Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
eToro vs IG
What sets them apart
| Compare |  eToro |  IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0 | £0 |
| Account fee | $0 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, Futures | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread bettingCovers more |
| Regulators | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), SIPC | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 69% |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView |
| Account types | ISA | 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
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.2.
- Regulators: only eToro offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
- Markets: only IG offers Options, Spread betting.
- Features: only eToro offers Crypto, Copy trading.
Our verdict on each
eToro
eToro suits readers who want to hold shares, ETFs, crypto, forex and CFDs in one app without paying commission on trades. Costs look light on the standard account, with a stock trade fee of $0 and account fee of $0, though the account fee applies to the virtual portfolio rather than every standard account.
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 | eToro | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Commission-free pricing with a stock trade fee of $0 and account fee of $0, but currency conversion on non-USD balances sits outside that headline. | 9.3 |
| Offer | 8.8 | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. |
| Trust | 9.3 | 9.5Higher |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | eToro | IG |
|---|---|---|
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 70212 | SIPC SIPC member 71021 |
| Cyprus | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 213800GIFQMSV7HROS23 | Not confirmed |
| Germany | Not confirmed | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 |
How they place
| Ranking | eToro | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 6 of 490 | 39 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 4 of 147 | 15 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 4 of 145 | 13 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 4 of 122 | 12 of 122 |
| Futures trading platforms | 2 of 83 | 11 of 83 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | eToro | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Crypto, Demo account, Fractional shares, Copy trading, Mobile appCovers more | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | eToro (Europe) Ltd | IG Europe GmbH |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Germany |
| Founded | 2007 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Help centre | Not confirmed |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | eToro | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum investment | $500 | Not confirmed |
| Portfolio types | ETF, ESG, Cash, Crypto | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | eToro | IG | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 69%below the median | 70.375% |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.5%below the median | 3% |
Median across 38 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
eToro
Pros
- No commission on share dealing: stock trade fees are $0
- No account fee on the standard dealing account: $0
- Regulated in Cyprus by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, and a SIPC member in the US
Cons
- A separate management fee of 0% applies to the managed portfolio service, so headline dealing costs are not the whole bill
- Support runs on help centre only, so there is no stated phone or live chat route for account problems
- The same commission-free model at XTB comes with a stated stock trade fee of €0, so commission alone does not separate the two
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
eToro
Who it suits
- Beginners who want commission-free share dealing plus fractional shares
- Readers who want stocks, ETFs, crypto, forex and CFDs in one place
- Anyone saving in a currency other than US dollars who wants to watch the cost of conversion
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want a stated phone or live chat support channel, since support runs on help centre
- Day traders who judge a broker on spreads alone, as no spread figure is listed
- Anyone wanting managed portfolios at no cost, since the management fee is 0%
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
eToro
What does it cost to buy shares with eToro?+
The stock trade fee is $0, and the account fee is $0. Both sit at the low end of the market, and eToro is ranked at 1 on trade fees and 1 on account fees among the brands compared here. Currency conversion can still apply if your balance is not in the account currency.
Is there an account fee on the standard eToro account?+
The account fee is $0 for the standard dealing account, which is why eToro places at 1 out of 138 brands on that measure. The managed portfolio service is charged differently, at a management fee of 0%, so treat the dealing and portfolio costs as two separate lines.
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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