We compared IQ Broker with the 6 other brokers we review on fees, safety, platforms, markets and availability. IQ Broker does not accept residents of 34 of the 197 countries we track, and it is not the right fit for every trader. XTB is the best alternative overall.
By Broksal Team, investing in forex and CFD markets since 2017. Updated . How we test
Each broker gets five sub-scores out of 5:
Regulation and safety (30%), trading costs (25%), platforms and tools (20%), range of markets (15%) and ease of use (10%). The overall score is the weighted average, rounded to one decimal.
Availability is checked against each broker's published country lists. The ranking for each country is set by our authors, based on their own experience with these brokers, so the order does not always follow the scores. Full methodology
Broksal is free to use because some brokers pay us a commission when you open an account through our links. It costs you nothing.
Commissions do not affect our rankings. The order reflects the editorial opinion of our authors, and the facts we publish about regulation, fees and country availability come from the brokers' own documents and independent sources.
Our pick
XTB has the highest overall score of the alternatives (4.8 out of 5). It beats IQ Broker on regulation & safety, trading costs, platforms & tools and range of markets, but trails on ease of use. It accepts residents of 6 of the 34 countries IQ Broker does not serve.
Best alternative overall
XTB
Overall score 4.8, safer and above IQ Broker's 4.1.
Cheapest EUR/USD trading
Interactive Brokers
$5.68 per lot round turn.
Safest alternative
Interactive Brokers
Safety score 5.0 (IQ Broker: 3.6). Regulated by SEC / FINRA / CFTC, FCA (UK) and Central Bank of Ireland.
Best platform
XTB
xStation 5 (web & desktop), XTB mobile app. Platform score 4.9.
Most markets
Interactive Brokers
Markets score 5.0, 9 of 9 asset classes.
Easiest to use
XM
Ease-of-use score 4.9 (IQ Broker: 4.9).
Lowest minimum deposit
XTB
No minimum (IQ Broker: $10).
Where IQ Broker is not available
IC Markets
Accepts residents of 27 of the 34 countries IQ Broker does not serve.
Alternative with MetaTrader
IC Markets
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which IQ Broker does not offer.
For buying real shares
XTB
You own the shares and ETFs, which IQ Broker does not offer.
Green means higher than IQ Broker. Each category is scored out of 5 and weighted as shown (methodology).
| Broker | Overall | Regulation & safety30% | Trading costs25% | Platforms & tools20% | Range of markets15% | Ease of use10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 IQ Brokerreviewed | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 4.9 |
| XTB | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.8 |
| Interactive Brokers | 4.7 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 3.6 |
| IC Markets | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| XM | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.9 |
 Freedom24 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.3 |
 eToro | 4.3 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 |
Fees checked 6 October 2026, sourced on our fee comparison. A tick marks the best value in each row. Scroll sideways on a phone.
| Feature | IQ Broker | XTB | Interactive Brokers | IC Markets | XM | Freedom24 | eToro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.1 / 5 | 4.8 / 5✓ | 4.7 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| EUR/USD, 1 lotRound turn, spread + commission | — | $8.00 | $5.68✓ | $8.00 | $11.00 | — | $10.00 |
| Minimum deposit | $10 | No minimum✓ | No minimum✓ | From $0 (varies by entity)✓ | $5 | €0✓ | Varies by country |
| Inactivity fee | Yes | Yes | None✓ | None✓ | Yes | None✓ | None✓ |
| Currency conversion | Not published | 0.5% | 0.002%✓ | Not published | Not published | Not published | 0.75% |
| Countries accepted | 163 | 52 | 183 | 189✓ | 187 | 31 | 62 |
| Countries IQ Broker does not serve | — | 6 of 34 | 23 of 34 | 27 of 34✓ | 24 of 34 | 6 of 34 | 10 of 34 |
| Publicly listed | No | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | No | No | Yes✓ | Yes✓ |
| Regulators | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5✓ |
| MetaTrader 4 | No | No | No | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 | No | No | No | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | No | No |
| cTrader | No | No | No | Yes✓ | No | No | No |
| TradingView | No | No | No | Yes✓ | No | No | No |
| Own platform | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | No | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | Yes✓ |
| Asset classes | 6 of 9 | 6 of 9 | 9 of 9✓ | 7 of 9 | 5 of 9 | 5 of 9 | 6 of 9 |
| Real stocks & ETFs | No | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | No | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | Yes✓ |
| CFDs | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | Yes✓ | No | Yes✓ |
Where each broker is stronger or weaker than IQ Broker, with a link to the full head-to-head comparison.
