7 minute read
JustMarkets vs Interactive Brokers: Which Broker Is Right for You?
from JustMarkets
by Exness_India
Choosing the right broker can make or break your trading journey. If you're torn between JustMarkets and Interactive Brokers, here's the truth: the right choice depends on your trading style, experience level, and specific goals. JustMarkets appeals to beginner and intermediate traders seeking simplicity and flexibility. Interactive Brokers (IBKR), on the other hand, is built for experienced traders who demand advanced tools, institutional-grade access, and global reach. Let’s break it down.
✅ Trade with JustMarkets now: Open An Account or Visit Brokers 👈
Regulation and Trust: Are They Safe?
Both JustMarkets and Interactive Brokers are regulated, but there's a stark difference in scale and reputation.
Interactive Brokers is one of the most heavily regulated and globally recognized brokers. It's listed on NASDAQ (IBKR), operates under tier-1 regulators like the SEC (U.S.), FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), and MAS (Singapore), and has been around since 1978. With decades of operation and billions in client funds, it’s a household name for serious traders.
JustMarkets, in contrast, is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles — a less stringent offshore regulator. While the broker maintains a clean track record and offers negative balance protection, its regulatory standing isn’t on par with IBKR. This matters for traders prioritizing investor protection and oversight.
If regulation, fund safety, and transparency are your top priorities, Interactive Brokers takes the lead by a wide margin.
Account Types and Accessibility
JustMarkets focuses on providing low-barrier access to global markets. You can open an account with as little as $1, and choose between Standard, Pro, and Raw Spread accounts depending on your needs. It’s beginner-friendly, with MetaTrader platforms (MT4/MT5), straightforward navigation, and an intuitive client portal.
Interactive Brokers, while offering a more institutional-grade experience, requires a steeper learning curve. However, it has lowered its minimum deposit requirements in recent years — you can start with as little as $100 for IBKR Lite (U.S. clients only) or $0 for IBKR GlobalTrader. Still, its interface, tools, and features are more geared toward advanced users who know what they’re doing.
For beginners or traders looking for a lightweight, low-deposit entry, JustMarkets is easier to start with. For seasoned traders who want power and depth, Interactive Brokers is the better long-term choice.
Market Access: What Can You Trade?
Interactive Brokers wins hands down when it comes to market access. It offers over 150 markets across 33 countries — stocks, ETFs, options, futures, forex, commodities, bonds, and even cryptocurrencies via regulated exchanges. You get access to NYSE, NASDAQ, LSE, Euronext, ASX, and more — all from a single account.
JustMarkets is primarily a forex and CFD broker. It provides access to a solid range of instruments — currency pairs, indices, metals, cryptocurrencies, stocks, and energies — all via CFD contracts. However, you don't get access to actual ownership of assets like stocks or ETFs.
If you're a multi-asset investor or want exposure to global exchanges and physical stocks, Interactive Brokers is the clear winner. If you mainly trade forex and CFDs with leverage, JustMarkets will suffice.
Platforms and Tools
JustMarkets sticks with the classics: MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. These platforms are industry-standard for retail trading and offer enough tools for technical analysis, EAs (expert advisors), and mobile trading. It’s fast, familiar, and efficient, especially for forex traders.
Interactive Brokers, however, takes platforms to another level. Its proprietary Trader Workstation (TWS) is one of the most advanced platforms in the world, offering:
· Depth-of-market data
· Algo trading
· Risk analytics
· Real-time portfolio tracking
· Institutional-level charting
· Option strategy builders
· Custom APIs
For mobile users and beginners, IBKR also offers IBKR Mobile and the simplified IBKR GlobalTrader app — but even these tools outperform most competitors.
If you need sophisticated trading tools, Interactive Brokers easily surpasses JustMarkets. But for simplicity and ease of use, JustMarkets wins in user-friendliness.
✅ Trade with JustMarkets now: Open An Account or Visit Brokers 👈
Spreads, Commissions, and Pricing
JustMarkets offers competitive spreads, especially on Pro and Raw Spread accounts. Depending on the account type, spreads can go as low as 0.0 pips with a commission of $6–$8 per lot round turn. For Standard accounts, trading is commission-free with slightly wider spreads.
Interactive Brokers uses a transparent tiered pricing model. For example:
· Stocks: $0 to $0.0035 per share (depending on volume)
· Forex: Spreads from 0.1 pips + commissions
· Futures: Low per-contract fees
· ETFs: $0 commissions (U.S. markets)
IBKR Lite (for U.S. clients) even offers commission-free trading on U.S. stocks and ETFs.
While IBKR’s pricing is incredibly competitive, it’s also complex. Understanding how commissions apply to different markets may take time.
In short:
· For simple, tight spreads and straightforward pricing: JustMarkets
· For ultra-low commissions and advanced traders who can optimize costs: Interactive Brokers
Leverage and Margin
JustMarkets offers higher leverage, particularly appealing to retail traders who want to trade large positions with small capital. Maximum leverage can go up to 1:3000 (depending on the instrument and account type).
Interactive Brokers, being heavily regulated, offers lower leverage:
· Up to 1:50 for forex (retail accounts)
· Even lower for stocks and ETFs
This is in line with global regulatory standards, especially in the U.S., EU, and Australia.
If you're a high-risk, high-reward trader and want flexibility in leverage, JustMarkets is your go-to. But if you're a conservative trader or managing large capital, Interactive Brokers offers safer, regulation-aligned margin trading.
Education and Research
JustMarkets provides basic educational materials, including blog posts, economic calendars, and trading calculators. These are useful for beginners but relatively limited for advanced strategies.
Interactive Brokers offers a full-scale IBKR Campus, including webinars, market insights, technical research, AI-powered news feeds, and detailed reports from third-party providers like Morningstar, Zacks, and Refinitiv.
Traders who prioritize learning, data-driven strategies, and in-depth analysis will benefit far more from Interactive Brokers’ ecosystem.
Customer Support
JustMarkets offers multilingual support 24/7 via live chat, email, and ticket systems. Response times are generally quick, and the service is tailored for a global retail audience.
Interactive Brokers provides 24/6 support, but the experience varies. While you get access to professional-grade support, it’s often less hand-holding. It’s better suited for self-directed clients who already understand platforms and trading intricacies.
For personalized, beginner-friendly support: JustMarkets is ideal.For professional-grade help and documentation: Interactive Brokers delivers.
Which Broker Should You Choose?
Here’s the bottom line.
Choose JustMarkets if:
· You’re a beginner or intermediate trader
· You prefer MetaTrader 4/5
· You want low minimum deposits
· You trade mainly forex and CFDs
· You want high leverage and a simple interface
Choose Interactive Brokers if:
· You’re an experienced trader or investor
· You need access to real stock exchanges globally
· You want deep analytical tools and low commissions
· You trade a wide range of assets: stocks, futures, options, bonds, crypto
· You prioritize top-tier regulation, fund safety, and longevity
Neither broker is strictly “better” — they simply serve different audiences. JustMarkets is agile, simplified, and ideal for fast-paced forex/CFD trading. Interactive Brokers is robust, analytical, and built for long-term investing or professional-grade trading.
Final Verdict
If you're just getting started, want a flexible broker with low entry barriers and leverage, JustMarkets might be the perfect fit.
But if you’re planning to scale up, diversify globally, and build a serious trading/investing career, Interactive Brokers offers the infrastructure, tools, and trust to take you there.
✅ Trade with JustMarkets now: Open An Account or Visit Brokers 👈
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