Comparison of IG and Interactive Brokers
| Feature | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Broker | ||
| Year Founded | 1974 | 1977 |
| Broker Type | MM, DMA | DMA |
| Dealing | B-book, A-book | A-book |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Regulation | FCA, BMA, BaFin, FSAN, AFM, CONSOB, CNMV, ACPR, FI, FINMA, NFA, CFTC, ASIC, NZ FMA, JFSA, JFFA, MAS, FSCA, DFSA | SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), IG Trading Platform, L2 Dealer | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader |
| Spread | ⮕ Average | ⬊ Low |
| Maximum Leverage | 1:200 | 1:50 |
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $1 |
| Base Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, AUD, NZD, JPY, NOK, SEK, SGD, HKD | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD |
| Funding Methods | Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal | Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay |
| Inactivity Fee | $18 per month after 24 months | ✖ |
| Interest on Margin | ✖ | ✔ |
| Withdrawal Fee | ✖ | First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10 |
| Investor Protection | UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), Investor Compensation Fund (ICF), Financialcommission.org | SIPC, FSCS, ICS |
| Protection Size | £85 000 / €20 000 | $500 000 / £85 000 |
| Segregated Accounts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Negative Balance Protection | ✔ | ✔ |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | ✔ | ✖ |
| Copy Trading | ✖ | ✖ |
| VPS | ✖ | ✖ |
| MAM/PAMM | ✖ | ✖ |
| Scalping Allowed | ✖ | ✔ |
| EAs/Robots | ✔ | ✔ |
| Depth of Market (DOM) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tradable Assets (CFDs) | Currencies, Indices, Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Cryptocurrencies, Metals, Energies, Soft Commodities | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, CFDs |
| Review | IG Review | Interactive Brokers Review |
About IG
IG is one of the most established and reputable brokers in the forex and CFD trading industry, having been founded in 1974. Regulated by top-tier financial authorities, including the FCA (UK) and ASIC (Australia), IG offers a wide range of trading instruments, including forex, indices, commodities, and shares. The broker is well-suited for both beginner and professional traders, providing access to an advanced trading platform, competitive spreads, and a comprehensive suite of educational resources. IG's long-standing presence in the market and robust regulatory compliance make it a trusted choice for traders worldwide. In addition to its proprietary platform, IG supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4), which is ideal for traders who prefer algorithmic strategies or a familiar interface. The broker also excels in market research and analysis, providing clients with detailed insights, trading signals, and technical tools. However, while IG offers extensive features, its services might not be ideal for smaller retail traders due to higher minimum deposit requirements in some regions. Furthermore, the absence of certain features like cent accounts or high leverage options may deter specific trading styles.
Pros
- Highly regulated by top-tier financial authorities (FCA, ASIC, etc.)
- Wide range of tradable assets, including over 99 forex pairs
- Advanced proprietary platform and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
- Comprehensive market research and educational resources
- Long-standing reputation with nearly five decades of experience
- Competitive spreads and reliable trade execution
Cons
- Limited high-leverage options compared to some competitors
- No support for cent accounts, which may not suit small-scale traders
- Inactivity fees for dormant accounts
- Customer support may not be available 24/7 for all regions
About Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a global multi-asset broker founded in 1977. Regulated on four continents, IBKR offers direct market access to 150+ exchanges in 33 countries, tight pricing on FX, and some of the lowest commissions in the industry. Clients trade via the powerful Trader Workstation, streamlined Client Portal, or mobile apps, choose from 20+ base currencies, and benefit from SIPC/FSCS investor protection and ESMA-mandated negative balance protection for CFDs.
