To find the best international online brokers in Pakistan, we went ahead and did the research for you. After testing, analyzing and comparing 57 brokers, 4 made it to the top. We highly recommend all 4 to you. And now, without further ado...
The top 4 picks for the best international online brokers of 2019 for citizens in Pakistan:
- Interactive Brokers is the number one international online broker in 2019. Broad product portfolio. Low fees. Great and diverse research tools.
- Saxo Bank, place two. Outstanding research. Great trading platform. Broad product portfolio.
- IG. Easy-to-use web trading platform. Helpful and reliable customer service. Great deposit and withdrawal tools. Third place.
- eToro, numero quatro. Free stock and ETF trading in the EU. Seamless account opening. Social trading experience.
| Broker | Info | Score | Best in | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Interactive Brokers | US discount broker | 4.8 | Best online broker |
| #2 | Saxo Bank | Danish investment bank | 4.7 | Best trading platform |
| #3 | IG | Global CFD and FX broker | 4.5 | Best FX broker |
| #4 | eToro | Global social trading broker | 4.5 | Best social trading |
All 4 brokers are considered safe. They are regulated by top-tier financial regulators.
What makes a good online broker? They need to offer fair fees. It must also be easy to open an account and deposit. They should offer access to a lot of markets and need to have a great platform. Easy to list, but hard to figure it out. We are testing brokers along ~100 criteria with real accounts and real money. We know what's up.
Not sure which broker? For a tailored recommendation, check out the broker finder tool. You can enter your country and it will show only the relevant brokers. Want more details? Compare brokers with this detailed comparison table.
Boring, but important stuff: Some of the brokers portfolio might contain CFD products. CFDs are complex and very risky, thus not suitable for everyone. You can easily lose all of your invested money. If you don't have clue what a CFD is, start with these CFD trading tips
And now, let's see the best international online brokers for Pakistan in 2019 one by one. Starting with the winner, Interactive Brokers.
#1 Best international online brokers for citizens in Pakistan
Interactive Brokers
4.8
5 stars
Best online broker
Interactive Brokers was founded in 1978 and it is one of the biggest US-based discount brokers. It is regulated by several regulators globally, including top-tier authorities like FCA and SEC. Interactive Brokers Group is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Interactive Brokers is considered safe because it has a long track record, is listed on a stock exchange, discloses its financials, and is regulated by top-tier regulators.
Recommended for traders who prefer low fees and a professional trading environment
- Broad product portfolio
- Low fees
- Great and diverse research tools
- Funding and withdrawal only through bank transfer
- Complicated account opening process
- Not user-friendly and complicated desktop trading platform
#1 Interactive Brokers
Fees
4 stars
Interactive Brokers has low trading fees and high non-trading fees. The fees are transparent.
- Low trading fees
- Transparent fee structure
- Inactivity fee
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $32.1 | $0.0 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $30.5 | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $23.0 | $58.4 | $12.3 | $19.1 |
All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks, and $20k for FX
#1 Interactive Brokers
Account opening
3 stars
The account opening process is fully digital, but slow and complicated.
- Fully digital
- No minimum deposit for most accounts
- Slow
- Not user-friendly
- Confusing messages throughout the process
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $200 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Deposit and withdrawal
2 stars
Interactive Brokers offers a lot of base currencies and one withdrawal per month is free. On the negative side, only bank transfer is available.
- Several account base currencies
- No charge for the first withdrawal each month
- Credit/Debit card not available
- Slow withdrawal - over 3 days
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/Debit card | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $25 |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Markets and products
5 stars
Interactive Brokers allows you access to a very wide range of markets and you can trade with all product types. IB's product range is the widest available.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Web trading platform
4 stars
The Interactive Brokers web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners. On the negative side, it is a bit complicated to customize.
- User-friendly
- Clear fee report
- Two-step (safer) login
- Limited customizability (for charts, workspace)
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | ||||
| Mobile platform score | ||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Verdict
IB is one of the biggest discount US brokers regulated by top-tier regulators. If you like low-cost trading and easily navigate on a really complicated platform, Interactive Brokers is for you. We mainly recommend IB for traders.
It has low trading fees, a wide range of product portfolio, and diverse research tools.
