Are you trying to decide between XTB and Interactive Brokers for your investing needs?
In this side-by-side comparison, we look at how XTB and Interactive Brokers stack up across the most important features, so you can make an informed decision about which broker fits you best.
Below, you’ll find the pros and cons of each broker, a head-to-head comparison table covering fees, available financial instruments, regulation, platforms, and more. Let’s get into it.
IBKR vs XTB
- Interactive Brokers is our recommended choice overall.
- XTB is best for commission-free real stocks and ETFs (up to €100k monthly turnover).
Side-by-side comparison
| Category | Interactive Brokers | XTB |
| Demo account | Yes (paper trading with $10,000 simulated) | Yes |
| Account minimum | $0 | €0 |
| Interest on uninvested cash (annually) | Tier-based, paid on balances above $10K. Approx EUR ~1.7%, USD ~3.8%, GBP ~3.7% (varies with central bank rates) | EUR ~2%, USD ~3.5%, GBP ~3.5% (varies with central bank rates) |
| US stock fees | Tiered plan: from $0.0035 per share (min $0.35, max 1% of trade value) | €/$/£0 up to €100,000 of monthly turnover, then 0.2% (€10 min) |
| EU stock fees | Tiered plan: 0.05% of trade value (min €1.25, max €29) | €/$/£0 up to €100,000 of monthly turnover, then 0.2% (€10 min) |
| ETF fees | Tiered plan: 0.05% of trade value (min €1.25, max €99) | €/$/£0 up to €100,000 of monthly turnover, then 0.2% (€10 min) |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.20 basis points (0.002%), min $2 | 0.50% |
| Fractional shares | Yes (US stocks and ETFs) | Yes (from €10) |
| Markets / instruments | 150+ markets in 30+ countries; stocks, ETFs, options, futures, bonds, forex, mutual funds, and more | Real stocks and ETFs from 16 exchanges, plus CFDs on stocks, indices, commodities, forex, and crypto |
| Regulators | SEC, FINRA, SIPC (US); FCA (UK); CBI (Ireland, EU clients); ASIC (Australia); MAS (Singapore); SFC (Hong Kong); CIRO (Canada); and more | FCA (UK), KNF (Poland), CySEC (Cyprus), DFSA (Dubai), FSC (Belize – international clients) |
| Listed on | NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR) | Warsaw Stock Exchange (ticker: XTB) |
About Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers is a global online broker founded in 1978 and publicly listed on NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR). Having weathered every major financial crisis over nearly five decades, it has built a strong reputation for resilience, transparent execution, and rigorous risk management.
It offers an advanced investment platform with an exceptionally wide product range (stocks, ETFs, options, futures, bonds, mutual funds, forex, and more) across 150+ markets in 30+ countries, supported by IBKR’s Smart Routing technology for high-quality trade execution.
Beginners and intermediate investors have access to a strong educational library, though the learning curve on the main platforms (Trader Workstation, Client Portal, IBKR Mobile) can be steep. To simplify the experience for newer investors, IBKR also offers IBKR GlobalTrader – a modern mobile app for trading stocks, ETFs, and options with fractional shares from $1 and a paper trading mode.
Interactive Brokers pros and cons
Pros
- Low commissions on US stock trading
- No monthly inactivity fee
- The broadest product and markets range in the brokerage industry
- Demo account
- Excellent reputation (founded in 1978)
- Extensive research and Education tools
- Has a modern mobile trading app to trade Stocks, Options and ETFs, ideal for novice investors, IBKR GlobalTrader.
- Offers interest on uninvested cash balances
Cons
- Complicated and lengthy account opening process (but fully online)
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Website is difficult to navigate
- Interactive Advisors (Robo-advisor feature) is only available for US customers
About XTB
XTB is a well-known online broker founded in 2002 and listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ticker: XTB). It now serves over 1.9 million clients globally through two trading platforms (xStation 5 and xStation Mobile), with a diverse range of tradeable instruments and consistently strong customer service.
XTB now offers real stocks and ETFs commission-free up to €100,000 of monthly turnover (then 0.2%, €10 minimum), with fractional shares from €10 and an Investment Plan feature for recurring ETF investing. Alongside real shares, XTB also offers CFDs on stocks, indices, commodities, forex, and cryptocurrencies for those who want leveraged exposure – though CFDs are complex, higher-risk instruments and a majority of retail accounts lose money trading them.
xStation Mobile is a strong app for charting and technical analysis, supporting a wide range of indicators (moving averages, volume, oscillators, and more). Navigation is intuitive, with quick order placement across all asset classes.
On the downside, XTB’s product range is narrower than IBKR’s (no individual bonds or futures, for example), and the broker charges a €10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months of no trading, if you also haven’t deposited in the previous 90 days.
XTB pros and cons
Pros
- Free stocks trading (only applicable to some countries)
- Customizable trading platform (charts and workspace)
- Low Forex Spreads
- Demo account
- No minimum account deposit
- Valuable education materials
- Top-tier Regulators
Cons
- Complex trading platform for a beginner
- High Stock CFD spreads
- Limited product portfolio
- Withdrawal fees for transfers below $100
- Inactivity fee (€10/monthly after 1+ year with no activity plus no deposit in the last 90 days)
How to invest in the S&P 500 on XTB and IBKR
Want to learn how to invest in the S&P 500 on XTB and IBKR, and get a quick look into both apps?
Check our set-by-step videos below:
XTB vs IBKR: our veredict
Choosing between these two online brokers isn’t always an obvious decision. The differences between XTB vs Interactive Brokers come from the trading platforms, products, fees, and security. Do you prefer a basic trading platform? Do you want to invest in ETFs only? Do you value security more?
Ultimately, the best online broker for you will depend on your profile, personal preferences, and objectives. Explore the websites above and decide for yourself!
Want to know more about XTB vs Interactive Brokers? Explore our in-depth broker reviews, comparison table, and BrokerMatch tool. In particular, you can dig deeper into our specific comparison articles, such as this one comparing XTB with DEGIRO as well as between Interactive Brokers and Trade Republic
