Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Exness, 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 and Exness are both well-known names in the online brokerage space, but their levels of regulatory oversight and public trust differ significantly. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers is a publicly traded company, adding an extra layer of transparency and accountability. While it is not a bank, the firm holds an impressive nine Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly trusted, and two Tier-2 licenses. With a top-notch Trust Score rating of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers is among the most reliable and secure options available.
Exness, on the other hand, was established in 2008 and is not publicly listed. Like Interactive Brokers, Exness is not a bank. It holds two Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, indicating a solid but more modest level of regulatory commitment compared to Interactive Brokers. The firm has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 81, placing it in the "trusted" category but behind Interactive Brokers when it comes to overall security and trust. While both brokers serve their clients well, their differences in trust ratings and regulation make Interactive Brokers the more reliable choice for those prioritizing these aspects.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
Interactive Brokers and Exness offer diverse approaches to commissions and fees, catering to different trading needs. Interactive Brokers stands out with competitive pricing but doesn't publish its average forex spreads. In Q3 2024, the EUR/USD spread was 0.19 pips, translating to an all-in spread of 0.59 pips after commission. Commissions begin at a low rate of 0.00002 (0.2 basis points) per side of the U.S. dollar trade value, with a minimum of $2 per order. Trading smaller amounts can be costlier due to this minimum. This broker aggregates prices from 17 major interbank dealers, offering commission-based trading without marking up spreads, making it favorable for high-volume traders. Interactive Brokers earns a 5-star rating for commissions and fees, ranking #2 out of 62 brokers.
Exness, meanwhile, offers five main account types with varied trading costs based on your choice. For instance, their Zero Spread account boasts a commission of $0.05 per trade with market execution, providing flexibility without leverage restrictions. On the other hand, the Raw account requires up to $7 per round turn but provides lower spreads. Execution methods vary, with most accounts using market execution, except the Pro account that provides both instant and market execution options. Exness' account types cater to distinct trading styles, offering both commission-free and commission-based options. This adaptability gains them a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, placing them at #35 out of 62 brokers.
In summary, Interactive Brokers is ideal for traders focused on forex with high-volume trades due to its attractive commission structure and minimal spreads. Conversely, Exness provides versatile account types tailored to different trading strategies, although at a slightly higher cost in comparison. Each has its strengths, making the choice primarily dependent on individual trading preferences and volumes.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| 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 | No |
| 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.
Interactive Brokers stands out with its extensive range of investment options, offering 8,500 tradeable symbols, which include 90 forex pairs. Traders can access both CFDs and spot forex contracts, as well as invest in exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple shares on the NASDAQ and Vodafone shares on the London Stock Exchange. Additionally, they provide the unique opportunity to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency alongside cryptocurrency derivatives, catering to diverse trading interests. Although they do not offer copy trading features, their comprehensive choice of assets has earned them a 5-star rating for Range of Investments and the #1 rank out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Exness, while offering a more focused selection with 227 tradeable symbols, shines in its forex offerings with 96 forex pairs available for trading. Clients can engage in forex trading through CFDs, and they also provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives for those interested in digital assets. Notably, Exness includes copy trading capabilities, an attractive feature for those looking to mirror successful traders’ strategies. However, it lacks access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, which limits traders who wish to invest in specific stock markets. This more specialized range contributes to Exness receiving a 3.5-star rating for Range of Investments and a rank of #55 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 227 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 96 |
| 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 of Interactive Brokers and Exness, both offer impressive features, yet cater to different trader preferences. Interactive Brokers shines with a perfect five-star rating for their platforms and tools, ranking third among 62 brokers. They provide a comprehensive trading experience with simulated trading, a proprietary platform, a Windows-based desktop application, and a web-based platform. With 659 columns available for watch lists and 85 drawing tools, Interactive Brokers stands out for traders who require extensive customization and detailed charting capabilities. However, the platform does not support popular services like MetaTrader 4 or 5, nor does it offer copy trading, which might be a drawback for some.
