XTB vs Interactive Brokers Compared (2024)

Published :
Updated :
Written by

XTB and Interactive Brokers are online forex brokers that offer their trading services to traders and investors. XTB is a regulated and trusted forex broker. It is regulated by multiple regulatory authorities including SCB, FCA, CMVM, BACEN, and CVM. Similarly, Interactive Brokers is also a regulated broker which is regulated by SEC, CFTC, FCA, FSCS, FINRA, FCM,  IIROC, MAS, FSA. Both the brokers have their own strengths and weaknesses.  

In this article, we will review and compare the brokerage services offered by XTB and Interactive Brokers. We will explore options such as regulations, reputations, fees, features, leverage, and more. Additionally, we will analyze and rate the brokers based on macro and micro categories and options. By reviewing these aspects, you will get a clear idea of which broker suits you best for your trading journey.

XTB

Founded in 2002, XTB is an exchange-listed forex and CFD broker with headquarters in Poland and offices in over 13 countries. The broker offers more than 5,500 forex, CFDs as well as real stocks and ETFs for trading on its proprietary platforms. XTB boasts of over 800,000 clients from all over the world.

Risk warning: 81% of retail accounts lose money

XTB Overview

XTB Overview
  • Founded In: 2002
  • Founder: Jakub Zablocki
  • Locations: UK, Cyprus, Belize, Poland.
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Maximum Leverage: 1:500
  • Regulations:CySEC, FCA , KNF , IFSC
  • Trading platform:xStation 5 , xStation Mobile
  • Account Types: Standard, Pro, Islamic
  • Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, Maestro, Neteller, Paysafe, SafetyPay, Skrill
  • US Traders: Not Accept

Interactive Brokers

Founded in New York, USA in 1978 by Thomas Peterffy, Interactive Brokers has grown into a global brand with over 2.1 million clients. It is an American Multinational brokerage firm headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.  It has become one of the leading online trading solutions for traders, investors, and advisors. The brokers give access to over 5000+ tradable assets including forex, CFDs, warrants, ETFs Options, Futures, Mutual Funds, and Bonds. To trade online, IBKR offers WebTrader, FIX API, MobileTrader (MobileApp), and TWS trading platforms. To learn more about IBKR, you can read our review of Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers Overview

Interactive Brokers Overview
  • Founded In: 1978
  • Founder: Chairman Thomas Peterffy
  • Headquarters: Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
  • Minimum Deposit: None
  • Maximum Leverage: 500:1
  • Regulations: SEC , CFTC ,FCA, FSCS, ASIC , IIROC , FSA
  • Trading platform: WebTrader, FIX API, MobileTrader
  • Account Types: Family Office Account ,UGMA/UTMA, IRA, Trust ,Joint, Individuals
  • Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), ACH (Automated Clearing House), BPAY, Check, Direct Debit, Local Bank Deposits, Transfer from Existing Broker
  • US Traders:  Accepted 

XTB vs : Interactive Brokers Features

XTB:

  • Trading Instruments: 5800+Trading instruments including Real stocks, ETFs, CFDs on forex, CFDs on Indices, CFDs on Commodities
  • Maximum leverage: The maximum leverage of XTB is as high as 500:1. Leverage may vary based on jurisdiction and tradable assets. For example, for CySEC jurisdiction the maximum leverage is 30:1. 
  • Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit. You may deposit as low as possible.  
  • Account Types: Two ( Stocks &ETFS, and CFD Instruments) 
  • Trading Fees: The fees of CFD instruments start from as low as 0.5 pips spread. 0% commission on Stock Accounts
  • PAMM/ MAM: No
  • Scalping: Allowed 
  • News Trading: Allowed
  • EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed

Interactive Brokers

  • Trading Instruments: 5000+Trading instruments including forex, CFDs, warrants, ETFs Options, Futures, Mutual Funds, stocks, options, and Bonds
  • Maximum leverage: 50:1  for US Clients, 30:1  for EU clients, and 400:1 for global clients. 
  • Minimum Deposit: The Interactive Brokers minimum deposit is $0 for a cash account, $2,000 for a T Reg margin account, and $110,000 for a portfolio margin account. The minimum deposit is subject to change depending on the trading account opened and the base currency selected.
  • Trading Fees: spreads starting from as low as 0.1 pips, Stock fees USD 0.005 per share. 
  • PAMM/ MAM:  Not Available
  • Scalping: Allowed 
  • News Trading: Allowed
  • EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed with Capitalise.ai

