Degiro and Interactive Brokers are leading global multi-asset brokers, but which one should you trust for your Forex portfolios?

I have conducted an in-depth review of Degiro vs. Interactive Brokers to determine which broker is the better overall choice and which traders will benefit most from each

Headquarters
NetherlandsUnited States
Regulators
N/AASIC, Central Bank of Ireland, CFTC, FCA, MAS, SEBI, SEC
Tier 1 Regulator(s)?
Owned by Public Company?
Year Established
20081978
Execution Type(s)
N/AMarket Maker
Minimum Deposit
N/A$0
Negative Balance Protection
N/A
Trading Platform(s)
Proprietary platformProprietary platform
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD
Not applicableAccount and account-tier dependent
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD
Not applicableAccount and account-tier dependent
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil
UndisclosedAccount and account-tier dependent
Average Trading Cost Gold
UndisclosedAccount and account-tier dependent
Retail Loss Rate
UndisclosedUndisclosed
Minimum Raw Spreads
Not applicable0.1 pips
Minimum Standard Spreads
Not applicableNot applicable
Minimum Commission for Forex
Not applicable$2.00
Islamic Account
Signals
US Persons Accepted?
Managed Accounts
Visit WebsiteVisit Website

Here is a snapshot of the most notable advantages of Degiro:

  • The corporate owner is a publicly listed German bank
  • Analyst views and ESG ratings
  • 63M+ transactions from 3M+ traders
  • €70B+ in assets under custody
  • Manual-only trading from an execution-only broker

Here is a snapshot of the most notable advantages of Interactive Brokers:

  • 3.34M+ accounts with $3.52M+ daily revenue trades
  • An average order execution speed between 95 and 250 milliseconds
  • $12.4B in excess regulatory capital
  • 160 markets across 36 countries in 28 currencies
  • Margin rates rank among the lowest industry-wide, with rates as low as 4.83%
  • A Stock Yield Enhancement Program that pays income on the fully paid shares of stocks
  • Robo Advisory services and 2,000+ services in the Investors’ Marketplace

Features and Platforms

MT4
MT5
MT4/MT5 Add-Ons
cTrader
Proprietary Platform
Automated Trading
Social/Copy Trading
DOM?
N/A
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Scalping
Hedging
One-Click Trading
OCO Orders
Interest on Margin
Visit WebsiteVisit Website

Available Markets

Currency Pairs
Cryptocurrencies
Commodities
Crude Oil
Gold
Metals
Equity Indices
N/A
Stocks (non-CFDs)
Bonds
ETFs
Options
Futures
Synthetics
Visit WebsiteVisit Website

Degiro primarily caters to buy-and-hold investors via assets listed on 45+ exchanges in 30+ counties. Interactive Brokers offers 160 markets across 36 countries in 28 currencies.

Here is why Interactive Brokers is a better choice for most traders:

  • 43,000 mutual funds, including 18,000 without transaction fees, and global ETFs, including commission-free ETFs

Typical Spreads and Fees

Average Trading Cost EUR/USD
Not applicableAccount and account-tier dependent
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD
Not applicableAccount and account-tier dependent
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil
UndisclosedAccount and account-tier dependent
Average Trading Cost Gold
UndisclosedAccount and account-tier dependent
Average Trading Cost Bitcoin
Not applicableAccount and account-tier dependent
Minimum Raw Spreads
Not applicable0.1 pips
Minimum Standard Spreads
Not applicableNot applicable
Minimum Commission for Forex
Not applicable$2.00
Deposit Fee
N/A
Withdrawal Fee
N/A
Inactivity Fee
N/A
Visit WebsiteVisit Website

Degiro offers commission-based equity accounts versus commission-free equity accounts at Interactive Brokers, but which is cheaper?

Interactive Brokers trading fees are ultra-low for Forex traders and feature commission-free equity trading for select jurisdictions. Degiro applies a flat fee per stock plus a €1 handling fee for equity traders.

Account Types

Account Types
Degiro
Interactive Brokers
Commission-free Accounts
Yes
Yes
Commission-based Accounts
No
Yes
Demo Accounts
No
Yes
Islamic Accounts
No
No
Social / Copy Trading
No
No
Managed Accounts
Yes
Yes

Degiro features Basic, Active, Trader, and Day Trader accounts. Interactive Brokers accounts are commission-based, with many commission-free assets.

