Interactive Brokers and AvaTrade are top online brokers. Interactive Brokers offers competitive prices with a minimum initial deposit of $0. It has a demo account, a proprietary platform, and a professional app. This broker is trustworthy as it has licenses from the IIROC, SFC, FSA, MAS, FINMA, FCA, and CFTC. We recommend it for professional traders, as it offers premium tools and platforms.
AvaTrade has an excellent offer with low spreads and trading fees. It provides many educational and research tools, including free courses and videos. AvaTrade has top-tier licenses from the ASIC, IIROC, and FSA. It is a top choice for new traders, as it has user-friendly platforms.
Both online brokers have strengths and weaknesses. This article discusses the differences between Interactive Brokers and AvaTrade.
| Broker Name | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade |
| Year Founded | 1978 | 2006 |
| Regulation | SEC (USA), FCA (UK) | ASIC, ADGM, CySEC, ISA |
| Tradable Assets | Stock, ETF, Forex, Fund, Bond, Options, Futures, CFD, Crypto, Warrants, Structured Products | Stock CFDs, Forex, Indices CFDs, ETF CFDs, Commodities, Crypto |
| Min Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Min Trade | $100 | |
| Platforms | Traders Workstation (TWS) | iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS |
| Deposit | You can open account without deposit | Free of charge |
| Withdrawals | Free of charge for the first withdrawal in calendar month | Free of charge |
Top findings from the Interactive Brokers vs. AvaTrade review:
- Interactive Brokers offers professional platforms with reliable advanced trading tools and tutorials.
- AvaTrade has excellent learning tools and easy-to-understand platforms.
- Both brokers have a demo account, a proprietary platform, and an active trader discount.
We recommend Interactive Brokers for experienced traders searching for professional tools. AvaTrade is a better fit for new traders because of its comprehensive learning site.
Overall Rating
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade |
| Overall | 4.5 | 4 |
| Commissions & Fees | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Offering of Investments | 5 | 4 |
| Platforms & Tools | 4.5 | 4 |
| Mobile Trading | 4 | 4 |
| Research | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Education | 4 | 4.5 |
| Trust Score | 94 | 93 |
| Winner | YES | |
| 66% of retail CFD accounts lose money | 73% of retail CFD accounts lose money |
Level of experience
Beginner traders choose AvaTrade over Interactive Brokers. AvaTrade offers trading platforms designed for traders of all levels of experience and skills. It has a beginner-friendly proprietary platform with learning tools. AvaTrade is a top choice for new traders.
Interactive Brokers offers access to Trading Central, forex news, and daily market commentary. It has educational tools, including webinars and investor dictionaries. The downside is that it doesn’t offer beginner trading videos.
Fees
The minimum initial deposit at AvaTrade is $100, while Interactive Brokers does not charge an initial fee. Both brokers offer an active trader discount.
Assets
Interactive Brokers offers 105 forex currency pairs, while AvaTrade has 55 available pairs. Interactive Brokers offers 7400 CFDs, while AvaTrade has 722 available CFDs.
Trading platform
Interactive Brokers offers a premium trading experience with desktop and web platforms. It is a top choice for professionals, but it can be a good fit for beginners. It has some research and educational data.
AvaTrade has a straightforward web, desktop, and mobile platform. It offers MetaTrader4 and 5 and social trading tools. Each platform includes reliable research and market data. We recommend it for new traders.
Banking services
Banking services are a key component of online trading. Interactive Brokers offers bank transfers for depositing and withdrawing funds. AvaTrade has many funding options, including bank transfers, credit/debit cards, PayPal, and Skrill.
Final verdict
Interactive Brokers and AvaTrade are top online brokers. Both have advantages and disadvantages depending on your trading experience. Interactive Brokers is a better fit for professionals, as it has premium platforms and tools. We recommend AvaTrade to new traders because of its straightforward platforms and learning tools.
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Methodology
The mission of Business24-7 is to provide comprehensive, unbiased ratings and reviews of online providers. User experience, the mobile experience, customer service, costs and fees, security, the quality of trade executions, the products available on their platforms are all part of our six-month evaluation of a providers’s platform. The rating scale was based on thousands of data points that have been weighted into the scoring system.
Providers were also required to fill out a multi-point survey regarding every aspect of their platform. In-person demonstrations and evaluations were provided by the majority of the online providers we reviewed.
Stefan Grasic, along with our team of industry experts, conducted our reviews and developed this methodology for ranking what form is used in online investing.
Business24-7 maintains high editorial standards and provides the best advice and recommendations. The products and companies that we review may compensate us when you click on the links on this website. Click below to find out more about our review process and methodology.
Disclosure
All trading involves risk. More than 80% of investors lose in spread bet and CFD trading. As these complex instruments allow for the use of leverage, there is a high risk of losing more money than you have deposited. Before attempting to participate in spread bets and CFDs, consider how well you understand them and if you can afford to lose your money.
