Tickmill 9x cheaper — spread only, no minimum to hit.
1.6 shares × $0.05 spread vs IB's $0.35 min × 2 sides.
IB 2.3x cheaper — $0.35 minimum stops binding, linear scaling beats Tickmill spread.
32 shares × $0.05 vs 32 × $0.0067 × 2.
The crossover — where IB starts to beat Tickmill — depends entirely on the stock's spread. Tight names like NVDA (spread $0.02) keep Tickmill winning all the way up to $7,242. Wide-spread names like AMD ($0.40) flip at just $848. That's the entire article in one sentence. Below, we show the math, the live snapshot, and a verdict by trader profile.
Synthetic contract — no ownership, no voting, dividend simulated as cash adjustment.
478 US stock CFDs + popular ETFs (SPY, QQQ, GLD, IWM, XLE, XLF, TLT). No VXX, no ARKK, no small caps.
Pricing: spread only, no commission, no minimum. Pay the bid-ask spread once per round-trip.
Lot: 1 share minimum (no fractional). 1:5 retail leverage built in.
Hidden cost: overnight swap (~3-5% annualized on longs).
Real shares — actual ownership, voting rights, real dividends (subject to withholding tax).
10,000+ US stocks, every ETF, every exchange. Anything tradable is tradable.
Pricing: $0.0035/share base + ~$0.003 remove-liquidity exchange fee + $0.0002 clearing ≈ $0.0067/share. Minimum: $0.35 per order. Max 1% of trade value.
Lot: fractional shares supported (0.0001 share). Cash account has no leverage; margin account 2:1 day, 4:1 with PDT >$25k.
Hidden cost: none on owned shares — no overnight financing.
Why "Tiered" matters for small accounts: IBKR Pro lets you choose between Fixed ($0.005/share, $1.00 minimum) and Tiered ($0.0035/share base + exchange fees, $0.35 minimum). The $0.35 vs $1.00 minimum is the entire difference for a $100-1,000 trader. Tiered is the right call. (IBKR CFDs at IB have their own separate schedule — 0.05% with $1 minimum — but that's not what we're comparing here; we're comparing Tickmill CFD with IB cash equity.)
Round-trip = open the position + close it. Both formulas calculate this combined cost.
| Broker | Round-trip cost formula | Worked example: 32 shares of AAPL @ $312 (= $10,000 notional) |
|---|---|---|
| Tickmill CFD | spread × shares (shares = USD / mid_price, floored to integer ≥ 1) | 32 × $0.05 = $1.60 |
| IB Pro Tiered | max($0.35, $0.0067 × shares) × 2 (fractional shares allowed) | max($0.35, 32 × $0.0067) × 2 = $0.43 × 2 = but binding $0.35... actually 32 × $0.0067 = $0.21 < $0.35, so $0.35 × 2 = $0.70 |
Critical insight: IB's $0.35 minimum binds until shares > ~52 (= $16,068 of AAPL). Below that, IB cost is flat $0.70 round-trip regardless of trade size.
Captured from Tickmill MT5 during US peak liquidity. Spreads tighten further with high volume; these are realistic intraday values for active traders.
| Symbol | Bid | Ask | Mid | Spread (USD) | Spread % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | 311.72 | 311.77 | 311.75 | 0.0500 | 0.016% |
| NVDA | 206.91 | 206.93 | 206.92 | 0.0200 | 0.010% |
| MU | 930.08 | 930.50 | 930.29 | 0.4200 | 0.045% |
| TSLA | 401.71 | 401.88 | 401.79 | 0.1700 | 0.042% |
| MSFT | 411.74 | 411.83 | 411.78 | 0.0900 | 0.022% |
| META | 589.32 | 589.50 | 589.41 | 0.1800 | 0.030% |
| AMZN | 246.76 | 246.81 | 246.78 | 0.0500 | 0.020% |
| GOOGL | 361.15 | 361.28 | 361.21 | 0.1300 | 0.036% |
| AMD | 484.39 | 484.79 | 484.59 | 0.4000 | 0.083% |
| PLTR | 137.04 | 137.10 | 137.07 | 0.0600 | 0.044% |
| SPY (ETF) | 742.15 | 742.18 | 742.16 | 0.0300 | 0.004% |
| QQQ (ETF) | 715.69 | 715.75 | 715.72 | 0.0600 | 0.008% |
| GLD (ETF) | 396.65 | 396.71 | 396.68 | 0.0600 | 0.015% |
SPY is the standout. $0.03 spread on a $742 share = 0.004%. For a small trader wanting broad-market exposure, Tickmill SPY is exceptionally cheap. The crossover with IB (where IB beats Tickmill) lands at $17,317 — practically out of reach for a small account. SPY exposure via Tickmill stays cheaper than IB Pro Tiered cash equity well into mid-sized portfolio territory.
