Based in Greenwich, in the United States, Interactive Brokers is an online broker that has been operating for several decades. Founded in 1977, it is an experienced broker that has carved out a place in trading over the years. Interactive Brokers is now present in many countries around the world, such as Switzerland, China, the United Kingdom and Australia. Regulated by several financial market authorities, Interactive Brokers offers more than 80,000 tradable assets and fairly average fees. But is it really a trustworthy broker?
Who Is Interactive Brokers?
IBKR is an online broker that has been operating in trading for nearly 40 years. Founded in 1977 by Thomas Peterffy, one of the pioneers of digital and automated trading, Interactive Brokers is known for its long history and experience.
However, it was only in 1994 that the broker began providing its trading services in the European market, and since 1995 it has offered its services on Euronext. Today, Interactive Brokers is available in France and also has offices in several countries, including China, Switzerland, Australia, Hungary and Russia.
Its head office is in Greenwich, in the United States, and Interactive Brokers is one of the world leaders in futures trading. However, despite its long history, Interactive Brokers receives fairly negative reviews, especially about its customer service. According to these reviews, the broker doesn’t take the time to respond properly to its clients, and this weakness is starting to seriously tarnish its reputation as a major broker.
Interactive Brokers LLC is a member of NYSE – FINRA – SIPC and is regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Head office: One Pickwick Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830 USA
Website: www.interactivebrokers.com
If this topic interests you, also check out “JFD Brokers Review” and “Australian Brokers Compared“.
Awards Received by Interactive Brokers
Over its 43 years of experience, Interactive Brokers has won countless awards as a forex broker. It has stood out from the competition and established itself in the trading market by offering quality services. Here is the list of awards won by Interactive Brokers over the last 5 years:
2015:
- Interactive Brokers received the highest overall rating of 4.5 stars from Barron’s;
- Best FX Platform at the FX Week Awards 2015;
- Best Futures Commission Merchant – Innovation at the CTA US Service Awards;
- Best Multi-Asset Trading Solution at the WSL Institutional Awards;
2016:
- A 4.5 rating from Barron’s as Best Broker for Options Traders;
- Best Broker-Dealer – Futures from WSL Institutional;
- Best Prime Broker – Start-ups category from HFM Week US Hedge Fund Services
2017:
- A 4.2 rating from Barron’s in the “Lowest Costs” category;
- No. 1 in the “Commissions and Fees” category from Stockbrokers.com;
- Best Broker-Dealer for Futures at the Fund Technology and WSL Institutional Awards;
- Best Prime Broker – Technology category from HFM Week US Hedge Fund Services;
2018:
- Overall rating of 4.5, the highest awarded by Barron’s;
- No. 1 in the “Investment Offering” category from Stockbrokers.com;
- No. 1 in the “Professionals” category from ForexBrokers.com;
- Best Global Trading Platform at the Fund Technology and WSL Awards;
- Best Mobile App according to HFM Week US Hedge Fund Services;
2019:
- No. 1 Best Online Broker 2019 according to Barron’s;
- Best Broker according to Preqin Service Providers;
- Best Low-Cost Broker at Cardate.com’s Editor’s Choice Awards;
- No. 1 in the “Active Trading” category according to StockBrokers.com;
2020:
- Best Spot FX Broker in Singapore according to CompareForexBrokers;
- Best International Share Trading Account at the Australian Finder Awards;
- 5 stars for Outstanding Value, online share trading, from Canstar;
- Best Hedge Fund Custodian according to Preqin;
- No. 1 Best Online Broker, No. 1 for Active Traders, No. 1 for International Traders and No. 1 for Pension Funds according to Barron’s.
These awards are only some of those Interactive Brokers has won since it was founded. However, despite being an award-winning online broker, Interactive Brokers doesn’t offer the best customer service, and Interactive Brokers trading reviews don’t reflect the quality of the broker’s service.
ECN Broker or Market Maker?
