Interactive Brokers provides a range of trading account types tailored to different trader profiles, including beginners, retail traders, high-volume professionals, and fund managers.
Available accounts include the Individual Account (ideal for casual traders), the IBKR Pro Account (ideal for traders seeking advanced features and competitive pricing), and the IBKR Lite Account (optimized for low cost). Advanced traders and money managers can access the MAM/PAMM Account, for money managers who handle multiple client accounts.
Each Interactive Brokers account type has distinct pricing models and offers platform compatibility across Interactive Brokers Trader WorkStation, Client Portal, IBRK Mobile, IBKR GlobalTrader.
The availability of the Interactive Brokers account types is subject to Regulatory compliance, trader expertise, and regional restrictions.
What types of trading accounts are available at Interactive Brokers?
The Interactive Brokers account types are listed below.
- Interactive Brokers Demo account
- Interactive Brokers Individual account
- Interactive Brokers MAM/PAMM account
- Interactive Brokers IBRK Pro account
- Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite account
Interactive Brokers Individual Account: Best for casual traders
The Interactive Brokers Individual Account is designed for casual traders and provides access to over 10,000 assets. It features floating spreads starting from 0.2 pips with a $2 commission, which decreases with higher trading volumes. There is no minimum deposit requirement, and traders can place orders starting from one unit.
The features of the Interactive Brokers Individual Account are listed below.
- Availability: Under the Central Bank of Hungary, the Central bank of Ireland, FCA, ASIC, SEC, CIRO (former IIROC), CSSF, MAS, HKSFC, SEBI.
- Markets: Forex, stocks, ETFs, options, futures, metals, bonds, mutual funds, cryptocurrencies (10.000+ assets in total).
- Commissions: Floating spread from 0.2 pips and a $2 commission. Commissions will get lower with higher traded volume.
- Platforms: Interactive Brokers Trader WorkStation, Client Portal, IBRK Mobile, IBKR GlobalTrader.
- Trade size: No minimum order size on almost all products, placing trades from 1 unit.
- Leverage: Up to 1:20 (MAS), up to 1:30 (Central Bank of Hungary, FCA, ASIC), 1:50 (SEC, CIRO). Margin is available with a Cash, Reg T, and Portfolio Margin profile.
- Account opening: Demo account is unlimited, and there is no minimum deposit requirement to open a live account. Other types of individual accounts include a joint account, a trust account, an IRA account (only for US residents), and a UGMA/UTMA (only US residents).
Interactive Brokers MAM/PAMM Account: Best for money managers
The Interactive Brokers MAM/PAMM Account is intended for money managers who handle multiple client accounts. It offers access to the same extensive range of assets as individual accounts. Spreads start at 0.2 pips with commissions up to $2, varying based on trading volume, and money managers may set additional fees for profitable positions. Each client’s account is margined separately, and there is no minimum deposit requirement.
The features of the Interactive Brokers MAM/PAMM Account are listed below.
- Availability: Under the Central Bank of Hungary, the Central bank of Ireland, FCA, ASIC, SEC, CIRO (former IIROC), CSSF, MAS, HKSFC, SEBI.
- Markets: Forex, stocks, ETFs, options, futures, metals, bonds, mutual funds, cryptocurrencies (10.000+ assets in total).
- Commissions: You will be charged spreads starting at 0.2 pips with a commission up to $2 depending on your trading volume. There will also be a fee set by the money manager for each winning position.
- Platforms: Interactive Brokers Trader WorkStation, Client Portal, IBRK Mobile, IBKR GlobalTrader.
- Trade size: You can place trades from 1 unit.
- Leverage: Up to 1:20 (MAS), up to 1:30 (Central Bank of Hungary, FCA, ASIC), 1:50 (SEC, CIRO). Each money manager client’s account is margined separately.
- Account opening: You can first try a free demo account, and then switch to a live account with no minimum deposit.
Interactive Brokers IBKR Pro Account: Best for active traders
The Interactive Brokers IBKR Pro Account is tailored for active traders seeking advanced features and competitive pricing. There is no minimum order size, and leverage is available up to 1:50.
The features of the Interactive Brokers IBKR Pro Account are listed below.