Best for: Beginners and active traders who want one app for CFDs and real stocks.
Better than IQ Broker
Weaker than IQ Broker
Best for: Experienced investors who want access to global exchanges.
Better than IQ Broker
Weaker than IQ Broker
Best for: Cost-sensitive and algorithmic traders.
Better than IQ Broker
Weaker than IQ Broker
Best for: MetaTrader users with small starting balances.
Better than IQ Broker
Weaker than IQ Broker
Best for: European investors who want real shares, options and IPOs instead of CFDs.
Better than IQ Broker
Weaker than IQ Broker
Best for: Investors who want to copy other traders.
Better than IQ Broker
Weaker than IQ Broker
Open a broker to see its pros, cons, fees and a screenshot.
Our top pick
Own platform, no minimum deposit, commission-free stocks and ETFs within a monthly limit
CFDs are priced through the spread on the Standard account. Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free up to €100,000 of monthly turnover, then 0.2% (minimum €10). Currency conversion and overnight swap costs apply.
Beginners and active traders who want one app for CFDs and real stocks.
The widest market access here, with low costs and top-tier regulation
Two pricing plans: Fixed (one all-in commission) and Tiered (lower exchange-based commission plus pass-through fees). CFD commissions are charged per trade, with financing on overnight positions. There is no inactivity fee.
Experienced investors who want access to global exchanges.
Raw spreads, MetaTrader, cTrader and TradingView in one account (now branded IC)
Raw Spread accounts charge a commission per lot on top of raw interbank spreads (on MetaTrader it is $3.50 per side per standard lot). The Standard account has no commission and wider spreads. Swaps apply overnight.
Cost-sensitive and algorithmic traders.
MT4 and MT5 from a $5 deposit, with multiple account types
The Standard account is commission-free with costs built into the spread; the Ultra Low account offers tighter spreads. Swaps apply on positions held overnight. A monthly dormant fee is charged after 90 days of inactivity.
MetaTrader users with small starting balances.
Real stocks, options and IPOs on 15 exchanges for EEA residents
Freedom24 charges commissions according to the chosen fee plan, made of a percentage of trade value plus a fixed fee per order. Check the current plan table before choosing, because plans change.
European investors who want real shares, options and IPOs instead of CFDs.
CopyTrader and a social feed on a Nasdaq-listed platform
CFD costs are in the spread (about 1 pip on EUR/USD), plus overnight fees on leveraged positions. Withdrawals from the USD account cost $5 and currency conversion is charged on non-USD deposits; eToro removed its inactivity fee on 28 May 2026.
Investors who want to copy other traders.
IQ Broker still has strengths: $10 minimum deposit and a reloadable demo account; very easy proprietary platform on web, desktop and mobile. Read the IQ Broker review.
| Region | IQ Broker accepts | Best covered by |
|---|---|---|
| EU & EEA | 25 of 30 | Interactive Brokers (5 of 5 missing) |
| United Kingdom | 0 of 1 | XTB (1 of 1 missing) |
| Gulf & Middle East | 13 of 14 | IC Markets (1 of 1 missing) |
| Rest of Europe | 9 of 15 | IC Markets (6 of 6 missing) |
| Africa | 42 of 49 | IC Markets (7 of 7 missing) |
| Asia | 30 of 39 | IC Markets (5 of 9 missing) |
| Americas | 31 of 35 | Interactive Brokers (3 of 4 missing) |
| Oceania | 13 of 14 | Interactive Brokers (1 of 1 missing) |
Our authors' first choice in each country.
XTB, with an overall score of 4.8 out of 5. It scores higher than IQ Broker on regulation & safety, trading costs, platforms & tools and range of markets. Interactive Brokers (4.7) is second.
Interactive Brokers: one lot of EUR/USD costs $5.68 round turn. Withdrawal, inactivity and currency conversion fees differ too; see the fee table.
IQ Broker does not accept residents of 34 countries. IC Markets covers the most of them (27). Your country's ranking lists every broker that accepts you.
Yes: IC Markets and XM offer MetaTrader 4 or 5.
Interactive Brokers has the highest safety score among the alternatives (5.0), regulated by SEC / FINRA / CFTC, FCA (UK), Central Bank of Ireland and ASIC (Australia).
Other alternatives: XTB · Interactive Brokers · IC Markets · XM · Freedom24 · eToro
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Each broker publishes its own current loss percentage on its website.