EasyMarkets vs Interactive Brokers: Australia Trader Comparison 2026
Which broker is better for Australia traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
Quick Verdict — Australia Traders
For Australia traders comparing EasyMarkets vs Interactive Brokers, the choice hinges on trading style and account size. Both brokers are regulated by ASIC, ensuring client fund segregation and compliance with Australian financial laws. EasyMarkets, scoring 3.4/5, is known for its user-friendly platform, fixed spreads, and minimum deposit of $100 AUD. Interactive Brokers, scoring 3.3/5, offers professional-grade tools, variable spreads from 0.1 pips, and access to global markets. Australian traders using AUD benefit from local payment methods like BPAY, POLi, and Bank Transfer. EasyMarkets is ideal for beginners or those who prefer simplicity, while Interactive Brokers suits experienced traders needing low costs and advanced analytics. This comparison covers spreads, platforms, deposits, and regulation to help you decide based on your specific trading needs in the Australian market.
Overall Scores Comparison
Trading Costs - Spreads & Commissions
| Instrument | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD avg spread | 0.09 pips + $3.5/lot | 0.0 pips + $3.5/lot | Interactive Brokers |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | $0.14 typical | $0.12 typical | Interactive Brokers |
| GBP/USD avg spread | 0.29 pips | 0.23 pips | Interactive Brokers |
| Standard acc spread | from 1.0 pips | from 0.8 pips | Interactive Brokers |
| ECN commission | $3.5/lot/side | $3.5/lot/side | Tie |
| Min deposit | $25 | $0 | Interactive Brokers |
For Australia traders, trading costs differ significantly. EasyMarkets charges fixed spreads averaging 1.2 pips on EUR/USD and AUD/USD, with no commission on standard accounts. Interactive Brokers uses variable spreads from 0.1 pips on major pairs but adds a commission of $0.20 AUD per 1,000 units traded. For a 1-lot trade on AUD/USD, EasyMarkets costs around $12 AUD in spread, while Interactive Brokers costs about $2 AUD in spread plus $20 AUD commission. Volume traders benefit from Interactive Brokers' lower per-unit costs, while low-volume traders may prefer EasyMarkets' predictable pricing.
Account Types Comparison
| Account Type | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✗ | ✗ |
| Zero spread account | ✗ | ✗ |
| Copy trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| Min deposit | $25 | $0 |
Leverage Comparison - Australia Traders
| Entity / Asset | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (offshore) | Up to 1:2000 | Up to 1:100 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:2000 | 1:100 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 1:200 | 1:200 |
| Indices | 1:100 | 1:100 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 1:2 to 1:10 | 1:2 to 1:10 |
Trading Instruments - Assets Available
| Asset Class | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | EasyMarkets |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | EasyMarkets |
| Crypto CFDs | 30+ | 20+ | EasyMarkets |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | 1,700+ | Interactive Brokers |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✓ | Tie |
Platforms Comparison
| Platform | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✗ | ✗ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✗ | ✗ |
| cTrader | ✗ | ✗ |
| TradingView | ✗ | ✓ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✗ | ✗ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✗ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
EasyMarkets offers its proprietary web-based platform and mobile app, designed for simplicity with features like deal cancellation and guaranteed stop-loss. Interactive Brokers provides Trader Workstation (TWS), a powerful desktop platform with advanced charting, algorithmic trading, and multi-asset support. For Australia traders, Interactive Brokers' TWS offers ASX and global market access in real time, while EasyMarkets focuses on forex and CFDs. Both platforms support MetaTrader 4 (EasyMarkets) and IBKR's API for custom solutions. Beginners prefer EasyMarkets; advanced traders need Interactive Brokers.
Execution Quality - Speed & Slippage
| Factor | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | Interactive Brokers |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | EasyMarkets |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✗ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
Interactive Brokers offers direct market access (DMA) with execution speeds under 5 milliseconds, ideal for scalping and high-frequency trading. EasyMarkets uses market execution with no requotes, but execution speeds are slower at around 50-100 milliseconds. For Australia traders, Interactive Brokers provides superior execution for fast-moving markets like AUD/USD, while EasyMarkets ensures reliable execution with fixed spreads and no slippage during volatile events.
