Comparison · updated July 2026
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts vs Manifold Markets
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts and Manifold Markets are two of the most discussed prediction market platforms in the US. Here's a side-by-side look at how they compare on the factors that actually matter for traders.
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
CFTC-regulated event contracts inside the IBKR trading platform.
Manifold Markets
Play-money prediction market platform with real communities and calibration data.
Rating
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
4.1
Manifold Markets
4.3
Best for
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Existing IBKR clients
Manifold Markets
Forecasters and researchers
Regulation
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
CFTC-regulated
Manifold Markets
Play-money / sweepstakes
US availability
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Available
Manifold Markets
Available
Fees
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
$0.02–$0.10 per contract
Manifold Markets
Free (play-money)
Mobile
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Good
Manifold Markets
Good
Markets
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Economy, Financial events, Politics
Manifold Markets
Politics, AI, Culture, Sports, Economy
Payment
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Manifold Markets
Founded
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Manifold Markets
Verdicts
Who wins, category by category
Best for beginners
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Cleaner onboarding and a more polished consumer experience.
Best for regulation
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Operates as a CFTC-designated contract market.
Best for liquidity
Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts
Deepest order books on headline markets.
Final take
Should you choose Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts or Manifold Markets?
Manifold Markets comes out narrowly ahead in our methodology, but both platforms have a clear lane. Choose Interactive Brokers Forecast Contracts for existing ibkr clients, and Manifold Markets for forecasters and researchers.