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IBKR Pro vs Lite in 2025
Interactive Brokers Lite vs Pro cost and fees: are they the same? Differences between
IBKR Lite and Pro pricing plans for online stock and options trading.
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IBKR Lite vs IBKR Pro
If you have a U.S.-based brokerage account with IBKR, it is either a Lite pr Pro account. Understanding the differences between these two plans is important to make an informed choice.
Account Features
While many traders think the difference between IBKR Lite and IBKR Pro is just in commissions, there are actually several differences.
For instance, IBKR Pro accounts can start trading at 4:00 am EST on the major American exchanges, while Lite customers can only start trading from 7:00 am. Additionally, Pro customers with eligible accounts can use the firm's FDIC-sweep program for uninvested cash, which is not available to Lite customers.
Eligibility
Any account can sign up for Pro. Lite, however, is only available to non-institutional, U.S.-based accounts.
IBKR Pro vs Lite Trading Technology
Both Lite and Pro accounts use the same trading tools, except for APIs and IB SmartRoutingSM, which are only available to Pro accounts.
Interactive Brokers' flagship trading platform, Trader Workstation, is available to both Lite and Pro customers.
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IBKR Pro vs Lite Interest Rates
Interest rates for uninvested cash vary between Lite and Pro accounts. Pro accounts earn interest at the benchmark rate minus 0.5% on balances over $10,000, while Lite accounts earn at benchmark minus 1.5%.
Lite accounts also pay higher margin rates. Currently, the Lite margin rate is a flat rate across all balances, whereas Pro accounts have a graded rate system starting lower and decreasing even further as the balance increases.
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IBKR Pro vs Lite Commissions
IBKR Lite differs from IBKR Pro primarily in commission costs. Lite users pay no commission on U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, whereas Pro users may choose between fixed or tiered pricing models.
Fixed:
0.5¢ per share with a $1 minimum and 1% maximum of the trade value.
Tiered:
Tiered pricing adjusts the commission based on the monthly trade volume, ranging from 0.35¢ to 0.05¢ per share, with a $0.35 minimum and 1% maximum of the trade value.
Regardless of the plan, all regulatory fees are passed onto the client, with Pro-Tiered schedules also passing through other associated trading fees.
Fees for trading other asset classes like currencies and fixed-income securities are the same under both plans, and options can be traded using either fixed or tiered pricing on the Pro plan, but only fixed pricing on the Lite plan.
What Doesn’t Change
Both IBKR Pro and Lite customers can participate in the firm’s stock yield enhancement program. There are no requirements for a minimum account value or initial deposit, and there are no recurring account fees such as inactivity or annual charges. Market-data subscription prices are also the same for both plans.
Switching Between Lite and Pro
Accounts eligible for Lite can switch between plans anytime. To change your plan, log into your account, go to account settings under the head-and-shoulders icon in the upper-right corner, and find the link to change your pricing plan in the Account Configuration section.
IBKR Lite vs Pro: Judgment
Although IBKR Lite may seem like a better deal due to its zero-commission trading, accounts that frequently use margin or have large balances of uninvested cash might find better value in the Pro plan.
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Updated on 2/24/2025.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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