XTB vs Interactive Brokers: Pros and Cons

XTB Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Regulated by  FCA, FSC, KNF, DDM-M, DNMV,
  • The Minimum deposit is as low as $1
  • The Maximum Leverage is as high as 1:500
  • Allows scalping, EA/Robot Trading, News Trading 
  • Trade stocks, ETFs, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and forex
  • 0% commission on stock and ETF trading (only applicable to some EU countries)
  • Traders  can enjoy commission-free trading with spreads as low as 0.25 pips
Cons
  • XTB does not offer  cTrader, MT4/MT5, or Ninja Trader which are the most popular platforms in the world 
  • No passive investment programme ( PAMM, MAM Accounts) 
  • Withdrawal fees for transfers below $100 or €200
  • Inactivity fee (€10/monthly after 1+ year with no activity plus no deposit in the last 90 days)
  • Complex trading platform for a beginner
  • CFDs only – so traders do not own the underlying asset

Interactive Brokers Pros & Cons

Pros
  • IBK is a Forex and Stock Broker 
  • Excellent reputation (founded in 1978)
  • Regulated by top regulators like  ASIC, FCA, FSA, SFC, IIROC 
  • A wide range of products offered warrants, ETFs, Options, Futures, Mutual Funds, Bonds 
  • Over 18,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
  • No monthly inactivity fee
  • Low trading fees and high interest (up to 4.58% for USD) on cash balances
  • Access to international markets and exchanges 
  • Mobile apps are convenient for individual investors.
Cons
  • Complicated account opening 
  • Learning Curve for Beginners
  • The maximum leverage is only 1:40 
  •  No Metatrader platforms (MT4, MT5) offered 
  • High minimum deposit requirements for some account types 
  • Interactive Advisors (Robo-advisor feature) is only available for US customers
  • No fixed spread is available 

XTB vs Interactive Brokers: Side-by-Side Comparison

XTB
Interactive Broker
Product
Product
XTB
Interactive Broker
Founded In
Founded In
2002
1978
Founded By
Founded By
Jakub Zablocki
Chairman Thomas Peterffy
Headquarters
Headquarters
Belize City, Belize
Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
Regulations
Regulations
FCA, CySEC, CNMV, KNF, FSC(Belize)
SEC, CFTC, FCA, FSCS, FINRA, FCM, IIROC, MAS, FSA
Min Deposit
Min Deposit
None
None
Max Leverage
Max Leverage
1:500
1:500
Tradable Assets
Tradable Assets
Offer nearly 2000 CFDs based on Forex, Indices, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Stocks and ETFs.
Stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and funds
Fees
Fees
Forex, Indices, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Stocks, and ETFs
Spread starting from 1 pips
Platforms and Tools
Platforms and Tools
xStation 5 , xStation Mobile
WebTrader, FIX API, MobileTrader
US Traders
US Traders
Not Allowed
Allowed

XTB Vs Interactive Brokers: Our Scores and Ratings

We rated both brokers, XTB and Interactive Brokers, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 0.1 increments. To achieve a comprehensive rating, we broadly grouped all services offered by brokers into 6 macro categories and assigned percentage weights to them. Each macro category is subdivided into several data points which contributes to the total score of 1.0-10.0 assigned to each macro category. Since all categories are not equally important, our weight percentage plays a significant role in assessing the broker accurately. For example, Regulation and Security contributes a total weight of 40% to the whole ratings because this is the most important rating category. To learn more, read our methodology.

XTB :

8.8
XTB Scores
Regulation and Security (40%)9.8
Fees and Commissions (20%)7.5
Trading (15%)8
Trading tools (10%)8.6
Customer Support (10%)9
Trading Education (5%)8

Interactive Brokers

9.1
Interactive Brokers Score
Regulation and Security (40%)10
Fees and Commissions (20%)8
Trading (15%)9
Trading tools (10%)7
Customer Support (10%)9.5
Trading Education (5%)9

Final Verdict :

Both XTB and Interactive Brokers are regulated online trading platforms in the industry, offering services to traders and investors. However, there are some differences between them. XTB is a multi-asset and social trading platform, providing trading instruments, including stocks,ETFs,CFDs on forex,CFDs,CFDs on indices,CFDs on commodities,CFDs on cryptocurrencies.It offers both leverage and non-leverage tradable assets. On the other hand, Interactive Brokers is a forex and CFD broker offers Stocks, options, futures, futures options, SSFs, ETFs, EFPs, currencies, fixed income, warrants and funds.

Our score for XTB is 8.8, and for Interactive Brokers, it is 9.1 (based on our research; a score above 8 is considered safe and trustworthy). If you are seeking a social trading platform where you can copy other successful traders and have a one-stop solution for various types of trading, you may choose XTB. However, if you prefer online forex and CFD brokers, you may choose Interactive Brokers.

Written by

Jason Paine is a forex trader, researcher, and tech enthusiast. He is passionate about financial markets and cutting-edge technology. With a dynamic 16-year trading career, he's on a mission to guide fellow traders. Having navigated diverse forex brokers, Jason shares his insights at Brokersway to bridge the gap between traders and the right brokerage.

Disclosure:  At Brokersway we're committed to delivering unbiased information. our opinions are our own and are not influenced by the payment we receive from our advertising partners. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation of how we make money.

Leave a Comment