2 accounts limitations on IB

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Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • 10/17/2023 at 3:29 PM #222555
    KumoNoJuzza

    Hi guys,

    I am considering opening a second on IB. I wondering if there are limitations with having 2 accounts.
    I would appreciate if someone who has multiple accounts on IB could share his/her experience.

    Thanks

    10/18/2023 at 5:29 AM #222583
    PeterSt

    Hi Kumo,

    Personally I prefer a Sub Account; I see no difference with having a second account (which I also have, thus 3 IB environments now), except for that the Main and Sub Account(s) can be aggregated in the IB environment – especially in the (great) mobile app this can be convenient.
    Notice that using IB’s mobile app, or TWS for that matter, requires additional small fees for the market subscriptions. If you don’t use the app/TWS then you won’t notice a thing of it.

    In PRT you’ll need to pay “double” for everything. Thus PRT license and also the market subscriptions. Of course you earn back per trade (1 euro IIRC), and this applied per (sub-)account hence not aggregated.

    Hope this helps !
    Peter

    1 user thanked author for this post.
    avatar KumoNoJuzza
    10/18/2023 at 8:57 AM #222587
    KumoNoJuzza

    Thanks Peter for your feedback. Yeah, the Sales rep told me about the double subscriptions but “cumulative/distributive” rebates.
    My fear is to have one strategy shorting one instrument on one account which would prevent another strategy to long the same instrument on the other sub-account.

    Since you did not mention it, and knowing you have quite experimented a lot of things on PRT automated trading. I am reassured 🙂

    10/18/2023 at 7:13 PM #222636
    PeterSt
    KumoNoJuzza wrote:

    My fear is to have one strategy shorting one instrument on one account which would prevent another strategy to long the same instrument on the other sub-account.

    Hi Kumo, that is perfectly allowed. 🙂
    Peter

    1 user thanked author for this post.
    avatar KumoNoJuzza
    11/19/2025 at 3:43 PM #253779
    Aragorna

    Hi Peter, is there aguide to follow on how to opena sub account? I have no idea on how to do it and I’d like to do it to divide automated strategies from manual trading.

    many thanks in advance for your answer.

     

    Alessio

    11/20/2025 at 5:35 PM #253822
    PeterSt

    Hello Alessio,

    Simple answer : Call the local PRT support in Italy and it can be arranged for within a day. This involves then a separate PRT account which is connected to an IBKR sub account.

    In practice it is more long winded because “undoubtedly” something will stall at IBKR’s and usually you can’t solve that yourself. This is about forms to fill out, responses which may not occur while you are waiting and  awaiting, while you can not contact IBKR yourself because ProRealTime is the Introducing Broker. So you must get all help through them. In itself this works, but it takes unnecessary long.

    Keep in mind that a separate (sub) account, requires again a filled portfolio (I recall USD 2500 minimum).
    Also not to forget : you will again need subscriptions (like for CME and maybe more, depending on what you trade). You already obtained those for your main account, but the sub account requires it just the same. Lastly, also to keep in mind : for IBKR itself you may think you need the subscriptions as well, but this is only when you use Trader Work Station (desktop) or IBKR mobile and then still only when you want to see real time data (instead of delayed data). The IBKR mobile app in itself is the best there is (you can use it in the car, for example).

    Best regards !
    Peter

    11/21/2025 at 12:20 PM #253857
    Aragorna

    Hi Peter,

     

    thanks for your kind answer. I called the support and they told me that there is a easy procedure for opening a sub account and they had to let me know how. This 3 days ago and now I’m still waiting. So do I need to pay for  an additional platform ? to pay for additional subscriptions to, for exaple, futures is not a problem. What I’d like to have is the possibility to use two times the same future (for example on MES), and to run a automated strategy and to trade manually on the same future.

    Also because I want to let run strategies without checking them as long as possible. I don’t want to trade manually and having strategies running in other futures. It’s a mix that disturbs me.

    So, if you don’t mind, I’d ask you:

    • do I need to pay for  an additional platform ?
    • Can I Use the same pool of rebates for credits for both main account and sub account or every account has its own pool of rebates?
    • I don’t use IBKR app but only PRT app. So I do not create any interference? is it ok?
    • for what I understand from you, I need to call again and open a sub account with Support; is it just what you did?

     

    thanks in advance for your answer.

     

    Alessio

    11/21/2025 at 12:55 PM #253860
    PeterSt

    Hi again Allessio,

    • do I need to pay for  an additional platform ?

    Yes. But one may be “Complete” and the other “Premium”.

    • Can I Use the same pool of rebates for credits for both main account and sub account or every account has its own pool of rebates?

    The both accounts have their own pool. But, at least for the AutoTrading account it may be so that you build up so many credits that you don’t need to pay for the platform.
    Side note : I myself pay totally nothing for anything within PRT. Thus platform itself but also data and whatever (plugin) subscriptions all fall under this regime.
    Maximum Credit is EUR 2000 and once you reached that, you’d have a buffer for quite some months and all remains free.

    • I don’t use IBKR app but only PRT app. So I do not create any interference? is it ok?

    Of course that is OK !
    Even if you’d use both it won’t create interference. And the beauty : you can trade with both equally, would you like to do that. Trades/positions appear in either equally.

    If you did not hear back from support, I would call them again indeed and “demand” a quick answer now. No answer in de PRT-IB environment does not belong (says me, but is also my experience – but for Holland).

     

    What I’d like to have is the possibility to use two times the same future (for example on MES), and to run a automated strategy and to trade manually on the same future.

    I understand. Still this is now what I do BUT this could be related to the portfolio. So what I do is either
    – trade the large ES manually and the smaller MES Auto or
    – the other way around 🙂

    The large ES with AutoTrading is something you require $ for, while using that manually (10 times more the price of the MES) could be doable. Anyway, both thus in the same account. But also : Because you can use an instrument only once, you may soon find a 2nd (or more) account is beneficial because you may like to test out (in Live) a new Strategy on the same instrument (and then preferable on the lowest contract price).

    Helps ?

    11/21/2025 at 1:15 PM #253862
    Aragorna

    sorry but if the two accounts have their own pools, and I have to pay double platform, it is no longer a SUB-account, but just another account. I do not see any advantage or difference with two normal standard account.

    I was told by support that having a sub account has  a unique pool for both. Probably he was not well informed. that is the man advantage I want to have.

    I’d like to use the rebates I have accumulated so far because the 3 strategies I want to use do not enter so often in the market, so I’d have a lot of rebates with an account and pay money to cover the other account, it does not make sense for me.

    what about reports for taxes? Do I need to make two, one for every account?

    what you do on future ES and 10xMES make sense if you do trading on ES, for me it’s not possible because cost too much, I’m a small trader.

    thanks in advance

     

    Alessio

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