Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Interactive Brokers vs Swissquote
Interactive Brokers vs Swissquote: the differences
| Compare |  Interactive Brokers |  Swissquote |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0Lower | $1,000 |
| Stock trade fee | $0Lower | $20 |
| Markets | Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks | Stocks, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Regulators | SEC, FCA, SIPC | Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $10 |
| 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 |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:100 |
| Interest on cash | 3.38% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Interactive Brokers scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 8.8.
- Regulators: only Interactive Brokers offers SEC, FCA, SIPC.
- Regulators: only Swissquote offers Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF).
- Founded is lower at Interactive Brokers: 1978 vs 1996.
- Interactive Brokers is licensed in 1 more country.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Interactive Brokers: $0 vs $1,000.
- Stock trade fee is lower at Interactive Brokers: $0 vs $20.
- Markets: only Interactive Brokers offers Bonds, ETFs, Funds.
- Markets: only Swissquote offers CFDs, Crypto.
- Support channels: only Interactive Brokers offers Community.
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.
Swissquote
Swissquote runs a Swiss bank entity under CSSF supervision with EU investor compensation, so it suits traders who want a bank behind the account. The trade-off is entry cost: a stock trade fee of $20 and a minimum deposit of $1,000 sit well above cheaper rivals.
Score breakdown
| Area | Interactive Brokers | Swissquote |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherStock trades cost $0, the minimum deposit is $0 and an options contract costs $0.65. | 8.3Costs run high: stock trade fee $20, minimum deposit $1,000 and inactivity fee $10 sit above site medians. |
| Offer | 9.6HigherAccount types cover isa, sipp and ira, and the market list spans bonds, etfs and forex. | 9.0 |
| Trust | 9.8Higher | 9.0 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Interactive Brokers | Swissquote |
|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg | Not confirmed | Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) MiCA CASP 549300M2IHOB9P5WE714 |
| United Kingdom | FCA 208159 | Not confirmed |
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 53615 | Not confirmed |
What each covers
| Markets | Interactive Brokers | Swissquote |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | No |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Interactive Brokers | Swissquote |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 44 of 471 | 187 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 16 of 147 | 80 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 14 of 145 | 78 of 145 |
| Robo-advisors | 11 of 151 | 78 of 151 |
Sources behind this comparison
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
Swissquote
- swissquote.com: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Swissquote |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low fees | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC | Swissquote Bank Europe SA |
| Headquarters | United States | Luxembourg |
| Founded | 1978Lower | 1996 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Phone, Help centre |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Swissquote |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | ETF | ESG |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0below the median | $1,000highest quarter | $25 |
| Stock trade fee | $0at the median | $20highest quarter | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $10above the median | $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 | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 134 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.
Swissquote
Pros
- Regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) in Luxembourg, with the legal entity named as Swissquote Bank Europe SA.
- Covers stocks, forex, CFDs and crypto on a single account, with retail leverage of 1:100.
- A demo account and a mobile app are both listed features, so you can test before committing.
Cons
- Costs are high for a retail account: a stock trade fee of $20 against a site median of €0.
- The minimum deposit of $1,000 ranks 191 of 213, far above the site median of €4.64.
- An inactivity fee of $10 applies, where the site median is €0.
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.
Swissquote
Who it suits
- Traders moving between forex, CFDs, crypto and shares on a single account
- Investors who put weight on a supervised bank entity and investor compensation
- People who want to practise on a demo account before risking money
Who should look elsewhere
- Newcomers with a small starting balance, since the minimum deposit is $1,000
- Share buyers focused on trading costs, given the stock trade fee of $20 against eToro at $0
- Passive long term investors, because the portfolio options listed are esg
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.
Swissquote
How much does it cost to trade shares with Swissquote?+
The stock trade fee is $20, which is well above the site median of €0. Swissquote ranks 161 of 161 on this measure, so share dealing here is costly. eToro, by contrast, charges $0 per trade.
What is the minimum deposit to open an account?+
The minimum deposit is $1,000, which is a high bar for a first account. On our data Swissquote ranks 191 of 213 on this measure, against a site median of €4.64. Vantage asks for $5 and CFI for $0.
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