Comparison of Alpari and Interactive Brokers
| Feature | Alpari | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Broker | ||
| Year Founded | 1998 | 1977 |
| Broker Type | ECN, MM | DMA |
| Dealing | A-book, B-book | A-book |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Regulation | MISA, NBRB | 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 | ⮕ Average | ⬊ Low |
| Maximum Leverage | 1:3000 | 1:50 |
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $1 |
| Base Currencies | USD, EUR | 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, WebMoney, Skrill, Neteller, Wallet One, Volet.com, VLoad, TC Pay, Perfect Money, Tether (USDT) Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Zcash (ZEC) | Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay |
| Inactivity Fee | $5 per month after 6 months | ✖ |
| Interest on Margin | ✖ | ✔ |
| Withdrawal Fee | ✖ | First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10 |
| Investor Protection | Financialcommission.org | SIPC, FSCS, ICS |
| Protection Size | €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, Cryptocurrencies, Metals, Energies | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, CFDs |
| Review | Alpari Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
About Alpari
Alpari is one of the most established names in the Forex trading world, with a history dating back to 1998. The broker has built a solid reputation, particularly among traders in emerging markets, for offering a broad range of financial instruments and account types that cater to both beginners and experienced traders. Alpari provides access to Forex, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies, with platform options including MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, two of the most popular trading platforms globally. The broker also offers social trading features, allowing clients to copy the strategies of more experienced traders. With a long track record and diverse offerings, Alpari aims to deliver flexibility and convenience. Additionally, Alpari offers multiple deposit and withdrawal methods, which is a major advantage for traders worldwide. However, it is important to note that while Alpari has a strong presence in many regions, it is not regulated by top-tier authorities, which may be a concern for some traders. Despite this, Alpari maintains a significant customer base and continues to attract clients with its competitive spreads and educational resources.
Pros
- Established broker with over two decades of experience in the industry
- Provides MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms
- Offers a PAMM feature for those interested in investing
- Comprehensive research and educational resources
- Competitive spreads and flexible leverage options
- Multiple payment methods for deposits and withdrawals
Cons
- Lack of regulation from top-tier financial authorities
- Customer support quality may vary depending on the region
- No proprietary trading platform available
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
Alpari & Interactive Brokers Regulation
| Feature | Alpari | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Companies | Alpari (Comoros) Ltd, Alpari Eurasia LLC | 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 | Comoros, Belarus | United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia |
Regulators | MISA, NBRB | SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS |
Investor Protection | Financialcommission.org | SIPC, FSCS, ICS |
Investor Protection Size | €20 000 | $500 000 / £85 000 |
Publicly Traded | ||
Segregated Accounts | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Negative Balance Protection |
Companies
Alpari
Alpari (Comoros) Ltd, Alpari Eurasia LLC
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
Alpari
Comoros, Belarus
Interactive Brokers
United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia
Regulators
Alpari
MISA, NBRB
Interactive Brokers
SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS
Investor Protection
Alpari
Financialcommission.org
Interactive Brokers
SIPC, FSCS, ICS
Investor Protection Size
Alpari
€20 000
Interactive Brokers
$500 000 / £85 000
Publicly Traded
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Segregated Accounts
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Negative Balance Protection
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Account Types
| Account | Alpari | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Market Maker Account | ||
| Account Name | Standard | — |
| Min Deposit | $50 | — |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | — |
| Spread Type | Floating | — |
| Execution | Market | — |
| Min Spread | 0.3 | — |
| Fee | No | — |
| Max Leverage | 1:1000 | — |
| Stop Out | 20% | — |
| Margin Call | 50% | — |
ECN Account | ||
| Account Name | ECN | — |
| Min Deposit | $300 | — |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | — |
| Spread Type | Floating | — |
| Execution | Market | — |
| Min Spread | 0.1 | — |
| Fee | $5 per 1 lot | — |
| Max Leverage | 1:3000 | — |
| Stop Out | 50% | — |
| Margin Call | 80% | — |
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 | ||
Binary Options | ||
| Account | Fix-Contracts | — |
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | — |
| Option Types | Call/Put, Touch, Range, Spread, Turbo, Express | — |
| Minimum Stake | $1 | — |
| Payout | from 40% to 95% | — |
| Expiration Time | from 5 seconds to 1 day | — |
Market Maker Account
Account Name
Alpari
Standard
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Deposit
Alpari
$50
Interactive Brokers
—
Lot Size
Alpari
0.01
Interactive Brokers
—
Spread Type
Alpari
Floating
Interactive Brokers
—
Execution
Alpari
Market
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Spread
Alpari
0.3
Interactive Brokers
—
Fee
Alpari
No
Interactive Brokers
—
Max Leverage
Alpari
1:1000
Interactive Brokers
—
Stop Out
Alpari
20%
Interactive Brokers
—
Margin Call
Alpari
50%
Interactive Brokers
—
ECN Account
Account Name
