Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs GBE brokers, 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 GBE Brokers offer distinct offerings to online brokerage clients, highlighted by their trust ratings and regulatory credentials. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers is publicly traded and holds an impressive trust score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating they are highly trusted. It boasts 9 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, underscoring its strong regulatory standing. Despite not being a bank, Interactive Brokers’ extensive credentials provide a solid assurance to investors.
In contrast, GBE Brokers, established in 2013, is not publicly traded and scores a 71 on ForexBrokers.com's trust scale, categorizing it as average risk. GBE possesses just 1 Tier-1 license and lacks Tier-2 licenses, which implies less regulatory backing compared to its counterpart. While it isn't a bank either, potential clients of GBE Brokers should consider these factors when evaluating trust and security.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2013 |
| 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 | 1 |
Interactive Brokers stands out for its competitive pricing structure, despite the absence of published average spreads for forex. During Q3 2024, the EUR/USD had an average spread of 0.19 pips, with an effective all-in spread of 0.59 pips including commission. Commissions start at 0.00002 (0.2 basis points) of the U.S. dollar trade value, with a minimum charge of $2 per trade. This can decrease to 0.08 basis points for exceptionally active traders. Interactive Brokers provides significant discounts for those trading over a billion dollars in forex monthly, and their brokerage can handle substantial orders efficiently.
On the other hand, GBE Brokers does not typically publish data on average spreads, creating challenges in directly comparing costs with Interactive Brokers. Despite this, GBE Brokers is recognized for charging commissions and fees that are generally considered competitive, earning them a 4-star rating out of five. In terms of overall ranking by ForexBrokers.com, GBE Brokers holds the #36 spot out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees, indicating room for improvement compared to industry leaders.
Interactive Brokers achieves a perfect 5-star rating in the same category, securing the #2 position out of 62 brokers. Their transparent fee structure and opportunities for active traders to secure discounts make them an appealing choice. While GBE Brokers provides credible services in the forex trading world, Interactive Brokers' detailed pricing and high-ranking performance underscore their advantageous position for traders prioritizing cost efficiency.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 |
| 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 | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| 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 the range of available investments, Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers present distinct offerings for traders. Interactive Brokers stands out with an impressive 8,500 tradeable symbols, which includes 90 forex pairs. They provide the ability to trade both CFDs and spot contracts in forex markets. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers gives clients access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, allowing them to purchase real shares of companies like Apple and Vodafone. They also support buying both actual cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency derivatives. However, Interactive Brokers does not offer copy trading features. The broker enjoys a top-tier 5-star rating and is ranked #1 out of 62 for the range of investments by ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, GBE Brokers provides a more limited selection with 500 tradeable symbols, including 71 forex pairs. Similar to Interactive Brokers, they offer forex trading through CFDs and spot contracts and support cryptocurrency derivatives but not actual cryptocurrency purchases. Unlike Interactive Brokers, GBE Brokers does not provide access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, so clients cannot buy shares like Apple or Vodafone directly. However, GBE Brokers does offer the option of copy trading. They hold a 3.5-star rating and rank #44 for the range of investments on ForexBrokers.com. These differences highlight how each broker caters to diverse trading needs, with Interactive Brokers providing a broader range of investment opportunities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 71 |
| 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.
Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers both offer simulated trading, providing free virtual demo accounts for traders who want to practice without financial risk. While both brokers have Windows-based desktop platforms and web-based interfaces, Interactive Brokers stands out with its in-house developed trading platform. In contrast, GBE Brokers serves traders who prefer popular third-party platforms, offering both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Additionally, GBE Brokers supports copy trading, a feature Interactive Brokers does not offer. However, neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting, Interactive Brokers presents an impressive selection with 85 drawing tools and the ability to trade directly from stock charts. It also offers extensive customization for watch lists, with a staggering 659 columns available, while GBE Brokers only offers 15 drawing tools and 7 watch list columns. Ranking highly among its peers, Interactive Brokers earns a 5-star rating for its trading platforms and tools, placing third out of 62 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com. GBE Brokers, while still solid with a 4-star rating, ranks lower at 57th, highlighting some areas for potential improvement in their trading tools.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 |
| 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.
Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers both offer comprehensive mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring easy access to trading on the go. Both apps feature stock and forex price alerts, and allow traders to draw trendlines and view different time frames on charts. However, when it comes to syncing watchlists between the mobile app and online accounts, Interactive Brokers takes the lead with its seamless integration. Additionally, Interactive Brokers offers an impressive 97 technical studies for charting, far surpassing the 30 studies provided by GBE Brokers. While GBE Brokers’ app has the advantage of auto-saving chart drawings, the deep analysis tools provided by Interactive Brokers may outweigh this feature for traders focused on technical details.
For those prioritizing real-time data, both apps offer watchlists with live quotes, although the overall user experience differs. Interactive Brokers achieves a perfect 5-star rating for its mobile trading app and is ranked #4 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its strong market standing. In contrast, GBE Brokers receives a 4-star rating and ranks #57 in the same category. These rankings highlight Interactive Brokers as a preferred choice for traders looking for a high-quality mobile trading experience packed with features to enhance their trading strategy.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| 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.
When it comes to market research offerings, Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers both provide daily market commentary and maintain access to economic calendars, ensuring investors stay informed about global events and trends. However, Interactive Brokers goes the extra mile by providing forex news from reputable outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters, unlike GBE Brokers, which does not access such top-tier sources. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers offers advanced research tools such as Trading Central's Technical Analytics and sentiment-based trading insights, giving traders a comprehensive edge. In contrast, GBE Brokers lacks these valuable resources.
Additionally, Interactive Brokers stands out by offering resources like TipRanks and Acuity Trading's Signal Centre, adding depth to its market research toolkit. These offerings contribute to Interactive Brokers' impressive five-star rating in research and a reputable #3 ranking out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, GBE Brokers, with its limited research tools, receives a three-star rating and is ranked at #61. This notable difference highlights Interactive Brokers' commitment to providing thorough and insightful market research tools for various trading strategies.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| 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 Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers in terms of educational resources for beginners, Interactive Brokers stands out with an array of offerings. They provide beginners with comprehensive forex and CFDs education, including more than 10 articles, videos, and archived webinars. Beginner traders can also benefit from at least one monthly online educational webinar and have access to a searchable archive of previous sessions. Interactive Brokers further supports new traders with over 10 beginner educational videos and provides an investor dictionary featuring over 50 investing terms. Advanced traders are not left out either, with ample resources like advanced educational videos to hone their skills.
On the other hand, GBE Brokers falls short in offering educational resources for novices. While they provide some level of educational content, they do not meet the benchmark of 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, regular educational webinars, or a searchable archive of past webinars. Additionally, they lack sufficient beginner-level videos and an extensive investor dictionary. As reflected in ratings, Interactive Brokers received a robust 5-star rating for education, ranking #3 out of 62 brokers, while GBE Brokers earned a 3-star rating, landing at the bottom of the list at #62. Thus, Interactive Brokers clearly provides a more favorable educational environment for individuals starting or enhancing their trading journey.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 GBE brokers. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while GBE brokers finished with an overall rank of #56.
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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GBE brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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Interactive Brokers provides investors with the opportunity to purchase both actual delivered cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas GBE Brokers only offers cryptocurrency derivatives, not the actual cryptocurrencies themselves.
While both Interactive Brokers and GBE Brokers support ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing account funds, GBE Brokers additionally offers options such as PayPal, Skrill, and Visa or Mastercard, which are not 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 | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2013 | |
| 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 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 71 | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
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