Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Interactive Brokers vs XTB
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Interactive Brokers |  XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | €0 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | €0 |
| Markets | Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Regulators | SEC, FCA, SIPC | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Platforms | Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation | XStation 5, XStation Mobile |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5% |
| Margin rate | 4.38% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, IRA, Joint, Corporate | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:30 |
| Interest on cash | 3.38% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Interactive Brokers scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.3.
- Regulators: only Interactive Brokers offers SEC, SIPC.
- Regulators: only XTB offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), KNF.
- Founded is lower at Interactive Brokers: 1978 vs 2002.
- XTB is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Interactive Brokers offers Bonds, Funds, Futures.
- Markets: only XTB offers CFDs, Crypto.
- Platforms: only Interactive Brokers offers Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile.
- Platforms: only XTB offers XStation 5, XStation Mobile.
- Support channels: only Interactive Brokers offers Help centre, 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.
XTB
XTB suits retail traders who want to hold stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto under one Cyprus-based account without a monthly charge. The account fee is €0, deposits cost nothing, and CySEC, FCA and KNF authorisations sit behind a legal entity founded in 2002.
Score breakdown
| Area | Interactive Brokers | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherStock trades cost $0, the minimum deposit is $0 and an options contract costs $0.65. | 9.1 |
| Offer | 9.6HigherAccount types cover isa, sipp and ira, and the market list spans bonds, etfs and forex. | 9.3 |
| Trust | 9.8Higher | 9.6 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Interactive Brokers | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | FCA 208159 | |
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 259400HM2TR4U3LF5D43 |
| Poland | Not confirmed | |
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 53615 | Not confirmed |
What each covers
| Markets | Interactive Brokers | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
How they place
| Ranking | Interactive Brokers | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 35 of 490 | 3 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 13 of 147 | 2 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 11 of 145 | 2 of 145 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low fees | Commission free, Low fees |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC | XTB Limited |
| Headquarters | United States | Cyprus |
| Founded | 1978Lower | 2002 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Phone |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | ETF | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | XTB | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0at the median | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10above the median | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77%highest quarter | 70.375% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5%above the median | 0.4% |
| Margin rate | 4.38%below the median | Not confirmed | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | Not confirmed | $0.59 |
Median across 38 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.
XTB
Pros
- Account fee of €0 on the standard account, and stock trades cost €0.
- Minimum deposit of €0, so the account opens without a funding floor.
- Regulated by CySEC, the FCA and KNF across Cyprus, the UK and Poland.
Cons
- An inactivity fee of €10 applies, unlike eToro, which has no such charge.
- Forex and CFD trading is not cost free: fx trading costs 0.5%.
- CFDs carry a high proportion of losing retail accounts, and XTB's own figure is 77%.
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.
XTB
Who it suits
- Retail traders in the UK and Europe who want stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto in one account
- Beginners who want a demo account and a mobile app before committing money
- Cost conscious traders who will not hold a balance large enough to trigger the inactivity fee
Who should look elsewhere
- Vantage, if a small minimum deposit of $5 suits a smaller starting balance better
- CFI, for traders who want forex and CFDs without paying an fx charge of 0.5%
- Anyone who plans to hold an idle balance for a long period, given the inactivity fee of €10
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.
XTB
What does XTB charge to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is €0, so there is no monthly or annual cost to keeping the account open. A stock trade costs €0 on the same account. The only recurring charge to watch is an inactivity fee of €10 for traders whose balance sits idle.
Is there a minimum deposit at XTB?+
The minimum deposit is €0, which means the account can be opened and funded with a small amount. It is a lower floor than the $5 asked by Vantage, so it suits a trader testing the platform before scaling up.
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