ForexTime vs. Interactive brokers
Comparison: ForexTime vs. Interactive brokers – Which broker is better? A quick comparison based on the trading platform, fees, deposit or withdrawal options, and regulation in 2026.
Winner of this comparison: Interactive brokers with an overall rating of 50%
Basic information
| Basic information |  ForexTime |  Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | 200 EUR/USD | 10 EUR/USD |
| Spreads | 1.5 EUR/USD | 1 EUR/USD |
| Established | 2011 | 1978 |
| Currency Pairs (Total Forex pairs) | 35 | 22 |
| Country | Cyprus | UK |
| Regulation | FCA (UK), Cysec | Authorised in the European Union (EU) |
| Trading app | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Desktop Platform (Windows), Web Platform |
| Number of CFD asset classes | 6 | 5 |
| Broker type | ECN, STP | ECN, STP |
| Support | Phone, Mail, Chat | Phone, Mail, Chat |
| Funding methods | * Some of the payment methods may not be available in your country. Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, Bank Wire, WebMoney | * Some of the payment methods may not be available in your country. Visa/Mastercard, Bank Wire |
| Real Stocks and ETFs | Yes | Yes |
*The value is indicative from the broker's website. The spread amount is variable.
Comparison Result
If you don’t want to read the full comparison, the winner of our review is Interactive brokers, which takes the lead with a rating of 50%, while ForexTime only reaches 46%. ForexTime requires a minimum deposit of 200 EUR/USD, while Interactive brokers sets it at 10 EUR/USD. Conversely, Interactive brokers scores with a lower minimum deposit. For ForexTime, the spread is 1.5 EUR/USD, while for Interactive brokers it is 1 EUR/USD. Lower spreads at Interactive brokers give it the edge. ForexTime offers 35 forex pairs, while Interactive brokers provides 22. A wider selection gives ForexTime the advantage. ForexTime was founded in 2011, while Interactive brokers has been operating since 1978. The older Interactive brokers has the upper hand in this regard. This advantage goes to Interactive brokers, while ForexTime lacks it. ForexTime is overseen by 2 regulatory bodies, while Interactive brokers has 1. More regulations at ForexTime enhance its trustworthiness. ForexTime supports 2 platforms, while Interactive brokers offers 2. In terms of platform count, both are on the same level.
46%
ForexTime
50%
Interactive brokers
Key Strengths
ForexTime
- Strong educational materials: FXTM provides a wide range of educational materials that can help traders improve their skills and understanding of the markets.
- Flexible account types: The platform offers various account types, allowing traders to choose the right option according to their needs and preferences.
- Dedicated account representative: FXTM provides each client with a dedicated account representative who can assist with any questions or issues.
Interactive brokers
- Extremely low fees
- Wide range of products
- Many great research tools
- Low margin rates
- No inactivity fee and no withdrawal fee
Comparison by Categories
Comprehensive Comparison: ForexTime vs Interactive brokers
ForexTime Interactive brokers Investments
75 % 62 %| Investments | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Currency Pairs (Total Forex pairs) | 35 | 22 |
| CFDs – Total Offered | 250+ | 100+ |
| Options CFD | No | Yes |
| Share CFDs | Yes | No |
| Forex CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities CFD | Yes | Yes |
| ETF CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Indicies CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency traded as actual | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency traded as CFD | Yes | No |
Cost
80 % 80 %| Cost | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD *The value is indicative from the broker's website. The spread amount is variable. | 1.5 | 1 |
| Deposit from | 200 | 10 |
| Account fee | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | Yes | Yes |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| Withdrawal fees | No | No |
| Deposit fees | No | No |
Trading app
29 % 29 %| Trading app | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy-Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Currenex | No | No |
| cTrader | No | No |
Trading Tools
90 % 100 %| Trading Tools | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Financial leverage | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts – Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Charting – Indicators / Studies (Total) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting – Drawing Tools (Total) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting – Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Stop-Loss | Yes | Yes |
| Finacial Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Daily financial news | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type – Trailing Stop | No | Yes |
Research
50 % 83 %| Research | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment – Currency Pairs | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | No | Yes |
Education
67 % 100 %| Education | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Has Education – Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Has Education – CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos – Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Education | Yes | Yes |
Forex
100 % 100 %| Forex | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes |
Commodities
55 % 100 %| Commodities | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | Yes | Yes |
| Silver | Yes | Yes |
| WIT Oil | Yes | Yes |
| Brent Oil | Yes | Yes |
| Coffee | No | Yes |
| Cocoa | No | Yes |
| Soybeans | No | Yes |
| Rice | No | Yes |
| Corn | No | Yes |
| Platinum | Yes | Yes |
| Palladium | Yes | Yes |
Indicies
100 % 100 %| Indicies | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| DAX 40 | Yes | Yes |
| S&P 500 | Yes | Yes |
| Nasdaq | Yes | Yes |
| Dow Jones | Yes | Yes |
| Nikkei | Yes | Yes |
Cryptocurrencies
30 % 0 %| Cryptocurrencies | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | Yes | No |
| Litecoin | Yes | No |
| Ethereum | Yes | No |
| Ripple | No | No |
| Neo | No | No |
| Stellar | No | No |
| Cardano | No | No |
| Tron | No | No |
| Monero | No | No |
| EOS | No | No |
Regulations
33 % 17 %| Regulations | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Cysec | Yes | No |
| ASIC (Australia) | No | No |
| FCA (UK) | Yes | No |
| Authorised in the European Union (EU) | No | Yes |
| CFTC Registered (USA) | No | No |
| FINMA (Switzerland) | No | No |
Support
100 % 100 %| Support | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes |
Overall
46 % 50 %| Overall | ForexTime | Interactive brokers |
|---|
Our Recommendations
Best for Interactive brokers
Thanks to comprehensive educational materials and a user-friendly platform, Interactive brokers is an ideal choice for new traders.
Best Platform
Both brokers offer excellent trading platforms with similar features and user-friendliness.
Lowest Costs
Both brokers have comparable fee structures and spreads.
ForexTime Interactive brokers