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 and Tickmill are two options to consider for online trading, both offering different levels of trust and credibility. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers is publicly traded and boasts the highest ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99. It holds 9 Tier-1 licenses, reflecting strong regulatory compliance. On the other hand, Tickmill, established in 2014, is not publicly traded and has a Trust Score of 86. While it holds 2 Tier-1 licenses, this suggests a solid level of trust but not as extensive as Interactive Brokers.
Neither company operates as a bank, focusing solely on providing brokerage services. Both firms hold 2 Tier-2 licenses, indicating they meet trusted standards in certain jurisdictions. However, Interactive Brokers' extensive Tier-1 licensing positions it as a more secure choice from a regulatory perspective compared to Tickmill. For investors prioritizing regulatory approval and publicly traded status, Interactive Brokers may offer greater peace of mind.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Interactive Brokers and Tickmill garner high ratings for their competitive commissions and fees, each earning a 5-star rating. Interactive Brokers is ranked #2 in the Commissions and Fees category by ForexBrokers.com. Although it doesn't publish average forex spreads, during Q3 2024, the EUR/USD spread was 0.19 pips on average, resulting in an all-in spread of 0.59 pips after including commissions. Fees for forex trading start at 0.2 basis points with a minimum of $2 per order, but exceptionally active traders can see a drop to 0.08 basis points. A typical $100,000 EUR/USD trade would result in a commission-equivalent of 0.40 pips plus prevailing spreads.
Tickmill ranks closely behind Interactive Brokers at #4, offering low-cost options for traders with two account types: Classic and Raw. The Classic account is commission-free, though it has higher average spreads of about 1.76 pips. In contrast, the Raw account offers tighter spreads, with a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips. Despite a recent increase in the per-side commission to $3 or $6 per standard lot, leading to an all-in cost of 0.71 pips, Tickmill remains a top choice for active traders due to its competitive pricing structure and low barriers to entry.
Both Interactive Brokers and Tickmill cater well to active traders with different strengths. Interactive Brokers offers discounts for those trading over $1 billion monthly, dropping the minimum charge to as low as $1 per order, while Tickmill's Raw account provides access to top spreads and a minimum deposit of just $100, appealing for those who seek low-cost algo trading options. Together, these brokers deliver favorable conditions for traders looking to optimize costs in forex trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 0.51 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | 0.31 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| 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 comparing the range of investments offered by Interactive Brokers and Tickmill, it's clear that Interactive Brokers provides a more extensive array of options. Interactive Brokers boasts access to 8,500 tradeable symbols, including exchange-traded securities from both U.S. and international markets, such as Apple and Vodafone shares, unlike Tickmill, which does not offer these opportunities. Additionally, Interactive Brokers supports 90 forex pairs and provides the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies along with derivatives, catering to a broad spectrum of investment preferences.
Tickmill, on the other hand, offers 725 tradeable symbols and 63 forex pairs. While it lacks the option to invest in exchange-traded securities, it does provide copy trading and access to cryptocurrency derivatives. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and is ranked #1 by ForexBrokers.com for its range of investments, while Tickmill receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks at #42. This comparison highlights Interactive Brokers as a more versatile platform for investors seeking diverse investment opportunities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 725 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 63 |
| 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 Tickmill both offer valuable trading tools and platforms, making them appealing choices for traders. Both brokers provide simulated paper trading accounts, allowing traders to practice without real-world risks. However, Interactive Brokers stands out with its proprietary trading platform, developed in-house, which is available as a Windows-based desktop application and a web-based platform. Tickmill, while lacking an in-house platform, ensures a comprehensive trading experience with widely popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, also available on both Windows and web-based interfaces. For traders keen on copy trading, Tickmill is the better option, as it supports this feature, unlike Interactive Brokers.