Tickmill stock CFDs trade in 1-share minimum lots. No fractional. This creates a binary outcome for trades below the price of one share:
| Trade size | Stock | 1 share notional | Tickmill possible? | IB possible (fractional)? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | NVDA | $207 | No (need 1 full share) | Yes (0.48 share) |
| $100 | AAPL | $312 | No | Yes (0.32 share) |
| $100 | MU | $930 | No | Yes (0.11 share) |
| $100 | SPY | $742 | No | Yes (0.13 share) |
| $500 | NVDA | $207 | Yes (2 shares + $86 margin buffer) | Yes (2.42 shares) |
| $500 | SPY | $742 | No (need full share) | Yes (0.67 share) |
Workaround: use Tickmill's built-in 1:5 retail leverage. $100 deposit controls $500 notional, which is enough margin for 1 share of any stock under $500. Risk doubles, but the door opens. For higher-priced names (MU $930) you'd need either a larger deposit or non-EU leverage tiers.
The fractional difference matters most for small accounts. If your strategy is "$100 into NVDA each week, building over time," IB makes that frictionless — exact $100 buys exact 0.483 share. On Tickmill the same dollar amount either buys 0 shares (under 1-lot) or 1 full share (worth $207 — 2x your target).
Round-trip cost in USD. Green = cheaper. "N/A" = trade size below Tickmill's 1-share lot floor.
| Stock | Spread | $500 | $1,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | $0.05 | $0.08 vs $0.70 | $0.16 vs $0.70 | $0.80 vs $0.70 | $1.60 vs $0.70 |
| NVDA | $0.02 | $0.05 vs $0.70 | $0.10 vs $0.70 | $0.48 vs $0.70 | $0.97 vs $0.70 |
| MU | $0.42 | N/A vs $0.70 | $0.45 vs $0.70 | $2.26 vs $0.70 | $4.51 vs $0.70 |
| TSLA | $0.17 | $0.21 vs $0.70 | $0.42 vs $0.70 | $2.12 vs $0.70 | $4.23 vs $0.70 |
| SPY (ETF) | $0.03 | N/A vs $0.70 | $0.04 vs $0.70 | $0.20 vs $0.70 | $0.40 vs $0.70 |
| Stock | Spread | $500 | $1,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSFT | $0.09 | $0.11 vs $0.70 | $0.22 vs $0.70 | $1.09 vs $0.70 | $2.19 vs $0.70 |
| META | $0.18 | N/A vs $0.70 | $0.31 vs $0.70 | $1.53 vs $0.70 | $3.05 vs $0.70 |
| AMZN | $0.05 | $0.10 vs $0.70 | $0.20 vs $0.70 | $1.01 vs $0.70 | $2.03 vs $0.70 |
| GOOGL | $0.13 | $0.18 vs $0.70 | $0.36 vs $0.70 | $1.80 vs $0.70 | $3.60 vs $0.70 |
| AMD | $0.40 | $0.41 vs $0.70 | $0.83 vs $0.70 | $4.13 vs $0.70 | $8.25 vs $0.70 |
| PLTR | $0.06 | $0.22 vs $0.70 | $0.44 vs $0.70 | $2.19 vs $0.70 | $4.38 vs $0.98 |
| QQQ (ETF) | $0.06 | N/A vs $0.70 | $0.08 vs $0.70 | $0.42 vs $0.70 | $0.84 vs $0.70 |
| GLD (ETF) | $0.06 | $0.08 vs $0.70 | $0.15 vs $0.70 | $0.76 vs $0.70 | $1.51 vs $0.70 |
For each symbol, the USD trade value where Tickmill cost = IB minimum ($0.70 round-trip). Below that value, Tickmill wins. Above it, IB wins (and the gap widens with size). Ranked low-to-high by crossover:
| Symbol | Spread | Crossover (USD) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD | $0.40 | $848 | Wide spread — IB wins almost everywhere |
| MU | $0.42 | $1,550 | IB wins above $1.5k trades |
| PLTR | $0.06 | $1,599 | IB wins above $1.6k |
| TSLA | $0.17 | $1,654 | IB wins above $1.7k |
| GOOGL | $0.13 | $1,945 | IB wins above $2k |
| META | $0.18 | $2,292 | Tickmill range to mid-size |
| MSFT | $0.09 | $3,203 | Tickmill cheap up to $3.2k |
| AMZN | $0.05 | $3,455 | Tickmill cheap up to $3.5k |
| AAPL | $0.05 | $4,364 | Tickmill cheap up to $4.4k |
| GLD (ETF) | $0.06 | $4,628 | Tickmill cheap up to $4.6k |
| NVDA | $0.02 | $7,242 | Tickmill cheap to $7.2k |
| QQQ (ETF) | $0.06 | $8,350 | Tickmill cheap to $8.3k |
| SPY (ETF) | $0.03 | $17,317 | Tickmill ezici (huge range) |
Tickmill stock CFD universe at the time of writing: 478 US stocks + popular ETFs. Spot-check we ran: SPY, QQQ, IWM, GLD, TLT, XLE, XLF all available. VXX and ARKK not found. The catalog covers every large-cap and mid-cap name someone might want to swing-trade; small-caps, ADRs, and specialty/thematic ETFs are mostly absent.