Regulation & Safety for Australia Traders
| Safety Factor | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | CySEC | FCA |
| Top-tier regulated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Both brokers are regulated by ASIC under Australian financial services licenses. EasyMarkets holds AFSL 246566, and Interactive Brokers holds AFSL 235163. ASIC regulation means client funds are held in segregated trust accounts, leverage is capped at 1:30 for retail clients, and negative balance protection applies. For Australia traders, this ensures high safety standards. Interactive Brokers also holds additional licenses from FCA and SEC, providing extra oversight. EasyMarkets is also regulated by CySEC, offering European client coverage. Both comply with strict ASIC reporting and audit requirements.
Deposits & Withdrawals for Australia
| Payment Method | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✓ | ✗ |
| Neteller | ✓ | ✗ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✗ | ✗ |
| Withdrawal time | Cards 1-2 business days; e-wallets instant-1 business day; bank wire 3-10 business days; overall back-office processing within 1 business day (24h) | 1 to 4 business days |
Australia traders can deposit and withdraw using BPAY, POLi, Bank Transfer, and Credit Card at both brokers. EasyMarkets also supports PayPal and Skrill. Minimum deposit is $100 AUD for EasyMarkets and $200 AUD for Interactive Brokers. Deposits via BPAY and POLi are usually free and processed within hours. Bank transfers take 1-2 business days. Credit card deposits are instant but may incur cash advance fees of 1-3%. Withdrawals are free at both brokers, with processing times of 1-2 business days for bank transfers and 24 hours for e-wallets. Interactive Brokers offers instant POLi deposits, while EasyMarkets provides same-day processing for most methods.
Islamic Accounts - Swap-Free for Australia Muslims
| Islamic Account Feature | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Swap-free available | ✓ | ✗ |
| Admin fee instead of swap | On some instruments | On some instruments |
| MT4 / MT5 supported | ✓ | ✓ |
| How to apply | Contact support | Contact support |
Both EasyMarkets and Interactive Brokers offer Islamic (swap-free) accounts for Australia Muslim traders. EasyMarkets provides swap-free accounts on request for all account types, with no interest charged on overnight positions. Interactive Brokers offers Islamic accounts for forex and CFD trading only, with swap-free conditions applied. Both brokers require documentation to verify eligibility. EasyMarkets' Islamic account is more straightforward, while Interactive Brokers' offering is limited to specific instruments. Australia traders should confirm swap-free status before opening an account to ensure compliance with Sharia law.
Customer Support Comparison
| Support Feature | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✗ | ✓ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | EasyMarkets |
EasyMarkets provides 24/5 live chat, phone support in English, and email assistance, with a dedicated Australia phone number. Interactive Brokers offers 24/5 support via live chat, phone, and a comprehensive knowledge base, but response times can vary due to high volume. EasyMarkets is more responsive for quick queries, while Interactive Brokers offers deeper support for technical issues. Both have Australian-based teams during local business hours.
Mobile App Comparison
| Mobile Feature | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | EasyMarkets |
| Google Play rating | 4.3 stars | 4.2 stars | EasyMarkets |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✗ | ✓ | Interactive Brokers |
Education & Research Tools
| Resource | EasyMarkets | Interactive Brokers | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | 50+ videos | Tie |
| Webinars (live) | Weekly | Monthly | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | EasyMarkets |
Real User Reviews - Trustpilot
Pros & Cons of Each Broker
EasyMarkets
Interactive Brokers
Who Should Use Which Broker? - Australia Guide
Choose EasyMarkets if you...
- Prefer fixed spreads and predictable trading costs
- Are a beginner or casual trader with a small account
- Want a simple platform with deal cancellation feature
- Value responsive customer support with local phone line
Choose Interactive Brokers if you...
- Are an experienced trader needing low spreads and commissions
- Trade high volumes and require direct market access
- Need advanced tools like algorithmic trading and multi-asset access
- Want access to ASX and global markets from one platform
FAQ - EasyMarkets vs Interactive Brokers in Australia
Final Verdict - Australia 2026
For Australia traders, the choice between EasyMarkets and Interactive Brokers depends on your experience and trading needs. EasyMarkets wins on simplicity, fixed costs, and local payment methods like BPAY and POLi, making it ideal for beginners or those who trade smaller volumes. Interactive Brokers offers institutional-grade pricing, advanced platforms, and ASIC regulation, suiting experienced traders who need low spreads and global market access. Both support AUD deposits and withdrawals via Bank Transfer and Credit Card. If you value ease of use and predictable costs, choose EasyMarkets. If you prioritise low costs and advanced tools, Interactive Brokers is the better fit for your Australian trading journey.