Interactive Brokers vs Tickmill
Detailed side-by-side broker comparison
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 9 fee categories we track, Interactive Brokers comes out cheaper in 5, while Tickmill wins only 0. For active traders this gap compounds over time — commission, FX markup and custody fees are the three that hurt portfolio returns the most. Both brokers offer access to 6 instrument categories, so asset coverage is not a differentiator here.
Both brokers have similar entry requirements, so the decision comes down to fees and instruments. Interactive Brokers supports 3 trading platforms, Tickmill supports 3.
Trust dimensions side by side
Where it's safer
Five trust dimensions per our methodology. The further from the centre — the stronger. Dashed line is the industry median.
Interactive Brokers leads on the combined score — 100/100 vs 83/100. Industry median is 72.
Overview
Interactive Brokers leads with 5 out of 9 objective metrics. On fees specifically, Interactive Brokers wins 5 of 9 categories.
Fees & Commissions
Fee scenario
Approximate — based on listed fees only. 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
- IIROC—Canada
- SFC—Hong Kong
- ASIC—Australia
- FCA—United Kingdom
- CySEC—Cyprus (EU)
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
- 150+ 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 Pro / 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
- Unlimited demo account
- CFD-only — does NOT offer real stocks, ETFs or bonds despite 'Stock CFDs' branding
- Trustpilot 'fake reviews removed' notice — material trust signal
- 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)
Who each broker is for
Verdict
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.
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 lower fees, lower entry barrier, fractional shares.
Choose Tickmill if you want stronger regulation.
- Just starting outInteractive Brokers· lower entry barrier
- Active tradingInteractive Brokers· lower fees, raw spreads, faster withdrawals
- Advanced / professionalInteractive Brokers· more exchanges, more account currencies, US stocks access
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.