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.
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 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 keep forex trading costs low, but they do it in different ways. Interactive Brokers earns 5/5 stars and ranks #2 of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while Tickmill earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #10. On EUR/USD, the data we obtained for Q3 2024 shows Interactive Brokers with an average spread of 0.19 pips and an effective all-in cost of about 0.59 pips after commission. Tickmill’s Raw account typically shows a 0.11-pip spread, but with its current $3-per-side commission the all-in cost comes to about 0.71 pips. Traders placing smaller trade sizes may find Tickmill’s fixed-per-lot model easier to predict, whereas Interactive Brokers’ $2-per-side minimum can make sub-100k trades proportionally pricier.
Interactive Brokers aggregates prices from 17 major interbank dealers and charges a commission instead of adding a spread markup. Commissions start at 0.00002 of the USD trade value per side (minimum $2 per order; $4 per round turn), equivalent to roughly $16–$40 per million round turn ($8–$20 per side). A $100,000 EUR/USD buy-and-sell would carry about 0.40 pips in commission on top of the spread, aligning with the 0.59-pip all-in figure observed in Q3 2024. Note that pricing can improve for high-volume clients: the minimum drops to $1.50 per order above $1 billion in monthly volume and to $1 at $5 billion, and large orders can be handled via RFQ to help reduce market impact.
Tickmill offers two accounts. The Classic account is commission-free but has wider average spreads (about 1.76 pips on EUR/USD as of August 2023). The Raw account—now $3 per side per 100,000 units ($6 round turn)—shows a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips, for about 0.71 pips all-in after today’s commission. With just a $100 minimum deposit for the Raw account, Tickmill remains appealing to active traders who want tight spreads with a simple per-lot commission, while Interactive Brokers may deliver lower all-in costs on EUR/USD for standard or larger trade sizes, especially for very high-volume traders.
| 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 vs Tickmill: when it comes to the range of investments, the numbers tell the story. Interactive Brokers lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, while Tickmill offers 637 symbols and 63 forex pairs. Both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earned 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers, whereas Tickmill received 3.5 stars and ranked #30.
Your choice may hinge on what you want to trade. Interactive Brokers lets you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), plus it supports buying actual cryptocurrency—not crypto CFDs. Tickmill does not offer exchange-traded stocks, but it does support copy trading and provides cryptocurrency CFDs (not the underlying coins). If you want the widest market access across stocks, forex, and real crypto, Interactive Brokers is the fuller menu; if you want copy trading and crypto via CFDs, Tickmill fits that niche.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 63 |
| 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 vs Tickmill: both brokers offer free paper trading (demo) accounts, web-based platforms, Windows desktop software, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Interactive Brokers stands out for its in-house proprietary platform and earned 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, ranking #2 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. Tickmill is rated 4 stars and ranks #24.
Key differences: Interactive Brokers does not support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) or MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and does not offer copy trading. Tickmill doesn’t have a proprietary platform, but it supports MT4 and MT5 and offers copy trading. If you want MetaTrader and social/copy features, Tickmill is the better fit. If you prefer an in-house platform with higher platform-and-tools ratings, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice.
| 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 | 91 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Tickmill both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. A key difference is watchlists: Interactive Brokers syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Tickmill does not, which may matter if you switch devices often.
For charting, Interactive Brokers supplies 155 technical studies versus Tickmill’s 30. Tickmill’s app does auto-save your chart drawings; Interactive Brokers’ app does not. In overall quality, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #25, according to ForexBrokers.com. In short, Interactive Brokers suits traders who want deeper chart tools and synced watchlists, while Tickmill fits those who prefer simpler charting with auto-saved drawings.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and Tickmill both cover the essentials for market research: daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones), sentiment tools, Acuity Trading signals, and a full economic calendar. Neither broker includes Autochartist. The key differences are in third‑party add‑ons: Interactive Brokers includes Trading Central and TipRanks, while Tickmill does not. If you value integrated analyst insights and extra screening tools, Interactive Brokers has the edge; if you mainly want news, commentary, and sentiment data, both brokers deliver.
Ratings back this up: Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill holds 4 stars and ranks #19. In short, Interactive Brokers suits traders seeking deeper built‑in research tools, whereas Tickmill covers the core research features many traders need.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers and Tickmill both make it easier for beginners to get started with trading education. Each broker runs online client webinars at least once a month and offers 10+ beginner videos that explain core trading topics in plain language. As you advance, both also provide 10+ videos for experienced traders, so you can keep learning without switching platforms.
Where they differ is in overall depth and recognition. Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #14. For newcomers who want the most highly rated learning experience—with frequent webinars and extensive video lessons—Interactive Brokers stands out. Tickmill remains a solid pick if you want regular live education and plenty of videos to build confidence step by step.
| 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
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| 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 | 63 | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 91 | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Tickmill Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill