Interactive Brokers review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Interactive Brokers suits active, self-directed investors who trade often and want low costs across many markets. Stock trades cost $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, with SEC, FCA and SIPC oversight. Set aside time for a dense platform and remember most retail accounts lose money, 70.15% on site figures.
Key facts
- Best for
- Self-directed traders who want low trade fees and a wide market list in a single account.
- Minimum deposit
- $0↗
- Stock trade fee
- $0↗
- Markets
- Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks↗
- Regulators
- SEC, FCA, SIPC↗
- Investor protection
- SIPC up to USD 500,000↗
- Margin rate
- 4.38%↗
- Options contract fee
- $0.65↗
- Platforms
- Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation↗
- Account types
- ISA, SIPP, IRA, Joint, Corporate↗
- Interest on cash
- 3.38%↗
- Legal entity
- INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC↗
- Headquarters
- United States↗
- Founded
- 1978↗
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Community↗
- Features
- Fractional shares, Mobile app
- Pricing model
- Commission-free, Low fees
- Official website
- interactivebrokers.com
Robo-advisors
- Portfolio types
- ETF↗
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 9 sources
Pros and cons
Pros
- Stock trades cost $0 and the minimum deposit is $0
- Options contracts cost $0.65 and cash earns 3.38%
- Covers bonds, etfs and forex with isa, sipp and ira account types
- Client Portal, IBKR Desktop and IBKR Mobile span a web portal, a desktop terminal, a mobile app and a professional workstation
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community only, with no phone line listed
- Fractional shares and a mobile app are the only extras listed, so portfolio building is limited to etf
- Most retail accounts lose money, 70.15% on site figures
Who it suits
- Investors who place many trades and care more about the fee than the interface
- Anyone holding several markets at once, given bonds, etfs and forex
- Retirement savers, as isa, sipp and ira includes ISA, SIPP and IRA options
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants phone or chat support, since Interactive Brokers runs on help centre and community
- CFI, if you want a single app alongside stocks, etfs and forex
- bunq, if you want a bank account with a minimum deposit of €10 rather than trading
Where it sits among rivals
Interactive Brokers tops the field where it matters most for fees and access. It ranks at position 1 of 218 brands on minimum deposit, and at position 1 of 166 on stock trade fee. Both rankings rest on $0 and $0, which leave fee-charging rivals behind.
Safety of your money
Oversight runs through SEC, FCA and SIPC, with an FCA licence for the UK under 208159 and SEC registration in the US. US client assets sit with INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC, and the stated cover is SIPC up to USD 500,000. The US protection limit does not apply to UK accounts, so UK money relies on the FCA rather than SIPC.
How Interactive Brokers compares
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Interactive Brokers vs eToro9.6 vs 9.2
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9.6 vs 9.2
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9.6 vs 9.0
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9.6 vs 9.1
9.6 vs 9.0
9.6 vs 9.0
9.6 vs 9.0
9.6 vs 9.0
9.6 vs 8.8
Where Interactive Brokers is available
- Licence in United States
- SEC, checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United Kingdom
- FCA (208159), checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United States
- SIPC (SIPC member 53615), checked September 26, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to trade stocks?+
Commissions are tiered, with the headline level listed as $0 for US stocks. Options contracts are charged at $0.65. Uninvested cash earns interest at 3.38%, and margin is available at a base rate of 4.38%.
Is there a minimum deposit?+
The listed minimum deposit is $0, so you can open and fund an account at a small starting balance. It ranks first on the site for the lowest entry point. Fractional shares also let you hold a slice of a share rather than a full unit.
Who regulates the firm and what protection applies?+
Regulators listed are SEC, FCA and SIPC, including the FCA under licence 208159 for UK clients. US client holdings sit with INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC under SIPC membership SIPC member 53615, and the stated cover is SIPC up to USD 500,000. The SIPC limit is a US scheme, so UK clients should read the FCA position instead.
Which markets can I trade?+
The market list covers bonds, etfs and forex. That mix means you can hold equities and fixed income in one account, add futures or options for hedging, and trade currencies directly. ETF portfolios are also supported, with etf listed.
Which account types are on offer?+
Available account types are isa, sipp and ira, so tax-wrapped and shared accounts sit alongside the standard taxable one. Retirement savers can pick a SIPP or an ISA in the UK, or an IRA in the US. Joint and corporate accounts cover shared and business holdings.
What platforms and apps are available?+
Platforms offered are Client Portal, IBKR Desktop and IBKR Mobile, spanning a web portal, a desktop terminal, a mobile app and a professional workstation. The mobile app handles monitoring and basic orders, while the terminal carries the full toolset. Beginners should start with the web portal and add complexity later.
Who is this broker suited to?+
It fits self-directed investors who trade often, hold several asset classes and keep costs low. The combination of $0 trading and a $0 entry point appeals to investors building gradually. It suits users who read documentation and follow positions themselves.
How do I get help?+
Support runs on help centre and community, which means self-service documentation and a user community rather than a direct phone line. Complex margin or tax questions take longer to resolve without an adviser. Experienced traders usually manage well; beginners may find the platform demanding.
Sources
- sipc.org/list-of-members checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Licences
“reportingFileNumber=47257; name=INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC”
- brokersway.com/reviews/interactive-brokers/deposit/minimu... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Minimum deposit
“Headquarters: Greenwich, Connecticut, United States”
- toponlineforexbrokers.com/reviews/interactive-brokers checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Investor protection, Regulators
- euinvestinghub.com/articles/interactive-brokers-review-eu... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Founded 1978 ... Headquarters Greenwich, Connecticut, USA”
- eupersonalfinance.eu/articles/interactive-brokers-review-... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Options contract fee
“Options: $0.65 per contract”
- interactivebrokers.com/en/general/about/affiliate-program... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Browse our FAQs”
- interactivebrokers.com/en/pricing/commissions-home.php checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account types, Portfolio types
“IBKR Lite is available to US residents with the following account types: Individual, Joint, IRA and Trusts when the beneficiary and trustee are natural persons”
- interactivebrokers.com/en/pricing/commissions-stocks.php checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Interest on cash, Features, Markets, Pricing model, Stock trade fee
“Earn USD 3.38% on uninvested cash”
- interactivebrokers.com/en/trading/margin-requirements.php checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Margin rate, Platforms
“Margin loans start at USD 4.38%”
Compiled from 9 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Account fee, Inactivity fee, Retail accounts that lose money.
Interactive Brokers
Self-directed traders who want low trade fees and a wide market list in a single account.