Interactive Brokers
ThinkMarkets
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Overview
Interactive Brokers was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in United States, while ThinkMarkets was established in 2010 and is based in Australia & United Kingdom. Interactive Brokers holds licences including 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, while ThinkMarkets is regulated by the Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA) with license no. 0250 among others. Interactive Brokers serves 1,000,000+ clients worldwide; ThinkMarkets has 475,000+. The minimum deposit is $1 at Interactive Brokers and $0 at ThinkMarkets.
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $1 | $0 |
| Regulation | 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). | the Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA) with license no. 0250, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) with license no. 215/13, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA 629628) in the UK, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC 424700), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa and the Financial Services Authority (FSA SD060) Seychelles. TF Global Markets (UK) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 629628. TF GLobal Markets (Aust) Limited is the holder of Australian Financial Services Licence number 424700. TF GLobal Markets (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider (FSP No 49835). TF Global Markets Int Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, Firm Reference Number SD060 Seychelles |
| Founded | 1977 | 2010 |
| Country | United States | Australia & United Kingdom |
| Clients | 1,000,000+ | 475,000+ |
Fees
Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Interactive Brokers and ThinkMarkets, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. ThinkMarkets has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $0 (vs $1 at Interactive Brokers). Interactive Brokers charges withdrawal fees while ThinkMarkets does not, a notable advantage for frequent withdrawers. ThinkMarkets applies inactivity fees on dormant accounts; Interactive Brokers does not. The two brokers are broadly comparable on fee structure.
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $1 | $0 |
| Withdrawal Fees | Yes | No |
| Inactivity Fees | No | Yes |
| Deposit Fees | No | No |
| CFD Fees | Yes | Yes |
Platforms
Interactive Brokers offers MT4, MT5, cTrader, a proprietary platform, while ThinkMarkets supports MT4, MT5, a proprietary platform. Interactive Brokers offers a mobile trading app; mobile availability for ThinkMarkets is limited. Both brokers support copy or social trading, catering to less hands-on investors. Interactive Brokers edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| MT4 | Yes | Yes |
| MT5 | Yes | Yes |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Windows App | Yes | No |
| iOS App | Yes | No |
| Android App | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Web Trader, NinjaTrader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5 and ThinkTrader |
Education & Research
Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Interactive Brokers and ThinkMarkets compare. Both brokers run regular live webinars. Both provide video tutorials, including advanced content. Daily market commentary is available from both brokers. Both integrate third-party research tools including Trading Central. Archived webinars are available at both brokers for self-paced learning. Interactive Brokers scores higher overall in education and research.
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Forex Education | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Education | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Daily Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
Deposits & Withdrawals
Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Interactive Brokers accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while ThinkMarkets supports 5 (bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller). ThinkMarkets uniquely supports PayPal and Skrill and Neteller among the two brokers. ThinkMarkets scores higher on deposit and withdrawal flexibility.
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Card | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal | No | Yes |
| Skrill | No | Yes |
| Neteller | No | Yes |
Support
Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Interactive Brokers and ThinkMarkets offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Interactive Brokers supports 2 languages and ThinkMarkets supports 13, giving ThinkMarkets broader global reach. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Live Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Phone Support | Yes | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Languages | English, and Chinese | English, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Czech, Greek, Indonesian, Thai, Malay, Italian, Arabic, German, Spanish and Japanese |