On the flip side, only bank transfer is available for deposit and withdrawal. The account opening and the desktop platform are not user-friendly and complicated.
Interactive Brokers is definitely recommended if you want low fees, a lot of products and you are experienced to cope with a complicated platform.
| Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Interactive Brokers is a US discount broker. IB is listed on stock exchange and regulated by several authorities, like the top-tier FCA and SEC. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Traders who prefer low fees and a professional trading environment |
#2 Best international online brokers for citizens in Pakistan
Saxo Bank
4.7
5 stars
Best trading platform
Saxo Bank is a Danish investment bank providing online trading and investments. It is a leading European retail brokerage innovator. Saxo is privately owned, established in 1992, and headquartered in Copenhagen.
Saxo is considered safe as it is regulated worldwide by more than 10 financial regulators, including top-tier regulators, like the UK FCA.
Recommended for investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research
- Outstanding research
- Great trading platform
- Broad product portfolio
- High forex, bond, options, and futures fees
- Slow account opening
- Missing live chat
#2 Saxo Bank
Fees
3 stars
Saxo Bank has average trading and non-trading fees.
- No withdrawal fee
- Transparent fee structure
- Lower fees for Platinum and VIP clients
- Inactivity fee
- High financing rate
- High forex, bond, options and futures fees
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $32.1 | $0.0 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $30.5 | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $23.0 | $58.4 | $12.3 | $19.1 |
All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks, and $20k for FX
#2 Saxo Bank
Account opening
3 stars
Account opening is available for residents of almost every country and is fully digital.
- Fast
- Fully digital
- Available for residents of almost every country
- Minimum deposit is higher than $500
- Sales team pushy
- Classic accounts available only in a single currency
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $200 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day |
#2 Saxo Bank
Deposit and withdrawal
5 stars
Saxo provides multiple deposit and withdrawal options free of charge on a user-friendly interface.
- Free withdrawal
- No deposit fee
- Several account base currencies
- Credit/Debit card withdrawal not available
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/Debit card | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $25 |
#2 Saxo Bank
Markets and products
4 stars
At Saxo Bank you can reach many markets and trade with a lot of different products, except for funds.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
#2 Saxo Bank
Web trading platform
5 stars
Saxo Bank's web trading platform is easy-to-use and well-designed. However, it doesn't provide a two-step login and the customizability is limited.
- User-friendly
- Good search function
- Modern design
- No two-step (safer) login
- Limited customizability (for charts, workspace)
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | ||||
| Mobile platform score | ||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - |
#2 Saxo Bank
Verdict
Saxo Bank is a great broker, providing a complex and good service.
It has the best trading platforms backed by great research. The product portfolio is covering all important international markets and asset classes.
It has some drawbacks though. The fees for forex, bond, options, and futures are high. The account opening can take long and the live chat is missing.
In general, Saxo Bank is one of the best online brokerage companies you can choose. By opening an account, you end up with a broad, well-developed service.
| Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Saxo Bank is a Danish investment bank. It is regulated by more than 10 financial authorities, including the top-tier FCA. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research |
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#3 Best international online brokers for citizens in Pakistan
IG
4.5
5 stars
Best FX broker
IG was established in the UK in 1974 and is one of the biggest CFD providers in the world. It is regulated by several bodies globally, including top-tier authorities like the FCA. IG Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
IG is considered safe because it is listed on a stock exchange, discloses its financials, and is overseen by top-tier regulators.
IG is primarily a CFD broker. If you are from the US, you can only trade with forex. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFDs are not provided for US clients. Forex trading involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits.
Recommended for traders with any experience level aiming for a great and easy-to-use trading platform
- Easy-to-use web trading platform
- Helpful and reliable customer service
- Great deposit and withdrawal tools
- High trading fees
- Limited product portfolio
- Limited research tools
Visit broker
75% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#3 IG
Fees
2 stars
IG's trading fees are high and non-trading fees are average. Its financing rate is one of the best.
- Transparent fee structure
- Low financing rate
- High trading fees
- Inactivity fee
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $32.1 | $0.0 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $30.5 | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $23.0 | $58.4 | $12.3 | $19.1 |
All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks, and $20k for FX
More
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75% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#3 IG
Account opening
4 stars
The account opening process is fast, user-friendly, and fully digital. On the other hand, the sales team is quite pushy.