Pros
- Tier-1 regulation in the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Asia
- Access to 150+ markets across 33 countries and 26 currencies
- Ultra-low spreads and volume-based commissions
- Advanced Trader Workstation plus simple mobile & web platforms
- No minimum deposit for cash accounts and no inactivity fee
- Negative balance protection for EU retail CFD traders
Cons
- Minimum FX order size ~ 20 000 units limits small accounts
- Trader Workstation has a steep learning curve
- No credit/debit-card funding options
- Customer support is not 24/7
IG & Interactive Brokers Regulation
| Feature | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Companies | IG Markets Ltd, IG International Limited, IG Europe GmbH, IG Bank SA, IG US LLC, IG Australia Pty Ltd., IG Securities Limited, IG Asia Pte Ltd, IG Markets South Africa Limited, IG Limited | Interactive Brokers LLC, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd, Interactive Brokers Ireland Ltd, Interactive Brokers Canada Inc., Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd, Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd, Interactive Brokers India Pvt. Ltd, Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc, Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd |
Countries | United Kingdom, Bermuda, Germany, Switzerland, United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates | United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia |
Regulators | FCA, BMA, BaFin, FSAN, AFM, CONSOB, CNMV, ACPR, FI, FINMA, NFA, CFTC, ASIC, NZ FMA, JFSA, JFFA, MAS, FSCA, DFSA | SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS |
Investor Protection | UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), Investor Compensation Fund (ICF), Financialcommission.org | SIPC, FSCS, ICS |
Investor Protection Size | £85 000 / €20 000 | $500 000 / £85 000 |
Publicly Traded | ||
Segregated Accounts | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Negative Balance Protection |
Companies
IG
IG Markets Ltd, IG International Limited, IG Europe GmbH, IG Bank SA, IG US LLC, IG Australia Pty Ltd., IG Securities Limited, IG Asia Pte Ltd, IG Markets South Africa Limited, IG Limited
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers LLC, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd, Interactive Brokers Ireland Ltd, Interactive Brokers Canada Inc., Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd, Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd, Interactive Brokers India Pvt. Ltd, Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc, Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd
Countries
IG
United Kingdom, Bermuda, Germany, Switzerland, United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates
Interactive Brokers
United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia
Regulators
IG
FCA, BMA, BaFin, FSAN, AFM, CONSOB, CNMV, ACPR, FI, FINMA, NFA, CFTC, ASIC, NZ FMA, JFSA, JFFA, MAS, FSCA, DFSA
Interactive Brokers
SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS
Investor Protection
IG
UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), Investor Compensation Fund (ICF), Financialcommission.org
Interactive Brokers
SIPC, FSCS, ICS
Investor Protection Size
IG
£85 000 / €20 000
Interactive Brokers
$500 000 / £85 000
Publicly Traded
IG
Interactive Brokers
Segregated Accounts
IG
Interactive Brokers
Guaranteed Stop Loss
IG
Interactive Brokers
Negative Balance Protection
IG
Interactive Brokers
Account Types
| Account | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Market Maker Account | ||
| Account Name | CFD | — |
| Min Deposit | $1 | — |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | — |
| Spread Type | Floating | — |
| Execution | Market | — |
| Min Spread | 0.6 | — |
| Fee | No | — |
| Max Leverage | 1:200 | — |
| Stop Out | 50% | — |
| Margin Call | 100% | — |
DMA Account | ||
| Account Name | DMA | IBKR Pro |
| Min Deposit | $1000 | $0 |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Spread Type | Floating | Floating |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Min Spread | 0.16 | 0.1 |
| Fee | $12 per 1 lot | $4 per 1 lot |
| Max Leverage | 1:200 | 1:50 |
| Stop Out | 20% | 50% |
| Margin Call | 50% | 100% |
| Additional Features | ||
| Demo Account | ||
| VIP Account | ||
| Swap-Free Account | ||
| Copy Trading | ||
| VPS | ||
| PAMM/MAM Accounts | ||
Market Maker Account
Account Name
IG
CFD
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Deposit
IG
$1
Interactive Brokers
—
Lot Size
IG
0.01
Interactive Brokers
—
Spread Type
IG
Floating
Interactive Brokers
—
Execution
IG
Market
Interactive Brokers
—
Min Spread
IG
0.6
Interactive Brokers
—
Fee
IG
No
Interactive Brokers
—
Max Leverage
IG
1:200
Interactive Brokers
—
Stop Out
IG
50%
Interactive Brokers
—
Margin Call
IG
100%
Interactive Brokers
—
DMA Account
Account Name
IG
DMA
