Comparison of Admirals and Interactive Brokers
| Feature | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Broker | ||
| Year Founded | 2001 | 1977 |
| Broker Type | STP | DMA |
| Dealing | A-book | A-book |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Regulation | CySEC, JSC, FCA, EFSA, ASIC, FSCA, CMA, SFSA | SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader |
| Spread | ⬊ Low | ⬊ Low |
| Maximum Leverage | 1:1000 | 1:50 |
| Minimum Deposit | $25 | $1 |
| Base Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, BRL, MXN, CLP, SGD, THB, VND | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD |
| Funding Methods | Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, Skrill, Neteller, Perfect Money, Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Ethereum (ETH) | Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay |
| Inactivity Fee | $10 per month after 24 months | ✖ |
| Interest on Margin | ✖ | ✔ |
| Withdrawal Fee | ✖ | First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10 |
| Investor Protection | UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) | SIPC, FSCS, ICS |
| Protection Size | £85 000 / €20 000 | $500 000 / £85 000 |
| Segregated Accounts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Negative Balance Protection | ✔ | ✔ |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | ✖ | ✖ |
| Copy Trading | ✖ | ✖ |
| VPS | ✔ | ✖ |
| MAM/PAMM | ✖ | ✖ |
| Scalping Allowed | ✔ | ✔ |
| EAs/Robots | ✔ | ✔ |
| Depth of Market (DOM) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tradable Assets (CFDs) | Currencies, Indices, Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Metals, Energies, Soft Commodities, Cryptocurrencies | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, CFDs |
| Review | Admirals Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
About Admirals
Admirals is a reputable forex broker renowned for its robust trading platforms, competitive pricing, and comprehensive range of financial instruments. Catering to both beginner and experienced traders, Admirals offers access to a diverse selection of currency pairs, commodities, indices, cryptocurrencies, and more. The broker is regulated by several top-tier financial authorities, ensuring a high level of security and transparency for its clients. Admirals also provides extensive educational resources, including webinars, tutorials, and market analysis, which help traders enhance their skills and make informed decisions. Additionally, their customer support is highly responsive and available through multiple channels, making Admirals a reliable choice for traders seeking a balanced and user-friendly trading experience.
Pros
- Regulated by multiple reputable financial authorities
- Access to numerous currency pairs, commodities, indices, cryptocurrencies, and more
- Offers tight spreads and low trading fees
- Supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5
- Comprehensive tutorials, webinars, and market analysis
- Responsive and available through various channels
Cons
- Services may not be available in all countries, limiting accessibility for some traders
- Certain regions may incur fees for withdrawals, which can affect overall profitability
About Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a global multi-asset broker founded in 1977. Regulated on four continents, IBKR offers direct market access to 150+ exchanges in 33 countries, tight pricing on FX, and some of the lowest commissions in the industry. Clients trade via the powerful Trader Workstation, streamlined Client Portal, or mobile apps, choose from 20+ base currencies, and benefit from SIPC/FSCS investor protection and ESMA-mandated negative balance protection for CFDs.