Before being an online broker, Interactive Brokers is both an automated global electronic broker and a market maker. As such, it may have slightly lower entry requirements than an ECN broker, which can benefit from higher trading volume and therefore more capital than a market maker. As a market maker, Interactive Brokers applies minimal trading requirements and lower commissions on trades.
However, it also offers ECN/STP execution, so the broker can offer you very tight spreads with full transparency on the price you pay when your trades are executed. With ECN/STP execution, Interactive Brokers has set no minimum or maximum trading requirements. Its pricing mainly depends on the type of trading account, the trader and the instrument.
Is Interactive Brokers AMF-Regulated?
Although it holds regulatory licenses from several authorities around the world, Interactive Brokers is not AMF-regulated. While it does offer its services in Europe and France, it is not regulated by France’s Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). This lack of AMF regulation may be a significant gap, but it doesn’t tarnish the broker’s international reputation. However, AMF regulation is important to be authorized to trade on the European market.
Is Interactive Brokers Available in France?
Interactive Brokers offers its trading services to French traders. However, it has no established offices in France, and because it isn’t regulated by the AMF, it isn’t among the brokers recommended by the French authority and therefore recognized by French traders.
Interactive Brokers Regulation in 2026
Traders who have been in the business for years all know Interactive Brokers. As a reputable broker in the financial markets, it is regulated by many authorities worldwide. Here is the list of Interactive Brokers’ regulators:
- SEC – United States: the Securities and Exchange Commission is an independent federal government regulator responsible for protecting investors and maintaining fair, orderly and secure markets. As a US-based broker, Interactive Brokers is regulated by this authority;
- IIROC – Canada: Interactive Brokers Canada is regulated by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), a regulatory authority that protects investors in the Canadian market.
- FINRA – United States: Interactive Brokers is also authorized by FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a private corporation that acts as an independent regulator. It protects investors and safeguards market integrity to support vibrant capital markets.
- NYSE – United States: In addition to these US regulators, Interactive Brokers is also listed on the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange), one of the largest stock exchanges in the world.
- FCA – United Kingdom: Interactive Brokers UK is regulated and authorized by the well-known regulator the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority).
How Are Client Funds Protected?
Like most brokers in the financial markets, Interactive Brokers uses account segregation: client funds are held in accounts separate from the broker’s own, at several banks. In addition to account segregation, Interactive Brokers has set up a compensation system to ensure maximum security of client funds. This is a guarantee offered to certain clients to protect their investments if the broker goes bankrupt.
First, traders in the European market can benefit from the protection provided by the FCA, the UK regulator, which covers £85,000 per client. There is also FINRA-related protection of up to $500,000 per trader.
To protect Canadian traders, the CIPF (Canadian Investor Protection Fund) and IIROC (Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada) provide compensation of up to CAD 1,000,000 for clients. So the broker offers a high level of security for client funds, and Interactive Brokers reviews on this point are fairly positive.
Can You Trust Interactive Brokers in 2026?
A broker’s reliability is an important factor when choosing one. It’s not advisable to entrust your investment to just any broker, so before you start trading with a broker, check how reliable it is. Thanks to its deep knowledge of international financial markets and its many years of experience, Interactive Brokers has made a name for itself in trading.
Interactive Brokers is also regulated by several authorities worldwide. These authorizations demonstrate the broker’s reliability and competence as an online broker. In addition to regulation, Interactive Brokers offers protection to some of its clients: in Europe, the United States and Canada, traders can receive compensation if the broker goes bankrupt. This is a kind of guarantee to secure traders’ investment funds.
Interactive Brokers Scam Reports
Interactive Brokers reviews aren’t very satisfying for a broker that has been operating for around forty years. However, there is no scam on the site. Interactive Brokers is a reliable online broker, even if its customer service leaves a lot to be desired. To gain even more reputation and reliability, the broker should consider improving its customer support and access issues.
Broker Reviews
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Which Account Type Do We Recommend Interactive Brokers For?
Like many well-known brokers, Interactive Brokers offers several account types depending on traders’ needs and experience level. The accounts available depend on the needs of the client who will use them. Interactive Brokers offers individual accounts, institutional accounts, portfolio margin accounts, IBKR Lite accounts and IBKR Pro accounts.
