Interactive Brokers vs Forex.com

Interactive Brokers or Forex.com – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare Interactive Brokers and Forex.com in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

Interactive Brokers vs Forex.com Comparison Table 2025
Interactive Brokers Forex.com
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4.3
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4.4
Interactive Brokers is ranked #33 among CFD brokers. Forex.com is ranked #10 among CFD brokers.
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. Established in 1999, FOREX.com is now integrated into StoneX, a prominent financial services entity catering to more than one million clients globally. The broker is regulated in numerous jurisdictions, including the US, UK, EU, and Australia. It offers a vast array of markets beyond forex, delivering competitive pricing on state-of-the-art trading platforms.
Pros
  • IBKR is a highly respected brokerage, regulated by top-tier authorities, ensuring the integrity and security of your trading account.
  • 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.
  • With more than two decades of expertise, strong regulatory governance, and numerous accolades, including a second-place finish in our 'Best Forex Broker' awards, FOREX.com is globally renowned as a reliable trading platform.
  • The in-house Web Trader remains a standout platform, excellently crafted for budding traders. It features a sleek design and offers more than 80 technical indicators for thorough market analysis.
  • FOREX.com provides top-tier forex rates beginning at 0.0 pips, along with attractive cashback rebates up to 15% for dedicated traders.
  • An abundance of educational resources is available, such as tutorials, webinars, and an extensive YouTube channel, designed to enhance your understanding of financial markets.
Cons
  • 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.
  • Although FOREX.com has expanded its range of instruments, its product offering is confined to forex and CFDs. Consequently, there are no investment options for actual stocks, ETFs, or cryptocurrencies.
  • FOREX.com's MT4 platform provides around 600 instruments, a notable reduction compared to the more than 5,500 options on its other platforms.
  • Funding choices are restricted when compared to top options such as IC Markets. Many popular e-wallets, including UnionPay and POLi, are noticeably absent.
  • US clients are not protected against negative balances, which means you could end up owing more than your initial deposit.
  • Demo accounts are typically limited to 90 days, hindering effective strategy testing.
Awards
  • Best US Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies Forex, CFDs, Stock CFDs, Indices, Commodities, Futures, Options, Crypto
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $100
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
$100 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM NFA, CFTC, CIRO, FCA, CYSEC, ASIC, SFC, FSA, MAS, CIMA
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App
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. Alongside the MT4 and Web Trader platforms, the FOREX.com app provides comprehensive trading features in a user-friendly, compact package. With integrated news, analysis, and real-time alerts, it excels on mobile. It surpasses MT4 in mobile charting, offering over 80 indicators and 11 chart types, alongside a more streamlined design.
iOS App Rating
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4.3
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3.6
Android App Rating
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4.5
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3.8
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
1.55 - 2.59%
MetaTrader 4
No Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
Yes No
OmniTrader
Yes No
TradingView
Yes Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
Yes No
Trading Central
Yes No
STP Account
Yes Yes
ECN Account
No Yes
DMA Account
Yes Yes
MAM Account
Yes No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
Yes Yes
Robo Advisor
Yes No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Capitalise.ai & TWS API Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
VPS Hosting
No Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
Yes No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0 $15
Islamic Account
No Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • INR
  • JPY
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • AED
  • HUF
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • CHF
  • PLN
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Zinc
  • Aluminium
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Lead
  • Precious Metals
  • Lean Hogs
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Cotton
  • Livestock
  • Soybeans
  • Coffee
  • Natural Gas
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
  • Orange Juice
  • Lean Hogs
  • Cattle
CFD
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. With options for both long and short positions on over 5,500 CFDs in forex, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies, FOREX.com stands out. The platform's unique Web Trader delivers an outstanding experience, featuring more than 80 technical indicators and average execution speeds of merely 20 milliseconds, providing an ideal setting for dedicated traders.
Leverage
1:50 1:30
FTSE Spread
0.005% (£1 Min) 1.0
GBPUSD Spread<
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value 1.3
Oil Spread
0.25-0.85 2.5
Stocks Spread
0.003 0.14
Forex
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. FOREX.com maintains its status as a leading foreign exchange broker, providing access to more than 80 currency pairs at highly competitive rates. Standout features include EUR/USD spreads starting at 0.0 and a $5 commission per $100k traded. Additionally, its SMART Signals feature aids traders by pinpointing price trends in major global markets.
Assets
100+ 84
GBPUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value 1.3
EURUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value 1.2
EURGBP Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value 1.4
Cryptocurrency
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. You can trade over 8 cryptocurrencies against USD, EUR, GBP, and AUD with tight spreads, without needing a virtual wallet. Traders can automate their crypto transactions using Expert Advisors (EAs).
Spread
0.12%-0.18% BTC 1.4%, ETH 2%
Coins
  • BTC
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • XRP
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
Interactive Brokers Forex.com
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