Fortrade
Interactive Brokers
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Overview
Fortrade was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in UK, while Interactive Brokers was established in 1977 and is based in United States. Fortrade holds licences including Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) FRN: 609970, while Interactive Brokers is regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Australian Securities and Investments Commission (AFSL: 453554) and is a participant of ASX among others. Fortrade serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; Interactive Brokers has 1,000,000+. Both brokers share the same minimum deposit of $1.
| Feature | Fortrade | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $1 | $1 |
| Regulation | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) FRN: 609970, National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB) FRN: 193075810, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) ABN: 33 614 683 831 | AFSL: 493520, Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF) CRN: BC1148613, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) with CIF license number 385/20 | the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Australian Securities and Investments Commission (AFSL: 453554) and is a participant of ASX, ASX 24 and Chi-X Australia. Is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and Member - Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA register entry number 208159. Is regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). Is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI, reference number C423427). Is licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Hungary (Magyar Nemzeti Bank) under no. H-EN-III-623/2020. Is regulated by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission. Is a member of NSE, BSE, SEBI. Regn. No. SEBI Registration No. INZ000217730; NSDL: IN-DP-NSDL-301-2008. CIN-U67120MH2007FTC170004. Is regulated by Kanto Local Finance Bureau (Registration No.187). Is licensed and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (Licence No. CMS100917). |
| Founded | 1992 | 1977 |
| Country | UK | United States |
| Clients | 10,000+ | 1,000,000+ |
Fees
Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Fortrade and Interactive Brokers, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Both require a minimum deposit of $1. Interactive Brokers charges withdrawal fees while Fortrade does not, giving Fortrade an edge for frequent withdrawers. Fortrade charges deposit fees; Interactive Brokers does not. The two brokers are broadly comparable on fee structure.
| Feature | Fortrade | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $1 | $1 |
| Withdrawal Fees | No | Yes |
| Inactivity Fees | No | No |
| Deposit Fees | Yes | No |
| CFD Fees | Yes | Yes |
Platforms
Fortrade offers MT4, MT5, cTrader, while Interactive Brokers supports MT4, MT5, cTrader, a proprietary platform. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Interactive Brokers supports social and copy trading features, which Fortrade does not offer. Interactive Brokers edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.
| Feature | Fortrade | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| MT4 | Yes | Yes |
| MT5 | Yes | Yes |
| cTrader | Yes | Yes |
| Windows App | Yes | Yes |
| iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | MT4, Binary, Tablet & Mobile apps | Web Trader, NinjaTrader, Tablet & Mobile apps |
Education & Research
Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Fortrade and Interactive Brokers compare. Interactive Brokers runs regular live webinars; Fortrade does not. Interactive Brokers has a video library; Fortrade does not. Interactive Brokers publishes daily market commentary; Fortrade does not. Interactive Brokers integrates third-party research tools (Trading Central, Autochartist); Fortrade does not. Interactive Brokers maintains an archive of past webinars for on-demand viewing. Interactive Brokers scores higher overall in education and research.
| Feature | Fortrade | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Forex Education | No | Yes |
| CFD Education | No | Yes |
| Weekly Webinars | No | Yes |
| Daily Commentary | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
Deposits & Withdrawals
Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Fortrade accepts 4 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal, Neteller), while Interactive Brokers supports 2 (bank transfer, credit/debit card). Fortrade uniquely supports PayPal and Neteller among the two brokers. Fortrade scores higher on deposit and withdrawal flexibility.
| Feature | Fortrade | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Card | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal | Yes | No |
| Skrill | No | No |
| Neteller | Yes | No |
Support
Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Fortrade and Interactive Brokers offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Fortrade supports 1 language and Interactive Brokers supports 2, giving Interactive Brokers broader global reach. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.
| Feature | Fortrade | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Live Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Phone Support | Yes | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Languages | English | English, and Chinese |