Individual Account
The individual account is designed for retail traders and is registered in the name of one or more individuals. It can take several forms depending on the trader’s needs:
- Personal account: for people who manage their own account. IB gives them access to the platform’s various features and lets them add other authorized users by power of attorney.
- Joint account: ideal for two people who want to manage an account together. They can also add other users by power of attorney.
- Retirement account: available to US tax residents who want an individual retirement account. The account holder can also add other users if they wish.
- Trust account: an account held by a legal entity on behalf of an individual.
- UGMA and UTMA custodial accounts: for licensed investment agents who manage and advise on a client’s money. Someone managing a minor’s account can also choose this type of account. Note that this account is only available to traders in the United States and no leverage applies.
- Friends and Family Group account: lets the client manage their own investment fund as well as those of friends or family members. It is mainly intended for someone looking to become an investment adviser.
Institutional Account
This type of account is mainly for institutional investors and is registered in the name of a company or a licensed financial adviser. Like the individual account, it can take several forms:
- Proprietary Trading Group: an account for a company’s own investments, which can be managed by one or more users handling trades.
- Broker account: an ideal option for a licensed broker with several users.
- Small business account: for SMEs.
- Advisor account: for licensed advisers authorized to create multiple client accounts.
- Family Office account: ideal for an advisory firm managing a wealthy family’s assets.
Portfolio Margin Account
This account lets clients increase leverage beyond the standard level. Leverage depends on the securities held by the trader and can reach 5x or 6x. Opening an Interactive Brokers portfolio margin account requires $100,000 or the equivalent in USD.
Demo Account
Like many brokers, Interactive Brokers lets traders trade with a demo account. This lets clients try trading on IB platforms and discover the broker’s services. The broker provides up to one million dollars in virtual money.
Beginner traders can practice opening positions and get familiar with the broker’s instruments. For professional traders, the Interactive Brokers demo account is a chance to trade large volumes under conditions similar to a real trading environment.
IBKR Lite and IBKR Pro Accounts
IBKR Lite and IBKR Pro are options traders choose based on their experience and profile. IBKR Lite is available only for individual accounts, while IBKR Pro is available for all account types.
There are several differences between IBKR Lite and IBKR Pro, both in trading conditions and in fees and commissions. For example, while IBKR Pro can be used on all IB trading platforms, IBKR Lite doesn’t give access to Trader Workstation. And while IBKR Lite has no account maintenance fees, IBKR Pro charges a $20 monthly fee.
Interactive Brokers Fees
Like most brokers, Interactive Brokers earns money through spreads, commissions and other fees. Although it is a benchmark broker in trading, its pricing remains fairly high, especially for commissions and other fees.
However, Interactive Brokers offers the lowest spreads in forex trading, so Interactive Brokers trading reviews on brokerage fees are fairly positive.
Spreads
To help its traders make as much profit as possible, Interactive Brokers offers tight, low spreads, especially on forex.
- Forex spreads
Currency | Forex Spreads |
EUR/USD | 0.1 pips |
GBP/USD | 0.7 pips |
USD/CNH | 0.1 pips |
USD/CAD | 0.2 pips |
USD/JPY | 0.2 pips |
AUD/USD | 0.2 pips |
USD/CHF | 0.4 pips |
USD/MXN | 45.2 pips |
Commissions
Interactive Brokers charges either a tiered commission or a fixed commission depending on the instrument and the trader’s location. For example, in the United States, tiered pricing applies to stocks, while no commission is charged on certain ETFs.
