Tool Comparison
Firefly III vs Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, API
Best if
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want webhooks and other.
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile, Desktop
Best if
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want brokerage, advanced order types, and smart/direct routing.
Pick Firefly III instead if
Firefly III
Free · Web · API
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want webhooks and other.
Start here
Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile · Desktop
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want brokerage, advanced order types, and smart/direct routing.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
Firefly III and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, portfolio and APIs & data feeds), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Interactive Brokers (IBKR) simply does more: 14 categories to Firefly III's 4, including brokerage, advanced order types, and smart/direct routing, plus a mobile app. Firefly III counters by being completely free.
What readers say
Firefly III
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Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
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Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- Firefly III
- Broader coverage
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR)14 vs 4 categories
- Mobile app
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
- Desktop app
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
- Real-time data
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
- Asset coverage
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR)Adds stocks and ETFs
What Firefly III does best
- Self-host a personal finance ledger under the AGPLv3 open-source license rather than using a hosted budgeting app.
- Track accounts and transactions with double-entry bookkeeping, budgets, categories, tags, recurring transactions, subscriptions, piggy banks, rules, and reports.
- Use the JSON REST API with OAuth2 or personal access tokens for dashboards, automations, and personal analytics.
- Optional event webhooks for transaction create, update, and delete events when enabled through environment configuration.
- Import transaction data through the separate Data Importer using CSV, CAMT.052, CAMT.053, GoCardless, SimpleFIN, Lunch Flow, or Enable Banking.
What Interactive Brokers (IBKR) does best
- Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, futures options, spot FX, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, structured products, CFDs, crypto-related products, and spot crypto where jurisdiction allows.
- Client Portal, Trader Workstation, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, GlobalTrader, paper trading, and API access cover different workflows.
- IB SmartRouting, advanced order types, conditional orders, bracket workflows, options combos, and algorithmic order tools across supported products.
- TWS API, Web API, REST, WebSocket streaming, FIX, and Flex Web Service support trading and reporting workflows.
- Paper trading with separate credentials and simulated buying power once a live account is approved.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free | Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction |
Free tier | Yes | No |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | 8 limits: UK / Europe Stocks and ETFs: commission: £3/€3 per Western European stock or ETF trade at typical trade sizes;..., US Stocks and ETFs - IBKR Pro: tiered commission: USD 0.0005 to USD 0.0035 per share +6 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | No | — |
Integrations | GoCardless, SimpleFIN +5 more | TradingView, Quicken +2 more |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +7 more |
Categories covered | 4 | 14 |
Regions | — | North America, Europe, APAC |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | 3 signals: Latency: Streaming and Real-time, Granularity: Tick +1 more |
Capabilities | — | 7 signals: Multi-leg options, Greeks +5 more |
Security | — | Status page and Encryption in transit |
| Try it | Visit Firefly III | Visit Interactive Brokers (IBKR) |
Standout features
The best features of Firefly III and Interactive Brokers (IBKR).ShowHide
Standout features
What Firefly III does best
- Self-host a personal finance ledger under the AGPLv3 open-source license rather than using a hosted budgeting app.
- Track accounts and transactions with double-entry bookkeeping, budgets, categories, tags, recurring transactions, subscriptions, piggy banks, rules, and reports.
- Use the JSON REST API with OAuth2 or personal access tokens for dashboards, automations, and personal analytics.
- Optional event webhooks for transaction create, update, and delete events when enabled through environment configuration.
- Import transaction data through the separate Data Importer using CSV, CAMT.052, CAMT.053, GoCardless, SimpleFIN, Lunch Flow, or Enable Banking.
What Interactive Brokers (IBKR) does best
- Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, futures options, spot FX, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, structured products, CFDs, crypto-related products, and spot crypto where jurisdiction allows.
- Client Portal, Trader Workstation, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, GlobalTrader, paper trading, and API access cover different workflows.
- IB SmartRouting, advanced order types, conditional orders, bracket workflows, options combos, and algorithmic order tools across supported products.
- TWS API, Web API, REST, WebSocket streaming, FIX, and Flex Web Service support trading and reporting workflows.
- Paper trading with separate credentials and simulated buying power once a live account is approved.
All details
Every attribute we track for Firefly III and Interactive Brokers (IBKR).ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | Other | StocksETFsOptionsFuturesCurrenciesBondsMutual FundsCommodities+2 more |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsDay TradersSwing TradersAlgo TradersLong-term InvestorsFinancial Advisors+1 more |
Regions | Not specified | North AmericaEuropeAPAC |
Coverage details | Not specified | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | StreamingReal-time |
Data granularity | Not specified | Tick |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | RESTWebSocket |
API auth & delivery | Auth: OAuth2 and APIKeyWebhooks | Auth: OAuth2SDKs: Python600 req/minDocs |
Import methods | CSVManual | Not specified |
Integrations | GoCardlessSimpleFINLunch FlowEnable BankingSlackDiscordMattermost | TradingViewQuickenTradelogCapTools |
Export formats | CSV | PDFCSVXML |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Not specified | Status pageEncryption in transit |
Capability signals | Not specified | Multi-leg optionsGreeksVaR/ESPerformance attributionPortfolio attributionRebalancingMulti-currency |
Vendor & support | Firefly III (open-source project)Support: Email | Interactive Brokers (U.K.) LimitedCountry: United KingdomSupport: Chat and Phone |
Curation ratings | Methodology 4/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 | Not specified |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free | Free“Brokerage Account” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Firefly III and Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
Firefly III leans toward portfolio, APIs & data feeds, and webhooks, while Interactive Brokers (IBKR) puts more weight on brokerage, advanced order types, and smart/direct routing. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is Firefly III or Interactive Brokers (IBKR) free to use?
Firefly III has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is paid-only. If budget matters, start with Firefly III and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Can I use Firefly III or Interactive Brokers (IBKR) on my phone?
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Firefly III doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Do Firefly III and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose Firefly III or Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Firefly III if webhooks and other matter to you; go with Interactive Brokers (IBKR) if you'd rather have brokerage and advanced order types. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Firefly III and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) cover?
Both cover other. Interactive Brokers (IBKR) adds stocks, ETFs, and options on top.
Does Firefly III or Interactive Brokers (IBKR) have real-time data?
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Firefly III runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Can I export data from Firefly III and Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Is Firefly III or Interactive Brokers (IBKR) better for day trading?
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is the one positioned more for active traders. Firefly III is the better fit if you care less about fast trading workflows and more about a calmer research process.
Which has a better stock screener: Firefly III or Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Firefly III doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with Firefly III or Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
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