Interactive Brokers or XTB – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare Interactive Brokers and XTB in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
| Interactive Brokers | XTB |
|---|---|
 |
 |
| Interactive Brokers is ranked #4 among CFD brokers. | XTB is ranked #2 among CFD brokers. |
| Visit Interactive Brokers | Visit XTB |
| Interactive Brokers (IBKR) stands as a leading brokerage, offering access to 170+ markets in 40 nations alongside extensive investment services. With 40+ years in finance, this Nasdaq-listed entity complies with regulations from the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, ensuring global trustworthiness in trading. | Established in Poland in 2002, XTB caters to over a million clients worldwide. This forex and CFD broker offers a robust regulatory framework, a diverse range of assets, and prioritises trader satisfaction. It provides an intuitive proprietary platform equipped with excellent tools to support aspiring traders. |
|
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money |
|
| Pros | |
|
|
| Cons | |
|
|
| Awards | |
|
|
| FCA Regulated | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Instruments | |
| Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, CFDs | CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, Real shares, Real ETFs |
| Demo Account | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Minimum Deposit | |
| $0 | $0 |
| Payment Methods | |
| Minimum Trade | |
| $1 | 0.01 Lots |
| Regulator | |
| SEC, FINRA, CFTC, NFA, CIRO, FCA, CBI, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS | FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC, SCA, CMF, Bappebti |
| 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. | Each year, XTB's app impresses with its sleek design and clear interface. It's fast, responsive, and full of practical features like integrated sentiment data, market news, economic calendars, and educational content. The intuitive order panel below the chart simplifies trade execution, including take profit and stop loss settings. |
| iOS App Rating | |
| Android App Rating | |
| Margin Trading | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Margin Rate | |
| 5.5% - 6.13% (depending on account tier) | 4.5% |
| MetaTrader 4 | |
| No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 | |
| No | No |
| cTrader | |
| No | No |
| AlgoTrader | |
| Yes | No |
| OmniTrader | |
| Yes | No |
| TradingView | |
| Yes | No |
| Autochartist | |
| No | No |
| eSignal | |
| Yes | No |
| Trading Central | |
| Yes | No |
| STP Account | |
| Yes | Yes |
| ECN Account | |
| No | No |
| DMA Account | |
| Yes | No |
| MAM Account | |
| Yes | No |
| PAMM Account | |
| No | No |
| LAMM Account | |
| No | No |
| Demat Account | |
| Yes | No |
| AI / Machine Learning | |
| Yes | No |
| Robo Advisor | |
| Yes | No |
| Negative Balance Protection | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Market Maker | |
| No | Yes |
| P2P Trading | |
| No | No |
| Spot Trading | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Auto Trading | |
| TWS API | |
| Copy Trading | |
| No | No |
| Social Trading | |
| No | No |
| Trade Signals | |
| No | |
| VPS Hosting | |
| No | No |
| Tournaments | |
| No | No |
| Demo Competitions | |
| No | No |
| Ethical Investing | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Custodial Account | |
| No | No |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | |
| No | No |
| Inactivity Fee | |
| $0 | €/$10 per month after 365 days |
| Islamic Account | |
| No | Yes |
| Account Currencies | |
|
|
| Commodities | |
|
|
| 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. | XTB provides an extensive range of CFDs, including forex, indices, commodities, stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies, subject to location. EU and UK clients have leverage up to 1:30, whereas global users and pro traders can obtain up to 1:500. XTB excels in offering valuable resources and tutorials for short-term CFD trading strategies. |
| Leverage | |
| 1:30 | 1:30 (Retail), 1:200 (Pro) |
| FTSE Spread | |
| 0.005% (£1 Min) | 1.8 |
| GBPUSD Spread< | |
| 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | 1.4 |
| Oil Spread | |
| 0.25-0.85 | 0.03 |
| Stocks Spread | |
| 0.003 | 0.2% |
| Forex | |
| IBKR offers a wide selection of more than 100 forex pairs, including major, minor, and exotic options, exceeding most competitors except CMC Markets. Trading takes place across various platforms with institutional-quality spreads from 0.1 pips. It supports over 100 advanced order types like brackets, scale, and OCA orders. | XTB offers access to over 70 currency pairs, with competitive spreads averaging about 1 pip for major pairs. Its xStation platform is user-friendly, providing traders with top-tier charting tools, over 30 indicators, and diverse order types to support different strategies and risk management needs. |
| Assets | |
| 100+ | 70+ |
| GBPUSD Spread | |
| 0.2 | 1.4 |
| EURUSD Spread | |
| 0.1 | 1.0 |
| EURGBP Spread | |
| 0.3 | 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. | XTB provides a robust array of over 50 cryptocurrencies, featuring competitive spreads beginning at 0.22% on Bitcoin and leverage up to 1:5. The xStation platform facilitates trading with pairs like ETH/BTC and DSH/BTC. Traders can operate round-the-clock in a secure and transparent cryptocurrency trading environment. |
| Spread | |
| 0.12%-0.18% | 0.22% |
| Coins | |
|
|
| Crypto Lending | |
| No | No |
| Crypto Mining | |
| No | No |
| Crypto Staking | |
| No | No |
| Auto Market Maker | |
| No | No |
| Interactive Brokers | XTB |
| Visit Interactive Brokers | Visit XTB |
| CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money | |