- Commissions on Stocks, ETFs and Warrants
Country | Commissions on Stocks, ETFs and Warrants |
Etats-Unis | 0.005 USD/share (1.00USD min – 1.00% max) |
Canada | 0.1 CAD/action (1.00CAD min – 0.5% max) |
Mexico | 0.1% MXN (60.00 MXN min – no max ) |
Austria | 0.1% (4.00 EUR min – 120.00 EUR max) |
Belgium | 0.1% (4.00 EUR min – 29.00 EUR max) |
Baltic countries | 0.2% (10.00 EUR min – no max ) |
France | – 0.1% (4.00 EUR min – 29.00 EUR max) – 0.1% (5.00 USD min – 42.00 USD max) |
Germany | – 0.1% (6.00 EUR min – none or 49.00 EUR max) -0.1% (4.00 EUR min – 99.00 EUR or 49.00 EUR max) |
Hungary | 0.1% (200 HUF min – no maximum) |
Israel | 0.1% (15 LS min – no maximum) |
Italy | -0.1% (4.00 EUR min – 29.00 EUR max ) |
Netherlands | -0.1% (4.00 EUR min – 29.00 EUR max ) |
United Kingdom | -0.05 USD (5.00 USD min – no max ) |
- Stock CFD Fees and Commissions
Brazil
Trade value | Fees |
| <=40,000,000 BRL | 0.12% – 15 minimum/order |
| 40,000,001 – 400,000,000 | 0.10% – 10 minimum/order |
| > 400,000,000 | 0.08% – 5 minimum/order |
Etats-Unis
Volume (monthly) | Commission per Share |
<=300,000 USD | 0.0050 USD (1.00 USD min) |
300,001 – 3,000,000 | 0.0045 USD (1.00 USD min) |
3,000,001 – 20,000,000 | 0.0040 USD (1.00 USD min ) |
20,000,001 – 100,000,000 | 0.0035 USD (1.00 USD min) |
> 100,000,000 | 0.0030 USD (0.65 USD min) |
Europe
Monthly value (EUR) | Fee per Trade |
<= 10,000,000 | 0.05% |
10,000,001 – 100,000,000 | 0.03% |
> 100,000,000 | 0.02% |
Afrique du Sud
Monthly value | Fee per Trade |
<=150,000,000 | 0.12% (50 ZAR min) |
150,000,001 – 1,500,000,000 | 0.10% (35 ZAR min) |
> 1,500,000,000 | 0.09% (15 ZAR min) |
Australie
Monthly value (AUD) | Trade Fees |
<= 10,000,000 | 0.05% (5.00 AUD min) |
10,000,000 | 0.03% (3.00 AUD min) |
Hong-Kong
Monthly value (HKD) | Fee per Trade |
<= 300,000,000 | 0.05% – 12.00 HKD min |
> 300,000,001 | 0.03% – 8.00 HKD min |
Japon
Monthly value (JPY) | Fee per Trade |
<= 9,000,000,000 | 0.03% (100 JPY min) |
9,000,000,001 – 20,000,000,000 | 0.02% (40 JPY min) |
> 20,000,000,000 | 0.015% (30 JPY min) |
Singapour
Monthly value (SGD) | Fee per Trade |
<= 50,000,000 | 0.11% (2.50 SGD min) |
50,000,001 – 150,000,000 | 0.09% (1.60 SGD min) |
> 150,000,000 | 0.08% (1.20 SGD min) |
Index CFD Fees and Commissions
North America
Contract | Fee per Trade |
US 500 | 0.005% (1.00 USD min) |
US 30 | 0.005% (1.00 USD min) |
US Tech 100 | 0.010% (1.00 USD min) |
Europe
Contract | Fee per Trade |
UK 100 | 0.005% (1.00 GBP min ) |
EURO 50 | 0.010% (1.00 EUR min ) |
GERMANY 30 | 0.005% (1.00 EUR min ) |
FRANCE 40 | 0.010% (1.00 EUR min ) |
SPAIN 35 | 0.010% (1.00 EUR min ) |
NETHERLANDS 25 | 0.010% (1.00 EUR min ) |
SWITZERLAND 20 | 0.010% (1.00 CHF min ) |
LONDON GOLD | 0.0015% ( 2.00 USD min ) |
LONDON SILVER | 0.0015% (2.00 USD min ) |
Asie-Pacifique
Contract | Fee per Trade |
JAPAN 225 | 0.010% (40.00 JPY min) |
HONG KONG 50 | 0.010% (10.00 HKD min) |
AUSTRALIA 200 | 0.010% (1.00 AUD min) |
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Monthly trading volume | Commissions |
<= 1,000,000,000 USD | 0.20 basis points (2.00 USD min) |
1,000,000,001 – 2,000,000,000 USD | 0.15 basis points ( 1.50 USD min) |
2,000,000,001 – 5,000,000,000 USD | 0.10 basis points (1.25 USD min) |
> 5,000,000,000 USD | 0.08 basis points (1.00 USD min) |
Management Fees
In addition to commissions and spreads, there are other Interactive Brokers fees to consider. These include fees charged when independent managers are involved: these advisers bill their services by automatic, electronic or direct invoicing. Advisory fees are set when the client registers, and the client can change them in the Account Management area if they wish.
