Interactive Brokers vs Sharesight
A detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool in 2026.
Interactive Brokers
The professional's gateway to the world's markets
Free plan available
Sharesight
Automated portfolio tracking with dividend and tax reporting for international investors
Free plan available
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | Sharesight |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-broker sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Performance tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dividend tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tax reporting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Asset allocation view | ✓ | ✓ |
| Benchmark comparison | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
Interactive Brokers Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Industry-lowest margin rates at 4.14%-6.14%
- + Unmatched global market access — 170+ markets, 29 currencies
- + Commission-free IBKR Lite tier with no account minimum
- + Professional-grade tools: 100+ algo order types, full API
- + Competitive interest on idle cash (benchmark minus 0.5%)
- + Publicly traded (NASDAQ: IBKR) with strong regulatory oversight
Cons
- − Steep learning curve — TWS platform is complex and intimidating
- − Cannot run desktop and mobile simultaneously on same account
- − Customer service can be slow with longer wait times
- − IBKR Lite uses payment for order flow for execution
- − Educational content skips basics for beginners
Sharesight Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Best-in-class dividend tracking and reinvestment accounting
- + Multi-currency support across 60+ global exchanges
- + Tax reports tailored to five major jurisdictions
- + Automatic trade import from 200+ brokers eliminates manual work
- + Clean interface with deep reporting suite
- + Investopedia-recognized as best DIY portfolio tracker (2025)
Cons
- − Free tier limited to 10 holdings including sold positions
- − End-of-day pricing only -- no real-time data
- − No charting or technical analysis tools
- − US broker integrations less complete than AU/NZ
- − Limited support for alternative assets beyond publicly traded securities
- − No phone support available
Our Take
Interactive Brokers: Interactive Brokers is the most comprehensive brokerage available for serious traders — delivering unmatched global market access across 170-plus markets, the industry's lowest margin rates, and professional-grade tools that scale from algorithmic strategies to multi-currency portfolio management. The learning curve is real but shrinking with IBKR Desktop. If low costs and global reach matter more than hand-holding, this is the broker to beat.
Sharesight: Sharesight is the strongest portfolio tracker available for dividend investors and international portfolios. Its automated trade imports, multi-currency performance calculations, and jurisdiction-specific tax reports eliminate the spreadsheet burden that plagues self-directed investors managing holdings across multiple brokers and countries. The interface is clean, the reporting is deep, and the free tier is genuinely useful for small portfolios. It falls short on alternative assets and active trading use cases, but for buy-and-hold investors who need accurate performance and tax data, no single competitor delivers this combination at this price point.
Pricing Comparison
Interactive Brokers Pricing
Interactive Brokers operates a two-tier model. IBKR Lite provides genuinely commission-free trading on US-listed stocks and ETFs with no account minimum — funded through payment for order flow. IBKR Pro offers two pricing structures: Fixed at $0.005 per share with a one-dollar minimum, or Tiered starting as low as $0.0005 per share based on volume. Options cost $0.15 to $0.65 per contract on the tiered plan, and futures run $0.85 per contract. Margin rates between 4.14% and 6.14% are the lowest in the industry. Pro accounts earn interest on idle cash at the benchmark rate minus 0.5%, currently up to 3.14% APY for balances in accounts with $100,000 or more in net asset value.
Sharesight Pricing
Sharesight's freemium model provides a genuinely functional free tier — 10 holdings, one portfolio, and access to core performance tracking. For index fund investors holding a handful of ETFs, the free plan may be sufficient indefinitely. Beyond that, paid plans scale by holdings and portfolios: Starter ($9.33/month or $7/month annually) covers 30 holdings; Standard ($24/month or $18/month annually) unlocks unlimited holdings, four portfolios, and advanced tax and diversity reports; Premium ($31/month or $23.25/month annually) adds 10 portfolios, 10 custom groups, and priority support. Annual billing saves roughly 25%. A Business plan at $13.50 per portfolio per month serves accountants and advisors. Compared to competitors, Sharesight sits in the mid-range — more expensive than free alternatives like Empower, but cheaper than Kubera's $249/year for a single-purpose net worth tracker. The key value inflection is the Standard plan, where unlimited holdings and tax reports unlock the platform's core differentiation.