- Availability: Under the Central Bank of Hungary, the Central bank of Ireland, FCA, ASIC, SEC, CIRO (former IIROC), CSSF, MAS, HKSFC, SEBI.
- Markets: Forex, stocks, ETFs, options, futures, metals, bonds, mutual funds, cryptocurrencies (10.000+ assets in total).
- Commissions: Commission per share from $0.005 for a minimum of $1; fixed pricing for other markets.
- Platforms: Interactive Brokers Trader WorkStation, Client Portal, IBRK Mobile, IBKR GlobalTrader.
- Trade size: There is no minimum order size, you can open trades starting from a single unit.
- Leverage: 1:50.
- Special features: Access to IBKR API with IB Smart Routing enabled for the best execution.
- Account opening: Unlimited demo account available; live account requires no minimum deposit.
Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite Account: Best for low cost
The Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite Account is best suited for cost-conscious traders and offers commission-free trading in the U.S. listed stocks and ETFs. It also provides access to a broad selection of other markets with fixed pricing structures.
The features of the Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite Account are listed below.
- Availability: Under the Central Bank of Hungary, the Central bank of Ireland, FCA, ASIC, SEC, CIRO (former IIROC), CSSF, MAS, HKSFC, SEBI.
- Markets: Forex, stocks, ETFs, options, futures, metals, bonds, mutual funds, cryptocurrencies (10.000+ assets in total).
- Commissions: Commission-free on US-listed stocks and ETFs; other markets have fixed pricing.
- Platforms: Interactive Brokers Trader WorkStation, Client Portal, IBRK Mobile, IBKR GlobalTrader.
- Trade size: 1 unit is the smallest size you can trade.
- Leverage: 1:50.
- Account opening: Unlimited demo account available; live accounts require no minimum deposit.
How to compare the Interactive Brokers trading accounts?
The table to compare the Interactive Brokers trading accounts is shown below.
| Interactive Brokers Account Types | Minimum Deposit ($) | Minimum Spread (pips) | Volume-based Commissions | Overnight Fees | Minimum Trade Size (lots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers Demo Account | None | N/A | N/A | No | N/A |
| Interactive Brokers Individual Account | None | 0.2 | $2 per lot (reduces with volume) | Yes | 1 unit |
| Interactive Brokers MAM/PAMM Account | None | 0.2 | Up to $2 per lot + manager fees | Yes | 1 unit |
| Interactive Brokers IBKR Pro Account | None | N/A | From $0.005 per share (minimum $1) | Yes | 1 unit |
| Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite Account | None | N/A | Commission-free for U.S. stocks & ETFs, fixed pricing for others | Yes | 1 unit |
What are the requirements to open an Interactive Brokers account type?
The requirements to open an Interactive Brokers account are listed below.
- Contact requirements: The contact requirements of Interactive Brokers include a valid email address and a valid phone number
- Age requirements: The age requirement at Interactive Brokers is that you must be over 18 years old to open an account
- Legal requirements: The legal requirements at Interactive Brokers include complying with KYC laws by verifying your identity with documents such as a passport or utility bill.
- Minimum deposit requirements: Interactive Brokers minimum deposit to activate a live trading account is $100
- Regulatory requirements: The regulatory requirements at Interactive Brokers stipulate that you must be a resident in a country where the broker operates
- Knowledge requirements: The knowledge requirements at Interactive Brokers include answering questions about your trading experience and financial knowledge before accessing complex financial products.
Do Interactive Brokers account types charge inactivity fees?
No, Interactive Brokers account types do not charge inactivity fees. Traders who leave their accounts unused for a long period do not have to worry about additional costs. The broker does not impose penalties for inactivity, allowing clients to take breaks from trading without financial consequences.
An inactivity fee is a charge some brokers impose if a client does not make any buy or sell orders in their accounts for a given period. Traders who stop using their live accounts will not face penalties, but their accounts may be classified as dormant after a certain period.
Demo accounts remain free of inactivity charges under Interactive Brokers fees. These trial accounts use virtual funds, meaning traders owe nothing to the broker. Abandoning a demo account does not lead to additional costs because the funds are not real, and the broker does not require any further action from the user.