Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Vantage, 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 and Vantage are two well-regarded online brokers, but they differ significantly in their regulatory standings and trust ratings. Interactive Brokers, established in 1977, is publicly traded and holds an impressive nine Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Vantage, founded in 2009, is not publicly traded and holds two Tier-1 licenses. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers is backed by a near-perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99, reflecting its high reliability, while Vantage has a Trust Score of 90, placing it in the "highly trusted" category.
While neither Interactive Brokers nor Vantage operates as a bank, their varying licenses and trust ratings reflect different levels of regulatory assurance. Interactive Brokers not only has a significant number of Tier-1 licenses but also holds two Tier-2 licenses, adding another layer of trust. Vantage, on the other hand, holds one Tier-2 license. For potential investors and traders, these differences in regulation and trust ratings can be key factors when choosing between the two platforms.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing online brokers Interactive Brokers and Vantage in terms of commissions and fees, there are some notable differences in their offerings. Interactive Brokers, known for its competitive pricing, garners a 5-star rating and holds the #2 rank among 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. The broker does not publish average forex spreads, but during Q3 2024, the average spread for EUR/USD was 0.19 pips, resulting in an effective all-in spread of 0.59 pips with commission. Forex trading commissions range from 0.2 to 0.08 basis points of the U.S. dollar value, with a minimum of $2 per order. Discounts on commissions are available for active traders meeting certain monthly trade volumes.
Vantage provides an assortment of account options that influence trading costs, earning it 4.5 stars and an #18 rank. Its Standard STP account features spreads of 1.30 pips on EUR/USD, while the RAW ECN account offers average spreads of 0.15 pips plus a $6 commission per round turn. The PRO ECN account has a per-side commission of $2, yielding a competitive pricing structure, especially for those eligible under specific regulatory requirements. Furthermore, Vantage offers an active trader program on the Standard account with rebates based on balance and trading volume.
While both brokers have strengths, Interactive Brokers stands out with lower overall forex commissions for high-volume traders and ranks higher overall. Meanwhile, Vantage provides multiple account types, which may appeal to traders looking for specific account features. Each broker caters to different trading needs and strategies depending on the preferred structure of commissions and fees.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.30 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | 0.75 |
| 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 Interactive Brokers and Vantage in terms of available investments, Interactive Brokers stands out with an impressive array of 8,500 tradeable symbols, including 90 forex pairs, and a broad spectrum of securities available on both U.S. and international exchanges. Clients can directly purchase shares of well-known companies like Apple and Vodafone. Additionally, Interactive Brokers offers the option to buy both real cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency derivatives. However, it lacks copy trading features.
In contrast, Vantage provides 1,000 tradeable symbols, including 57 forex pairs, and while it excels by offering copy trading, it does not provide access to exchange-traded U.S. or international securities. Vantage also focuses on cryptocurrency derivatives rather than offering actual digital currency investments. In light of these differences, Interactive Brokers enjoys a perfect 5-star rating for its range of investments and ranks as the top broker out of 62 in this category, whereas Vantage holds a 3.5-star rating and is placed 50th.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 57 |
| 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 Vantage both offer a range of trading platforms and tools, suitable for various kinds of traders. Both brokers provide a simulated trading experience through free virtual demo accounts, which is great for those new to trading or looking to test new strategies without risking real money. Each offers their own proprietary trading platforms, alongside the availability of desktop and web-based platforms, ensuring flexibility in how traders can access the markets. However, Vantage stands out by supporting copy trading and popular third-party platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, alongside additional tools like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade. In contrast, Interactive Brokers does not support these options but provides advanced features like a substantial number of drawing tools for charting and a comprehensive watch list feature with up to 659 customizable fields, compared to Vantage's 7 fields.
When it comes to accolades and expert ratings, Interactive Brokers tends to lead the field. It has earned a formidable 5-star rating for its trading platforms and tools, securing the third position out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Vantage, though competitive and user-friendly, offers a 4-star experience and ranks 15th. Both platforms support trading directly from stock charts, adding a layer of convenience for traders. Ultimately, traders choosing between Interactive Brokers and Vantage should weigh the breadth of technical tools and rating excellence of Interactive Brokers against the more inclusive trading options like MetaTrader support that Vantage offers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| 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 Vantage offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, making it convenient for users to trade anytime, anywhere. They both provide features like stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and view various time frames on charts. Where Interactive Brokers stands out is its extensive selection of 97 technical studies compared to Vantage's 30. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers offers watchlist symbol syncing, allowing seamless syncing between your mobile app and online account, a feature absent in Vantage. However, Vantage has the advantage of auto-saving drawings on charts, which Interactive Brokers does not offer.
In terms of real-time functionality, both apps enable users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, giving traders timely insights. When it comes to user ratings and rankings, Interactive Brokers scores higher with a five-star rating and is ranked 4th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for Mobile Trading Apps. In contrast, Vantage holds a four-star rating and ranks 26th. This suggests that while both platforms offer solid mobile trading experiences, Interactive Brokers generally offers a richer feature set and higher user satisfaction.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vantage both provide essential market commentary and forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, making them solid choices for traders seeking daily insights. Additionally, each broker offers tools from Trading Central for technical analysis, and both provide sentiment-based trading tools. However, Interactive Brokers takes the lead by offering market research from TipRanks and tools from Acuity Trading, which Vantage lacks. This gives Interactive Brokers a slight edge in comprehensive market research offerings, as supported by their higher research rating of 5 stars compared to Vantage’s 4 stars.
When it comes to economic calendars, both platforms deliver timely information on global news events, ensuring traders are informed about upcoming economic activities. Yet, Interactive Brokers is ranked third out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for its research capabilities, whereas Vantage ranks twenty-fourth. This difference in ranking emphasizes Interactive Brokers' superiority in providing a more enriched research experience for traders.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 offered by Interactive Brokers and Vantage for beginners, both online brokers provide a comprehensive learning experience. Interactive Brokers and Vantage each offer more than ten educational pieces focused on forex and CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Moreover, both brokers host at least one online educational webinar per month, in addition to maintaining a searchable archive of past webinars. Beginners can also access dedicated educational videos tailored to their level, with both brokers offering at least ten beginner-friendly videos. Additionally, for those looking to deepen their knowledge, each offers more than ten advanced trading videos aimed at experienced traders. Finally, both brokers provide an investor dictionary containing definitions for at least 50 investing terms.
While both Interactive Brokers and Vantage present extensive educational tools, Interactive Brokers takes the lead in overall quality and ranking. With a perfect 5-star rating and a position as the third-ranked broker in the education category by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers edges out Vantage, which holds a 4-star rating and sits in the 27th spot. Thus, while both platforms are well-equipped to assist beginner traders, Interactive Brokers offers a slightly superior educational experience according to ratings and rankings.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vantage. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Vantage finished with an overall rank of #26.
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
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 |
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Interactive Brokers allows investors to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency derivatives, while Vantage offers only the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives without the ability to buy the actual cryptocurrencies.
Interactive Brokers supports ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for account transactions, while Vantage offers a diverse range of deposit and withdrawal options including PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but does not support ACH or SEPA transfers.
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 | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Vantage Review |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 57 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.30 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | 0.75 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Vantage Review |
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