Interactive Brokers
IBKR Pro
Min Deposit
IG
$1000
Interactive Brokers
$0
Lot Size
IG
0.01
Interactive Brokers
0.01
Spread Type
IG
Floating
Interactive Brokers
Floating
Execution
IG
Market
Interactive Brokers
Market
Min Spread
IG
0.16
Interactive Brokers
0.1
Fee
IG
$12 per 1 lot
Interactive Brokers
$4 per 1 lot
Max Leverage
IG
1:200
Interactive Brokers
1:50
Stop Out
IG
20%
Interactive Brokers
50%
Margin Call
IG
50%
Interactive Brokers
100%
Additional Features
Demo Account
IG
Interactive Brokers
VIP Account
IG
Interactive Brokers
Swap-Free Account
IG
Interactive Brokers
Copy Trading
IG
Interactive Brokers
VPS
IG
Interactive Brokers
PAMM/MAM Accounts
IG
Interactive Brokers
Funding and Fees
| Feature | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Base currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, AUD, NZD, JPY, NOK, SEK, SGD, HKD | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD |
Deposit and withdrawal methods | Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal | Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay |
Inactivity fee | $18 per month after 24 months | |
Interest on margin | ||
Withdrawal fee | First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10 |
Base currencies
IG
USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, AUD, NZD, JPY, NOK, SEK, SGD, HKD
Interactive Brokers
USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD
Deposit and withdrawal methods
IG
Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal
Interactive Brokers
Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay
Inactivity fee
IG
$18 per month after 24 months
Interactive Brokers
Interest on margin
IG
Interactive Brokers
Withdrawal fee
IG
Interactive Brokers
First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10
Trading Platforms and Conditions
| Feature | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), IG Trading Platform, L2 Dealer | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader |
Execution Speed | - | 4 ms |
Scalping | ||
Expert Advisors (EAs) | ||
Depth of Market (DOM) | ||
Spread | average | low |
Trading Platforms
IG
MetaTrader 4 (MT4), IG Trading Platform, L2 Dealer
Interactive Brokers
Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader
Execution Speed
IG
-
Interactive Brokers
4 ms
Scalping
IG
Interactive Brokers
Expert Advisors (EAs)
IG
Interactive Brokers
Depth of Market (DOM)
IG
Interactive Brokers
Spread
IG
average
Interactive Brokers
low
Trading Assets
| Asset | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Currencies | 99 | 87 |
Indices | 46 | 23 |
Stocks | 13000 | 8139 |
Cryptocurrencies | 15 | 11 |
Bonds | 19 | 87 |
Metals | 11 | 4 |
Energies | 9 | 10 |
Soft Commodities | 20 | 15 |
ETFs | 5400 | 532 |
Currencies
IG
99
Interactive Brokers
87
Indices
IG
46
Interactive Brokers
23
Stocks
IG
13000
Interactive Brokers
8139
Cryptocurrencies
IG
15
Interactive Brokers
11
Bonds
IG
19
Interactive Brokers
87
Metals
IG
11
Interactive Brokers
4
Energies
IG
9
Interactive Brokers
10
Soft Commodities
IG
20
Interactive Brokers
15
ETFs
IG
5400
Interactive Brokers
532
Education and Analytics
| Feature | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Economic Calendar | ||
Indicators | ||
Robots | ||
Signals | ||
Autochartist | ||
Expert Analytics | ||
News Feed | ||
Education Articles | ||
Webinars | ||
Seminars |
Economic Calendar
IG
Interactive Brokers
Indicators
IG
Interactive Brokers
Robots
IG
Interactive Brokers
Signals
IG
Interactive Brokers
Autochartist
IG
Interactive Brokers
Expert Analytics
IG
Interactive Brokers
News Feed
IG
Interactive Brokers
Education Articles
IG
Interactive Brokers
Webinars
IG
Interactive Brokers
Seminars
IG
Interactive Brokers
Customer Support
| Contact | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
Email | newaccounts.uk@ig.com | help@interactivebrokers.com |
Phone | +442076335430 | +18774422757 |
Facebook | ||
LinkedIn | ||
YouTube | YouTube | YouTube |
Instagram | — | |
Twitter |
Email
Interactive Brokers
Phone
Interactive Brokers
Instagram
IG
—
Interactive Brokers
Which Broker is Better?
After comparing IG and Interactive Brokers, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead as our overall pick. It ranks higher in our internal scoring and delivers a stronger balance of pricing (spreads/fees), platform experience, and product range. That said, the runner-up may still be a better fit if you prioritize specific needs—like a particular account type, funding method, or niche instruments. This is not financial advice; always choose a broker that matches your goals and local regulatory requirements.
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Andriy Bondarenko
Broker Analyst
Andriy is a seasoned expert in broker reviews with over a decade of experience in finance and trading. Under his leadership, the team produces in-depth and unbiased analyses of leading trading platforms.