies and trading styles are catered to. All platforms offer comprehensive charting packages, with sophisticated analysis tools and advanced order types
I found some reasonably low fees at Cobra Trading, including shares from $0.0015, options from $0.30 and margin rates as low as 8%
Cobra Trading offers a good range of account types, including traditional and Roth IRA’s, plus joint, corporate and trust accounts
I like that Cobra Trading doesn’t enforce any minimums on trades and there are also no locate fees
IBKR is one of the most respected and trusted brokerages and is regulated by top-tier authorities, so you can have confidence in the integrity and security of your trading account.
The TWS platform has clearly been built for intermediate and advanced traders and comes with over 100 order types and a reliable real-time market data feed that rarely goes offline.
The new IBKR Desktop platform takes the best of TWS while adding bespoke tools like Option Lattice and Screeners with MultiSort to create a genuinely impressive trading experience for traders at every level.
There's a vast library of free or paid third-party research subscriptions catering to all types of traders, plus you can enjoy commission reimbursements from IBKR if you subscribe to Toggle AI.
IBKR continues to deliver unmatched access to global stocks with tens of thousands of equities available from 100+ market centres in 24 countries.
While primarily geared towards experienced traders, IBKR has made moves to broaden its appeal in recent years, reducing its minimum deposit from $10,000 to $0.
With low commissions, tight spreads and a transparent fee structure, IBKR delivers a cost-effective environment for short-term traders.
Cons
Despite the low trading fees, this broker does charge several other platform and admin fees which will soon add up, including monthly software fees from $100 and market data packages from $18 per month
Unfortunately, Cobra Trading isn’t going to be suitable for novices, as the minimum deposit to open an account is $30,000. I think it’s a shame that there are no beginner-friendly accounts at this broker
I did find that pattern trading (PDT) restrictions will apply, though this is expected from a US brokerage
TWS’s learning curve is steep, and beginners may find it challenging to navigate the platform and understand all the features. Plus500's web platform is much better suited to new traders.
IBKR provides a wide range of research tools, but their distribution across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page lacks consistency, leading to a confusing user experience.
Support can be slow and frustrating based on tests, so you might find it challenging to reach customer service representatives promptly or encounter delays in resolving issues.
You can only have one active session per account, so you can’t have your desktop program and mobile app running simultaneously, making for a sometimes frustrating trading experience.
The IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform.
iOS App Rating
4.3
Android App Rating
4.5
Margin Trading
No
Yes
Margin Rate
8%
1.55 - 2.59%
MetaTrader 4
No
No
MetaTrader 5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
AlgoTrader
No
Yes
OmniTrader
No
Yes
TradingView
No
No
Autochartist
No
No
eSignal
No
Yes
Trading Central
No
Yes
STP Account
No
Yes
ECN Account
No
No
DMA Account
No
Yes
MAM Account
No
Yes
PAMM Account
No
No
LAMM Account
No
No
Demat Account
No
No
AI / Machine Learning
No
Yes
Robo Advisor
No
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No
Yes
Market Maker
No
No
P2P Trading
No
No
Spot Trading
No
Yes
Auto Trading
Yes
Capitalise.ai & TWS API
Copy Trading
No
No
Social Trading
No
No
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
No
No
Tournaments
No
No
Demo Competitions
No
No
Ethical Investing
No
Yes
Custodial Account
No
No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No
No
Inactivity Fee
$0
Islamic Account
No
No
Account Currencies
USD
EUR
GBP
CAD
AUD
INR
JPY
SEK
NOK
DKK
CHF
AED
HUF
Commodities
Gold
Zinc
Aluminium
Natural Gas
Soybeans
Lead
Precious Metals
CFD
Over 8,000 CFDs are offered on a vast array of instruments, encompassing stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Moreover, the TWS platform lends itself to seasoned traders, offering a comprehensive selection of over 100 order types and algorithms, alongside premium market data sourced from reputable sources such as Reuters and Dow Jones.
Leverage
1:50
FTSE Spread
0.005% (£1 Min)
GBPUSD Spread<
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Oil Spread
0.25-0.85
Stocks Spread
0.003
Forex
IBKR presents an extensive range of over 100 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, surpassing the offerings of nearly all leading alternatives, though not CMC Markets. Forex trading occurs over multiple platforms and boasts institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.1 pips and 20 complex order types, including brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders.
Assets
100+
GBPUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURGBP Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Cryptocurrency
IBKR lets you purchase and hold Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at competitive commission rates and without needing a crypto wallet. Additionally, there is a range of other diverse assets to explore, such as crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, as well as futures contracts like the BAKKT Bitcoin Futures.