Interactive Brokers also charges account maintenance fees. This is the case for Interactive Brokers accounts held by clients under retirement savings plans, with a maintenance fee of CAD 12.50 per quarter and a withdrawal and closure fee of CAD 50 for a full withdrawal. Interactive Brokers inactivity fees should also be expected.
Other Fees
In addition to account management fees, the broker also charges fees for processing corporate actions affecting your portfolio. Some non-commission trading fees are also charged, namely transaction fees, as well as fees for access to certain market data and transfer fees.
Financial Instruments Offered by Interactive Brokers
One of this broker’s most important strengths is the wide range of financial instruments it offers: currency pairs, stocks, indices, futures and options. Traders can also buy ETFs.
Interactive Brokers can offer such a wide variety of financial instruments thanks to its access to more than 130 exchanges worldwide. Here is a list of the financial instruments available at Interactive Brokers:
- The broker lets traders trade a wide range of stocks and ETFs, including on the most popular markets such as the NYSE and the LSE.
- Bonds;
- Spot currencies;
- Mutual funds;
- Futures;
- Options;
- CFDs;
- EFPs (Exchange for Physical);
- Hedge funds;
Interactive Brokers offers all kinds of derivatives, to traders’ delight, such as the Nasdaq, S&P 500 ETFs, S&P 500 CFDs and the Dow Jones. The range of instruments is one of the reasons Interactive Brokers reviews are always fairly positive.
Leverage Offered by Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers offers variable leverage, depending on the client’s account and country of residence. For US traders, the broker offers leverage in line with Regulation T (Reg T).
In this case, traders are limited to an initial margin of up to 50%, which varies depending on the type of security traded. The minimum maintenance margin is 25%, so your equity must not fall below 25% of the volume traded in your Interactive Brokers securities account.
Professional traders, however, can benefit from higher margin with a minimum balance of $100,000, in which case leverage can reach 1:200. For European traders, leverage is capped at 1:30 under MiFID II rules. This is the maximum Interactive Brokers forex leverage for currency pairs.
Interactive Brokers Trading Platforms
Interactive Brokers platform reviews are fairly positive. The online broker offers a wide choice of trading platforms to meet its clients’ specific needs, so whether you’re a beginner or a professional trader, you’ll find what you need.
Interactive Brokers offers four types of trading platforms: the Client Portal, Trader Workstation, IBKR Mobile and the IBKR API. Customer reviews of these platforms show that they offer comprehensive and very satisfying features.
Trader Workstation
- This is Interactive Brokers’ flagship platform, designed especially for professional traders. Trader Workstation (TWS) gives users advanced features and helps them develop better trading strategies. Interactive Brokers reviews of this platform are very positive.
- Trader Workstation is one of the best trading platforms for professional traders. It has many advantages, such as fast execution, standard functions, powerful trading tools and a customizable dashboard. To satisfy professional traders, Trader Workstation lets you trade a wide range of products, and it is both powerful and flexible.
- Traders can choose between TWS Mosaic and Classic TWS. Mosaic gives you access to all the most important trading tools, lets you manage orders and keep an eye on market developments with charts and effective monitoring. The TWS Mosaic workspace is fully customizable.