What Users Say
Interactive Brokers
Professional review outlets rate Interactive Brokers very highly — StockBrokers.com awards a perfect 5 out of 5 stars, and Benzinga gives 4.5 out of 5. The picture shifts on consumer platforms, where Trustpilot shows a 3.5 out of 5 across more than 5,100 reviews. The divide reflects a consistent pattern: experienced traders praise the low costs, global access, and powerful tools, while less technical users struggle with interface complexity and customer service responsiveness. Common positive themes include appreciation for competitive margin rates, breadth of tradeable assets, and the reliability of the platform over years of use. Negative themes center on account verification difficulties, slow support response times, and occasional platform login issues.
Sharesight
User sentiment toward Sharesight is positive overall, with particularly strong endorsement from Australian and New Zealand investors. On Trustpilot (4.0/5, 541 reviews), 68% of ratings are five stars, with users praising responsive customer support and time saved on tax preparation — one reviewer called it "the best share software in NZ and Australia." ProductReview.com.au (4.0/5, 150 reviews) echoes this, with users highlighting accurate CGT reports and easy broker auto-imports. Benzinga rates the platform 4.5/5. The negative themes are consistent across platforms: pricing feels steep for smaller investors, the no-refund policy on annual plans frustrates some users, and the mobile apps lag behind the web experience. Capterra (3.3/5, 3 reviews) shows a notably lower score, though the tiny sample size limits its significance. The value-for-money rating of 2.5/5 on Capterra reflects a recurring concern — Sharesight delivers excellent functionality, but investors with smaller portfolios question whether the cost is proportional to the benefit.
Choose Interactive Brokers if...
- → Active traders, global investors, and algorithmic traders seeking the lowest costs and broadest market access
- → Interactive Brokers is built for active traders who demand professional-grade tools at institutional pricing. Algorithmic traders will appreciate the full API suite supporting Python, Java, and C++, along with 100-plus order types. Global investors benefit from unmatched access to 170-plus markets in 29 currencies through a single account. Options strategists get dedicated tools like Volatility Lab, Probability Lab, and Option Lattice. Cost-conscious traders seeking the industry's lowest margin rates — starting at 4.14% — and competitive cash interest will find strong value here. Portfolio managers tracking multi-asset, multi-currency holdings across global markets will also find the PortfolioAnalyst and Tax Planner tools indispensable.
Choose Sharesight if...
- → Dividend investors and international portfolio holders needing automated tax reporting
- → Sharesight is built for long-term buy-and-hold investors who want accurate performance and tax data without maintaining spreadsheets. If you hold dividend-paying stocks or ETFs and need automated tracking of reinvestment plans, franking credits, or withholding tax across jurisdictions, this platform handles it better than any competitor we have tested. International investors managing multi-currency portfolios across multiple brokers benefit most — the automatic trade imports and multi-exchange coverage eliminate hours of manual reconciliation. Investors in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, and the US gain particular value from jurisdiction-specific tax reports that simplify end-of-year filing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Interactive Brokers and Sharesight?
Interactive Brokers is best known for: The professional's gateway to the world's markets. Sharesight focuses on: Automated portfolio tracking with dividend and tax reporting for international investors.
Which is cheaper, Interactive Brokers or Sharesight?
Interactive Brokers offers a free tier. Sharesight also offers a free tier.
Can I use Interactive Brokers and Sharesight together?
Yes, many traders use both tools as they serve complementary purposes. Interactive Brokers excels at access to 170+ markets in 29 currencies from one account, while Sharesight is strong in automatic trade and dividend import from 200+ brokers.