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Choosing a Python Library for the Interactive Brokers API

Article Quant Q&A · Author: Kevvy Kim
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Summary

This short discussion compares Python wrappers for Interactive Brokers’ Trader Workstation API. It explains that IbPy may be easy to use, but its limitations include lack of Python 3 support and compatibility with an older version of the broker’s API, which can leave newer features unavailable.

Two alternatives are described: ibpythonic, presented as a close replacement that supports Python 3 and newer API versions, and ib_insync, which offers a more synchronous programming style than the underlying asynchronous API. The answers offer practical library-selection guidance rather than a trading method or a systematic comparison. They give no benchmarks, debugging examples, or detailed reliability evidence, and one recommendation comes from an answer author affiliated with the library’s maintainer. Users should assess current compatibility and maintenance before adopting either option.

Key ideas

  • IbPy’s age can limit access to newer Interactive Brokers API features.
  • ibpythonic is described as a Python 3 compatible alternative with a similar interface.
  • ib_insync provides a more synchronous programming style for working with the API.
  • The discussion offers recommendations but no comparative reliability tests or debugging examples.

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# 3rd party API like IBPy for Interactive Brokers python API?


# 3rd party API like IBPy for Interactive Brokers python API?












I've read some tutorial of the Interactive Brokers API's TWS and it seems very low level and requires so much work just to place a simple market order.

I've come across IBPy and just wondering how reliable is it? It's very simple to use, but should anything go wrong, is it quite easy to debug?

I've also heard that IBPy is no longer being developed, so it won't support Python 3.0 and up. In that case, is there something similar to IBPy that's just as easy to use and is updated quite frequently?

## Answer by Brian from QuantRocket (score 5, accepted)

https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/38392

The problem with using IbPy is not only that it does not support Python 3 but even more importantly it's anchored to an older version of IB's API so it's missing a lot of features IB has added in recent years.

If you like the feel of IbPy, ibpythonic is near drop-in replacement for IbPy that works with Python 3 and the newer versions of IB's API. It's maintained by (and used by) QuantRocket. (Disclaimer: I am affiliated with QuantRocket.)

Another option to look at is ib_insync. It replaces IB's asynchronous programming model with a more synchronous programming model and has an active user group.

Shown in full with attribution under the source's licence. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (Stack Exchange)

This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.