On the other hand, Exness offers both MetaTrader 4 and 5 along with their proprietary platform, making them appealing to traders familiar with these widely-used tools. While Exness is rated four stars for trading platforms and tools and ranked 26 out of 62 brokers, they still provide valuable features such as a demo account, copy trading options, and trading directly from charts. Exness also offers a web-based and Windows-based desktop platform, with a competitive set of 87 drawing tools for charting. However, their watch lists are limited to seven fields, which might be too minimal for users seeking detailed market insights. Despite these limitations, Exness remains a solid option for traders seeking flexibility with MetaTrader platforms and the addition of copy trading capabilities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 107 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Interactive Brokers and Exness, both platforms offer apps for iPhone and Android users, providing key features like stock and forex price alerts, as well as the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, Interactive Brokers has a clear advantage, offering more technical studies—97 compared to Exness’s 35—allowing users to analyze charts with greater depth. Additionally, Interactive Brokers supports watchlist symbol syncing across devices, ensuring seamless transitions between mobile and online platforms, a feature Exness lacks but could be beneficial for traders seeking consistency.
Both platforms allow for chart manipulation, including drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames. Yet, neither app auto-saves chart drawings. Interactive Brokers is rated higher for its mobile trading capabilities, receiving a perfect 5-star rating compared to Exness’s 4-star rating. This is reflected in their ForexBrokers.com rankings, where Interactive Brokers secures the #4 spot among 62 brokers, while Exness trails at #26. This detailed evaluation suggests that while both apps offer solid trading tools, Interactive Brokers provides a more comprehensive and user-friendly mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of Interactive Brokers and Exness, both platforms provide daily market commentary and forex news from reliable sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. They also both integrate Trading Central's technical and fundamental research tools, along with sentiment-based trading tools aimed at showing the balance of long or short positions across various instruments. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers and Exness each provide access to an economic calendar, offering insights into global economic events that can impact trading strategies. However, they diverge when it comes to research from TipRanks and Acuity Trading—Interactive Brokers offers tools from both, while Exness does not provide these resources.
Interactive Brokers receives high accolades for its research capabilities, achieving a perfect 5-star rating. It is ranked as the third best among 62 brokers for research by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Exness is given a 3.5-star rating and stands at the 41st position for research. This notable difference highlights Interactive Brokers’ superior offerings, making it a more favorable choice for traders who prioritize comprehensive market research tools and insights.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners between Interactive Brokers and Exness, both platforms provide a solid foundation in forex and CFDs education, each offering a minimum of 10 educational pieces. Interactive Brokers distinguishes itself by holding monthly webinars, providing a continuous learning experience through live sessions. Both brokers have searchable archives of recorded webinars, allowing users to revisit content at their convenience. However, Interactive Brokers takes the lead by offering more comprehensive learning materials, including 10 advanced educational videos that cater to experienced traders, alongside beginner-focused content.
Interactive Brokers also provides a robust investor dictionary containing over 50 investing terms, which is matched by Exness. The difference in educational quality and quantity is reflected in their ratings and rankings. Interactive Brokers boasts a 5-star education rating, ranking third among 62 brokers, signifying the strength of its educational offerings. In contrast, Exness receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks 47th, suggesting room for improvement in catering to both novice and seasoned investors. Overall, Interactive Brokers is better suited for those seeking extensive educational resources to bolster their trading knowledge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
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 Exness. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #43.
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
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Exness
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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Interactive Brokers provides the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Exness only offers the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Interactive Brokers supports ACH and SEPA transfers along with bank wires for fund deposits and withdrawals, whereas Exness provides options for Skrill and Visa or Mastercard in addition to bank wires, but does not support ACH, SEPA transfers, or PayPal for these transactions.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Exness Review |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 227 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 96 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 107 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 87 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Exness Review |
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