Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Earn, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, holds the top spot in terms of trustworthiness with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, indicating it is highly trusted. This online broker is publicly traded, enhancing transparency for its clientele. Although not a bank, Interactive Brokers boasts an array of licenses, with 9 Tier-1 highly trusted licenses and 2 Tier-2 trusted licenses, which contribute to its solid reputation in the financial sector.
Founded in 1994, Earn is an online broker that operates with significantly fewer regulatory credentials, holding a single Tier-1 license. It has a Trust Score of 71, categorizing it as an average-risk broker according to ForexBrokers.com. Unlike Interactive Brokers, Earn is not listed on a stock exchange, which may be a consideration for some investors associated with transparency and accountability concerns. Both Interactive Brokers and Earn are not banks, focusing solely on brokerage services.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1994 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
When comparing the commission and fee structures of Interactive Brokers and Earn, Interactive Brokers stands out for its competitive pricing in forex trading. Despite the absence of published average spreads, we discovered that Interactive Brokers provides an attractive average spread of 0.59 pips for the EUR/USD, factoring in commissions. Commissions begin at 0.00002 of the U.S. dollar trade value or a minimum of $2 per order, which equates to roughly 0.40 pips on a $100,000 trade. The cost can drop further for highly active traders. Interactive Brokers is recognized for its transparency, relying on interbank forex dealers for pricing and charging a commission per trade without marking up spreads. Notably, they offer discounts for high-volume traders, with fees potentially decreasing to $1 per order for monthly volumes exceeding $5 billion.
On the other hand, Earn has not provided its average spread data, making precise cost comparisons difficult. Nevertheless, Earn has earned a reputable approval with a 4-star rating in the commissions and fees category. While it may not match Interactive Brokers' aggressive pricing strategy, it holds a respectable position among its peers, ranked #46 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Interactive Brokers enjoys a 5-star rating and ranks #2, underscoring its superior offer in commissions and fees.
In summary, Interactive Brokers tends to be more favorable for active traders seeking minimized costs and transparent prices. Its fee structure rewards those who trade in high volumes, offering discounts and efficient execution methods. Meanwhile, Earn presents a solid option with competitive fees but lacks the transparent pricing data necessary for a detailed comparison. Both brokers offer valuable services, but Interactive Brokers' higher rating and ranking reflect its strong position in the forex trading industry.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to comparing Interactive Brokers and Earn in terms of available investments, Interactive Brokers stands out with a significantly larger selection. Offering 8,500 tradeable symbols, including 90 forex pairs, Interactive Brokers provides investors with diverse options in spot and CFD trading. Moreover, clients have the advantage of buying U.S. exchange-traded securities like Apple shares, as well as international securities such as Vodafone shares. Additionally, Interactive Brokers offers the ability to purchase actual cryptocurrency and derivatives, catering to a wide range of investment preferences.
On the other hand, Earn presents a more limited investment portfolio, with 500 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs. While it includes forex trading in both spot and CFD formats and provides access to cryptocurrency derivatives, it lacks offerings in U.S. and international exchange-traded securities. However, Earn does feature a copy trading option, attracting those interested in mimicking the strategies of successful traders. Overall, Interaction Brokers is highly regarded, with a perfect 5-star rating for its range of investments, ranking #1 against 62 brokers, whereas Earn holds a 3.5-star rating, placing it at #45.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 61 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools provided by Interactive Brokers and Earn, both brokers offer simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice without financial risk. Interactive Brokers features a proprietary, in-house platform, alongside their Windows-based desktop and web-based trading options. In contrast, Earn does not offer a proprietary platform but provides versatile access through both desktop and web-based environments and includes MetaTrader 4 and 5 along with copy trading and ZuluTrade options which Interactive Brokers lacks.
Interactive Brokers stands out with a vast selection of 659 watch list columns and 85 drawing tools for charting, supporting a highly customizable trading experience. Traders can also execute trades directly from stock charts. While Earn offers a comparable option to trade directly from charts, its offerings in charting tools and watch list fields are more limited, with only 15 drawing tools and 7 watch list columns. For these reasons, Interactive Brokers garners a 5-star rating and ranks #3 in ForexBrokers.com's list of 62 brokers for trading platforms and tools, while Earn has a 4-star rating, positioned at #51.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 35 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both Interactive Brokers and Earn offer iPhone and Android compatibility, ensuring users can trade on the go. Each app provides crucial features like stock and forex price alerts, along with the ability to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts. However, Interactive Brokers stands out with its impressive 97 technical studies for charting, compared to Earn's 35. This extensive range of studies enables users to perform more detailed technical analysis directly on their mobile devices. Another advantage for Interactive Brokers users is the functionality that allows watchlist symbol syncing, connecting their mobile app watchlists seamlessly with their online accounts. This feature is missing in Earn's app, which may be a consideration for traders who frequently tweak their portfolios across devices.
Although both apps allow the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, the ability to auto-save drawing on charts is only available with Earn, making it easier for traders to preserve their technical analysis work without manual intervention. Despite this, Interactive Brokers earns a higher overall rating of 5 stars for its mobile trading apps, while Earn receives 4 stars. This higher rating aligns with their ranking as #4 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, a notable jump from Earn's position at #26. These differences underscore Interactive Brokers' prowess in delivering a comprehensive and highly-rated trading experience on mobile platforms.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and Earn both offer a solid foundation for market research, providing daily market commentary and forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. However, when it comes to specialized tools, Interactive Brokers clearly has the edge. They provide access to Trading Central's technical analytics, a sentiment-based trading tool for ratio visibility in long or short positions, and comprehensive market insights from TipRanks and Acuity Trading. In contrast, Earn lacks these advanced capabilities, focusing instead on more standard offerings.
Both brokers equip users with an economic calendar for staying informed on global economic events. However, Interactive Brokers’ robust suite of research tools has earned it a 5-star rating in research and a #3 ranking out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Earn trails with a 3.5-star rating and a rank of #38 in the same category. Interactive Brokers provides a superior research experience, making it a better option for those seeking comprehensive market insights and analysis tools.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, Interactive Brokers significantly outshines Earn. Interactive Brokers provides a wealth of learning materials, with a focus on forex and CFDs education through over 10 articles, videos, and archived webinars. They also offer regular online client webinars, easily accessible via a searchable archive. Beginners can benefit from over 10 educational videos designed to simplify complex trading topics, as well as advanced materials for more experienced traders. Additionally, Interactive Brokers features a comprehensive investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, providing a solid base for new investors aiming to enhance their financial literacy.
On the other hand, Earn falls short in comparison, lacking similar resources to support beginners in their trading journey. They do not offer structured forex or CFDs education, nor do they provide monthly client webinars or accessible archives of previous sessions. Beginner educational videos are sparse, making it challenging for newcomers to grasp trading basics. Without an investor dictionary, users miss out on the opportunity to quickly learn key market terms. Reflecting these differences, Interactive Brokers boasts a stellar 5-star education rating and holds the impressive rank of third place out of 62 brokers, while Earn lags behind with a rating of 3.5 stars and ranks 61st.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than Earn. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Earn finished with an overall rank of #50.
Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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Interactive Brokers and Earn both offer the ability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives, but only Interactive Brokers provides the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency.
Interactive Brokers offers ACH, SEPA, and bank wire transfers for funding and withdrawing account funds, while Earn supports Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transfers, providing a more diverse range of options for those who prefer digital wallets or credit card deposits, but lacks the ACH and SEPA transfer options available with Interactive Brokers.
Please 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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1994 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 35 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Earn | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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