--- title: "IBKR vs INDmoney vs Vested (2026): Fees, Markets, Safety" description: "IBKR vs INDmoney vs Vested for Indian investors: brokerage, forex, markets, interest on cash, safety and LRS and tax support compared side by side." url: "https://paasa.com/blog/indmoney-vs-vested-vs-interactive-brokers" source: "https://paasa.com/blog/indmoney-vs-vested-vs-interactive-brokers" last_modified: "2026-10-26T19:35:26.736Z" --- # INDmoney vs Vested vs Interactive Brokers IBKR, INDmoney and Vested compared on brokerage, forex, markets, interest on cash, safety and LRS and tax support for Indian investors. INDmoney, Vested and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) all let Indian residents buy US stocks under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, but they are built differently. INDmoney runs US investing through its GIFT City unit and charges 0.25% a trade capped at $25. Vested uses its own US broker-dealer and charges 0.25% capped at $35 on its free plan, or 0.15% on Premium. IBKR charges per share, from $0.0035 with a $0.35 minimum, and gives access to 175 markets, but leaves remittance and Indian tax reporting to you. Only comparing two of them? See [INDmoney vs Vested](https://paasa.com/blog/indmoney-vs-vested), [INDmoney vs Interactive Brokers](https://paasa.com/blog/indmoney-vs-interactive-brokers) or [Vested vs Interactive Brokers](https://paasa.com/blog/vested-vs-interactive-brokers). ## How do INDmoney, Vested and IBKR compare at a glance? Here is how the three compare as of October 2026, from each platform's published pricing and disclosures. | Feature | INDmoney | Vested | IBKR | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | How you access US stocks | INDmoney's GIFT City unit, regulated by IFSCA | Vested's own US broker-dealer, VF Securities, Inc. | Interactive Brokers, opened through IBKR India | | US clearing or custody | DriveWealth or Alpaca | DriveWealth | Interactive Brokers group | | Markets | US, plus London-listed UCITS ETFs | US only | 175 markets in 40 countries | | Brokerage on US stocks | 0.25%, capped at $25 | 0.25% capped at $35 (Basic), 0.15% capped at $35 (Premium) | From $0.0035 a share, minimum $0.35 (Tiered) | | Account opening | Free | Free | Free | | Interest on uninvested cash | Not listed | Not listed | Paid on USD balances above $10,000 | | LRS remittance in the app | Yes | Yes | No, you remit through your bank | | India tax reports | Tax centre, Schedule FA pre-filled | Tax module with ITR documents | Not provided | ## What does each charge on a US trade? Here is what each charges on a US stock or ETF trade, as of October 2026. | Charge | INDmoney | Vested | IBKR (Pro) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Brokerage | 0.25% of trade value | 0.25% (Basic) or 0.15% (Premium) | Tiered: $0.0035 a share. Fixed: $0.005 a share | | Minimum per order | None stated | None stated | $0.35 (Tiered), $1 (Fixed) | | Maximum per order | $25, before GST | $35 | 1% of trade value | | Plan fee | None | None (Basic), $4.99 a month (Premium) | None | | Other charges | SEC and TAF fees on sells, IFSCA turnover fee of 0.005% | OTC securities at 0.5% (Basic) or 0.25% (Premium) | Exchange and regulatory fees passed through on Tiered | IBKR figures are from its [stock commissions page](https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/pricing/commissions-stocks.php). INDmoney and Vested figures are from their published pricing and fee pages. **Note:** IBKR charges per share, so its cost depends on the share price as well as the order size. INDmoney and Vested charge a percentage of the order value. ## What does it cost to fund your account? Money leaves India under the RBI's [Liberalised Remittance Scheme](https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/FAQView.aspx?Id=115), up to $250,000 a financial year. TCS may apply above a yearly threshold, as Paasa's [TCS guide](https://paasa.com/blog/tcs-on-foreign-investments) explains. 1. **INDmoney:** you remit in the app through partner banks. The bank charges 0.5% to 1.2% for conversion. 2. **Vested:** you fund through your own bank or a Vested partner bank. Vested does not publish a forex rate, so the cost depends on your bank. 3. **IBKR:** you send money from your own bank under LRS and handle the bank paperwork yourself. If you convert currency inside IBKR, it charges 0.20 basis points of the trade value, with a $2 minimum. ## What can you buy on each? 1. **INDmoney:** 10,000+ US stocks and ETFs, fractional from $1, plus London-listed UCITS ETFs. 2. **Vested:** US stocks and ETFs, managed portfolios (Vests), global funds and some OTC securities. Direct trading is limited to the US market. 