Interactive Brokers vs Tickmill
Not an apples-to-apples pair: IB lets you own real stocks; Tickmill is CFD-only on equities despite branding. If your goal is to build a real-stocks portfolio, only IB qualifies. Tickmill makes sense exclusively for FX day-traders who want FCA-regulated raw spreads. Our pick for stocks/ETF investing: IB. For FX-only day-trading: Tickmill.
Editor: Kyrylo Vasyliev
Interactive Brokers (SEC/FCA, minimum deposit $0) and Tickmill (FCA/CySEC, minimum deposit €100) are two regulated brokers competing for retail investors in the CIS and EU markets. This comparison is built from verified data on fees, available instruments, trading platforms and country access — so you can see exactly where each broker wins before you open an account.
Across 1 fee categories Interactive Brokers and Tickmill split wins roughly evenly — the cheaper option depends on your specific trading pattern (stocks vs ETFs, frequency, currency). On asset class coverage Interactive Brokers is ahead with 6 instrument categories versus 4 at Tickmill — relevant if you plan to diversify beyond stocks into bonds, ETFs, commodities or crypto.
If entry budget matters, Interactive Brokers is more accessible with a minimum deposit of $0. Interactive Brokers supports 3 trading platforms, Tickmill supports 3 — check the platforms section below to confirm your preferred terminal is available.
Trust dimensions side by side
Where it's safer
Five trust dimensions per our methodology. The further from the centre — the stronger. The dashed line is our fixed reference level, the same on every axis.
Interactive Brokers leads on the combined score — 100/100 vs 83/100. Our fixed reference line is 72.
Overview
Interactive Brokers leads with 6 out of 9 objective metrics. On fees specifically, wins 0 of 1 categories.
Fees & Commissions
Fee scenario
Approximate — based on verified fees only. Per-share commissions assume a $50 share price. Real costs depend on instrument, currency conversion and individual trade size.
Instruments & Markets
10k+ instruments · 700+ instrumentsRegulators & investor protection
- SEC—United States
- FCA—United Kingdom
- CIRO—Canada
- SFC—Hong Kong
- ASIC—Australia
- CBI—Ireland (EU)
- MAS—Singapore
- FCA—United Kingdom
- CySEC—Cyprus (EU)
- FSA Seychelles—Seychelles
- Additional licences on file: FSCA.
Both brokers operate under Tier-1 jurisdictions, so regulatory oversight strength is comparable.
Account & Support
Interactive Brokers
Tickmill
Pros & Cons
Interactive Brokers
- Industry-cheapest per-share commission on US stocks (IBKR Pro Tiered $0.0035/sh, Fixed $0.005/sh)
- SIPC protection up to $500,000 per account ($250k cash) — strongest US-domiciled coverage
- 175+ markets from one account, including direct access to LSE / XETRA / HKEX / TSE
- Public NASDAQ-listed parent (IBKR) — financial transparency above industry norm
- Wide instrument selection (10k+)
- Trader Workstation (TWS) has a famously steep learning curve
- IBKR Lite (zero-commission plan) is US-residents-only
- Customer support thin relative to peers — chat queues commonly multi-hour
- Mobile app is functional but utilitarian — not a Robinhood-style experience
Tickmill
- FCA-regulated Raw accounts with raw spreads (EURUSD ~0.1 pip)
- 24/5 trading + phone support in multiple languages (en, ru, de, es, pl)
- Fast withdrawals — cards typically same-day, wire 1-3 days
- Negative balance protection
- Direct access to US stocks
- CFD-only — does NOT offer real stocks, ETFs or bonds despite 'Stock CFDs' branding
- High-leverage retail accounts (1:500) under offshore FSA Seychelles
- No proprietary platform — MT4 / MT5 only
- Compensation caps at €20,000 — below FCA (£85k) / SIPC ($500k)
- CFD-only (no direct exchange access)
Who each broker is for
Verdict
Both Interactive Brokers and Tickmill are regulated brokers offering access to global financial markets. However, they differ significantly in fees, available instruments, and minimum deposit requirements. Below is our expert assessment to help you make an informed decision.
Choose Interactive Brokers if you want more instruments, lower entry barrier, fractional shares.
Choose Tickmill if you want stronger regulation.
- Just starting outInteractive Brokers· lower entry barrier
- Active tradingInteractive Brokers· more instruments, raw spreads, faster withdrawals
- Advanced / professionalInteractive Brokers· more exchanges, more account currencies
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your trading style, budget, and preferred instruments. We recommend using our Broker Quiz for a personalized recommendation.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this comparison and how to use it.