BrokerNotes.co is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn How We Make Money

Interactive Brokers vs TD Ameritrade 2024

BrokerNotes.co

Written by BrokerNotes.co

August 24, 2023

Trying to decide between Interactive Brokers and TD Ameritrade? We’ve taken the guesswork out of the equation with our Comparison Tool. Use our tool to compare hundreds of data points, side-by-side, to see how these two brokers stack up against each other.

Based on our extensive research, hands-on testing, and expert analysis of over a hundred data-driven variables, we've determined that, overall, Interactive Brokers ranks more highly than TD Ameritrade.

Select Brokers

×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxACY Securities
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAdmirals
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAlpari
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxATFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAvaTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAxi
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBDSwiss
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlackBull Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCity Index
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCMC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxDooPrime
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeasyMarkets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEightcap
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxExness
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFineco Bank
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFlowBank
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFOREX.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxForex4you
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFP Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXCM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXGT.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXOpen
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXPrimus
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFxPro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxGBE brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxGKFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHFM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHYCM (Henyep Capital Markets)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIFC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIG
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIronFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxLegacyFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxLibertex (Forex Club)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMarkets.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMoneta Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOANDA
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOcta
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPepperstone
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPlus500
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxRoboForex (RoboMarkets)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSaxo
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSpreadex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSwissquote
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTD Ameritrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTeleTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxThinkMarkets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTickmill
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTMGM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTopFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrade Nation
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrade360
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrading 212
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVantage
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVestle
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVT Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXM Group
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXTB
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXtrade

Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Overall Rating 9.9 / 10 9.3 / 10
Account Type Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Standard Trade Size (100,000 units) info Yes Yes
Mini Trade Size (10,000 units) info Yes Yes
Micro Trade Size (1,000 units) info No Yes
Islamic Account info No No
Copy Trading Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Cryptocurrency Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info No No
Bitcoin info Yes Yes
Ethereum info Yes No
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading - Forex or CFDs info Yes Yes
Indices (Index CFDs) Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
DAX info Yes No
Dow Jones info Yes No
FTSE info Yes No
NASDAQ 100 info Yes No
Nikkei info Yes No
SP 500 info Yes No
Investments Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info No No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No No
Metals info Yes No
Energies info Yes No
Agriculturals info Yes No
ETF info Yes No
U.S. Stocks (CFD) info Yes No
Trading Platforms Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No No
Regulatory Licenses Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 5
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes Yes
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Japan (SFC Authorised) info Yes No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes Yes
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info No No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info Yes Yes
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info No info
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Research, Education Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Trading Costs Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.63 info 1.25 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.63 info 1.25 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Trading Tools Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Watchlists - Total Fields info 640 564
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 128 360
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 70 360
Trust Factors Interactive Brokers TD Ameritrade
Year Founded info 1977 1955
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes Yes
Bank info No Yes
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info No info
Trust Score info 99 99
arrow_upward

Interactive Brokers vs TD Ameritrade Comparison

Comparing forex brokers side by side is no easy task. Our research team has collected thousands of data points, written hundreds of thousands of words of research, and tested over 60 brokers to help you find the best forex brokers in the industry. Trying to decide between Interactive Brokers and TD Ameritrade? Our independent database powered by our unbiased research will help you compare Interactive Brokers vs TD Ameritrade side-by-side.

What is Trust Score?

Trust Score is a data-driven rating system that provides an at-a-glance rating of a broker’s overall trust by tracking 60+ brokers and over 100 regulatory jurisdictions across the globe. To make things clearer for everyday traders, we’ve created a five-tier system for regulators and Trust Score rating labels. Learn more about Trust Score, and check out our country guides to see the most trusted brokers in your country of residence.

Can I trust Interactive Brokers?

Interactive Brokers has a Trust Score of 99, giving it a "Highly Trusted" Trust Score Label.

Can I trust TD Ameritrade?

TD Ameritrade has a Trust Score of 99, giving it a "Highly Trusted" Trust Score Label.

Is Interactive Brokers a good broker?

Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers is a long-standing highly trusted broker that holds a stunning nine Tier-1 licenses from regulatory jurisdictions across the globe numerous regulatory licenses. We've consistently rated Interactive Brokers as an excellent choice for professional traders, and its Trader Workstation (TWS) platform offers a variety of advanced trading tools that will be appreciated by experienced traders. Interactive Brokers delivers access to over 100 markets, including forex and CFDs. IBKR's recently introduced web-based platform is a great choice for beginner forex traders, and its powerful research and extensive educational content make for a balanced experience for newcomers and professionals alike.

Is TD Ameritrade a good broker?

TD Ameritrade, part of financial conglomerate Charles Schwab, is a leader in platform technology and trusted by millions of investors globally with trillions in assets under its brands. Available exclusively to U.S. residents, TD Ameritrade's forex offering consists of just over 70 currency pairs, along with powerful research, trading tools, and comprehensive educational resources for investing.

