IBKR Market vs Limit Orders: Practical Guide
A technical comparison of market and limit orders, including expected fill behavior and slippage tradeoffs.
IBKRMarket orderLimit orderExecutionSlippage
Market vs limit tradeoff
- Market orders maximize probability of execution now, but not exact fill price.
- Limit orders maximize price control, but may partially fill or not fill at all.
- Order choice depends on urgency, liquidity, and strategy tolerance.
Decision pattern
- Define acceptable slippage and missed-fill tolerance.
- Prefer limit orders for controlled entries when spread is wide.
- Use market orders when execution certainty is more important than exact price.
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