Best for active traders
Interactive Brokers
Professional-grade access to every major market
BEST FORExperienced investors and active traders who want global market access, the lowest margin rates, and institutional-quality tools.
Reviewed by the Clientele Research Team · Last checked 1 month ago (2026-07-15)
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Scores. Click any row to see our rationale
Fee Friendliness▼9/10
Ease of Use▼7/10
What You Can Buy▼10/10
Account Variety▼9/10
PROS
✓Stocks, ETFs, futures, and options in 150+ countries. No other retail broker offers this.
✓Lowest margin rates in the industry. Less than half of Schwab or Fidelity.
✓IBKR Lite: $0 commissions on US stocks and ETFs, no account minimum.
✓IBKR Pro: per-share pricing starting at $0.005/share with superior order execution.
✓Uninvested cash earns interest automatically.
✓Fractional shares on US stocks and ETFs starting at $1.
✓Sophisticated order types (VWAP, algo, conditional) not available at retail brokers.
✓IBKR GlobalAnalyst compares valuations across global markets, free.
✓Paper trading account to test strategies.
CONS
✕Trader Workstation is built for professional traders. Overwhelming for beginners.
✕Account approval can take several business days.
✕IBKR Pro pricing structure is complex.
✕Customer support wait times are long compared to Fidelity or Schwab.
✕No custodial accounts.
✕Simple tasks are harder to find than on Robinhood or Fidelity due to feature density.