- Fast
- Fully digital
- No minimum deposit for bank transfer
- The sales team is quite pushy, prompting you regularly to fund your account
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $200 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day |
More
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75% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#3 IG
Deposit and withdrawal
5 stars
You have several options to transfer money. The transfer process is user-friendly and fast.
- Credit/Debit card available
- Several account base currencies
- User-friendly
- Not transparent on available base currencies
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/Debit card | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $25 |
More
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75% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#3 IG
Markets and products
3 stars
At IG, most clients can only trade with CFDs, forex and options. There are literally thousands of CFDs available to trade. The UK and some other clients can also trade with shares.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
More
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75% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#3 IG
Web trading platform
5 stars
IG's web platform is great. It is easy to use, has all necessary functions and can be customized. Even first-time users can familiarize themselves with it instantly.
- User-friendly
- Two-step (safer) login
- Good search function
- Good customizability (for charts, workspace)
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | ||||
| Mobile platform score | ||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - |
More
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75% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#3 IG
Verdict
IG is one of the biggest and most reliable CFD brokers. It is regulated by several financial authorities around the world. IG Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
IG has the best web trading platform Brokerchooser tested. Its customer service is professional and relevant. The deposit and withdrawal conditions are also great.
The biggest drawback is the fee structure. IG is quite pricey, especially when you trade with lower amounts. IG's product portfolio is limited to forex, CFDs and options; however, in the UK and some other countries, stocks are also available. US clients can trade only with forex.
It is quite easy to test IG's first-class trading platform since there is no minimum funding for bank transfer and you can easily open a demo account.
| IG | |
|---|---|
| Summary | IG is a CFD and forex. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and regulated several authorities globally, including the top-tier FCA. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Traders with any experience level aiming for a great and easy-to-use trading platform |
More
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75% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#4 Best international online brokers for citizens in Pakistan
eToro
4.5
5 stars
Best social trading
eToro is a well-known fintech startup, an Israeli social trading broker established in 2007. eToro serves UK clients by an FCA regulated entity and Australians by an Australian entity. All other customers are served by a Cypriot entity. eToro is not listed on any exchange, does not disclose its annual report on its site and does not have a bank parent. It is also one of the 5 best trading platforms for Europeans.
eToro is considered safe because it's UK arm is regulated by a top tier regulator and it is a well-known fintech startup.
eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers primarily CFDs, but you can also invest in stocks and crypto assets. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 66% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Recommended for traders and those interested in social trading (copying other traders’ trades)
- Free stock and ETF trading in the EU
- Seamless account opening
- Social trading experience
- Poor customer service
- Trading platform outages
- Limited educational tools
Visit broker
66% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#4 eToro
Fees
4 stars
eToro offers free stock trading in Europe and has low fees for non-EU clients. On the negative side, the non-trading fees and financing rates are high.
- Free stock and ETF trading in the EU
- Low fees for non-EU clients
- Transparent fee structure
- High financing rate
- $25 withdrawal fee
- $10 monthly inactivity fee
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $32.1 | $0.0 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $30.5 | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $23.0 | $58.4 | $12.3 | $19.1 |
All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks, and $20k for FX
More
Visit broker
66% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#4 eToro
Account opening
5 stars
Account opening is enjoyable and super fast.
- Fast
- No minimum deposit
- User-friendly
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $200 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day |
More
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66% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#4 eToro
Deposit and withdrawal
4 stars
It is easy to deposit with a lot of options, including credit cards. However, there is a withdrawal fee, and only USD accounts are available.
- Credit/Debit card available
- No deposit fee
- User-friendly
- High withdrawal fee
- Only one account base currency
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/Debit card | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $25 |
More
Visit broker
66% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#4 eToro
Markets and products
3 stars
At eToro you can trade with CFDs and forex. There are also real stocks, ETFs, and many cryptos. It also offers innovative services, like social trading or CopyPortfolio.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
More
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66% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#4 eToro
Web trading platform
4 stars
eToro’s web trading platform is nice looking and easy-to-use. Getting your fee report is a bit of a pain.
