In a market that keeps changing, XTB and Interactive Brokers remain solid, well-regarded names. Find out which broker better matches your investing goals, whether it is the innovative XTB or the established Interactive Brokers platform. This is a practical first step towards investing more efficiently.
Key broker facts
When choosing a broker, it is important to focus on the key parameters that make a broker a reliable service provider.
Let’s start with a table showing the basic facts for XTB and Interactive Brokers. These are the essentials anyone looking for a broker for long-term use should consider.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | Poland | United States |
| Founded | 2002 | 1978 |
| Licences | CySec (Cyprus), FCA (United Kingdom), KNF (Poland), IFSC (Belize) | CBI (Ireland), CSSF (France), FCA (United Kingdom), FINRA (United States), ASIC (Australia) |
| Deposit protection | Yes | Yes |
| Real shares and ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Real cryptocurrencies | No | Yes |
| CFDs, shares, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, commodities | Yes | Yes |
The history of the Interactive Brokers platform goes back to 1978. XTB, based in Poland, launched in 2002.
Both brokers offer real shares, ETFs, and CFD products. They also both provide deposit protection for clients, which is now a standard regulatory requirement. Put simply, if a platform did not provide deposit protection, you would have reason to question whether it is properly regulated in the European Union.
Compared with Interactive Brokers, XTB does not offer trading in real cryptocurrencies, it only offers cryptocurrency derivatives. However, even with Interactive Brokers, it is still not possible to withdraw cryptocurrencies to your own external wallet. In practice, the main difference for the future may be tax treatment. If legislation is amended, a holding-period and value-based exemption could apply to cryptocurrency gains from 2025 under certain conditions, for example holding for at least three years, or selling up to CZK 100,000 per year tax-free. By contrast, cryptocurrency derivatives (CFDs), like derivatives on real shares, are not eligible for this type of tax exemption.
Available assets
Let’s look at what assets XTB and Interactive Brokers offer in a clear table.
| | |
| Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional investing (previously fractional shares) | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign exchange | Yes, CFDs only | Yes, CFDs and spot |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies | Yes, CFDs only | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
Differences in trading platforms
| | |
|---|---|---|
| xStation | Trader Workstation (TWS) | |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Web platform | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader | No | No |
| Copy trading | No | No |
| Social network | No | No |
| Desktop trading platform | No | Yes |
| Automatic ETF top-ups | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional investing (previously fractional shares) | Yes | Yes |
XTB offers its clients the modern xStation platform in both mobile and web versions. It gives traders access to a wide range of financial instruments, including foreign exchange, commodities, shares, and cryptocurrencies. It includes advanced technical analysis tools, customisable charts, and fast one-click trading.
Interactive Brokers uses its own Trader Workstation (TWS) platform, which also includes mobile and web versions. It is a professional-grade trading platform that, like xStation, provides access to a wide range of markets and instruments, including shares, ETFs, options, and more. It supports advanced technical analysis, strategy automation, and a high level of customisation.
TWS is generally the more complex platform, best suited to experienced traders. xStation may be easier to navigate, especially for beginners.
Unfortunately, neither broker supports MetaTrader, which many more advanced traders use.
Spread comparison: XTB vs Interactive Brokers
We have prepared a spread comparison for different assets at XTB and Interactive Brokers.
Spread size is a key cost driver because it affects your total trading costs. As a rule, the tighter the spread, the less you lose when entering and exiting a position. This can materially affect your returns, so it is important to consider it carefully when choosing a broker, ideally before you start investing actively and long-term through your chosen broker.
Share spread comparison
In most cases, Interactive Brokers offers lower spreads for buying and selling real shares than XTB, as shown on selected names such as Tesla and Amazon.
On the other hand, XTB typically charges a fee only after you exceed a monthly volume of EUR 100,000 (roughly CZK 2.5 million). Most retail investors are unlikely to exceed this threshold, so your trades will usually be commission-free, which is a meaningful long-term advantage. Money saved on fees adds up over time, especially if you place multiple trades per month, or even per week.
With Interactive Brokers, you typically pay a fee on each trade. It is usually around EUR 2 to EUR 3. The exact amount can vary depending on the country where you are buying the shares. Keep in mind that Interactive Brokers may restrict access to United States shares in some cases, meaning some European users may not be granted access to the United States market at all, so the shares cannot be bought this way regardless of fees.
Real shares | Real shares | |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla | 0.56 USD | 0.25 USD |
| Amazon | 0.34 USD | 0.17 USD |
| Apple | 0.55 USD | 0.26 USD |
| Meta | 0.10 USD | 0.41 USD |
| Microsoft | 0.95 USD | 0.49 USD |
| NVIDIA | 0.93 USD | 0.48 USD |
| Other fees linked to share trading | Fee of 0.2%, minimum EUR 10, applies to any trade after exceeding EUR 100,000 within one month. | Minimum fee of 0.005 USD per share. |
| XTB review | Interactive Brokers review |
Cryptocurrency spread comparison
| Bitcoin | Ethereum | Cardano | Dogecoin | Solana | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CFD You are speculating on price movement and you do not own the cryptocurrency. This is similar to a bet on the exchange rate moving in a specific direction. | 0.22 - 0.35% | 0.25 - 0.5% | 0.45 - 0.75% | 1.5 - 2% | 0.75 - 1.25% |
Real cryptocurrencies You are buying real cryptocurrencies that you own directly. | 0.12 - 0.18% | 0.12 - 0.18% | 0.12 - 0.18% | 0.12 - 0.18% | 0.12 - 0.18% |
From the table above, it is clear that Interactive Brokers generally offers tighter spreads for trading real cryptocurrencies than XTB. With XTB, you should also factor in that these are not real cryptocurrencies, but cryptocurrency CFDs.
