Interactive Brokers and RoboForex face off on regulation, costs, and platform choice, highlighting different strengths for traders.
Interactive Brokers is the overall winner, supported by top-tier regulation and broad instrument access, while RoboForex lags on regulation.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose Interactive Brokers if…
Choose Interactive Brokers if you value strong regulation and you want a vast instrument universe.
Choose RoboForex if…
Choose RoboForex if you want MT4/MT5 and multiple platforms.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
RoboForex offers tighter spreads from 0.00 pips vs 0.20 pips for Interactive Brokers, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.6/ 5 | 4.0/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.8 / 5▲ | 3.6 / 5 |
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
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | Interactive Brokers | RoboForex |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Pass | Fail |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Pass | Fail |
| 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 | Fail | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Pass | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Fail | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
Interactive Brokers rates 4.6/5 versus 4/5 for RoboForex. Interactive Brokers edges ahead on our composite score, though both brokers meet a reasonable standard for most traders.
RoboForex 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 RoboForex requires at least $10. 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. RoboForex 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.
For beginners, two factors stand out: Interactive Brokers has no minimum deposit, removing the capital barrier entirely, and both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
Interactive Brokers lists maximum leverage of 50:1, while RoboForex lists up to 2000:1. 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 RoboForex's $20 per lot. Lower commissions benefit active traders who execute many trades per day.
Interactive Brokers supports Trader Workstation (TWS), Proprietary Web/Mobile, while RoboForex supports cTrader, MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 4. Both provide Proprietary Web/Mobile. Interactive Brokers has exclusive access to Trader Workstation (TWS). RoboForex has exclusive access to cTrader and MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4.
Interactive Brokers is safer on regulation due to top-tier authorities and segregated client funds.
RoboForex suits active traders with MT4/MT5 and multiple platforms for flexible execution.
Interactive Brokers is better suited for scalpers: lower commission ($2/lot).
RoboForex offers more platform variety including MT4/MT5 and cTrader.
Interactive Brokers is better for beginners due to $0 min deposit and no deposit fees.
Interactive Brokers offers 17,000 instruments, the broadest universe here.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.6 / 5▲ | 3.9 / 5 |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.6 / 5▲ | 4.2 / 5 |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
|---|
| Founded | 1978 | 2009 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Greenwich, United States | Belize City, Belize |
|---|
| Min Deposit | No minimum▼ lower | $10 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.2 pips | 0 pips▼ lower |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $2/lot▼ lower | $20/lot |
|---|
| 0.4 pips▼ lower | 2 pips |
| Max Leverage | 50:1▲ higher | 2,000:1 |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | None |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferACH | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerWebMoneyPerfect MoneyCrypto |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferACH | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerWebMoneyPerfect MoneyCrypto |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | First withdrawal/month free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | FCA ASIC JFSA IIROC DFSA CNB CMVM CNV AMF SEC MFSA SFC SEBI CBI CMF NFA FSC FINRA | FSCA CySEC IFSC |
|---|
| Platforms | Trader Workstation (TWS) Proprietary Web/Mobile | cTrader MetaTrader 5 Proprietary Web/Mobile MetaTrader 4 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
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
Pros
12,000+ instruments including real stocks and ETFs
cTrader available with full Level II and cAlgo
Multiple account types from Cent to ECN
R Trader proprietary platform with built-in analytics
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Raw spread account available
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Cons
Steeper learning curve on TWS
No MT4 / MT5
No MetaTrader support
No 24/5 live chat
Cons
Primary entity uses IFSC Belize, offshore, limited protection
ECN commission of $20 round-turn is higher than IC Markets ($7)
Very high leverage (2000:1) amplifies risk significantly
No top-tier regulatory licence
No investor compensation scheme
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4 / 5
Personalised recommendation
Answer 6 quick questions and we’ll match you with the brokers that best fit your trading style, experience level, and country.
Find my broker