- User-friendly
- Modern design
- Social trading
- No clear fee report available
- Cannot be customized
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | ||||
| Mobile platform score | ||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - |
More
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66% of retail CFD accounts lose money
#4 eToro
Verdict
When looking back, eToro was a bit unreliable in 2017 because of the huge demand for cryptos. It had problems in customer support and the platform sometimes froze. In our latest test eToro improved.
On the plus side, eToro has zero-commission stock trading in Europe. The account opening is really fast and seamless. It has also a lot of innovative features, like social trading.
It has some drawbacks though. Customer service was a letdown, the platform did not work on multiple occasions. Also, it has a tight product range which includes stocks and CFDs. Non-trading fees are high.
To sum up, we recommend eToro for social trading and cheap stock trading.
Risk disclaimer
eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFD assets.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 66% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Cryptoassets are volatile instruments which can fluctuate widely in a very short timeframe and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Other than via CFDs, trading cryptoassets is unregulated and therefore is not supervised by any EU regulatory framework.
Past performance is not an indication of future results.
| eToro | |
|---|---|
| Summary | eToro is a global social trading broker. It is regulated by top-tier regulators, like the UK FCA. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Traders and those interested in social trading (copying other traders’ trades) |
More
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66% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Best international online brokers for citizens in Pakistan
What makes a good online broker
Now you know the top 4. You are probably curious about how we came up with this list. Let's go through a few points quickly. What is an online broker? Why do we think these brokers are safe? What are the most important factors when selecting the best online brokers?
What is an online broker?
Thirty years ago if you wanted to buy a stock, you had to pick up the phone and call your broker, who executed the transaction in return for a commission. Brokers were like in the Wolf of Wall Street movie. They were checking the stocks' prices while holding a telephone and shouting. Everything changed after the internet appeared. Nowadays if you want to buy Apple shares, you open online an account, deposit money, and make the order through the brokers' online platform. These brokers are the online brokers. Online brokers help you buying and selling securities, like stocks. After making your order, the online broker executes it immediately. Everything is online.
Are these brokers safe?
Yes, they are considered safe. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are regulated by top-tier regulators. Some of them are also listed on an exchange, and some have a banking background.
However, also brokerage companies can go down. Remember Lehman Brothers? In these cases, it is important to know what happens with your securities and cash. These are usually held in segregated accounts, so even in case of a broker bankruptcy, you are safe.
If everything goes very bad and for example, the broker steals your assets, then you have a last resort, the compensation fund of the country where the broker is regulated.
How did Brokerchooser pick the best international online brokers for a citizen in Pakistan?
At Brokerchooser we test online brokers along ~100 criteria, with a real account and real money. Not to overwhelm you we list the five most important criteria.
The 5 most important criteria for online brokers are:
| 1. Fees | The trading fee of a typical US equity trade can be 50 times higher at one online broker compared to another. Worth to check the fees. |
| 2. Account opening | Some online brokers require a minimum to invest, others don't set a minimal first-time deposit. Check out what the best online brokers require. |
| 3. Deposit and withdrawal | Transferring money to your account can be 5 times longer and more expensive at one online broker compared to another. |
| 4. Products and markets | You want to invest in Amazon and Bitcoin? They might not be available. Check the product coverage before opening an account. |
| 5. Trading platform | A user-friendlyAand well-equipped trading platform can significantly increase your trading comfort. |
Best international online brokers for citizens in Pakistan
Bottom line
You saw the details, now let's zoom out. Here are the best international online brokers of 2019 for citizens in Pakistan:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Award | Best online broker | Best trading platform | Best FX broker | Best social trading |
| Fees score | ||||
| Account opening score | ||||
| Deposit and withdrawal score | ||||
| Markets and products score | ||||
| Web platform score | ||||
| Visit broker | Visit broker |
Visit broker
75% of retail CFD accounts lose money |
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66% of retail CFD accounts lose money |
Interactive Brokers is our winner, the best in 2019. Broad product portfolio. Low fees. Great and diverse research tools.
All brokers are considered safe, and a great choice. Pick the winner, or any runner-up and take the next step in your investment journey. Let us know what you think in the comment section.
Still unsure? Use the broker finder and find the best broker for you.