For example, the Bitcoin spread at Interactive Brokers ranges from 0.12% to 0.18%, while at XTB it is 0.22% to 0.35%. The same applies to other cryptocurrencies, where XTB has wider spreads. For example, it charges up to 1.25% for Solana, while Interactive Brokers is up to 0.18%.
Fee comparison: XTB vs Interactive Brokers
Fees can significantly affect your investment returns. That is why it is important to compare the trading costs at these two brokers and choose the one whose fee structure suits you better.
| | |
|---|---|---|
| German and United States shares | Fee of 0.2%, minimum EUR 10, applies to any trade after exceeding EUR 100,000 within one month. | 0.12% – 0.18% of the transaction value. |
| ETFs | Fee of 0.2%, minimum EUR 10, applies to any trade after exceeding EUR 100,000 within one month. | 0.12% – 0.18% of the transaction value. |
| CFDs | Spread only. | Spread only. |
| Real cryptocurrencies | – | 0.12% – 0.18% of the transaction value. |
| Inactivity fee | EUR 10 per month after 3 months of inactivity | USD 10 per month after 12 months of inactivity |
| Deposit fee | Payment cards: 0.77% of the deposited amount (deposit in CZK), 0.70% of the deposited amount (deposit in EUR), 0.95% of the deposited amount (deposit in USD), PayU: 0.77% of the deposited amount (deposit in CZK), Bank transfer: free | No fee. |
| Withdrawal fee | CZK 350 for withdrawals below CZK 3,000, above this threshold free | No fee. |
| XTB review | Interactive Brokers review |
At first glance, the comparison shows that Interactive Brokers has lower trading fees for shares and ETFs, typically in the 0.12% to 0.18% range of transaction value. On the other hand, as described above in the section on spreads, XTB only charges fees after you exceed a monthly volume of EUR 100,000, at a rate of 0.2% with a minimum fee of EUR 10 per transaction.
XTB’s inactivity fees work as follows. If you have not opened any trade in the last 365 days, or you have not deposited money into your XTB trading account in the last 90 days, or you do not hold any shares or ETFs, and you also have funds in the account, then XTB will charge EUR 10 per month as an inactivity fee. This continues until the account balance is reduced to zero. On the other hand, XTB does not charge anything if you have not made any deposit yet.
By contrast, Interactive Brokers has not charged any inactivity fee since 2021, so you can stay comfortable as an investor.
Other differences between the brokers
What other differences between XTB and Interactive Brokers should you know as a trader?
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Trader rating | ||
| Education | XTB provides traders with a range of high-quality educational materials directly in the trading platform. They run regular webinars in the English language. | Interactive Brokers offers a wide range of educational materials, including webinars and analytical tools. |
| Web trading platform | A well-built trading platform that feels like an improved version of MetaTrader and is easy to use. | A complex, professional platform that supports advanced trading strategies and analysis. |
| Customer support availability | Customer support is available from 8am to 6pm on weekdays. English-language support is also available 24 hours a day on business days. | Support is available in several languages, 24 hours a day on business days. |
| Customer support quality | High-quality customer support that replies immediately via chat. | Professional customer support that responds quickly and with expertise. |
| Summary of trader experience | Strong educational materials and webinars, transparent fees, fast trading platform. I have not found any complaints. You can find specific trader feedback in the XTB review. | A powerful platform for advanced traders, a wide range of assets, and low overall trading costs. More information can be found in the Interactive Brokers review. |
| Number of real shares | 3,229+ | 5,000+ |
| Number of real cryptocurrencies | 0, cryptocurrency CFDs only, overnight holding costs apply. | 100+, supports trading real cryptocurrencies. |
| Number of users | 1,000,000+ | 1,500,000+ |
Go to the XTB website. 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. | Go to the Interactive Brokers website. 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. |
According to our website survey, XTB has a higher rating than Interactive Brokers, and it is also rated by more users overall, see the table above.
XTB offers educational materials and webinars in the English language, which can be useful especially for investors who are not confident in English or are still beginners. Interactive Brokers offers a more advanced platform with more sophisticated trading features, but it is not available in the English language. XTB focuses on local support, with customer service available in the English language on weekdays, and English support also available 24 hours on business days. Similarly, Interactive Brokers provides customer support 24 hours a day, five days a week, but without English support.
This is closely linked to the origins of both brokers. XTB was founded in neighbouring Poland and has a local presence, while Interactive Brokers comes from the United States.
Consider whether your English is strong enough not only to navigate an online broker platform, but also to contact the broker and communicate with support if needed.
Conclusion: XTB vs Interactive Brokers
Both brokers are a strong choice for anyone looking for a quality, low-cost online broker for investing.
XTB stands out for its user-friendly platform and local customer support, which is especially helpful for beginners. That said, more advanced traders will also find what they typically need. Interactive Brokers appeals to experienced investors with its sophisticated trading platform and broad range of assets, including real cryptocurrencies, and generally lower spreads across many markets.
If you value simplicity and local support, XTB can be the better fit. If you want advanced tools and access to a very wide range of assets, Interactive Brokers is a strong option.