Interactive Brokers vs OANDA (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared

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Data refreshed 25 Aug 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan

Interactive Brokers

Trust rank #2 · Editorial rating 10 / 10 · Founded 1977

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…

Read the Interactive Brokers review

OANDA

Trust rank #19 · Founded 1996

OANDA is a well-regarded, regulated forex broker offering broad access to major currency pairs through intuitive web and mobile trading platforms. It provides order execution, research, charting, and educational resources, with products…

Read the OANDA review

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. OANDA (Canada, founded 1996) holds 13 regulatory licences (ASIC, BVI FSC, CFTC, CIRO, FCA…), 7 of them tier-1, offers MT4, Proprietary, TradingView and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 53 countries; Interactive Brokers is available in 165 countries where OANDA is not, and OANDA in 0 where Interactive Brokers is not.

Verdict at a glance

  • Interactive Brokers leads on trust rank, track record, regulatory coverage, instrument range, country coverage and tier-1 licences.
  • OANDA leads on platform choice.
  • Level on fee level.

Scored on 8 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.

Interactive Brokers vs OANDA: side-by-side data

CriteriaInteractive BrokersOANDA
Editorial rating10 / 10Not verified
Trust rank#2#19
Founded19771996
HeadquartersUnited StatesCanada
RegulatorsASIC, CBI, CFTC, CIRO, CSSF, DFSA, FCA, FINRA, JFSA, MAS, MNB, NFA, SEBI, SEC, SFCASIC, BVI FSC, CFTC, CIRO, FCA, FFAJ, JFSA, JSDA, Kanto Local Finance Bureau, KNF, MAS, MFSA, NFA
Broker typeDMAMarket Maker
PlatformsProprietaryMT4, Proprietary, TradingView
InstrumentsCommodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, MetalsCommodities, Forex, Indices, Metals
Countries accepted218 countries53 countries
Fee levelLowLow
Trading typesCFD Trading, Spot TradingCFD Trading, Spot Trading
Best-for use casesProfessional Trading, Retail TradingProfessional Trading, Retail Trading

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

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

OANDA

  • Multi-jurisdiction top-tier regulation (CFTC/NFA, FCA, IIROC, ASIC, MAS)
  • Accepts US clients
  • No minimum deposit; flexible position sizing (1-unit trades)
  • Core Pricing + Commission option
  • Free REST/Streaming API; TradingView integration

Cons

Interactive Brokers

  • No MT4/MT5 support
  • Steep learning curve
  • Commission-based FX pricing
  • 25k IDEALPRO minimum order size
  • Limited funding methods

OANDA

  • Higher average spreads than ECN brokers
  • No MetaTrader 5 support
  • No guaranteed stop-loss orders
  • Inactivity fee after 12 months
  • CFDs not available in the US

Key features

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

OANDA

  • Forex and CFD Trading
  • Top Tier Regulation
  • MT4 and TradingView Platforms
  • REST API and Algorithmic Trading
  • Client Sentiment and Order Book Tools
  • Flexible Unit Based Position Sizing

Country availability: Interactive Brokers vs OANDA

Available at both (53): American Samoa, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico and 13 more.

Only Interactive Brokers (165): Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso and 140 more.

Availability reflects the countries each broker declares it serves. Local rules change; confirm on the broker's own site before signing up.

Interactive Brokers vs OANDA: common questions

Which broker is more regulated, Interactive Brokers or OANDA?

Interactive Brokers holds more regulatory licences: Interactive Brokers (ASIC, CBI, CFTC, CIRO, CSSF, DFSA, FCA, FINRA, JFSA, MAS, MNB, NFA, SEBI, SEC, SFC) versus OANDA (ASIC, BVI FSC, CFTC, CIRO, FCA, FFAJ, JFSA, JSDA, Kanto Local Finance Bureau, KNF, MAS, MFSA, NFA). Tier-1 licences: Interactive Brokers 10, OANDA 7.

Which trading platforms do Interactive Brokers and OANDA offer?

Interactive Brokers offers Proprietary; OANDA offers MT4, Proprietary, TradingView.

Which has lower fees, Interactive Brokers or OANDA?

Both sit in the same fee bracket (low) in our catalogue; compare the spreads and commission rows above for detail.

Which is older, Interactive Brokers or OANDA?

Interactive Brokers is the older of the two, founded in 1977; OANDA was founded in 1996.

Are Interactive Brokers and OANDA available in the same countries?

They overlap in 53 countries. Interactive Brokers is additionally available in 165 countries (Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda and 159 more) and OANDA in 0 countries ().

Keep comparing

Interactive Brokers

OANDA

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.