- This professional trading platform also gives direct access to financial market analysis and news. Trader Workstation offers a wide range of features giving access to several Interactive Brokers order types, so traders can benefit from faster execution while limiting the risk of loss and getting better trading prices.
- The benefits of Trader Workstation don’t stop there: traders can also use paper trading on Interactive Brokers — a simulated account to try trading on the platform, refine their strategies and sharpen their skills.
So even in a MetaTrader 5 vs Interactive Brokers TWS comparison, you can be sure TWS stands out.
Client Portal
- Although Interactive Brokers was long considered a broker for professionals, it later designed a platform for trading beginners: the Client Portal, a simpler, easier-to-use platform that lets beginner traders try automated trading with Interactive Brokers and place orders more easily.
- Thanks to this web platform for beginners, Interactive Brokers reviews from new traders are more positive.
- The Client Portal also gives traders access to all the sections and trading tools offered by Interactive Brokers. It is very intuitive and simple to use, with a clear display of the client account showing all the information they need. With the search bar on the Client Portal, you can easily search without going through several difficult steps.
- The platform also lets you trade two types of orders: market orders and pending orders. It has all the tools you need to analyze your trading activity and make decisions easier. And you don’t need to download any Interactive Brokers software to use it.
IBKR Mobile
IBKR Mobile is a mobile app designed by the broker so clients can enjoy Interactive Brokers’ features on the go. It is available on both iOS and Android, so traders can trade and access their account even when traveling.
The app offers an intuitive platform and cutting-edge technology for mobile trading with all the key tools, such as an option spread grid and an order entry wheel. So even though Interactive Brokers doesn’t offer MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, the mobile app’s advantages live up to traders’ expectations.
To strengthen your account security and keep an eye on your spending, IBKR Mobile has a pre-authorization option that notifies the client in advance of any card purchase over $1,000, helping prevent fraudulent use of the Interactive Brokers card. You can strengthen security even further with IB Key, a two-factor authentication system that protects your Interactive Brokers account beyond just a username and password.
ProRealTime Trading
Traders can also use an even more advanced platform with ProRealTime, which combines ProRealTime’s charting software with the IBKR futures broker. Interactive Brokers reviews of ProRealTime are fairly positive.
IBKR API
IBKR API solutions let traders build their own trading applications. You can get all the key market data and access all the analysis and charts you need for your trading. The IBKR API (application programming interface) lets you choose the technology that suits you best to master trading on Interactive Brokers.
The IBKR API lets you build a complete application that meets your expectations for an advanced trading experience. Developers can choose from several programming languages, such as Java, .NET, C++, ActiveX or DDE. Beginner programmers are offered a DDE for Excel API template as a basis for their DDE application. Additional security is also available in your application to strengthen account security.
Interactive Brokers Trading Platforms Compared
Trader Workstation | Client Portal | IBKR Mobile |
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| ★★★★★ 5/5 | ★★★★☆ 4.5/5 | ★★★☆☆ 3.5/5 |
| Try TWS | Try Client Portal | Try IBKR Mobile |
Slippage and Order Execution at Interactive Brokers
Slippage is the difference between the trade price when an order is placed and the price at which it is actually executed. Interactive Brokers says it offers clients fast trade execution, and this is one of the reasons it is considered reliable. The broker offers both fast and accurate execution of trading orders, and its execution speed is among the most satisfying on the market. This also lets traders get better prices confidentially and control when their orders are sent to the market.
Broker Analysis Tools
To provide a suitable trading experience, Interactive Brokers offers a wide selection of analysis tools — an important factor for clients when reviewing Interactive Brokers. Its tools help traders improve their strategies and support them in every task and decision. Here is the list of tools offered by Interactive Brokers:
- Accumulate/Distribute algo: helps traders get the best price on a large-volume trade while staying discreet in the market.
- FXTrader: an optimized trading interface for currency pairs that supports more than 20 order types.