What Tier-1 jurisdictions is each broker regulated in?

Tier-1 is reserved for the strictest, most stringent regulatory jurisdictions in the world. Tier-1 regulators impose additional capital requirements and require a tougher initial screening process. Interactive Brokers holds regulatory licenses in the following Tier-1 jurisdictions: Australia (ASIC Authorised), Canada (CIRO Authorised), Hong Kong (SFC Authorised), CBI Authorised (Ireland), Japan (SFC Authorised), Singapore (MAS Authorised), United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) and USA (CFTC Authorized). TD Ameritrade, on the other hand, is licensed in these Tier-1 regulatory jurisdictions: Canada (CIRO Authorised), Hong Kong (SFC Authorised), Singapore (MAS Authorised), United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) and USA (CFTC Authorized). Neither have New Zealand (FMA Authorised) and Switzerland (FINMA Authorised)

What Tier-2 jurisdictions is each broker regulated in? What about Tier-3?

Tier-2 and tier-3 licenses are still important in evaluating the overall trustworthiness of forex brokers. As far as tier-2 licenses go, Interactive Brokers is India (SEBI Authorised), while TD Ameritrade is none.. Neither have China (CBRC Authorised), Cyprus (CySEC Authorised), Israel (ISA Authorised), Russia (CBR Authorised), South Africa (FSCA Authorised), Thailand (SEC Authorised) and UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised). When comparing tier-3 licenses unfortunately, neither Interactive Brokers nor TD Ameritrade are Bahamas (SCB Authorised), Belize (FSC Authorised), Bermuda (BMA Authorised), British Virgin Islands (FSC Authorised), Cayman Islands (CIMA Authorised), Mauritius (FSC Authorised) and Vanuatu (VFSC Authorised).. Neither have Vanuatu (VFSC Authorised).

Which broker offers more trading platforms?

Whether your broker develops its own proprietary platforms or provides access to popular third-party platforms, you should make sure you can use your preferred type of trading platform. In our testing, we found that both Interactive Brokers and TD Ameritrade offer a Proprietary Platform and Desktop Platform (Windows). Neither have cTrader, DupliTrade and ZuluTrade

Does Interactive Brokers offer MetaTrader? Does TD Ameritrade offer MetaTrader?

Neither Interactive Brokers or TD Ameritrade offer MT4 or MT5. If MetaTrader is a must for you, read our guides on the best MT4 brokers or best MT5 brokers.. Neither have MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5)

How do Interactive Brokers and TD Ameritrade differ in terms of minimum deposit? What about average spreads and funding options?

Interactive Brokers requires a minimum deposit of $0, while TD Ameritrade requires a minimum deposit of $0. You'll also want to make sure that your broker accepts the funding options and deposit methods that work best for you. In our testing, we've found that both Interactive Brokers and TD Ameritrade offer Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) for deposits. Neither have Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit), PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) and Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw)

Which broker offers more tradeable asset classes, Interactive Brokers or TD Ameritrade?

When choosing a forex broker, it’s important to consider each broker’s available investment products and tradeable asset classes. We’ve researched each broker’s individual offering of investments to help you pick the right broker for what you want to trade. During our testing, we found that Interactive Brokers delivers a more diverse selection of investment options than TD Ameritrade, offering tradeable asset classes and investment types such as Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs), Metals, Energies, Agriculturals, ETF and U.S. Stocks (CFD). Neither have Spread Betting and Social Trading / Copy Trading.

We also keep track of each broker’s total number of tradeable symbols; Interactive Brokers offers 8500, and TD Ameritrade offers a total of 0 tradeable symbols.

Can I trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Brokers or TD Ameritrade?

Crypto trading has become popular among forex traders across a range of international jurisdictions. As a result, many forex brokers now offer crypto products to their clients; most crypto assets are offered either as an underlying physical asset (such as when you own actual bitcoin assets, for example) or as a derivative product like a CFD. If you are looking to trade physical cryptocurrencies, you’ll find that neither Interactive Brokers nor TD Ameritrade allow you to trade physical cryptocurrencies.

Who offers more research tools, Interactive Brokers or TD Ameritrade?

Market research plays a huge role in any forex trader’s ability to conduct analysis within the global forex market. We test each broker’s research offering to help you decide which broker is right for your technical or fundamental analysis needs. Interactive Brokers delivers the following research tools: Daily Market Commentary, Stock Charts, Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) and Trading Central (Recognia). TD Ameritrade, on the other hand, provides the tools listed here: Daily Market Commentary, Stock Charts and Forex News (Top-Tier Sources). Neither have Autochartist and Social Trading / Copy Trading

Broker Reviews

Still looking for more information, read our broker reviews.

Interactive Brokers Review

TD Ameritrade Review

Overall winner: Interactive Brokers

Popular Forex Reviews

Popular Forex Guides

More Forex Guides

Popular Forex Reviews

announcementPlease note:

We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.


close