Head-to-head
Interactive Brokers vs Webull
Pro-grade global market access Webull: Mobile-first $0 trading
4.6/ 5 | 3.9/ 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Serious Indian investors funding $10k+ via LRS who want direct US market access. | Mobile-first traders with a US tax ID. |
| Account opening | $0 to opensource | $0 to opensource |
| Annual / inactivity fee | $0source | $0source |
| US stocks & ETFs (Pro plan) | Fixed $0.005/share (min $1); tiered from $0.0035/sharesource | $0 commissionsource |
| Options | $0.65/contract fixed; tiered from $0.15source | $0 commissionsource |
| Trading platforms | ✓ Client Portal, Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobilesource | — |
| Account protection | ✓ SIPC membersource | ✓ SIPC $500k ($250k cash) + excess Lloyd's cover to $100M aggregatesource |
| India access | ✓ Indian residents onboard via IBKR India; global stocks through a foreign-currency account funded under LRSsource | — |
| Extended-hours trading | — | ✓ Pre-market + after-hours US sessionssource |
| Mutual funds | — | — |
| IPO | — | — |
| US stocks | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
Highlighted rows differ. “Confirming” means we haven't re-verified that figure yet — check the official pricing page.
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A star rating and one detail is enough. Human-moderated, no account needed.
4.6/ 5
The best US route for serious Indian investors: direct onboarding, honest Pro pricing and global markets in one account. Run the US-cost calculator before funding.
3.9/ 5
Cheapest headline pricing, gated by US onboarding. Great if you have an SSN; otherwise use the India routes on /us-investing.
Interactive Brokers: strengths & weaknesses
What we like
- Direct onboarding for Indian residents (IBKR India + LRS funding)
- Cheapest high-volume US pricing + fractional shares
- 150+ markets, strong research and margin rates
Watch out for
- Complex platform for beginners
- Lite $0 plan is US-residents-only; Indian accounts use Pro pricing
- Forex spread + TCS costs sit on top of brokerage
Webull: strengths & weaknesses
What we like
- $0 commissions on stocks, ETFs and equity options
- Polished mobile charts + extended-hours trading
- SIPC + excess Lloyd's coverage
Watch out for
- SSN/ITIN required — limited direct access from India
- Regulatory/exchange pass-through fees still apply
- Thinner research than Schwab/Fidelity
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How we research. Every fee on this site carries a source and a verification date. Data is re-checked against official broker pages; read our editorial methodology. LetsInvest is a research publication, not a financial adviser — see our terms.