Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
CFI vs Interactive Brokers
What sets them apart
| Compare |  CFI |  Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto | Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks |
| Regulators | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, FCA | SEC, FCA, SIPC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Platforms | MT5, TradingView, CFI Multi Asset, CFI Trading App | Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 66% | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.38% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.65 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | No deposit fees | Not confirmed |
| Account types | Not confirmed | ISA, SIPP, IRA, Joint, Corporate |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 3.38% |
Same on both: Minimum deposit ($0).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Regulators: only CFI offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Regulators: only Interactive Brokers offers SEC, SIPC.
- Founded is lower at Interactive Brokers: 1978 vs 1998.
- Markets: only CFI offers CFDs, Crypto.
- Markets: only Interactive Brokers offers Bonds, Funds, Futures.
- Platforms: only CFI offers MT5, TradingView, CFI Multi Asset.
- Platforms: only Interactive Brokers offers Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile.
- Features: only CFI offers Demo account.
- Features: only Interactive Brokers offers Fractional shares.
- Pricing model: only Interactive Brokers offers Low fees.
Our verdict on each
CFI
CFI suits traders who want one account covering stocks, etfs and forex on a commission-free model commission free, with a minimum deposit of $0 and a Cyprus entity licensed by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA. Note that 66% of retail accounts lose money, and protection under the EU scheme is limited.
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers suits investors who want a single account across ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint and corporate holdings, with stocks, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures behind it. It ranks 1 of 213 brands on minimum deposit at $0, and stock trades are charged at $0.
Score breakdown
| Area | CFI | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.7Higher | 9.3Stock trades cost $0, the minimum deposit is $0 and an options contract costs $0.65. |
| Offer | 9.6 | 9.6Account types cover isa, sipp and ira, and the market list spans bonds, etfs and forex. |
| Trust | 9.4 | 9.8Higher |
Choosing between them
Pick CFI if cost matter most.
Pick Interactive Brokers if trust matter most.
Where these facts come from
CFI
- media.cfifinancial.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- play.google.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- dailyforex.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- forex.wikibit.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- investinglive.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Interactive Brokers
- interactivebrokers.com: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokersway.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- toponlineforexbrokers.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- euinvestinghub.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- eupersonalfinance.eu: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | CFI | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 34 of 490 | 35 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 12 of 147 | 13 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 10 of 145 | 11 of 145 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | CFI | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app | Fractional shares, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Legal entity | Credit Financier Invest (CFI) Ltd | INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United States |
| Founded | 1998 | 1978Lower |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Help centre, Community |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | CFI | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | CFI | Interactive Brokers | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0below the median | $0below the median | $10 |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 66%below the median | Not confirmed | 70.375% |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.38%below the median | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.65above the median | $0.59 |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 3.38%above the median | 3% |
Median across 99 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
CFI
Pros
- No minimum deposit, at $0, and No deposit fees, so funding does not cost a fee and the account can open at any size.
- Regulated on both sides of Europe: Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA, with the Cyprus entity named as Credit Financier Invest (CFI) Ltd.
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and forex rather than forcing separate apps per asset class.
Cons
- Protection caps out at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 on the Cyprus entity, so balances above that sit outside the scheme.
- 66% of retail accounts lose money, which is the risk that matters most for anyone sizing a position.
- Leverage sits alongside shares and ETFs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a single account mixes instruments with very different risk levels.
Interactive Brokers
Pros
- A stock trade costs $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, the pairing behind rank 1 of 161 on stock trade fees among the brokers tracked here.
- The account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira, so an ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint or corporate account all sit under a single provider.
- bonds, etfs and forex puts stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures on the same account, with a margin rate of 4.38% for geared positions.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community, so a phone line and live chat sit outside the offer.
- bonds, etfs and forex covers shares, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures but leaves out crypto and CFDs, which eToro lists in stocks, etfs and forex.
- An options contract costs $0.65 against a stock trade at $0, so options strategies pay a visible premium per contract.
Who each suits
CFI
Who it suits
- People who want stocks, etfs and forex held in one place instead of several broker accounts.
- Traders who prefer the commission-free model commission free and a minimum deposit of $0 over a larger entry threshold.
- Savers who want a Cyprus or UK regulated option, given Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA and the Cyprus licence 179/12.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting a wider asset list, since stocks, etfs and forex runs to futures as well and CFI's list is stocks, etfs and forex.
- EU traders who want a rival with a low entry point, such as XTB at €0.
- Traders put off by losses in the retail book, where 66% lose money and the median here is 70.15%.
Interactive Brokers
Who it suits
- Investors holding money across several wrappers, since the account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira.
- Traders who want options, futures, forex and bonds alongside shares on a single account, per bonds, etfs and forex.
- Anyone starting with a small balance: the minimum deposit is $0 and fractional shares appear in the feature list (fractional shares and mobile app).
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who trades crypto or CFDs, since bonds, etfs and forex leaves both out while eToro lists them in stocks, etfs and forex.
- Readers who want a stated entry figure as a signal of the provider's target size, since Vantage publishes $5 where this broker's minimum is $0.
Questions about each
CFI
What is the minimum deposit to open a CFI account?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened at any size and a first deposit does not have to clear a threshold. For comparison, Vantage lists $5 and XTB €0. The median minimum across the brands ranked is €4.64, and the highest reaches €26,308.87. CFI places 1 of 213 on that measure.
Does CFI charge commission on trades?+
CFI trades on a commission-free model, commission free, so positions are opened without a per-trade commission charge. The cost of a trade therefore sits in the spread and the market rather than in a commission line. Commission-free models are common in the field, appearing for 69.8% of the brands compared. Low-fee models sit alongside them at 40.5%.
Interactive Brokers
What does it cost to trade shares?+
A stock trade is charged at $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, so opening an account and dealing in shares carry no charge. The money sits in derivatives and leverage instead, where an options contract costs $0.65 and the margin rate is listed at 4.38%.
Is my money protected?+
The regulatory list runs to SEC, FCA and SIPC, and investor protection is stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000. The UK entry is the FCA under licence 208159, while the US side names the SEC and the SIPC membership SIPC member 53615. The protection figure describes the scheme stated for the account and says nothing about how a trade performs.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Interactive Brokers vs Nexo
- CFI vs IG
- CFI vs Markets.com
- CFI vs OANDA
- CFI vs Exness
- Interactive Brokers vs Angel One
- Interactive Brokers vs Webull
- Interactive Brokers vs Topstep
- Interactive Brokers vs Wealthsimple
- Interactive Brokers vs FXTM
- Interactive Brokers vs Fyers
- Interactive Brokers vs BMO InvestorLine
- Interactive Brokers vs Public
- Interactive Brokers vs JPMorgan Chase
- Interactive Brokers vs Mirae Asset Securities
- CFI vs ActivTrades
- CFI vs XTB
- CFI vs NAGA
- Interactive Brokers vs UNest
- Interactive Brokers vs eToro
- Interactive Brokers vs Robinhood
- Interactive Brokers vs S Broker
- CFI vs EBC Financial Group
- CFI vs CapTrader
- Interactive Brokers vs Revolut