Two brokers clash on regulation, platform access, and cost, exposing a tension between global reach and familiar trading platforms.
Interactive Brokers is the overall winner due to a higher editorial score and stronger regulation. AMarkets remains competitive with MT4/MT5 access and ECN pricing.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose AMarkets if…
Choose AMarkets if you want MT4/MT5 and cTrader access.
Choose Interactive Brokers if…
Choose Interactive Brokers if you seek broad instrument access and top-tier regulation.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
AMarkets offers tighter spreads from 0.00 pips vs 0.20 pips for Interactive Brokers, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 3.8/ 5 | 4.6/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 3.4 / 5 | 4.8 / 5▲ |
Pros
MT4, MT5, and cTrader all available
Competitive $6 round-turn ECN commission
Mature PAMM platform with full performance transparency
No inactivity fee
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Raw spread account available
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | AMarkets | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Fail | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Fail | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Fail | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Pass | Pass |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Pass | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Fail |
| Proprietary platform | Fail | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Fail | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Fail |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
Interactive Brokers rates 4.6/5 versus 3.8/5 for AMarkets. Interactive Brokers edges ahead on our composite score, though both brokers meet a reasonable standard for most traders.
AMarkets starts from 0 pips, tighter than Interactive Brokers's 0.2 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
Interactive Brokers has no minimum deposit, while AMarkets requires at least $100. This makes Interactive Brokers more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Interactive Brokers holds top-tier regulation (FCA, ASIC, JFSA), providing stronger investor protections. AMarkets may be regulated but does not hold top-tier status in our data. Verify regulatory status on each regulator's public register before depositing funds.
Interactive Brokers stands out for beginners: it has a lower entry point and provides negative balance protection, which caps losses at your deposited amount. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
AMarkets lists maximum leverage of 3000:1, while Interactive Brokers lists up to 50:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
Interactive Brokers charges $2 per lot, lower than AMarkets's $6 per lot. Lower commissions benefit active traders who execute many trades per day.
AMarkets supports cTrader, MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while Interactive Brokers supports Trader Workstation (TWS), Proprietary Web/Mobile. AMarkets has exclusive access to cTrader and MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4. Interactive Brokers has exclusive access to Trader Workstation (TWS) and Proprietary Web/Mobile.
Interactive Brokers wins for safety with top-tier regulators and investor protection measures.
Interactive Brokers wins for active traders due to broad market access and low financing rates.
Interactive Brokers is better suited for scalpers: lower commission ($2/lot).
AMarkets wins for platform choice with MT4/MT5 and cTrader availability.
Interactive Brokers is best for beginners due to investor protection and support.
Interactive Brokers wins for instrument variety with around 17,000 markets.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.0 / 5 | 4.6 / 5▲ |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.1 / 5 | 4.6 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 3.9 / 5 | 4.0 / 5▲ |
|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 1978 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Greenwich, United States |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $100 | No minimum▼ lower |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0 pips▼ lower | 0.2 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $6/lot | $2/lot▼ lower |
|---|
| 0.6 pips | 0.4 pips▼ lower |
| Max Leverage | 3,000:1 | 50:1▲ higher |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | None |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerWebMoneyCrypto | Bank transferACH |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerWebMoneyCrypto | Bank transferACH |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | First withdrawal/month free |
|---|
| Regulators | SVGFSA | FCA ASIC JFSA IIROC DFSA CNB CMVM CNV AMF SEC MFSA SFC SEBI CBI CMF NFA FSC FINRA |
|---|
| Platforms | cTrader MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | Trader Workstation (TWS) Proprietary Web/Mobile |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
No deposit fees
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
Available to US residents
Lowest margin rates in industry
150+ global markets
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
Raw spread account available
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Cons
SVG FSA registration only, no meaningful retail investor protection
No EU or Tier 1 licensed entity
Very high leverage (3000:1) is a risk amplifier
No top-tier regulatory licence
No negative balance protection
No investor compensation scheme
No proprietary platform
Limited charting capabilities
Cons
Steeper learning curve on TWS
No MT4 / MT5
No MetaTrader support
No 24/5 live chat
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 3.8 / 5
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