FOREX.com vs Interactive Brokers (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared
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Data refreshed 25 Sep 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan
FOREX.com is a well-regarded forex broker offering broad access to forex markets through web, desktop, and mobile platforms, with research, education, and risk management tools. It operates under applicable regulatory oversight in…
Interactive Brokers is a well-regarded forex broker providing broad access to currency pairs, advanced trading platforms, and research and risk management tools. It supports multi-asset trading and a wide range of order…
FOREX.com (United States, founded 2001) holds 4 regulatory licences (ASIC, CFTC, FCA, NFA), 4 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary, TradingView and sits in our low-fee bracket. Interactive Brokers (United States, founded 1977) holds 15 regulatory licences (ASIC, CBI, CFTC, CIRO, CSSF…), 10 of them tier-1, offers Proprietary and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 217 countries; FOREX.com is available in 14 countries where Interactive Brokers is not, and Interactive Brokers in 1 where FOREX.com is not.
Verdict at a glance
FOREX.com leads on trust rank, platform choice and country coverage.
Interactive Brokers leads on track record, regulatory coverage, instrument range and tier-1 licences.
Level on editorial rating and fee level.
Scored on 9 measurable dimensions where both brokers have verified data. Dimensions missing for either side are excluded rather than guessed. This is a data summary, not a recommendation.
FOREX.com vs Interactive Brokers: side-by-side data
Highlighted cells mark the stronger value where a direction is objectively better (e.g. more licences, lower fees). "Not verified" means the field is not yet in our catalogue for that broker — we never fill gaps with estimates.
Pros
FOREX.com
Multi-jurisdiction regulation (US/UK/CA)
Accepts US clients
Proprietary platform + MT4/MT5 support
Competitive spreads with raw/commission pricing options
Extensive FX pair offering
Interactive Brokers
Transparent commission-based FX pricing with tight spreads
Aggregated multi-bank liquidity (IDEALPRO)
Professional platforms (TWS) and institutional APIs (FIX/REST)
Advanced risk management with real-time margin analytics
Universal multi-asset account for FX hedging and settlement
Cons
FOREX.com
No CFDs for U.S. clients
FIFO and no-hedging rules on U.S. accounts
No negative balance protection in the U.S.
Inactivity fee after 12 months of no trading
High minimum balance for STP Pro/DMA accounts
Interactive Brokers
No MT4/MT5 support
Steep learning curve
Commission-based FX pricing
25k IDEALPRO minimum order size
Limited funding methods
Key features
FOREX.com
Spot forex and multi asset CFD trading
Top tier regulation and segregated client funds
MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 and Advanced Trading platform
TradingView integration and advanced charting tools
API trading via REST and FIX plus VPS support
Raw pricing with commission and standard spread only accounts
Interactive Brokers
Agency model with direct market access to multiple liquidity providers
Spot forex and forex CFDs across major and minor pairs
Trader Workstation FXTrader with advanced order types and depth of market
Smart order routing and transparent interbank pricing with commissions
FIX and REST API support for algorithmic forex trading
Two factor authentication IB Key and top tier global regulation
Country availability: FOREX.com vs Interactive Brokers
Available at both (217): Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia and 177 more.
Only FOREX.com (14): Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Iraq, Libya, Nauru, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
Which has lower fees, FOREX.com or Interactive Brokers?
Both sit in the same fee bracket (low) in our catalogue; compare the spreads and commission rows above for detail.
Which is older, FOREX.com or Interactive Brokers?
Interactive Brokers is the older of the two, founded in 1977; FOREX.com was founded in 2001.
Are FOREX.com and Interactive Brokers available in the same countries?
They overlap in 217 countries. FOREX.com is additionally available in 14 countries (Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Iraq, Libya and 8 more) and Interactive Brokers in 1 countries (Belgium).
Risk warning: CFDs and forex are complex, leveraged instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly. A majority of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. Nothing on this page is financial advice; verify licence status on the regulator's register before depositing. Full risk disclosure.