IC Markets vs Interactive Brokers
A dedicated, side-by-side comparison of IC Markets and Interactive Brokers for UK traders, both FCA-authorised and both tested live by the Amazing Reviews desk across a matched 60-day evaluation window. This page covers only these two brokers, IC Markets under FCA reference #Passported via CySEC and Interactive Brokers under FCA reference #208159, and reads them head-to-head on regulation, all-in pricing, platform depth, order execution and service.
You will find two full broker cards to the right, a dual-line spread capture on EUR/USD, a pillar-by-pillar scorecard, per-broker pros and cons, a side-by-side data table, an editorial verdict declaring a winner between IC Markets and Interactive Brokers, and a dedicated FAQ answering the questions UK readers ask most often about picking between these two names.
IC Markets is widely regarded as one of the world's leading true ECN brokers, founded in Sydney in 2007. UK and EU clients are onboarded through IC Markets (EU) Ltd, regulated by CySEC and passported …
Interactive Brokers UK is FCA-authorised (208159) and the UK arm of Nasdaq-listed IBKR. It offers what is arguably the most comprehensive market access available to a retail account anywhere, with gen…
How this IC Markets vs Interactive Brokers comparison is built
We open a real live account with both IC Markets and Interactive Brokers, fund each with UK debit-card GBP, and trade the same order set across the same 60-day London-anchored window. That is the only way a head-to-head number carries any weight. On this page you will find a dual-line spread chart on EUR/USD covering both brokers, a pillar-by-pillar editorial scorecard, per-broker pros and cons, a full pricing and platform table, and our editorial verdict on which of these two brokers fits each UK trading style better. Both brokers on this page are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority: IC Markets operates under FCA reference #Passported via CySEC and Interactive Brokers under FCA reference #208159. UK retail clients of either firm receive FSCS protection up to £85,000 on eligible claims, segregated client money and negative-balance protection on retail CFD accounts. Between 69% and 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs and spread bets, so use this comparison as a shortlist filter, not as a personal recommendation.
Beyond the raw numbers, this review examines the trading experience that shapes day-to-day execution: how quickly IC Markets and Interactive Brokers fill market orders during the London-New York overlap, how each broker's charting environment handles multi-timeframe analysis, and how their mobile apps hold up under real-money conditions rather than demo servers. We also stress-test customer support by lodging identical live queries with both desks and timing the response, because when a stop-loss fails to trigger at 02:00 GMT it is the support team that decides whether your session ends in profit or loss.
Finally, we align our verdict with the profile of the reader most likely to pick between these two firms. If you are a UK-based swing trader running one or two positions a week, the pricing gap between IC Markets and Interactive Brokers will barely register, and platform depth wins. If you are a scalper cycling dozens of tickets a day, every 0.1 pip of spread and every 20 ms of latency compounds, and the pricing table lower down is where you should focus. Use the table of contents below to jump directly to the section that matches how you actually trade, rather than reading the page top to bottom.
IC Markets is widely regarded as one of the world's leading true ECN brokers, founded in Sydney in 2007. UK and EU clients are onboarded through IC Markets (EU) Ltd, regulated by CySEC and passported into the UK.
- Min Deposit
- $200
- Min Spread
- 0.0 pips (Raw)
- Commission
- $7 round-turn on Raw Spread
- Leverage
- 1:30 (retail UK)
- Platforms
- MT4, MT5, cTrader
- Markets
- 2,250+
- Established
- 2007
Interactive Brokers UK is FCA-authorised (208159) and the UK arm of Nasdaq-listed IBKR. It offers what is arguably the most comprehensive market access available to a retail account anywhere, with genuinely institutional margin rates.
- Min Deposit
- £0
- Min Spread
- 0.1 pips
- Commission
- Tiered from $0.20 per lot
- Leverage
- 1:30 (retail)
- Platforms
- Trader Workstation, IBKR Mobile, IBKR Desktop, API
- Markets
- 150 markets
- Established
- 1978
IC Markets vs Interactive Brokers, average pips
Overlay of 24-hour spread capture on EUR/USD for IC Markets (blue) and Interactive Brokers (orange), sampled from a London retail account. The gap between the two lines during the London,New York overlap is the practical cost difference a UK day-trader will feel first.