IB Pro Tiered covers every US-listed stock (~10,000), every ETF (~3,000), every exchange globally, plus options, futures, FX. If you can name it, you can trade it. For someone targeting a specific thematic ETF, a small-cap mover, or a non-US ADR, IB is the only option.
A cost the spread table doesn't show: Tickmill CFDs accrue overnight financing (swap) every night you hold. Typical rate for long stock CFDs is ~3-5% annualized — paid daily as a small debit. Multi-day positions compound this.
| Holding period | Tickmill swap cost (1 share AAPL $312) | IB cash cost (owned share) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | ~$0.03 | $0 |
| 7 days | ~$0.20 | $0 |
| 30 days | ~$0.85 | $0 |
| 90 days | ~$2.55 | $0 |
Holding 1 share of AAPL for 30 days on Tickmill costs an extra ~$0.85 in swap. The opening spread cost was $0.05. The swap alone is 17x larger than the trade entry cost. For position trades (multiple days), Tickmill's spread savings evaporate. IB's no-overnight-cost wins decisively on holds.
Pick Tickmill. Spread cost is pennies; IB's $0.70 min makes every $100-300 trade 5-15x more expensive. AAPL/NVDA/MSFT/SPY all in Tickmill's universe. Leverage gives you enough buying power to clear the 1-share lot floor on any stock under ~$500.
Pick IB. Tickmill doesn't carry these names. No further analysis needed.
Pick IB. Fractional shares make exact dollar amounts seamless. Tickmill's 1-share lot forces you into either skipping or doubling-up. The $0.70 IB cost on a $100 trade is 0.7%, but the routine consistency is worth more than the spread savings.
Pick Tickmill. Below the crossover for every name. SPY at $0.04 round-trip ($1,000 trade) vs IB $0.70 = 18x cheaper. Across 20 trades a month, Tickmill saves ~$13 in fees. Negligible at one level, meaningful at small-account scale.
Pick IB. Overnight swap cost on Tickmill compounds quickly. A 2-week hold can easily overwhelm the spread savings. Owned shares at IB have no carrying cost — your only friction is the $0.70 round-trip entry/exit.
Pick IB. Above the crossover for all tight-spread stocks except SPY/QQQ. IB's linear $0.0067/share scaling is cheaper than wider Tickmill spreads. Add in fractional flexibility, real dividends, no swap, and the breadth of the symbol universe.
Pick Tickmill. Live spread snapshot shows SPY at $0.03 — the crossover is $17,317. For any retail-sized SPY trade, Tickmill is dramatically cheaper. Same applies to QQQ within typical small-account size. The exception that proves the rule.
BF Explorer momentum rankings, XAU Sentinel for gold sentiment, Paper Trading to practice these stocks risk-free, Polymarket Dashboard for prediction signal. All free, no signup required for core views.
BF Explorer Rankings XAU Sentinel Paper Trading Polymarket Dashboard Telegram alertsSpreads captured from Tickmill MT5 on June 8, 2026 at 17:09 UTC (20:09 Turkey, US peak liquidity hour). Values shift intraday — wider after-hours and pre-market, tighter during overlap with high US volume. IB Pro Tiered cost model uses base $0.0035/share + typical remove-liquidity exchange fee + clearing ≈ $0.0067/share, $0.35 minimum per order, market-order assumption. Passive limit orders can be cheaper. Nothing in this article is financial advice. Verify current rates with each broker before trading.