IC Markets vs Interactive Brokers
IC Markets or Interactive Brokers – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare IC Markets and Interactive Brokers in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
| IC Markets | Interactive Brokers |
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| IC Markets is ranked #5 among CFD brokers. | Interactive Brokers is ranked #33 among CFD brokers. |
| IC Markets is an internationally acclaimed forex and CFD broker, admired for its competitive pricing, diverse trading instruments, and superior technology. Established in 2007 and based in Australia, the firm is under the regulation of ASIC, CySEC, and FSA. It has successfully drawn over 180,000 clients from more than 200 nations. | Interactive Brokers (IBKR), a leading brokerage, offers access to 150 markets across 33 countries and provides extensive investment services. With more than 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed company complies with strict regulations from the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC. It is among the most reliable brokers worldwide for traders. |
| Pros | |
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| Cons | |
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| Awards | |
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| FCA Regulated | |
| No | Yes |
| Instruments | |
| CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies |
| Demo Account | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Minimum Deposit | |
| $200 | $0 |
| Payment Methods | |
| Minimum Trade | |
| 0.01 Lots | $100 |
| Regulator | |
| ASIC, CySEC, FSA, CMA | FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM |
| Mobile Apps | |
| iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Trading App | |
IC Markets deliver mobile apps for their cTrader, MT4, MT5 and TradingView platforms. They have been developed on Android and iOS separately, taking full advantage of the functionality available on each. With raw pricing, and spreads from 0.0, the apps deliver an excellent trading tool for all levels of trader. Yet what really stands out is how they’ve managed to maintain the lightning-fast execution speed IC Markets is known for, right within the apps. It’s a seamless trading experience that feels both professional and highly responsive. |
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 | |
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| Android App Rating | |
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| Margin Trading | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Margin Rate | |
| 1.55 - 2.59% | |
| MetaTrader 4 | |
| Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 | |
| Yes | No |
| cTrader | |
| Yes | No |
| AlgoTrader | |
| No | Yes |
| OmniTrader | |
| No | Yes |
| TradingView | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | |
| No | No |
| eSignal | |
| No | Yes |
| Trading Central | |
| Yes | Yes |
| STP Account | |
| No | Yes |
| ECN Account | |
| Yes | No |
| DMA Account | |
| Yes | Yes |
| MAM Account | |
| Yes | Yes |
| PAMM Account | |
| Yes | No |
| LAMM Account | |
| No | No |
| Demat Account | |
| No | No |
| AI / Machine Learning | |
| No | Yes |
| Robo Advisor | |
| No | Yes |
| Negative Balance Protection | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Market Maker | |
| No | No |
| P2P Trading | |
| No | No |
| Spot Trading | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Auto Trading | |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade | Capitalise.ai & TWS API |
| Copy Trading | |
| Yes | No |
| Copy Trading Platform | |
| Introduced in February 2023, the IC Social app provides an easy platform for learning, sharing, and replicating the trades of other traders with minimal effort. The app also includes risk management features and supports specialised trading groups. Alternatively, IC Markets offers access to Signal Start and popular third-party copy trading platforms like ZuluTrade and cTrader Copy. | |
| Social Trading | |
| Yes | No |
| Trade Signals | |
| Signal Start | |
| VPS Hosting | |
| Yes | No |
| Tournaments | |
| No | No |
| Demo Competitions | |
| No | No |
| Ethical Investing | |
| No | Yes |
| Custodial Account | |
| No | No |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | |
| No | No |
| Inactivity Fee | |
| $0 | $0 |
| Islamic Account | |
| Yes | No |
| Account Currencies | |
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| Commodities | |
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| CFD | |
| Trade over 2,250 CFDs anytime from Monday to Friday across key markets, including forex, commodities, indices, stocks, and bonds. IC Markets leverages deep liquidity and cutting-edge bridge technology to offer ideal trading conditions for scalpers, hedgers, and algorithmic traders. | The platform provides access to over 8,000 CFDs across stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Suited for experienced traders, the TWS platform includes more than 100 order types and algorithms. It also delivers top-tier market data from trusted sources like Reuters and Dow Jones. |
| Leverage | |
| 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global) | 1:50 |
| FTSE Spread | |
| 1.0 | 0.005% (£1 Min) |
| GBPUSD Spread< | |
| 0.23 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| Oil Spread | |
| 0.03 | 0.25-0.85 |
| Stocks Spread | |
| 0.02 | 0.003 |
| Forex | |
| IC Markets remains dedicated to offering tight 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs like EUR/USD, ensuring outstanding execution with an average speed of 35 milliseconds. Ideal for traders seeking high performance, those dealing in large volumes can also enjoy rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot. | IBKR offers a vast range of over 100 forex pairs, including major, minor, and exotic currencies, outstripping most competitors except CMC Markets. Trading is available across multiple platforms with institutional-grade spreads beginning at 0.1 pips. There are also 20 sophisticated order types, such as brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders, enhancing trading strategies. |
| Assets | |
| 75 | 100+ |
| GBPUSD Spread | |
| 0.23 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| EURUSD Spread | |
| 0.02 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| EURGBP Spread | |
| 0.27 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| Cryptocurrency | |
| IC Markets provides a range of over 20 cryptocurrencies for trading through CFDs, featuring less common tokens like Avalanche, Kusama, and Uniswap. Traders can enjoy commission-free transactions and experienced individuals can utilise high leverage up to 1:200 via the MetaTrader platforms. | IBKR offers access to Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at attractive commission rates without the need for a crypto wallet. Furthermore, traders can explore a variety of assets, including crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, and futures contracts such as BAKKT Bitcoin Futures. |
| Spread | |
| BTC 42.036 | 0.12%-0.18% |
| Coins | |
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| Crypto Lending | |
| No | No |
| Crypto Mining | |
| No | No |
| Crypto Staking | |
| No | No |
| Auto Market Maker | |
| No | No |
| IC Markets | Interactive Brokers |
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