Pros
- Tier-1 regulation in the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Asia
- Access to 150+ markets across 33 countries and 26 currencies
- Ultra-low spreads and volume-based commissions
- Advanced Trader Workstation plus simple mobile & web platforms
- No minimum deposit for cash accounts and no inactivity fee
- Negative balance protection for EU retail CFD traders
Cons
- Minimum FX order size ~ 20 000 units limits small accounts
- Trader Workstation has a steep learning curve
- No credit/debit-card funding options
- Customer support is not 24/7
Admirals & Interactive Brokers Regulation
| Feature | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Companies | Admiral Markets Cyprus Ltd, Admiral Markets AS Jordan Ltd, Admiral Markets UK Ltd, Admiral Markets Group, Admirals AU Pty Ltd, Admirals SA (Pty) Ltd, Admirals KE Ltd, Admirals SC Ltd | Interactive Brokers LLC, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd, Interactive Brokers Ireland Ltd, Interactive Brokers Canada Inc., Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd, Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd, Interactive Brokers India Pvt. Ltd, Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc, Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd |
Countries | Cyprus, Jordan, United Kingdom, Estonia, Australia, South Africa, Kenya, Seychelles | United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia |
Regulators | CySEC, JSC, FCA, EFSA, ASIC, FSCA, CMA, SFSA | SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS |
Investor Protection | UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) | SIPC, FSCS, ICS |
Investor Protection Size | £85 000 / €20 000 | $500 000 / £85 000 |
Publicly Traded | ||
Segregated Accounts | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Negative Balance Protection |
Companies
Admirals
Admiral Markets Cyprus Ltd, Admiral Markets AS Jordan Ltd, Admiral Markets UK Ltd, Admiral Markets Group, Admirals AU Pty Ltd, Admirals SA (Pty) Ltd, Admirals KE Ltd, Admirals SC Ltd
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers LLC, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd, Interactive Brokers Ireland Ltd, Interactive Brokers Canada Inc., Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd, Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd, Interactive Brokers India Pvt. Ltd, Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc, Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd
Countries
Admirals
Cyprus, Jordan, United Kingdom, Estonia, Australia, South Africa, Kenya, Seychelles
Interactive Brokers
United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia
Regulators
Admirals
CySEC, JSC, FCA, EFSA, ASIC, FSCA, CMA, SFSA
Interactive Brokers
SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS
Investor Protection
Admirals
UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), Investor Compensation Fund (ICF)
Interactive Brokers
SIPC, FSCS, ICS
Investor Protection Size
Admirals
£85 000 / €20 000
Interactive Brokers
$500 000 / £85 000
Publicly Traded
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Segregated Accounts
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Negative Balance Protection
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Account Types
| Account | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
STP Account | ||
| Account Name | Trade | — |
| Min Deposit | $25 | — |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | — |
| Spread Type | Floating | — |
| Execution | Market | — |
| Min Spread | 0.6 | — |
| Fee | No | — |
| Max Leverage | 1:1000 | — |
| Stop Out | 30% | — |
| Margin Call | 100% | — |
Zero Account | ||
| Account Name | Zero | — |
| Min Deposit | $25 | — |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | — |
| Spread Type | Floating | — |
| Execution | Market | — |
| Min Spread | 0 | — |
| Fee | $6 per 1 lot | — |
| Max Leverage | 1:1000 | — |
| Stop Out | 30% | — |
| Margin Call | 100% | — |
DMA Account | ||
| Account Name | — | IBKR Pro |
| Min Deposit | — | $0 |
| Lot Size | — | 0.01 |
| Spread Type | — | Floating |
| Execution | — | Market |
| Min Spread | — | 0.1 |
| Fee | — | $4 per 1 lot |
| Max Leverage | — | 1:50 |
| Stop Out | — | 50% |
| Margin Call | — | 100% |
| Additional Features | ||
| Demo Account | ||
| VIP Account | ||
| Swap-Free Account | ||
| Copy Trading | ||
| VPS | ||
| PAMM/MAM Accounts | ||
STP Account
Account Name
Admirals
Trade
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Deposit
Admirals
$25
Interactive Brokers
—
Lot Size
Admirals
0.01
Interactive Brokers
—
Spread Type
Admirals
Floating
Interactive Brokers
—
Execution
Admirals
Market
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Spread
Admirals
0.6
Interactive Brokers
—
Fee
Admirals
No
Interactive Brokers
—
Max Leverage
Admirals
1:1000
Interactive Brokers
—
Stop Out
Admirals
30%
Interactive Brokers
—
Margin Call
Admirals
100%
Interactive Brokers
—
Zero Account
Account Name
Admirals
Zero
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Deposit
Admirals
$25
Interactive Brokers
—
Lot Size
Admirals
0.01
Interactive Brokers
—
Spread Type
Admirals
Floating
Interactive Brokers
—
Execution
Admirals
Market
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Spread
Admirals
0
Interactive Brokers
—
Fee
Admirals
$6 per 1 lot
Interactive Brokers
—
Max Leverage
Admirals
1:1000
Interactive Brokers
—
Stop Out
Admirals
30%
Interactive Brokers
—
Margin Call
Admirals
100%
Interactive Brokers
—
DMA Account
Account Name
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
IBKR Pro
Min Deposit
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
$0
Lot Size
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
0.01
Spread Type
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
Floating
Execution
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
Market
Min Spread
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
0.1
Fee