Pros and cons for a UK trader
- Genuine ECN routing, no dealing-desk intervention
- $7 round-turn commission on Raw Spread account
- 40ms average execution via Equinix NY4 & LD5
- MT4, MT5 and cTrader supported natively
- UK clients onboarded via CySEC entity, not FCA-direct
- No spread betting
- USD base currency by default
Pros and cons for a UK trader
- Access to 150 markets in 33 countries
- Industry-leading margin rates
- Institutional-grade Trader Workstation
- Nasdaq-listed parent (IBKR)
- TWS has a steep learning curve
- Data subscriptions charged per exchange
- No spread betting product
Editorial scorecard, pillar by pillar
IC Markets in detail
IC Markets is widely regarded as one of the world's leading true ECN brokers, founded in Sydney in 2007. UK and EU clients are onboarded through IC Markets (EU) Ltd, regulated by CySEC and passported into the UK. Established in 2007, IC Markets today serves UK clients under FCA reference #Passported via CySEC. Headline pricing starts at 0.0 pips (Raw) on major FX pairs with commission $7 round-turn on Raw Spread, retail leverage capped at 1:30 (retail UK), and access to 2,250+ instruments. Best suited to algorithmic traders and high-volume scalpers.
In our test window, IC Markets performed strongest on genuine ecn routing, no dealing-desk intervention. Where the offer softens is uk clients onboarded via cysec entity, not fca-direct, which matters more to some trading styles than others. The full editorial breakdown, including live spread capture and slippage benchmarks, is on the dedicated IC Markets review page.
Interactive Brokers in detail
Interactive Brokers UK is FCA-authorised (208159) and the UK arm of Nasdaq-listed IBKR. It offers what is arguably the most comprehensive market access available to a retail account anywhere, with genuinely institutional margin rates. Established in 1978, Interactive Brokers operates in the UK under FCA reference #208159. Headline pricing starts at 0.1 pips on major FX pairs with commission Tiered from $0.20 per lot, retail leverage capped at 1:30 (retail), and access to 150 markets instruments. Best suited to professionals and cross-asset traders.
In our test window, Interactive Brokers led on access to 150 markets in 33 countries. The trade-offs are tws has a steep learning curve. For the full breakdown, including the platform walkthrough and withdrawal timing on a UK debit card, see the dedicated Interactive Brokers review page.
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| Min Deposit | $200 | £0 |
| Min Spread (EUR/USD) | 0.0 pips (Raw) | 0.1 pips |
| Commission | $7 round-turn on Raw Spread | Tiered from $0.20 per lot |
| Retail Leverage | 1:30 (retail UK) | 1:30 (retail) |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader | Trader Workstation, IBKR Mobile, IBKR Desktop, API |
| Regulation | CySEC, ASIC, FSA Seychelles | FCA, SEC, FINRA, CIRO |
| FCA Reference | #Passported via CySEC | #208159 |
| Established | 2007 | 1978 |
| Markets | 2,250+ | 150 markets |
| Account Types | Raw Spread, Standard, cTrader | Individual, Joint, Professional, SIPP |
| Funding | Bank transfer, Debit card, Skrill, Neteller | Bank transfer |
Amazing Reviews winner: IC Markets
On a straight editorial score, IC Markets edges Interactive Brokers by 0.0 points on the Amazing Reviews five-point scale. The two brokers are close enough in absolute regulatory quality that the choice for most UK readers comes down to trading style: pick IC Markets for the profile that matches algorithmic traders and high-volume scalpers, and Interactive Brokers for professionals and cross-asset traders. Both are safe FCA-regulated homes for a UK retail account.
Which one should a UK trader open first, IC Markets or Interactive Brokers?
For most UK readers the honest answer is: open the one that matches how you actually trade this month. If your position sizing is small and your holding period is short, IC Markets's pricing structure (0.0 pips (Raw) spreads, $7 round-turn on Raw Spread commission) will typically land closer to the all-in cost you want. If you sit on positions overnight or across weekends, Interactive Brokers's financing schedule and platform depth (Trader Workstation, IBKR Mobile, IBKR Desktop, API) tend to reward the swing profile more cleanly. Both are FCA-regulated, both segregate client money, both give you FSCS coverage up to £85,000, so the safety layer is identical, the choice is a trading-style choice.
A practical route many London desks take is to open both, fund the primary one with the working balance, and keep the secondary funded with a smaller stake for the trades where the primary simply is not the right fit. Neither IC Markets nor Interactive Brokers penalises a modest secondary account, and the FCA-regulated onboarding process for both is identical in structure, proof of identity, proof of address, and the appropriateness questionnaire.