Are there any other noteworthy differences in the account structure between Degiro and Interactive Brokers?

Here is what stands out the most:

  • Interactive Brokers has more trading tools
  • Interactive Brokers offers 2,000+ services across five categories
  • Degiro requires new clients to take appropriateness tests and agree to additional conditions to receive account upgrades

Minimum Deposit

Deposit Snapshot
Degiro
Interactive Brokers
Minimum Deposit
$0
$0
Deposit Fees
Third-Party
Third-Party
E-wallets
No
Yes
Cryptocurrencies
No
No
Localized Methods
Yes
No
Total Deposit Methods
2
2
Supported Deposit Currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, CHF
All fiat currencies

How Difficult Is It to Deposit at Degiro vs. Interactive Brokers?

Both brokers rely on bank-related deposit methods, but Interactive Brokers added Wise, granting it a minor edge. Degiro caters to its European traders with the continent’s fast online banking services like SEPA and BACS. Neither broker supports cryptocurrency deposits, but Degiro has a localized approach for its core market.

Minimum Withdrawal

Withdrawal Snapshot
Degiro
Interactive Brokers
Minimum Withdrawal
$0
$0
Internal Withdrawal Fees
$0 (third-party processing fees may apply)
$0 (for the first monthly withdrawal)
Internal Processing Times
Between two to four business days
Within 72 hours

Which Withdrawal Process Is Better: Degiro or Interactive Brokers?

Degiro, owned by flatexDEGIRO Bank AG, automatically opens a bank account and prefers clients to use it for withdrawals. Interactive Brokers offers one free monthly withdrawal, before a fee applies. Neither broker maintains a trader-friendly infrastructure, but Interactive Broker withdrawals have quicker processing times. Overall, withdrawal requests are equally simple at Degiro and Interactive Brokers.

Security and Trust

Country of the Regulator
Germany, NetherlandsAustralia, Canada, Hong Kong (SAR), Ireland, India, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States
Name of the Regulator
N/AASIC, Central Bank of Ireland, CFTC, FCA, MAS, SEBI, SEC
Regulatory License Number
Undisclosed36418/8-47257, undisclosed but confirmed, C423427, 208159, 433554, undisclosed, INZ000021730, undisclosed, CMS100917
Regulatory Tier
N/A1,1,1,1,1,1,2,1,1
Visit WebsiteVisit Website

Which Broker Is More Secure and Trustworthy?

Both brokers are excellent industry-leading choices with a well-deserved positive reputation. Degiro is part of publicly listed German flatexDEGIRO Bank AG, offering an extra layer of regulation and financial controls. Interactive Brokers ranks among the leading brokers globally based on the daily average revenue from trades and it is an S&P400 member. Therefore, I rank both equally in terms of security and trust.

Degiro versus Interactive Brokers Verdict

Degiro

Pros
Cons
Low transaction fees
No Forex or cryptocurrency trading, and only available in 17 countries
Equities and ETFs from 50 exchanges
User-friendly web-based investment platform
Part of a bank and publicly listed company in Germany

Interactive Brokers

Pros
Cons
Cutting-edge trading platform, including algorithmic trading support
Limited payment processors
Superb trading infrastructure and ultra-low trading fees
Robo-advisory and Investors’ Marketplace
Excellent asset selection

Which Forex Broker Is Better?

Degiro and Interactive Brokers are industry-leading brokers, and I recommend traders test both the trading environments in their respective demo accounts.

Here is my verdict:

Degiro is a good choice for equity investors if they can access it and require a manual-only trading environment for long-term buy-and-hold portfolios. Interactive Brokers is a superior brokerage with cutting-edge infrastructure, ultra-low trading fees, and industry-leading asset selection. It ensures better diversification and leveraged trading ,while also supporting algorithmic trading.

FAQs

Do professionals use Interactive Brokers?

expand.png

Many professional traders use Interactive Brokers, an industry-leading multi-asset broker offering a trading environment few competing brokers can match.

Are Degiro fees high?

expand.png

Degiro fees for investors are among the lowest in the markets where Degiro operates.

Which is better, Degiro or Interactive Brokers?

expand.png

Interactive Brokers is a superior brokerage with cutting-edge infrastructure, ultra-low trading fees, and industry-leading asset selection.