AvaTrade vs Interactive Brokers: Comparison and Analysis

AvaTrade vs Interactive Brokers: Which Broker is the Best for You?

When it comes to trading, choosing the right broker is crucial. In this comparison, we will examine AvaTrade and Interactive Brokers, two popular brokers in the market. Here’s a side-by-side comparison to help you decide which broker is best suited for you.

Security

Both AvaTrade and Interactive Brokers have strong security measures in place, with regulations from multiple global regulatory bodies. However, Interactive Brokers has a slightly higher security rating of 95 compared to AvaTrade’s 94.

Demo Account

AvaTrade offers a demo account that lasts for 21 days with virtual funds of $10,000, which can be restored by contacting customer support. In contrast, Interactive Brokers offers an unlimited demo account with virtual funds of $1,000,000, which can also be restored by contacting customer support.

Account Opening

AvaTrade has a minimum deposit requirement of $100 and offers several account options, including Standard, Spread Betting, Islamic, and Professional accounts. It also accepts a wide range of payment methods, including wire transfers, credit/debit cards, and eWallets. Interactive Brokers, on the other hand, has no minimum deposit requirement, but it requires a minimum of $2000 to trade with margin. It also offers Standard, Margin, Cash, and Professional accounts and accepts several payment methods, including wire transfers, credit/debit cards, and local payment methods like EFT in Canada and BPAY in Australia. Additionally, Interactive Brokers offers a wide range of base currencies to help traders avoid currency conversion fees.

Social-Copy Trading

AvaTrade offers copy-social trading through third-party platforms ZuluTrade and DupliTrade, as well as through its proprietary platform, AvaSocial. However, Interactive Brokers does not offer copy-social trading.

Markets

AvaTrade offers a diverse range of markets, including Forex, Commodities, Indices, Crypto assets, Stocks, ETFs, Futures, and Options, all of which can be traded as CFDs. On the other hand, Interactive Brokers offers Forex, Commodities, Crypto assets, Stocks, ETFs, Futures, and Options, which can be traded as CFDs or as real assets. Interactive Brokers does not offer trading on indices.

Trading Fees

AvaTrade’s spreads are fixed, with spreads starting from 0.9 pips on Forex, which is higher than the market average. In contrast, Interactive Brokers’ spreads are variable, with spreads starting from 0.1 pips on Forex, which is lower than the market average. Interactive Brokers charges commissions per lot traded, up to $7 per lot, while stock commissions are very low, with financing rates starting from 0.75% and no commissions on stocks and ETFs with the IBKR Lite Plan. With the IBKR Pro Plan, commissions start from $0.0005 per share or ETF.

Platforms

Both AvaTrade and Interactive Brokers offer a range of trading platforms, including proprietary platforms available on desktop, web, and mobile. AvaTrade also offers the AvaTradeGo mobile app, AvaOptions for option trading, and MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms. Interactive Brokers also offers VPS services, FIX API, and TWS API integration, making it a good choice for algo trading.

Education/Customer Care

AvaTrade has a strong offering of education materials, with a focus on beginner traders, as well as in-depth webinars for professional traders. It also has customer support available in over 25 languages via phone, email, and live chat. Interactive Brokers offers a wide range of educational materials for both beginners and advanced traders, including tutorial videos, the IBKR blog, and Trader’s Academy. It also has customer support available in eight languages via email, telephone, and live chat.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both AvaTrade and Interactive Brokers are strong brokers with various strengths and weaknesses. AvaTrade offers a diverse range of markets and social-copy trading, while Interactive Brokers offers lower spreads and a wider range of trading assets. Choosing the right broker depends on your trading preferences, experience, and needs. Therefore, it is recommended to assess your trading needs and preferences before choosing the right broker.