Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Tickmill, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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Interactive Brokers vs. Tickmill: regulation and trust at a glance. Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, is publicly traded and not a bank. It holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99/99, which is considered highly trusted. Tickmill, founded in 2014, is privately held and not a bank, with a Trust Score of 85/99, which ForexBrokers.com rates as trusted.
On licensing, Interactive Brokers has 8 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses, while Tickmill has 2 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Tier-1 regulators are viewed as highly trusted and Tier-2 as trusted. In simple terms, Interactive Brokers has a broader top-tier regulatory footprint, while Tickmill still meets recognized regulatory standards.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Interactive Brokers and Tickmill both offer pricing that can appeal to forex traders, but they take different approaches. Interactive Brokers earns a 5-star rating and ranks #2 out of 36 for commissions and fees. It uses a commission-based model rather than widening spreads, with EUR/USD pricing in Q3 2024 showing an average spread of 0.19 pips and an estimated all-in cost of about 0.59 pips after commission. Its forex commissions start at $2 per order per side, which can be attractive for larger trades, though smaller trade sizes may feel the minimum charge more heavily.
Tickmill is also a low-cost broker, especially on its Raw account, and it holds a 4.5-star rating with a ranking of #10 out of 36 for commissions and fees. Its Classic account is commission-free, but the spread is wider, while the Raw account charges $3 per side and offers tighter pricing. With typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.11 pips on the Raw account, the all-in cost is higher than before because of the larger commission, but it can still be a solid choice for active traders looking for low overall trading costs.
In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is the better pick if you want stronger overall value on commissions and fees, especially for larger forex trades. Tickmill remains competitive and easier to start with thanks to its low minimum deposit and account choices, but its Raw account is now a bit more expensive than before. If cost is your main focus, Interactive Brokers has the edge; if you want a simple low-cost setup with flexible account options, Tickmill is still worth considering.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.70 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.70 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a much wider range of investments than Tickmill, making it a stronger choice for traders who want more variety. Interactive Brokers lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, compared with Tickmill’s 637 symbols and 62 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading, but Interactive Brokers also lets clients trade exchange-listed securities on U.S. and international markets, such as U.S. shares and overseas stocks, while Tickmill does not offer these direct share investments.
There are also key differences in crypto and trading features. Interactive Brokers allows clients to buy actual cryptocurrency, but it does not offer cryptocurrency CFDs, while Tickmill offers crypto CFDs but not delivered crypto. Tickmill does offer copy trading, which Interactive Brokers does not. Even so, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #30.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 62 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 Tickmill both give traders a choice of paper trading, desktop software, and web-based platforms, so you can test ideas or trade from either a computer or browser. Both also let you place trades directly from a chart, which can make order entry quicker. Where they differ is in platform extras: Interactive Brokers offers its own in-house trading platform, while Tickmill does not. Tickmill, however, supports copy trading and includes popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 access, which may appeal to traders who want familiar third-party tools.
In overall trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead with a 5-star rating and a #2 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with Tickmill’s 4 stars and #24 ranking. That makes Interactive Brokers the stronger pick for traders who want a wider range of platform options and higher-rated tools, while Tickmill may suit those who value MT4, MT5, and copy trading alongside its own paper trading and browser-based access.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 97 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Tickmill both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage accounts on the go with either broker. Each app also supports watchlist syncing, which means changes made on the mobile app or in the online account stay aligned. Both platforms let users draw trendlines on charts, but neither app auto-saves those drawings. Where Interactive Brokers stands out is in alerts and charting depth: it offers stock and forex price alerts and includes 155 technical studies in its mobile charts, compared with 97 at Tickmill.
Overall, Interactive Brokers has the stronger mobile app experience, earning 5 out of 5 stars and a #4 ranking from ForexBrokers.com in the Mobile Trading Apps category. Tickmill is still a solid choice, with app access on both major mobile systems and useful chart tools, but it lacks price alerts and ranks lower at #25 with a 4-star rating. For traders who want more charting tools and alert features in a mobile app, Interactive Brokers has the edge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 97 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers has a clear edge over Tickmill for market research. Both brokers provide daily market commentary and an economic calendar, and both include tools from Acuity Trading. However, Interactive Brokers goes further by offering forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Trading Central research, sentiment tools that show long and short positioning, and TipRanks data. Tickmill does not offer most of these extras.
This difference is reflected in their research scores and rankings. Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #19. For traders who want more market insights and deeper third-party analysis, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning tools for beginners, Interactive Brokers and Tickmill both give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex or CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, along with monthly client webinars and 10 or more beginner videos, plus 10 or more advanced videos for traders who want to go further. That means both platforms cover the basics and offer room to keep learning as your skills grow.
The main difference is in overall education quality and ranking. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars for Education and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill is rated 4 stars and ranks #14. For beginners who want the widest mix of lessons, videos, and webinars backed by a top education score, Interactive Brokers has the edge, though Tickmill still offers a solid set of learning resources.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than Tickmill. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23.
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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Tickmill
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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Interactive Brokers vs Tickmill: the online broker Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency (not a CFD) but does not offer cryptocurrency CFDs, while Tickmill does not provide access to actual (delivered) crypto and instead supports trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
Comparing online brokers Interactive Brokers vs Tickmill for deposit and withdrawal options: Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers, while Tickmill supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 637 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 62 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.70 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 97 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 97 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Tickmill Review |
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