The comparison pits Exness and Interactive Brokers on cost, access, and long-term features. Both present strong regulation and solid platforms, but their priorities diverge.
Interactive Brokers edges Exness by editorial score. Its higher overall score reflects broader market access and more powerful platform tools.
Find out which stock broker best suits your investing profile.
Choose Exness if…
Choose Exness if you want ultra-low minimum deposits and easy access to share CFDs on MT4 and MT5. Withdrawal is instant and entry is accessible, but the stock universe is narrow and ownership is not real.
Choose Interactive Brokers if…
Choose Interactive Brokers if you want broad global market access and access to IPOs via the IBKR IPO platform. You benefit from a powerful Trader Workstation, low commissions for active traders, and extended hours in some cases.
Which broker wins for each type of stock trader, based on costs, safety, features, and editorial scoring.
Interactive Brokers provides the lowest cost approach, including commission-free US stock trading via IBKR Lite.
| Editorial score | 3.6/ 5 | 4.8/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Min deposit | $1 | No minimum▼ lower |
| Spreads from | 0.3 pips | 0.2 pips▼ lower |
| Commission / lot | $3.5/lot | $2/lot▼ lower |
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | Exness | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, SEC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Fail |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS, SIPC) | Pass | Fail |
| Costs | ||
| Commission-free trading | Fail | Pass |
| Features | ||
| Fractional shares | Fail | Pass |
| Dividend reinvestment (DRIP) | Fail | Pass |
| Extended hours trading | Fail | Pass |
| IPO access | Fail | Pass |
| Short selling | Pass | Pass |
| Stock screener tool | Fail | Pass |
| Support | ||
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice: it rates 4.8/5 versus 3.6/5 for Exness, a gap that reflects clear differences across regulation, fees, and platform quality in our review.
Interactive Brokers lists tighter spreads from 0.2, compared with Exness's 0.3. For stock trading, also factor in any per-trade or per-share commissions — spreads and commissions together determine the true cost per trade.
Interactive Brokers has no minimum deposit, while Exness requires at least $1. This makes Interactive Brokers more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Both Exness and Interactive Brokers hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners, two factors stand out: Interactive Brokers has no minimum deposit, removing the capital barrier entirely, and Exness provides negative balance protection, capping losses at your deposit amount. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
Exness lists maximum leverage of 20:1, while Interactive Brokers lists up to 1:4. 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 trade, lower than Exness's $3.5 per trade. Lower commissions benefit active traders who execute many trades per day. Stock commissions may be charged as a flat rate per trade or per share; confirm the exact structure on each broker's website.
Exness supports MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while Interactive Brokers supports Trader Workstation (TWS), Proprietary Web/Mobile. Exness has exclusive access to MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4. Interactive Brokers has exclusive access to Trader Workstation (TWS) and Proprietary Web/Mobile.
Interactive Brokers offers commission-free stock trading while Exness does not according to our data. Commission-free trading can reduce costs for frequent traders. Always confirm the current fee structure directly on each broker's website.
Exness scores higher on investor protection criteria, with compensation scheme coverage and segregated client funds. For stock investors, confirming compensation scheme coverage ensures your assets are protected up to a defined limit if the broker becomes insolvent.
Interactive Brokers has top-tier regulation across multiple bodies, elevating safety and oversight.
Interactive Brokers enables dividend reinvestment and broad long-term investment features.
Interactive Brokers appeals to active traders with 150 exchanges and a powerful platform.
Exness offers ultra-low deposits and accessible share CFDs for beginners.
Interactive Brokers provides broad global access with 150 exchanges across 33+ countries.
| 0.65 pips |
| 0.4 pips▼ lower |
| Inactivity fee | None | None |
|---|
| Deposit fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerPerfect MoneyCryptoP2P | Bank transferACH |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerPerfect MoneyCrypto | Bank transferACH |
|---|
| Withdrawal fee | Free | First withdrawal/month free |
|---|
| Commission-free | No | Yes |
|---|
| Fractional shares | No | Yes |
|---|
| Dividend reinvestment | No | Yes |
|---|
| Extended hours | No | Yes |
|---|
| IPO access | No | Yes |
|---|
| Short selling | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Regulators | FSCA FCA OJK CySEC | JFSA IIROC DFSA FCA CNB CMVM CNV ASIC AMF SEC MFSA SFC SEBI CBI CMF NFA FSC FINRA |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | Trader Workstation (TWS) Proprietary Web/Mobile |
|---|
| Active bonuses | None | 2 offers |
|---|
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 3.6 / 5
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