3. **IBKR:** stocks, ETFs and bonds across 175 markets in 40 countries, including UCITS ETFs on European exchanges. Indian residents cannot trade futures, options or margin products on non-Indian markets. UCITS ETFs can reduce dividend tax and US estate tax exposure, as Paasa's [UCITS guide](https://paasa.com/blog/how-to-buy-ucits-etfs-from-india) explains. ## Do any of them pay interest on uninvested cash? IBKR does. On IBKR Pro it pays interest on USD balances above $10,000, at its benchmark rate minus 0.5%, which it lists as 3.38% as of October 2026. Accounts with a net asset value below $100,000 earn a proportionally lower rate. Details are on IBKR's [interest rates page](https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/accounts/fees/pricing-interest-rates.php). INDmoney and Vested do not list interest on uninvested US cash on their pricing pages. ## How safe is your money on each? All three are legal routes for Indian residents under LRS. Your US stocks sit with a regulated broker, not in your Indian demat account. The structure in between is different. ### 1\. Is INDmoney safe? INDmoney offers US stocks through its GIFT City unit, which is regulated by [IFSCA](https://ifsca.gov.in/). Trades clear through DriveWealth or Alpaca. INDmoney is the holder of record at the US broker, and your ownership is recorded in INDmoney's books. INDmoney states [SIPC](https://www.sipc.org/for-investors/what-sipc-protects) protection of up to $500,000, including $250,000 cash. ### 2\. Is Vested safe? Vested offers US stocks through VF Securities, Inc., its own US broker-dealer and a [member of FINRA and SIPC](https://files.brokercheck.finra.org/firm/firm_315194.pdf) (CRD 315194), with DriveWealth as the clearing broker. SIPC protects up to $500,000 per customer, including $250,000 cash. ### 3\. Is IBKR safe? Indian residents open their account through IBKR India, which is registered with SEBI for Indian markets. Interactive Brokers LLC, IBKR's US broker-dealer, is a member of FINRA and SIPC. On top of SIPC's $500,000 (including $250,000 cash), it carries excess insurance with Lloyd's of London of up to $30 million per account, with a $900,000 cash sublimit and a $150 million aggregate cap, per its [client protection page](https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=56683). **Note:** SIPC and excess insurance protect against a broker failing, not against a fall in share prices. ## What help do you get with LRS and Indian tax? 1. **INDmoney:** in-app remittance through partner banks, and a tax centre that pre-fills Schedule FA and supports ITR filing. 2. **Vested:** in-app remittance support, and a tax module with ITR documents and a tax loss harvesting tool. 3. **IBKR:** you arrange remittance with your bank and work out Indian capital gains, dividend tax and Schedule FA yourself or with a CA, using IBKR's activity statements. The tax rules are the same on all three. Paasa's [guide to how foreign stocks are taxed in India](https://paasa.com/blog/how-global-stocks-and-etfs-taxed-in-india) and [Schedule FA guide](https://paasa.com/blog/schedule-fa-guide-for-indian-investors) walk through each step. ## How do the apps and trading tools compare? INDmoney and Vested are app-first, with market and limit orders, SIPs and fractional shares. INDmoney also tracks Indian mutual funds and other assets in the same app. IBKR offers its mobile and web apps plus Trader Workstation (TWS), a desktop platform with advanced order types such as trailing stops. ## Which one fits what you need? Each platform covers a different set of needs. The table shows which of the three offer each feature. | If you need… | Offered by | | --- | --- | | Markets beyond the US (UK, Europe, Asia) | IBKR | | UCITS ETFs | INDmoney (London-listed), IBKR | | Managed portfolios | Vested | | LRS remittance inside the app | INDmoney, Vested | | Schedule FA pre-filled | INDmoney | | Interest on uninvested cash | IBKR | | Advanced trading tools | IBKR | | Brokerage as a percentage with a cap | INDmoney, Vested | ## Can you move your holdings later? Yes. US stocks