Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
CFI vs IG
Where CFI and IG differ
| Compare |  CFI |  IG |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread bettingCovers more |
| Regulators | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, FCA | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 66% | 69% |
| Platforms | MT5, TradingView, CFI Multi Asset, CFI Trading App | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | No deposit fees | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.5% |
Same on both: Investor protection (EU ICS up to EUR 20,000).
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Key differences
- CFI scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.5.
- Regulators: only CFI offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, FCA.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- Markets: only IG offers Options, Futures, Spread betting.
- Platforms: only CFI offers MT5, CFI Multi Asset, CFI Trading App.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Features: only IG offers Fractional shares.
Our verdict on each
CFI
CFI suits traders who want one account covering stocks, etfs and forex on a commission-free model commission free, with a minimum deposit of $0 and a Cyprus entity licensed by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA. Note that 66% of retail accounts lose money, and protection under the EU scheme is limited.
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 | CFI | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.7Higher | 9.3 |
| Offer | 9.6 | 9.6Commission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. |
| Trust | 9.4 | 9.5Higher |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | CFI | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 34 of 490 | 39 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 12 of 147 | 15 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 10 of 145 | 13 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 11 of 122 | 12 of 122 |
Sources behind this comparison
CFI
- media.cfifinancial.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- play.google.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- dailyforex.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- forex.wikibit.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- investinglive.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | CFI | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional sharesCovers more |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Legal entity | Credit Financier Invest (CFI) Ltd | IG Europe GmbH |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Germany |
| Founded | 1998 | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | CFI | IG | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0below the median | Not confirmed | $10 |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | £0at the median | £0 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0at the median | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 66%below the median | 69%below the median | 70.375% |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.5%below the median | 3% |
Median across 99 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
CFI
Pros
- No minimum deposit, at $0, and No deposit fees, so funding does not cost a fee and the account can open at any size.
- Regulated on both sides of Europe: Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA, with the Cyprus entity named as Credit Financier Invest (CFI) Ltd.
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and forex rather than forcing separate apps per asset class.
Cons
- Protection caps out at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 on the Cyprus entity, so balances above that sit outside the scheme.
- 66% of retail accounts lose money, which is the risk that matters most for anyone sizing a position.
- Leverage sits alongside shares and ETFs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a single account mixes instruments with very different risk levels.
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
CFI
Who it suits
- People who want stocks, etfs and forex held in one place instead of several broker accounts.
- Traders who prefer the commission-free model commission free and a minimum deposit of $0 over a larger entry threshold.
- Savers who want a Cyprus or UK regulated option, given Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA and the Cyprus licence 179/12.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting a wider asset list, since stocks, etfs and forex runs to futures as well and CFI's list is stocks, etfs and forex.
- EU traders who want a rival with a low entry point, such as XTB at €0.
- Traders put off by losses in the retail book, where 66% lose money and the median here is 70.15%.
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.
Questions about each
CFI
What is the minimum deposit to open a CFI account?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened at any size and a first deposit does not have to clear a threshold. For comparison, Vantage lists $5 and XTB €0. The median minimum across the brands ranked is €4.64, and the highest reaches €26,308.87. CFI places 1 of 213 on that measure.
Does CFI charge commission on trades?+
CFI trades on a commission-free model, commission free, so positions are opened without a per-trade commission charge. The cost of a trade therefore sits in the spread and the market rather than in a commission line. Commission-free models are common in the field, appearing for 69.8% of the brands compared. Low-fee models sit alongside them at 40.5%.
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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