Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs Interactive Brokers
IG vs Interactive Brokers: the differences
| Compare |  IG |  Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting | Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | SEC, FCA, SIPC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | 3.38%Higher |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.38% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.65 |
| Account types | Not confirmed | ISA, SIPP, IRA, Joint, Corporate |
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Key differences
- Interactive Brokers scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.5.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
- Regulators: only Interactive Brokers offers SEC, FCA.
- Markets: only IG offers CFDs, Crypto, Spread betting.
- Markets: only Interactive Brokers offers Bonds, Funds.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only Interactive Brokers offers Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile.
- Interest on cash is higher at Interactive Brokers: 3.38% vs 2.5%.
- Features: only IG offers Demo account.
- Pricing model: only Interactive Brokers offers Low fees.
Our verdict on each
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%.
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers suits investors who want a single account across ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint and corporate holdings, with stocks, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures behind it. It ranks 1 of 213 brands on minimum deposit at $0, and stock trades are charged at $0.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.3Stock trades cost $0, the minimum deposit is $0 and an options contract costs $0.65. |
| Offer | 9.6Commission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.6Account types cover isa, sipp and ira, and the market list spans bonds, etfs and forex. |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.8Higher |
What each covers
| Markets | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
Licences and countries
| Country | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 71021 | SIPC SIPC member 53615 |
| Germany | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 | Not confirmed |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | FCA 208159 |
Sources behind this comparison
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Interactive Brokers
- interactivebrokers.com: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokersway.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- toponlineforexbrokers.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- euinvestinghub.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- eupersonalfinance.eu: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 39 of 490 | 35 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 15 of 147 | 13 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 13 of 145 | 11 of 145 |
| Options trading platforms | 11 of 103 | 7 of 103 |
| Futures trading platforms | 11 of 83 | 8 of 83 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional sharesCovers more | Fractional shares, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC |
| Headquarters | Germany | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1978 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Help centre, Community |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | Interactive Brokers | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0below the median | $10 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | Not confirmed | 70.375% |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.38%below the median | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.65above the median | $0.59 |
| Interest on cash | 2.5%below the median | 3.38%above the median | 3% |
Median across 99 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
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.
Interactive Brokers
Pros
- A stock trade costs $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, the pairing behind rank 1 of 161 on stock trade fees among the brokers tracked here.
- The account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira, so an ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint or corporate account all sit under a single provider.
- bonds, etfs and forex puts stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures on the same account, with a margin rate of 4.38% for geared positions.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community, so a phone line and live chat sit outside the offer.
- bonds, etfs and forex covers shares, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures but leaves out crypto and CFDs, which eToro lists in stocks, etfs and forex.
- An options contract costs $0.65 against a stock trade at $0, so options strategies pay a visible premium per contract.
Who each suits
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.
Interactive Brokers
Who it suits
- Investors holding money across several wrappers, since the account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira.
- Traders who want options, futures, forex and bonds alongside shares on a single account, per bonds, etfs and forex.
- Anyone starting with a small balance: the minimum deposit is $0 and fractional shares appear in the feature list (fractional shares and mobile app).
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who trades crypto or CFDs, since bonds, etfs and forex leaves both out while eToro lists them in stocks, etfs and forex.
- Readers who want a stated entry figure as a signal of the provider's target size, since Vantage publishes $5 where this broker's minimum is $0.
Questions about each
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.
Interactive Brokers
What does it cost to trade shares?+
A stock trade is charged at $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, so opening an account and dealing in shares carry no charge. The money sits in derivatives and leverage instead, where an options contract costs $0.65 and the margin rate is listed at 4.38%.
Is my money protected?+
The regulatory list runs to SEC, FCA and SIPC, and investor protection is stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000. The UK entry is the FCA under licence 208159, while the US side names the SEC and the SIPC membership SIPC member 53615. The protection figure describes the scheme stated for the account and says nothing about how a trade performs.
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