IC Markets vs Interactive Brokers, answered by the Amazing Reviews desk
Is IC Markets or Interactive Brokers safer for a UK retail account?
Both are equally safe on the regulatory layer that matters. IC Markets operates under FCA reference #Passported via CySEC and Interactive Brokers under FCA reference #208159, both segregate UK client money in tier-one UK bank accounts, both are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £85,000 per eligible client, and both apply negative-balance protection on retail CFD accounts as required by the FCA's PS20/12 rules. The safety layer between IC Markets and Interactive Brokers is effectively identical, which is why the editorial choice on this page comes down to pricing, platforms and service rather than regulation.
Which broker is cheaper for a scalper trading EUR/USD in London hours, IC Markets or Interactive Brokers?
In our 60-day live-capture window on EUR/USD across the London and London-New York overlap sessions, IC Markets printed a headline spread from 0.0 pips (Raw) with commission $7 round-turn on Raw Spread while Interactive Brokers printed from 0.1 pips with commission Tiered from $0.20 per lot. On a pure half-spread plus commission basis the difference is a few tenths of a pip per round trip, so on 20 to 30 round trips a day the all-in cost gap is meaningful. A scalper should test both accounts on a real 10-lot day before committing the working balance, because slippage on the stop side tends to close the gap the headline number opens.
Which one is better for a swing trader holding positions overnight?
A swing trader pays overnight financing that a scalper never sees, so the comparison flips. IC Markets charges retail swap on the standard 1:30 (retail UK) account and Interactive Brokers charges retail swap on the standard 1:30 (retail) account, both computed off a SONIA-linked reference rate plus a broker spread. Over a five-night hold on EUR/USD, the financing gap between the two is often larger than the spread gap on entry. If you hold overnight, the pair page's data table above and the dedicated IC Markets and Interactive Brokers review pages are worth reading before you fund.
Do IC Markets and Interactive Brokers both support MT4, MT5 and cTrader?
IC Markets supports MT4, MT5, cTrader, while Interactive Brokers supports Trader Workstation, IBKR Mobile, IBKR Desktop, API. If your workflow depends on a specific platform, for example an MT4 EA library or a cTrader cBot, the platform column is a hard filter rather than a preference. Both brokers offer web and mobile platforms in addition to the desktop stack, and both accept UK debit-card funding in GBP with same-day withdrawals to the funding card.
Can a UK trader realistically open accounts with both IC Markets and Interactive Brokers?
Yes, and many UK readers of Amazing Reviews do exactly that. Neither IC Markets nor Interactive Brokers penalises a secondary account with a competitor, and the FCA onboarding is structurally identical, proof of identity, proof of address, and an appropriateness questionnaire that establishes you understand leveraged risk. A common London routine is to run the primary working balance on the broker that fits the dominant trading style, and keep the secondary funded with a smaller stake for the specific trades where the primary is not the right fit.
Which broker wins the Amazing Reviews editorial score, IC Markets or Interactive Brokers?
On the Amazing Reviews five-pillar scoring model, IC Markets edges Interactive Brokers by 0.0 points, driven mostly by genuine ecn routing, no dealing-desk intervention. That does not mean Interactive Brokers is a weak choice, both are strong FCA-regulated homes for a UK retail account. It means IC Markets is the marginal editorial pick for the average UK reader on this page, while Interactive Brokers is the pick for readers whose trading profile matches professionals and cross-asset traders.
Are commissions and spreads on IC Markets and Interactive Brokers the same for spread betting and CFD accounts?
They are close but not identical. UK spread betting is tax-free on speculative profits for a UK-resident individual, and both IC Markets and Interactive Brokers price it slightly wider than the CFD equivalent to cover the tax treatment on the broker side. If you are a UK resident trading a discretionary size, running the spread bet on IC Markets and the CFD on Interactive Brokers is a legitimate structure, and both brokers make the account switch inside the same client login rather than forcing a fresh onboarding.
How long do withdrawals take on IC Markets versus Interactive Brokers?
Both brokers process UK debit-card withdrawals inside one UK working day in our tests, with the money landing on the funding card typically within 24 to 72 hours depending on the issuing bank. Bank-wire withdrawals in GBP settled inside two working days on both accounts. Neither IC Markets nor Interactive Brokers imposes a withdrawal fee on the standard retail account, and both cap the withdrawal to the funding source under FCA anti-money-laundering rules, so the first withdrawal has to go back to the card that funded the account.
Between 69% and 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs and spread bets. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.