Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Interactive Brokers vs Kraken
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Interactive Brokers |  Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0Lower | $1 |
| Markets | Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Crypto, Futures |
| Regulators | SEC, FCA, SIPC | Central Bank of Ireland, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Platforms | Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation | Kraken App, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop, Kraken Wallet |
| Margin rate | 4.38% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25 |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, IRA, Joint, Corporate | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | Up to 10x |
| Interest on cash | 3.38% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Stock trade fee ($0).
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Key differences
- Interactive Brokers scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.2.
- Regulators: only Interactive Brokers offers SEC, FCA, SIPC.
- Regulators: only Kraken offers Central Bank of Ireland, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Conduct Authority.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Interactive Brokers: $0 vs $1.
- Markets: only Interactive Brokers offers Bonds, Funds, Options.
- Markets: only Kraken offers Crypto.
- Platforms: only Interactive Brokers offers Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile.
- Platforms: only Kraken offers Kraken App, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop.
- Features: only Interactive Brokers offers Fractional shares.
- Features: only Kraken offers Crypto.
Our verdict on each
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.
Kraken
Kraken suits beginners and experienced investors who want stocks, ETFs and crypto together through app and desktop access. Stock dealing is priced at $0 with entry at $1 and funding terms shown as Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25 for cost planning across small balance accounts.
Score breakdown
| Area | Interactive Brokers | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Stock trades cost $0, the minimum deposit is $0 and an options contract costs $0.65. | 9.3Stock dealing is priced at $0 with entry at $1. |
| Offer | 9.6HigherAccount types cover isa, sipp and ira, and the market list spans bonds, etfs and forex. | 9.0Coverage spans stocks, ETFs and forex accessed through Kraken App, Kraken Pro and Kraken Desktop. |
| Trust | 9.8Higher | 9.3Registers cite 1010381 and 31000270997766. |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Interactive Brokers | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 53615 | SIPC SIPC member 71030 |
| Ireland | Not confirmed | Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) MiCA CASP 9845003D98SCC2851458 IE_CBI PSD_EMI IE_CBI!C453020 |
| United Kingdom | FCA 208159 | Not confirmed |
How they place
| Ranking | Interactive Brokers | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 35 of 490 | 28 of 490 |
| Futures trading platforms | 8 of 83 | 6 of 83 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app | Crypto, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low feesCovers more | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners, Experienced |
| Legal entity | INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United States | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 1978 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Not confirmed |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | ETF | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Kraken | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0below the median | $1below the median | $10 |
| Stock trade fee | $0at the median | $0at the median | $0 |
| Margin rate | 4.38%below the median | Not confirmed | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | Not confirmed | $0.59 |
| Interest on cash | 3.38%above the median | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 99 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
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.
Kraken
Pros
- Stock trades priced at $0 within a model shown as commission free.
- Entry at $1, below $50 at eToro for smaller starting balances.
- Coverage spans stocks, ETFs and forex, pairing stocks and ETFs with crypto and futures.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, without phone or live chat help found at many rivals.
- Card funding terms run Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25, which adds cost next to bank transfer options.
- Entry at $1 sits above $0 at ActivTrades and €0 at XTB for tight budgets.
Who each suits
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.
Kraken
Who it suits
- You want stocks plus crypto in stocks, ETFs and forex in a single login rather than an equity only account at XTB.
- You want app led dealing through Kraken App, Kraken Pro and Kraken Desktop with modest entry at $1 rather than higher entry at eToro at $50.
Who should look elsewhere
- You want phone or chat help rather than help centre only, consider XTB or ActivTrades for wider contact choice.
- You want the lowest cash entry rather than $1, consider ActivTrades at $0 or XTB at €0.
Questions about each
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.
Kraken
What does Kraken charge for stock trades+
Stock dealing is priced at $0 and Kraken describes its model as commission free. Bank funding is framed separately as Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25, so card use adds cost while bank transfer terms remain distinct. Check the fee schedule before placing orders.
What is the minimum deposit to open an account+
Account entry is set at $1. That level sits below $50 at eToro, yet above $0 at ActivTrades and €0 at XTB. It keeps starting balances modest while leaving room for funding charges.
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