and ETFs can move between brokers through an in-kind ACATS transfer, without selling, so switching does not trigger capital gains tax. Vested charges $65 per outgoing ACATS transfer. Paasa's [transfer guide](https://paasa.com/blog/can-you-transfer-us-stocks-to-another-broker-without-selling) explains the process. ## Conclusion INDmoney, Vested and IBKR take different approaches. INDmoney and Vested are app-first and handle more of the India-facing work, with percentage-based brokerage and in-app remittance. IBKR offers the widest market access, per-share pricing and interest on cash, but expects you to manage remittance and Indian tax reporting yourself. The right choice depends on which markets you want, how you prefer to pay brokerage, and how much of the compliance work you want handled for you. ## About Paasa Paasa is a global investing platform built for Indian and Asian investors, and open to anyone who wants direct access to global markets. - **Built on Interactive Brokers:** Paasa runs on Interactive Brokers infrastructure, with stocks and ETFs across the US, UK, Europe and Asia, including UCITS ETFs, in one account. - **The India-facing layer included:** LRS support, India-ready tax reports and Schedule FA documentation, so you do not have to work out the Indian side yourself. - **Move without selling:** transfer your US holdings in-kind from [IBKR](https://paasa.com/blog/how-to-transfer-stocks-from-ibkr-to-paasa), [INDmoney](https://paasa.com/blog/transfer-indmoney-to-paasa) or [Vested](https://paasa.com/blog/transfer-vested-to-paasa). ## FAQ ### What is the difference between IBKR and INDmoney? INDmoney is an Indian investing platform that offers US stocks and London-listed UCITS ETFs through its GIFT City unit, which is regulated by IFSCA, with trades cleared through DriveWealth or Alpaca. It charges 0.25% a trade capped at $25 and handles LRS remittance and Schedule FA in its app. IBKR is one of the largest global brokers, with access to 175 markets in 40 countries. It charges per share from $0.0035 with a $0.35 minimum and pays interest on USD cash above $10,000, but leaves remittance and Indian tax reporting to you. ### What is the difference between IBKR and Vested? Vested is an Indian investing platform that offers US stocks, managed portfolios and global funds through its own US broker-dealer, VF Securities, Inc. It charges 0.25% a trade capped at $35 on its free plan, or 0.15% on Premium, and offers in-app remittance and a tax module for Indian returns. IBKR is one of the largest global brokers, with stocks, ETFs and bonds across 175 markets and per-share pricing, but it does not provide in-app LRS remittance or India tax reports. ### Can Indian residents open an IBKR account? Yes. Indian residents can open an account through IBKR India and invest abroad under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. They can trade stocks, ETFs and bonds on non-Indian markets, but cannot trade futures, options or margin products there. ### What does IBKR charge for US stocks? On IBKR Pro, Tiered pricing starts at $0.0035 a share with a $0.35 minimum per order, plus exchange and regulatory fees. Fixed pricing is $0.005 a share with a $1 minimum. Both are capped at 1% of the trade value. ### Does IBKR pay interest on uninvested cash? Yes. IBKR Pro pays interest on USD balances above $10,000 at its benchmark rate minus 0.5%, listed at 3.38% as of October 2026. Accounts with a net asset value below $100,000 earn a proportionally lower rate. INDmoney and Vested do not list interest on uninvested US cash. ### Is IBKR safe for Indian investors? Interactive Brokers LLC is a member of FINRA and SIPC, which protects up to $500,000 including $250,000 cash if the broker fails. It also carries excess insurance of up to $30 million per account, with a $150 million aggregate cap. ### Does IBKR help with LRS remittance and Indian tax reporting? No. With IBKR you send money from your own bank under LRS and work out Indian capital gains, dividend tax and Schedule FA yourself or with a CA. INDmoney and Vested both offer in-app remittance and tax documents for Indian returns. ### Can I move my US stocks between INDmoney, Vested and IBKR? Yes. US stocks and ETFs can move between brokers through an in-kind ACATS transfer, without selling, so there is no capital gains tax on the move. Vested charges $65 per outgoing ACATS transfer.