Compare Brokers
We help you pick the best broker for your needs with our broker comparison tool. Select 2 brokers and see exactly what makes them different.
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Interactive Brokers
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Kraken
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Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a top brokerage firm offering access to 150 markets in 33 countries and a range of investment services. With 40 years in the field, this company listed on Nasdaq strictly follows the rules set by authorities such as the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC. It's recognized as one of the most reliable brokers for global trading. | Kraken is a major cryptocurrency exchange that offers a unique trading terminal and over 220 cryptocurrencies for trading. It provides up to 1:5 leverage for spot crypto trading with consistent rollover fees, and up to 1:50 leverage on futures. Additionally, it offers crypto staking services and features an interactive NFT marketplace. | |
| Instruments | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, CFDs Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies | Cryptos |
| Demo Account | ✓ | ✓ |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| Trading Platforms | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Desktop, GlobalTrader, Mobile, Client Portal, AlgoTrader, OmniTrader, TradingView, eSignal, TradingCentral, ProRealTime, Quantower | AlgoTrader, Quantower |
| Payment Methods | ACH Transfer, Automated Customer Account Transfer Service, Cheque, Debit Card, TransferWise, Wire Transfer | Bitcoin Payments, Etana, Ethereum Payments, PayID, Silvergate Bank Transfer, Wire Transfer |
| Minimum Trade | $100 | Variable |
| Regulator | FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM | FCA, FinCEN, FINTRAC, AUSTRAC, FSA |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, JPY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, AED, HUF | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF |
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| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android | ✓ |
| App Review | The IBKR Mobile app for iOS and Android allows you to access your IBKR accounts, monitor portfolios, execute trades, and view real-time quotes and charts. Its user-friendly design is ideal for new traders, offering a simpler experience compared to the more complex TWS platform. | |
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| Margin Trading | ✓ | ✓ |
| Margin Rate | 1.55 - 2.59% | |
| Account Types | STP, DMA, MAM, Demat | |
| AI / Machine Learning | ✓ | ✗ |
| Robo Advisor | ✓ | ✗ |
| Negative Balance Protection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Market Maker | ✗ | ✗ |
| P2P Trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| Spot Trading | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Trading | Capitalise.ai, TWS API | Kraken Futures is integrated in other platforms which have bots: Bookmap, Caspian, FMZ Quant, Gunbot, HaasOnline, Hyndor, Margin |
| Copy Trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| Social Trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| VPS Hosting | ✗ | ✗ |
| Tournaments | ✗ | ✗ |
| Demo Competitions | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ethical Investing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custodial Account | ✗ | ✗ |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | ✗ | ✗ |
| Inactivity Fee | $0 | |
| Islamic Account | ✗ | ✗ |
CFD Trading | ||
Over 8,000 CFDs on various stocks, indices, forex, and commodities are offered. The TWS platform is ideal for experienced traders, providing a wide range of over 100 order types and algorithms, as well as premier market data from top sources like Reuters and Dow Jones. | ||
| Leverage | 1:50 | |
| FTSE Spread | 0.005% (£1 Min) | |
| GBPUSD Spread | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | |
| Oil Spread | 0.25-0.85 | |
| Stocks Spread | 0.003 | |
Forex Trading | ||
IBKR offers more than 100 varieties of major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, exceeding the options provided by most competitors, except for CMC Markets. Forex trading happens across numerous platforms and features spreads from 0.1 pips, which are of institutional quality. It supports 20 types of complex orders like brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders. | ||
| GBPUSD Spread | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | |
| EURUSD Spread | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | |
| EURGBP Spread | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | |
| Assets | 100+ | |
Cryptocurrency Trading | ||
IBKR allows you to buy and retain Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin with low commission fees and no need for a crypto wallet. You can also explore additional assets such as crypto indices, including the NYSE Bitcoin Index, and futures contracts like the BAKKT Bitcoin Futures. | Kraken is a specialized cryptocurrency exchange that supports over 220 cryptocurrencies, including well-known tokens like Bitcoin and various altcoins. Traders can conduct trades on immediate cryptocurrency markets with up to 1:5 leverage, or on future markets with up to 1:50 leverage. The fees are minimal and the platform is simple to use. | |
| Crypto Spread | 0.12%-0.18% | 0-0.26% average |
| Crypto Coins | BTC, LTC, ETH, XRP | AAVE, ALGO, ANT, REP, REPV2, BAT, BAL, XBT, BCH, ADA, LINK, COMP, ATOM, CRV, DAI, DASH, MANA, XDG, EWT, EOS, ETH, ETC, FIL, FLOW, GNO, ICX, KAVA, KEEP, KSM, KNC, LSK, LTC, MLN, XMR, NANO, OCEAN, OMG, OXT, PAXG, DOT, QTUM, XRP, SC, XLM, STORJ, SNX, TBTC, USDT, XTZ, GRT, TRX, UNI, USDC, WAVES, YFI, ZEC, BNB |
| Crypto Lending | ✗ | ✗ |
| Crypto Mining | ✗ | ✗ |
| Crypto Staking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Auto Market Maker | ✗ | ✗ |