
If you're considering opening an account with IBKR, you'll need to decide between their Tiered and Fixed Pricing plans. The Tiered plan charges lower fees for higher trading volumes, while the Fixed plan charges a flat rate per trade.
The Tiered plan is a good choice for active traders who consistently place a large number of trades. According to the IBKR website, the Tiered plan's fees start at $0.005 per share for U.S. stocks with a minimum of 100 shares per trade.
For smaller traders, the Fixed plan might be more suitable, with a flat fee of $0.005 per trade for U.S. stocks. This fee structure is straightforward and easy to budget for, making it a great option for those who don't trade frequently.
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IBKR Pricing Plans
Interactive Brokers offers two pricing plans: Fixed and Tiered. The Fixed pricing plan is simpler and more straightforward, involving a fixed charge, while the Tiered pricing plan is more complex and exchange-dependent.
The Fixed pricing plan is suitable for traders who trade larger volumes (over $15,000 per order), prefer predictable fees, and primarily trade on U.S. exchanges.
If you're a high-volume trader, you'll likely find the Fixed pricing plan more cost-effective, as it avoids the complexity of calculating various fee components.
Interactive Brokers also offers a Tiered pricing plan for non-U.S. and non-Canadian residents, which affects the conditions for paying for conducted operations.
Here's a comparison of the two pricing plans: the Tiered plan charges around $0.35 + dollars per order, while the Fixed plan charges around $1 dollar.
If you frequently buy and sell securities, the Tiered plan is likely a better choice, as it's based on the number of shares you trade. However, if you're a conservative investor, the Fixed plan might be more suitable.
Fees and Tariffs
Interactive Brokers offers two pricing models: tiered and fixed. The tiered model is recommended for most people, as it offers lower fees for smaller orders.
You can switch between pricing models anytime under settings – IBKR pricing plan. For orders up to 5,500€, the tiered pricing model makes more sense, while for orders over 5,500€, the fixed pricing model starts to make more sense.
Using the tiered pricing model, you only pay 1,25€-1,38€ depending on which exchange IB's smart routing uses for an order of 2,500€. Those are some of the lowest fees in the industry.
Interactive Brokers also offers a tiered pricing plan for non-US and Canadian residents, which includes a fixed pricing plan. The plans have a complex fee system, and you can find more information on the broker's website.
LSE Fees by Volume
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) charges fees based on the volume of trades executed on its platform. The fees are categorized into several tiers based on the trading volume, with higher volumes resulting in lower fees per share.
For example, the LSE charges a minimum fee of £0.005 per share for trades executed in the Order Book, but this fee can be reduced to £0.001 per share for trades executed in the High Volume Trading (HVT) tier. This tier is reserved for firms that trade high volumes, typically over 100 million shares per day.
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The LSE also offers a discounted fee structure for firms that trade large volumes, known as the Large in Scale (LIS) tier. This tier is designed for firms that trade over 1 billion shares per day, and offers a fee of £0.0005 per share.
Firms that trade smaller volumes, typically under 10 million shares per day, are charged the standard fee of £0.005 per share. This fee can be reduced to £0.0025 per share for firms that trade between 10 million and 50 million shares per day.
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What Fees Are There?
Interactive Brokers has two pricing models: tiered and fixed. The tiered model is recommended for most people, including myself, as it offers lower fees for smaller orders.
The tiered model charges between 1.25€ and 1.38€ for an order of 2,500€, depending on the exchange used for the order. This is one of the lowest fees in the industry.
For orders over 5,500€, the fixed pricing model may be more cost-effective. However, the tiered model is generally a better option for smaller orders.
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Interactive Brokers does not subsidize its low fees through payment for order flow (PFOF) or share lending, unlike some other low-cost brokers.
Here's a summary of the pricing models:
Keep in mind that the availability of IBKR Lite plans may vary depending on your location.
Understanding Fees
Interactive Brokers has two pricing models – tiered and fixed. I recommend the tiered model for most people, as it offers lower fees.
The tiered pricing model charges around 1,25€-1,38€ for an order of 2,500€, depending on the exchange used. This is one of the lowest fees in the industry.
You can switch between pricing models anytime under settings – IBKR pricing plan. I've also created a Google sheet comparing the two models, which can be found here.
Here's a rough breakdown of the fees for Interactive Brokers:
- Tiered plan: around 0.35+ dollars per order
- Fixed plan: around 1 dollar per order
If you frequently buy and sell securities, the tiered plan is likely a better choice. If you're a conservative investor, the fixed plan might be more suitable.
Interactive Brokers Commission Calculation
Interactive Brokers offers two commission plans: Tiered and Fixed. The Tiered plan is a better option if you frequently buy and sell securities, as it charges around 0.35+ dollars per order.
The Fixed plan, on the other hand, charges around 1 dollar per order, making it a more suitable choice for conservative investors. If you trade in large quantities, the Tiered plan's lower cost per order can add up to significant savings.
The Tiered plan's cost is based on the number of shares you buy and sell, so if you trade in small quantities, you may want to consider the Fixed plan. However, if you trade in large quantities, exceeding 300,000 shares per month, the Tiered plan is a better option.
Here's a quick comparison of the two plans:
Keep in mind that the Tiered plan is not available to citizens of Ukraine and many other European countries, so be sure to check Interactive Brokers' website for more information on their commission plans.
Asset Type Analysis
Asset Type Analysis is a crucial step in understanding fees. It involves categorizing assets into different types based on their characteristics, such as their level of liquidity, volatility, and growth potential.
For example, stocks are typically considered a high-risk, high-reward asset type, while bonds are often viewed as a lower-risk option. This categorization helps investors make informed decisions about how to allocate their assets.
Cash and cash equivalents, such as money market funds, are usually considered a low-risk, low-return asset type. They provide liquidity but often come with lower yields.
Real estate, on the other hand, is often seen as a relatively stable asset type, with a lower correlation to other assets. This makes it a popular choice for investors seeking to diversify their portfolios.
By analyzing asset types, investors can better understand the fees associated with each type and make more informed decisions about how to manage their investments.
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Choosing a Plan
The Fixed Pricing Plan is ideal for larger trade volumes, with a simple and predictable fee structure and a fixed commission per share or trade value. This plan has a minimum commission of $1.00 USD.
The Tiered Pricing Plan, on the other hand, is better suited for smaller trade volumes and has a more complex fee structure with lower base commission rates. However, this plan also comes with additional exchange and regulatory fees.
One thing to consider is that both plans have a minimum commission, with the Tiered Pricing Plan having a minimum commission of $0.35 USD, which is significantly lower than the Fixed Plan's minimum commission of $1.00 USD.
Ultimately, the choice between the Fixed Pricing Plan and the Tiered Pricing Plan will depend on the size and frequency of your trades.
Here are some key differences between the two plans:
Sources
- https://www.bankeronwheels.com/ibkr-fixed-vs-tiered/
- https://www.matchmybroker.com/articles/ibkr-fixed-vs-tiered-pricing-a-complete-fee-analysis
- https://p2pinvesting.eu/interactive-brokers-recurring-investments-fractional-shares/
- https://merelycurious.me/post/interactive-brokers-fixed-vs-tiered-commissions
- https://illiakyselov.com/ru/interactive-brokers-komissii/
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