NinjaTrader excels in advanced trading tools and charting for active traders, while Interactive Brokers offers a broader range of asset classes and low-cost trading for long-term investors.
In the world of day trading, information is power, and actionable insights can make a major difference in trading opportunities. If you’re looking for advanced functionality and powerful trading tools across markets, Interactive Brokers and NinjaTrader have both built a solid reputation. The blend of features can work for a variety of trading styles and experience levels.
Below, we’ll compare NinjaTrader vs. Interactive Brokers across security, features, apps, customer support and overall performance to help you choose which trading platform is right for you.
Fees
Ninjatrader and Interactive Brokers have low fees but shine in different areas. Like other online brokerages, there are both fees and commissions to consider.
NinjaTrader
NinjaTrader has no minimum deposit requirements and is an affordable way to start future traders, with lower margins than many futures trading brokers. Prices start at just $50 for intraday margins on micro contracts. NinjaTrader’s fees are based on the subscription plan you choose. Here’s a summary of NinjaTrader’s commission structure:
| Plan | Fixed Fee | Commissions Per Side (Micro) | Commissions Per Side (Standard) |
| Free | $0 | $0.35 | $1.29 |
| Monthly | $99 per month | $0.25 | $0.99 |
| Lifetime | $1,499 one-time payment | $0.09 | $0.59 |
While NinjaTrader doesn’t charge fees to deposit money or make ACH withdrawals, withdrawals made by domestic wire transfer incur a $30 fee and international wire transfers incur a fee of 30 units in the originating currency.
NinjaTrader also charges a $50 outgoing account transfer fee, a $50 margin call fee and a $25 minimum activity fee if you log into your account but don’t make any trades in a live trading environment for the month.
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers offers two plans: IBKR Lite and IBKR Pro. The IBKR Lite plan has commission-free trading but is light on features and has higher interest rates for margin loans. The Pro offering can be good for stock brokers and other serious investors.
For options trading, the IBKR Lite plan has a flat commission rate of $0.65 per contract and $0.85 per futures contract. IBKR Pro is designed for professional investors and offers more robust features. Here’s an overview of fees for the two plans:
| Plan | Cost |
| IBKR Lite: Stocks and ETFs | $0, no minimum |
| IBKR Pro (Fixed): Stocks and ETFs | $0.005 per share, $1 minimum |
| Mutual Funds (No-Fee Funds) | $0 transaction fee |
| Mutual Funds (IBKR Transaction Fee) | $14.95 or 3% of trade value (whichever is less) |
| Options | $0 per trade, $0.25 to $0.65 per contract, depending on the option price |
| Cryptocurrency | 0.12% to 0.18% commission, depending on monthly trade volume |
| Margins | Range from 5.83% (BM + 0.5%) for IBKR Pro accounts with $200 million+ to 7.83% (BM + 2.5%) for IBKR Lite accounts with $100,000 down to $0. |
Winner: Interactive Brokers’ fees are better for most stocks, making it the winner by a small margin.
Accounts and Features
NinjaTrader and Interactive Brokers offer various tools to enhance trading experiences, including advanced data analysis, real-time information and innovative features that can help optimize your trading strategy. The advanced tools and educational resources can help you utilize or improve technical analysis.
However, NinjaTrader only allows you to trade futures. You can’t buy and sell individual stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other investments. It’s an excellent futures broker that can help you understand futures trading algorithms and optimize your strategy but it’s more limited than Interactive Brokers.
In contrast, Interactive Brokers offers many investment offerings, including:
- Bonds
- Contracts for differences
- Cryptocurrency
- Debt instruments
- ETFs
- Futures
- Futures options
- Foreign exchange
- Mutual funds
- Options
- Precious metals
- Stocks
- U.S. Equities
You can also choose from a vast array of brokerage accounts, including broker, hedge funds, individual investment funds, IRAs and Roth IRAs, mutual funds and more. In addition, Interactive Brokers offers free resources like news and reports, mutual fund and ETF replicators and an excellent stock market scanner.
Winner: Interactive Brokers wins for its vast array of investment options and account types, and its good range of educational resources. However, if you’re only interested in trading futures, NinjaTrader offers specialized features that make it the winner.
Mobile App
Both NinjaTrader and Interactive Brokers offer robust and convenient mobile trading solutions. They offer comprehensive features and are easy to use across different devices, including Android, iOS and tablets.
Interactive Brokers’ app gets 4.5 out of five stars on the Apple store from 9,600 reviews and an impressive 4.7 out of five stars on Google Play, with over 42,000 reviews.
NinjaTrader’s app gets 4.2 out of five stars on the Apple store from just over 812 reviews and 3.4 out of five stars on Google Play with 865 reviews.
Winner: Both online trading platforms offer flexible mobile apps with robust features and good reviews; it’s a tie.
Customer Support
NinjaTrader and Interactive Brokers offer comprehensive customer support through phone and email options. They also offer a good resource library and extensive FAQ sections that address common user queries.
Interactive Brokers’ customer service did receive complaints of long wait times. You can contact Interactive Brokers by phone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday or chat online if you’re already a client, 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday.
NinjaTrader offers 24/5 support via live chat. You can also reach NinjaTrader support via email or phone. You can contact the 24-hour Emergency Trade Desk for emergencies and live orders. In general, customers are happy with NinjaTrader’s customer service.
Winner: NinjaTrader wins this round. It consistently offers efficient, prompt and helpful support that leaves customers (generally) satisfied.
Ease of Use
NinjaTrader and Interactive Brokers offer user-friendly features and quick account setup processes. It’s easy to get started as a beginner with both platforms. Both Interactive Brokers and NinjaTrader give you paper trading options, allowing you to practice and familiarize yourself with the platforms without financial risk.
Winner: It’s a tie. If you’re ready to try out futures, NinjaTrader can’t be beat. However, Interactive Brokers is a solid option if you want to buy stocks, ETFs or other assets. In this case, you could choose both for different features.
Safety
NinjaTrader and Interactive Brokers ensure safety through regulation, account protection, and security measures. While NinjaTrader is regulated by the CFTC in the U.S. and is a member of the NFA, Interactive Brokers is regulated by the FCA in the UK, SEC in the U.S., and ASIC in Australia. Additionally, Interactive Brokers offers additional investor protections.
Interactive Brokers offers two-factor authentication and a high-security desktop and mobile services standard. You can also use fingerprint or Face ID features on eligible devices.
Interactive Brokers is well-established. It’s been around since 1977, with over 2.5 million client accounts and over $10 billion in excess regulatory capital. Client securities accounts are protected by the SIPC and an excess SIPC policy through Lloyd’s of London.
Winner: While both NinjaTrader and Interactive Brokers have good features, Interactive Brokers offers additional investor protections that make it a better choice overall.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No, IBKR is a subscription plan through Interactive Brokers, and NinjaTrader is a separate trading platform. You can, however, use both independently.
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There are no account minimums. You can open an account and start trading on NinjaTrader with any amount.