When it comes to charting and customizability, Interactive Brokers excels with an extensive array of 85 drawing tools and the ability to list up to 659 columns in watch lists, compared to Tickmill's 15 drawing tools and 7 watch list fields. Both brokers allow trades directly from stock charts, offering ease of execution. While both do not support DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, Interactive Brokers impresses with its overall rating of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools, and a high ranking of #3 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, Tickmill holds a respectable 4-star rating and a #32 ranking, indicating a reliable, but slightly less comprehensive offering.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both Interactive Brokers and Tickmill provide mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android devices, making trading accessible on the go. Both platforms enable users to create watchlists with real-time quotes and set up price alerts for stocks and forex. However, a distinguishing feature is that Interactive Brokers offers syncing of watchlist symbols between the mobile app and the client's online account, a functionality absent in Tickmill's app. Interactive Brokers stands out with 97 technical studies for charting, compared to Tickmill’s 30, offering more in-depth chart analysis options. Additionally, their app allows users to draw trendlines on charts, though these drawings are not auto-saved, unlike in Tickmill’s app.
When it comes to viewing various time frames on charts, both apps provide flexibility, supporting daily, weekly, and intraday views. Rating-wise, Interactive Brokers' mobile app holds a five-star rating, while Tickmill's app is rated four stars. In the category of Mobile Trading Apps, Interactive Brokers ranks #4 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, a testament to its comprehensive features and user experience, while Tickmill comes in at #31. These rankings highlight Interactive Brokers as the preferable choice for those who prioritize extensive features and seamless integration across platforms.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Interactive Brokers and Tickmill both provide daily market commentary, offering clients timely insights into financial markets. They also deliver forex news from premier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, the two brokers differ when it comes to technical analysis and research tools. Interactive Brokers supports Trading Central tools for in-depth technical analysis, whereas Tickmill does not. Both brokers use Acuity Trading's tools, including Signal Centre, and provide economic calendars to keep traders updated on global events.
Interactive Brokers stands out for its market research due to its comprehensive offerings, including sentiment-based trading tools and TipRanks market research, giving them a higher research rating of 5 stars. In comparison, Tickmill lacks some of these tools, contributing to its research rating of 4 stars. Consequently, Interactive Brokers ranks higher, placing 3rd among 62 brokers in the Research category on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill ranks 21st, highlighting Interactive Brokers' enhanced market analysis capabilities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner traders seeking to dive into the world of forex and CFDs, both Interactive Brokers and Tickmill provide valuable educational resources. Interactive Brokers stands out with its educational offerings, which include a comprehensive archive of webinars and over 10 beginner-focused videos. This broker ensures that fresh traders have access to a wide variety of learning materials, such as articles and videos, that cover essential trading topics. Moreover, Interactive Brokers provides an investor dictionary with more than 50 investment terms, helping novice investors familiarize themselves with industry jargon. This commitment to education is partly why Interactive Brokers is highly rated with 5 stars in education, taking the impressive #3 spot out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Tickmill, on the other hand, is also proactive in its educational services targeted toward beginners and offers a sufficient range of learning materials, including more than 10 beginner and advanced videos. The broker hosts regular webinars which are archived and easily accessible for ongoing learning. Additionally, Tickmill provides an investor dictionary to elucidate key trading terms. While Tickmill does a commendable job in equipping new traders with the necessary knowledge, earning a 4-star rating for education, its educational ranking is #15 out of 62 on ForexBrokers.com, trailing behind Interactive Brokers. Both platforms support new traders, but Interactive Brokers slightly edges out in terms of breadth and accessibility of educational resources.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Tickmill. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #22.
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
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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Interactive Brokers provides investors with the option to purchase both actual cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency derivatives, while Tickmill exclusively offers cryptocurrency derivatives, lacking the option for buying actual cryptocurrency.
When comparing Interactive Brokers and Tickmill as online brokers, Interactive Brokers allows ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for handling account funds but does not support PayPal, Skrill, or Visa/Mastercard, whereas Tickmill does not support ACH/SEPA transfers but does offer options for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | 86 | |
| 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 | 86 | |
| 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 | 9 | 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 (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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 725 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 63 | |
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 0.51 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | 0.31 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| 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 | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Tickmill Review |
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