Alpari
ECN
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Deposit
Alpari
$300
Interactive Brokers
—
Lot Size
Alpari
0.01
Interactive Brokers
—
Spread Type
Alpari
Floating
Interactive Brokers
—
Execution
Alpari
Market
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Spread
Alpari
0.1
Interactive Brokers
—
Fee
Alpari
$5 per 1 lot
Interactive Brokers
—
Max Leverage
Alpari
1:3000
Interactive Brokers
—
Stop Out
Alpari
50%
Interactive Brokers
—
Margin Call
Alpari
80%
Interactive Brokers
—
DMA Account
Account Name
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
IBKR Pro
Min Deposit
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
$0
Lot Size
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
0.01
Spread Type
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
Floating
Execution
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
Market
Min Spread
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
0.1
Fee
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
$4 per 1 lot
Max Leverage
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
1:50
Stop Out
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
50%
Margin Call
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
100%
Additional Features
Demo Account
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
VIP Account
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Swap-Free Account
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Copy Trading
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
VPS
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
PAMM/MAM Accounts
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Binary Options
Account
Alpari
Fix-Contracts
Interactive Brokers
—
Minimum Deposit
Alpari
$50
Interactive Brokers
—
Option Types
Alpari
Call/Put, Touch, Range, Spread, Turbo, Express
Interactive Brokers
—
Minimum Stake
Alpari
$1
Interactive Brokers
—
Payout
Alpari
from 40% to 95%
Interactive Brokers
—
Expiration Time
Alpari
from 5 seconds to 1 day
Interactive Brokers
—
Funding and Fees
| Feature | Alpari | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Base currencies | USD, EUR | 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, WebMoney, Skrill, Neteller, Wallet One, Volet.com, VLoad, TC Pay, Perfect Money, Tether (USDT) Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Zcash (ZEC) | Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay |
Inactivity fee | $5 per month after 6 months | |
Interest on margin | ||
Withdrawal fee | First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10 |
Base currencies
Alpari
USD, EUR
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
Alpari
Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, WebMoney, Skrill, Neteller, Wallet One, Volet.com, VLoad, TC Pay, Perfect Money, Tether (USDT) Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Zcash (ZEC)
Interactive Brokers
Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay
Inactivity fee
Alpari
$5 per month after 6 months
Interactive Brokers
Interest on margin
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Withdrawal fee
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10
Trading Platforms and Conditions
| Feature | Alpari | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader |
Execution Speed | 0.1 ms | 4 ms |
Scalping | ||
Expert Advisors (EAs) | ||
Depth of Market (DOM) | ||
Spread | average | low |
Trading Platforms
Alpari
MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
Interactive Brokers
Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader
Execution Speed
Alpari
0.1 ms
Interactive Brokers
4 ms
Scalping
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Expert Advisors (EAs)
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Depth of Market (DOM)
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Spread
Alpari
average
Interactive Brokers
low
Trading Assets
| Asset | Alpari | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Currencies | 46 | 87 |
Indices | 12 | 23 |
Stocks | 631 | 8139 |
Cryptocurrencies | 9 | 11 |
Bonds | 0 | 87 |
Metals | 2 | 4 |
Energies | 3 | 10 |
Soft Commodities | 0 | 15 |
ETFs | 0 | 532 |
Currencies
Alpari
46
Interactive Brokers
87
Indices
Alpari
12
Interactive Brokers
23
Stocks
Alpari
631
Interactive Brokers
8139
Cryptocurrencies
Alpari
9
Interactive Brokers
11
Bonds
Alpari
0
Interactive Brokers
87
Metals
Alpari
2
Interactive Brokers
4
Energies
Alpari
3
Interactive Brokers
10
Soft Commodities
Alpari
0
Interactive Brokers
15
ETFs
Alpari
0
Interactive Brokers
532
Education and Analytics
| Feature | Alpari | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Economic Calendar | ||
Indicators | ||
Robots | ||
Signals | ||
Autochartist | ||
Expert Analytics | ||
News Feed | ||
Education Articles | ||
Webinars | ||
Seminars |
Economic Calendar
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Indicators
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Robots
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Signals
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Autochartist
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Expert Analytics
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
News Feed
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Education Articles
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Webinars
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Seminars
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Customer Support
| Contact | Alpari | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Email | support@alpari.im | help@interactivebrokers.com |
Phone | +44 2045 771951 | +18774422757 |
Facebook | ||
LinkedIn | — | |
YouTube | YouTube | YouTube |
Instagram | ||
Twitter | — |
Email
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
Phone
Alpari
Interactive Brokers
LinkedIn
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
Twitter
Alpari
—
Interactive Brokers
Which Broker is Better?
After comparing Alpari and Interactive Brokers, Interactive Brokers 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.