Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Interactive Brokers vs Scalable Capital
Where Interactive Brokers and Scalable Capital differ
| Compare |  Interactive Brokers |  Scalable Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | €1 |
| Markets | Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto |
| Regulators | SEC, FCA, SIPC | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Interest on cash | 3.38%Higher | 2.6% |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | 4.38% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation | Not confirmed |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, IRA, Joint, Corporate | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Interactive Brokers scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.0.
- Regulators: only Interactive Brokers offers SEC, FCA, SIPC.
- Regulators: only Scalable Capital offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
- Founded is lower at Interactive Brokers: 1978 vs 2014.
- Interactive Brokers is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Interactive Brokers offers Bonds, Forex, Funds.
- Markets: only Scalable Capital offers Crypto.
- Interest on cash is higher at Interactive Brokers: 3.38% vs 2.6%.
- Support channels: only Interactive Brokers offers Community.
- Support channels: only Scalable Capital offers Phone, Chat, Email.
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.
Scalable Capital
Scalable Capital suits investors who want to start small and later hand a pot of money to a managed portfolio. The self-directed account takes a minimum deposit of €1, while the managed plan starts from €20 with fees of 0.245% to 0.375% a year.
Score breakdown
| Area | Interactive Brokers | Scalable Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Stock trades cost $0, the minimum deposit is $0 and an options contract costs $0.65. | 9.3 |
| Offer | 9.6HigherAccount types cover isa, sipp and ira, and the market list spans bonds, etfs and forex. | 9.3Cash interest of 2.6%, a mobile app, and managed portfolios across etf and esg options. |
| Trust | 9.8Higher | 8.6 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Interactive Brokers | Scalable Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Not confirmed | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 391200Y3EUNL4LTXRP94 |
| United Kingdom | FCA 208159 | Not confirmed |
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 53615 | Not confirmed |
What we checked
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
Scalable Capital
- de.scalable.capital: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- scalable.capital: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Interactive Brokers | Scalable Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 44 of 471 | 147 of 471 |
| Robo-advisors | 11 of 151 | 56 of 151 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Scalable Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile appCovers more | Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low fees | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC | Scalable Capital Bank GmbH |
| Headquarters | United States | Germany |
| Founded | 1978Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Phone, Chat, Email, Help centre |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Scalable Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0.245% to 0.375% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | €20 |
| Portfolio types | ETF | ETF, ESGCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Scalable Capital | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Margin rate | 4.38%below the median | Not confirmed | 8.75% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | Not confirmed | $0.625 |
| Interest on cash | 3.38%above the median | 2.6%below the median | 3% |
Median across 91 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.
Scalable Capital
Pros
- A low entry point of €1 on the self-directed account
- Managed portfolios start from €20 with fees of 0.245% to 0.375%
- Regulated by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and deposits sit under EU ICS up to EUR 20,000
Cons
- Managed fees of 0.245% to 0.375% a year sit above the cheapest managed rivals
- Support runs on phone, chat and email only, with no branch or in-person service
- Managed portfolios are limited to etf and esg options, so there is no custom mandate
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.
Scalable Capital
Who it suits
- New investors who want to build a portfolio in a mobile app from a small first deposit
- Savers with a lump sum who want a ready made ETF or ESG portfolio
- Investors who care more about a named regulator and deposit protection than the lowest management fee
Who should look elsewhere
- You want a wider choice of instruments, as stocks, etfs and crypto is a single market cluster rather than a full exchange list
- You need advice built around you, because managed portfolios cover only etf and esg options
- You are comparing the very lowest managed fee, since 0.245% to 0.375% is not the cheapest on the market
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.
Scalable Capital
What is the minimum deposit to start investing?+
The self-directed account takes a minimum deposit of €1, so you can open and fund it from a small amount. That entry point is well below the typical requirement, which is one of the reasons people try the app first. You can add to it as your savings grow.
How much does the managed portfolio cost?+
Management fees run at 0.245% to 0.375% a year on the managed side, charged on the portfolio rather than per trade. That sits above the cheapest managed plans elsewhere, so it pays to compare before committing a large lump sum. Smaller pots feel the percentage more.
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