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
$4 per 1 lot
Max Leverage
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
1:50
Stop Out
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
50%
Margin Call
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
100%
Additional Features
Demo Account
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
VIP Account
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Swap-Free Account
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Copy Trading
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
VPS
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
PAMM/MAM Accounts
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Funding and Fees
| Feature | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Base currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, BRL, MXN, CLP, SGD, THB, VND | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD |
Deposit and withdrawal methods | Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, Skrill, Neteller, Perfect Money, Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Ethereum (ETH) | Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay |
Inactivity fee | $10 per month after 24 months | |
Interest on margin | ||
Withdrawal fee | First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10 |
Base currencies
Admirals
USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, BRL, MXN, CLP, SGD, THB, VND
Interactive Brokers
USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD
Deposit and withdrawal methods
Admirals
Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, Skrill, Neteller, Perfect Money, Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Ethereum (ETH)
Interactive Brokers
Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay
Inactivity fee
Admirals
$10 per month after 24 months
Interactive Brokers
Interest on margin
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Withdrawal fee
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10
Trading Platforms and Conditions
| Feature | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader |
Execution Speed | 150 ms | 4 ms |
Scalping | ||
Expert Advisors (EAs) | ||
Depth of Market (DOM) | ||
Spread | low | low |
Trading Platforms
Admirals
MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
Interactive Brokers
Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader
Execution Speed
Admirals
150 ms
Interactive Brokers
4 ms
Scalping
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Expert Advisors (EAs)
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Depth of Market (DOM)
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Spread
Admirals
low
Interactive Brokers
low
Trading Assets
| Asset | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Currencies | 82 | 87 |
Indices | 43 | 23 |
Stocks | 3428 | 8139 |
Cryptocurrencies | 21 | 11 |
Bonds | 2 | 87 |
Metals | 7 | 4 |
Energies | 3 | 10 |
Soft Commodities | 7 | 15 |
ETFs | 362 | 532 |
Currencies
Admirals
82
Interactive Brokers
87
Indices
Admirals
43
Interactive Brokers
23
Stocks
Admirals
3428
Interactive Brokers
8139
Cryptocurrencies
Admirals
21
Interactive Brokers
11
Bonds
Admirals
2
Interactive Brokers
87
Metals
Admirals
7
Interactive Brokers
4
Energies
Admirals
3
Interactive Brokers
10
Soft Commodities
Admirals
7
Interactive Brokers
15
ETFs
Admirals
362
Interactive Brokers
532
Education and Analytics
| Feature | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Economic Calendar | ||
Indicators | ||
Robots | ||
Signals | ||
Autochartist | ||
Expert Analytics | ||
News Feed | ||
Education Articles | ||
Webinars | ||
Seminars |
Economic Calendar
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Indicators
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Robots
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Signals
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Autochartist
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Expert Analytics
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
News Feed
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Education Articles
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Webinars
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Seminars
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Bonuses
| Bonus | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome Bonus | ||
| Is available | ||
| Size | 100%, up to $5000 | — |
| Details | Learn More | — |
Welcome Bonus
Is available
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Size
Admirals
100%, up to $5000
Interactive Brokers
—
Details
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
—
Customer Support
| Contact | Admirals | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Email | global@admiralmarkets.com | help@interactivebrokers.com |
Phone | +442081577344 | +18774422757 |
Telegram | Telegram | — |
Facebook | — | |
LinkedIn | ||
YouTube | YouTube | YouTube |
Instagram | ||
Twitter |
Email
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Phone
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
Telegram
Admirals
Interactive Brokers
—
Facebook
Admirals
—
Interactive Brokers
Which Broker is Better?
After comparing Admirals and Interactive Brokers, Admirals comes out ahead as our overall pick. It ranks higher in our internal scoring and delivers a stronger balance of pricing (spreads/fees), platform experience, and product range. That said, the runner-up may still be a better fit if you prioritize specific needs—like a particular account type, funding method, or niche instruments. This is not financial advice; always choose a broker that matches your goals and local regulatory requirements.
More Comparisons
Andriy Bondarenko
Broker Analyst
Andriy is a seasoned expert in broker reviews with over a decade of experience in finance and trading. Under his leadership, the team produces in-depth and unbiased analyses of leading trading platforms.