Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Betterment vs IG
Betterment vs IG: the differences
| Compare |  Betterment |  IG |
|---|---|---|
| Account fee | $0 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting |
| Regulators | U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered investment adviser, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Betterment Securities broker dealer member, SIPC | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Interest on cash | 3.5%Higher | 2.5% |
| Minimum deposit | $10 | Not confirmed |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 69% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | No fees | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView |
| Account types | IRA, Roth IRA | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Betterment scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.5.
- Regulators: only Betterment offers U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered investment adviser, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Betterment Securities broker dealer member.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
- IG is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Betterment offers Bonds.
- Markets: only IG offers Forex, CFDs, Options.
- Interest on cash is higher at Betterment: 3.5% vs 2.5%.
Our verdict on each
Betterment
Betterment suits US savers who want a robo-managed IRA with a flat, low management fee and SIPC cover. It charges a management fee of 0.25%, sits mid-table among robo-advisors on that fee, and offers only IRA and Roth IRA accounts, so UK and European readers may look elsewhere.
IG
IG suits traders who want shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting under a single roof, with an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5% on uninvested balances. Share dealing runs commission-free, while the retail loss rate is 69%.
Score breakdown
| Area | Betterment | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Management fee of 0.25% and no account fee, with a minimum investment of $10. | 9.3 |
| Offer | 9.7Higher | 9.6Commission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. |
| Trust | 9.7Higher | 9.5 |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Betterment | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Spread betting | No | Yes |
How they place
| Ranking | Betterment | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 42 of 471 | 48 of 471 |
Also worth a look
Nexo has interest on cash at 13%, against 3.5% for Betterment and 2.5% for IG.
Nexo reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Betterment | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Commission free |
| Legal entity | MTG LLC | IG Europe GmbH |
| Headquarters | United States | Germany |
| Founded | 2008 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Email, Chat, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Betterment | IG | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $10below the median | Not confirmed | $25 |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | £0at the median | £0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 69%below the median | 72.05% |
| Interest on cash | 3.5%above the median | 2.5%below the median | 3% |
Median across 134 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Betterment
Pros
- A management fee of 0.25% sits below the robo-advisor median of 0.35%
- An account fee of $0 and a deposit and withdrawal charge listed as No fees
- Covered by SIPC protection of SIPC up to USD 500,000
Cons
- Account types run only to ira and roth ira, so there is no taxable or ISA-style account for UK and European readers
- A management fee of 0.25% still ranks 18 of 49 brands, so cheaper robo-advisors exist
- Markets cover only stocks, etfs and bonds, with no forex, options or crypto trading
IG
Pros
- Markets list stocks, etfs and forex, so shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting sit together.
- Regulated by Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, with client protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
- Platform choice runs Mobile trading, L2 Dealer and ProRealTime.
Cons
- Retail accounts that lose money come to 69%.
- The commission-free model in commission free applies to share dealing, and it does not extend to trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options or futures.
- Accounts sit with IG Europe GmbH in Germany, so compensation stops at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who each suits
Betterment
Who it suits
- US savers who want a robo-managed IRA or Roth IRA
- People starting small, with a minimum investment of $10
- Investors who want automated portfolios of etf, esg and cash
Who should look elsewhere
- UK and European readers, since account types cover only ira and roth ira
- Active traders wanting forex, options or crypto beyond the stocks, etfs and bonds it lists
- Anyone seeking a management fee of 0% as at eToro
IG
Who it suits
- Traders who want stocks, etfs and forex reachable from the same account rather than several platforms.
- Share buyers who want dealing on a commission-free basis, since commission free covers their trades.
- EU clients who weight regulation and compensation, given Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC and EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a platform built around share dealing and crypto alone should compare CFI, whose stocks, etfs and forex is a shorter, simpler list.
- Investors priced in dollars rather than euros should weigh eToro, where the stock trade fee is $0.
- Anyone weighing only the account charge should know Vantage lists $0, so IG's €0 is not the only way to hold an account cheaply.
Current offers
Betterment
Current offer
Bonus
Invest and earn up to $2,000: up to $2,000
Terms apply; new customers only; open any individual investing account and make a deposit
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
0.75% APY boost on Cash Reserve: 0.75% APY boost, 4.25% variable APY on balances up to $1M
New clients with a qualifying deposit; guaranteed through February 15; base variable APY 3.50% as of 9/21/2026; $10 min deposit for base APY
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Discounted mortgage rate through Rate partnership: up to 0.75% off
Via partnership with Rate; terms apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Betterment | IG |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Betterment
How much does Betterment charge to manage my money?+
The annual management fee is 0.25%, taken as a percentage of the portfolio. That sits below the robo-advisor median of 0.35%, and Betterment ranks 18 of 49 brands on this measure. There is no separate account charge, listed as $0.
Is my money protected if Betterment fails?+
Stated protection is SIPC up to USD 500,000, and Betterment appears on the SIPC member register as SIPC member 51906. The cover applies to cash in the brokerage account if the broker-dealer fails, and the legal entity named is MTG LLC. Portfolio market values are not protected by the scheme.
IG
What does it cost to trade shares with IG?+
Share dealing runs on a commission-free model, with a stock trade fee of £0 and an account fee of €0. Those are the two figures that matter for holding and trading, and both sit at the floor of the site tables. Trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options and futures are quoted apart from share dealing.
Who regulates IG and is my money protected?+
The regulators are Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, and the licences listed are MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 and SIPC member 71021. Client protection in the EU is EU ICS up to EUR 20,000, so a claim against the firm is covered only up to that ceiling. Any balance above the cap is your own exposure.
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