Assessment
Interactive Brokers is used by active traders, experienced investors, financial advisers, and smaller brokers that place their clients' trades through it. It suits investors who want many markets, options and futures, margin, and multi-currency accounts in one place, at commissions at the low end of the market. Its main competitors are Charles Schwab, Saxo, and, for European retail investors, apps such as Lightyear.
Interactive Brokers grew out of the trading business Thomas Peterffy started in 1977, when he bought a seat on the American Stock Exchange, and the brokerage was formed in 1993. It is based in Greenwich, Connecticut, and trades on Nasdaq. Net revenue was $1.91B in the third quarter of 2026, and client accounts reached 5.58 million, up 35% from a year earlier.
It fits an investor who will use its range of markets and tools. It is a weaker fit for a beginner who wants a simple app and a few funds, where a simpler app such as Lightyear is easier to start with.
Rating by criterion
We score each of the eight criteria out of 100.
Sector criteria
One account reaches stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and funds on more than 175 market destinations. That range matters most to an investor who trades outside their home market or uses derivatives.
Trader Workstation, the web platform, and the IBKR mobile app cover everything from simple orders to algorithmic trading, and advisers can run client accounts on the same platform.
A public trading API supports custom tools and automated trading. Real-time market data is charged separately for many exchanges.
Interactive Brokers is a public company, and clients held $964.7B of equity with it at September 30, 2026. Investor protection depends on which IBKR company holds the account.
Vendor criteria
Net revenue was $1.91B in the third quarter of 2026, and client accounts grew 35% from a year earlier. The firm builds most of its own technology, which is why new markets and products arrive often.
Account opening is online, but the forms and trading permissions take longer than at a simple investing app.
Commissions are published in full. US stocks cost $0.005 a share with a $1 minimum on IBKR Pro Fixed, and IBKR Lite charges no commission on US stocks and ETFs for US residents. The full fee schedule is long.
There is no account minimum and no contract term.
Against its peers
These are the other companies in wealth and brokerage platforms, with their ratings.
Fact file
| Exchange | Nasdaq: IBKR |
|---|---|
| 2025 net revenue | $6.2B |
| Q3 2026 net revenue | $1.91B |
| Client accounts | 5.58 million (September 30, 2026) |
| Client equity | $964.7B (September 30, 2026) |
| Daily average revenue trades | 4.27 million (Q3 2026) |
Competitive landscape
Online brokers and investing platforms an active or international investor would compare with Interactive Brokers.
Interactive Brokers: 83
- Interactive Brokers83
- Lightyear80
- Mintos78
- Charles SchwabNot reviewed
- SaxoNot reviewed
Comparisons
Key leadership
Milan Galik has been chief executive since 2019 and joined the firm as a software developer in 1990. Thomas Peterffy founded the business and chairs the board.
How this review was created
This profile gives our own assessment of Interactive Brokers to companies selecting a Wealth & brokerage platforms provider. The Fintech Index receives nothing for featuring a firm, for sponsorship, or for advertising, and Interactive Brokers gave us no payment for the profile.
The rating equals the average of eight criteria, with every criterion running from 0 to 100. Four address buyer needs in this sector, and four address the company together with its commercial terms.
Ratings are our editorial judgment, made from public information: pricing and legal pages, product documentation, compliance disclosures, and filings. Fact-checking took place on October 27, 2026.