At the risk of stating the obvious, it's worth noting that spreads and platform features are just 2 factors out of many, many more. Some of those could actually be more important. In fact, the relative importance of each factor really depends on who you are and how you trade. Want a few?... off the top of my head: underlying dealing model; reputation; regulatory record; dealing practices; capital safety; multi-client interface; reporting; trading hours; customer service; company attitude; online user community; emergency phone access; platform reliability; software stability; spreads during different times and market conditions; order placement; order types; trade management; slippage; commissions; min trade size; max trade size; RT position display; RT P&L display; currency pairs; hedging or sub-accounts; automation and API; 3rd party apps; and still more.
In a head-to-head comparison, Oanda and IB each has a number of advantages and disadvantages compared to the other. Many of them have been discussed on ET at length. As always, I think each trader needs to do their homework, including hands-on experience. Then weigh all the relevant factors, based on your individual needs -- who you are and how you trade, before making an informed decision on broker's choice(s). Yeah, I know, it's a major hassle. Why can't everything be black-and-white?