- ScaleTrader: a scaling algorithm that lets traders buy at decreasing prices and sell at a profit, or conversely sell at high prices and buy back at a profit. It also helps Interactive Brokers clients understand their buying power.
- SpreadTrader: a Trader Workstation tool for managing spreads quickly and easily from a single screen. A single click on a bid or ask price places a trading order.
- OptionTrader: lets you trade and view options on an underlying asset. It displays key market data and lets you manage and create option orders.
- Events calendar: like most well-known brokers, Interactive Brokers offers an economic calendar that lets traders see upcoming events that may affect the financial markets.
The range of tools offered by Interactive Brokers makes it one of the best-known brokers in trading, and Interactive Brokers reviews of these tools are fairly positive.
Interactive Brokers Education
This broker offers a fairly comprehensive education section, much to its clients’ satisfaction, and reviews of Interactive Brokers’ training are fairly positive. The broker offers IBKR Campus to teach traders about trading the financial markets and mastering the platform’s tools.
In the broker’s education section, you’ll find Traders’ Academy, an Interactive Brokers guide and an ideal starting point for beginners who want to get into trading. This section will also help you improve your knowledge of Interactive Brokers’ trading platforms.
You’ll also find IBKR webinars, which let you watch, listen and learn more about the topics driving the market. Traders can join live webinars or choose from pre-recorded ones. For a broad, accurate view of the market, Interactive Brokers also offers Traders’ Insight, which brings together analysis and reports by market professionals.
If you want to go further into programming, the IBKR API, blockchain or other transformative technologies affecting modern markets, Interactive Brokers also has a dedicated blog.
For students who want to combine finance or computer science courses with trading experience, the online broker also offers the Student Trading Lab. Videos and tutorials are available on the official website https://www.interactivebrokers.eu/fr/home.php for those who prefer video training.
So positive reviews of Interactive Brokers and its training are justified: the broker places great importance on the quality and variety of its training for traders.
How to Become an Interactive Brokers Affiliate
Like the biggest brokers, Interactive Brokers has a referral program. Traders can earn money by referring clients to the broker, and it’s very easy: just give a friend’s name and email address so Interactive Brokers can contact them.
The reward depends on the referrer’s country of residence. For example, a referrer in the United States can receive USD 200 when the referred client opens an IBKR account and keeps it funded for at least 1 year. Interactive Brokers reviews of the affiliate program are very positive, even though the conditions are fairly restrictive.
How to Contact the Broker
Interactive Brokers offers clients every possible contact channel. Traders can contact the broker:
- By phone;
- By email;
- Via live chat;
- Via social media such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
However, even though the broker seems very accessible, negative Interactive Brokers reviews about customer support weigh heavily on its services. While some clients are satisfied with how quickly the phone support answers, others are disappointed by the quality of service, the agents’ incompetence and slow handling of issues.
Broker Customer Service Review
Interactive Brokers’ customer service is often criticized for being slow and struggling to handle clients’ problems. Although support claims to be available 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, some clients find it hard to get quick answers, especially by email or live chat on the website. Answers can take days and are sometimes off-topic.
However, customer service is still there and manages to answer clients’ basic queries. Technical problems can sometimes even be escalated in a single click. But when it comes to funding problems, handling takes too long or simply doesn’t happen.
So reviews of Interactive Brokers and its customer service are fairly negative. It’s also a pity that IBKR customer support has no French-speaking advisers, given that the broker offers its trading services in France. French traders are often left to fend for themselves when they have technical or other issues.
Summary: Broker Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
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Is Interactive Brokers the Best Broker in November 2026?
A leader in trading, Interactive Brokers lets its traders trade all markets. And since it is subject to strict regulation, it can be considered a trustworthy broker. However, despite its long history and command of international financial markets, Interactive Brokers isn’t really the best broker we can recommend.
With customer service that lacks responsiveness and competence, and an interface that is complex to use, Interactive Brokers still needs to improve its services. Compared with better brokers such as Vantage, or simpler brokers like eToro, Interactive Brokers isn’t really the best option.
Have you used Interactive Brokers and want to share your experience? Leave us a comment!
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