IC Trading vs Interactive Brokers

IC Trading or Interactive Brokers – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare IC Trading and Interactive Brokers in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

IC Trading vs Interactive Brokers Comparison Table 2026
IC Trading Interactive Brokers
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4.2
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4.3
IC Trading is ranked #29 among CFD brokers. Interactive Brokers is ranked #5 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
IC Trading belongs to the reputable IC Markets group. Designed for dedicated traders, it offers highly competitive spreads, dependable order execution, and sophisticated trading tools. However, it operates from Mauritius, an offshore financial centre, allowing high leverage but within a less regulated environment. 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
  • IC Trading offers top-tier spreads, with some major currency pairs like EUR/USD featuring spreads as low as 0.0 pips, making it an excellent choice for traders.
  • The streamlined digital account setup allows traders to commence trading swiftly, eliminating lengthy paperwork. Testing shows the process takes mere minutes.
  • IC Trading provides exceptional flexibility, allowing traders to open as many as 10 live accounts and 20 demo accounts. This enables the management of distinct profiles for various activities, including manual and algorithmic trading.
  • Trading Central and Autochartist provide valuable technical analysis and actionable ideas. These tools are readily available within the account area or on the cTrader platform.
  • IBKR is a highly respected brokerage, regulated by top-tier authorities, ensuring the integrity and security of your trading account.
  • Interactive Brokers has introduced ForecastTrader, an innovative product offering zero-commission trading with yes/no Forecast Contracts on political, economic, and climate events. It features fixed $1 contract payouts, 24/6 market access, and a 3.83% APY on positions held.
  • The TWS platform is tailored for intermediate and advanced traders, featuring over 100 order types and a dependable real-time market data feed with exceptional uptime.
  • Interactive Brokers has been awarded Best US Broker for 2025 by DayTrading.com. This accolade highlights its dedication to traders in the US, offering exceptionally low margin rates and access to global markets at minimal expense.
  • The new IBKR Desktop platform combines the top features of TWS with customised tools such as Option Lattice and MultiSort Screeners, providing an impressive trading experience for traders of all skill levels.
  • A wide range of third-party research subscriptions, both free and paid, are available for traders. Additionally, by subscribing to Toggle AI, traders can receive commission rebates from IBKR.
  • IBKR consistently offers unparalleled access to global equities, with thousands of shares available across over 100 market centres in 24 countries, including the recently added Saudi Stock Exchange.
  • While initially targeting seasoned traders, IBKR has recently widened its appeal by eliminating its $10,000 minimum deposit requirement.
  • IBKR offers an economical environment for traders, featuring low commissions, narrow spreads, and a clear fee structure.
Cons
  • Although IC Trading operates under the reputable IC Markets group, it is licensed by the FSC in Mauritius, a regulator known for its limited financial transparency and lack of robust safeguards.
  • Customer support was inadequate during testing, with multiple live chat attempts going unanswered and emails ignored. This raises significant concerns regarding their capacity to manage urgent trading issues.
  • The educational materials require significant enhancement unless accessed via the IC Markets website. This limitation is particularly disadvantageous for beginners seeking a thorough learning experience, especially when compared to industry leaders such as eToro.
  • Unlike IC Markets, IC Trading lacks support for social trading via the IC Social app or the ZuluTrade platform.
  • The learning curve for TWS is quite steep, making it tough for novice traders to navigate and grasp all its features. In contrast, Plus500's web platform is far more accessible for those new to trading.
  • IBKR offers a variety of research tools, but their inconsistent placement across trading platforms and the 'Account Management' webpage creates a confusing experience for users.
  • Support can be sluggish and frustrating. Tests reveal that you may face challenges reaching customer service quickly, which could result in delays in issue resolution.
  • You are limited to a single active session per account, meaning you cannot use both your desktop programme and mobile app at the same time. This restriction can occasionally lead to a frustrating experience for traders.
Awards
  • Best US Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Cryptos, Futures Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, CFDs
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$200 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots $100
Regulator
FSC FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App
IC Trading offers robust apps for trading on multiple devices. Although there's no proprietary app, which could deter novice traders, mobile access is available through the trusted MetaTrader 4/5 and cTrader apps. These enable swift trade execution, advanced charting, and comprehensive market analysis on the go. The IBKR Mobile app, for iOS and Android, transforms your phone into a robust portal to access your IBKR accounts. It allows users to monitor portfolios, execute trades, view real-time quotes and charts, and manage account activities seamlessly. With its intuitive design, the app is particularly user-friendly for novices, offering a simpler experience compared to the advanced TWS platform.
iOS App Rating
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4.8
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4.3
Android App Rating
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4.6
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4.5
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
No Yes
Autochartist
Yes No
eSignal
No Yes
Trading Central
Yes Yes
STP Account
No Yes
ECN Account
Yes No
DMA Account
No Yes
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No Yes
AI / Machine Learning
No Yes
Robo Advisor
No Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No Yes
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader Capitalise.ai, TWS API
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
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
Islamic Account
Yes No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • INR
  • JPY
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • AED
  • HUF
Commodities
  • Oil
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Corn
  • Cotton
  • Orange Juice
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Platinum
  • Palladium
  • Gold
  • Zinc
  • Aluminium
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Lead
  • Precious Metals
  • Lean Hogs
CFD
IC Trading excels in CFD trading, offering more than 2,250 assets across popular markets such as forex, commodities, indices, stocks, and bonds. With advanced bridge technology and substantial liquidity, the broker ensures favourable conditions for traders seeking leveraged short-term opportunities. 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
1:500 1:50
FTSE Spread
2.133 0.005% (£1 Min)
GBPUSD Spread<
0.23 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Oil Spread
0.028 0.25-0.85
Stocks Spread
Variable 0.003
Forex
IC Trading offers exceptionally tight forex spreads on over 60 currency pairs, notably on major assets like EUR/USD. This makes it an excellent option for traders seeking competitive pricing and superior execution speeds. High-volume traders can also benefit from 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
60+ 100+
GBPUSD Spread
0.2 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURUSD Spread
0.1 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURGBP Spread
0.3 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Cryptocurrency
You have the opportunity to trade over 20 leading cryptocurrencies with leverage up to 1:200, available every day of the week. Direct transactions of assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are not supported. The range of tokens is narrower compared to Eightcap, which received our 'Best Crypto Broker' accolade for its offering of more than 100 crypto derivatives. 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
Floating 0.12%-0.18%
Coins
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • DSH
  • LTC
  • BCH
  • XRP
  • EOS
  • EMC
  • NMC
  • PPC
  • DOT
  • XLM
  • LINK
  • DOGE
  • XTZ
  • UNI
  • ADA
  • BNB
  • AVAX
  • LUNA
  • MATIC
  • GLMR
  • KSM
  • BTC
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • XRP
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
IC Trading Interactive Brokers
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