Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs Kraken
Where IG and Kraken differ
| Compare |  IG |  Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread bettingCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Crypto, Futures |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | Central Bank of Ireland, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | Kraken App, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop, Kraken Wallet |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $1 |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25 |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | Up to 10x |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
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 IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- Regulators: only Kraken offers Central Bank of Ireland, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Conduct Authority.
- Markets: only IG offers CFDs, Options, Spread betting.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only Kraken offers Kraken App, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop.
- Features: only IG offers Demo account, Fractional shares.
- Features: only Kraken offers Crypto.
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%.
Kraken
Kraken suits beginners and experienced investors who want stocks, ETFs and crypto together through app and desktop access. Stock dealing is priced at $0 with entry at $1 and funding terms shown as Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25 for cost planning across small balance accounts.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.3Stock dealing is priced at $0 with entry at $1. |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.0Coverage spans stocks, ETFs and forex accessed through Kraken App, Kraken Pro and Kraken Desktop. |
| Trust | 9.5Higher | 9.3Registers cite 1010381 and 31000270997766. |
Feature by feature
| Markets | IG | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | IG | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 39 of 490 | 28 of 490 |
| Futures trading platforms | 11 of 83 | 6 of 83 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares | Crypto, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners, Experienced |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | Germany | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | Kraken | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $1below the median | $10 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | Not confirmed | 70.375% |
| Interest on cash | 2.5%below the median | Not confirmed | 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.
Kraken
Pros
- Stock trades priced at $0 within a model shown as commission free.
- Entry at $1, below $50 at eToro for smaller starting balances.
- Coverage spans stocks, ETFs and forex, pairing stocks and ETFs with crypto and futures.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, without phone or live chat help found at many rivals.
- Card funding terms run Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25, which adds cost next to bank transfer options.
- Entry at $1 sits above $0 at ActivTrades and €0 at XTB for tight budgets.
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.
Kraken
Who it suits
- You want stocks plus crypto in stocks, ETFs and forex in a single login rather than an equity only account at XTB.
- You want app led dealing through Kraken App, Kraken Pro and Kraken Desktop with modest entry at $1 rather than higher entry at eToro at $50.
Who should look elsewhere
- You want phone or chat help rather than help centre only, consider XTB or ActivTrades for wider contact choice.
- You want the lowest cash entry rather than $1, consider ActivTrades at $0 or XTB at €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.
Kraken
What does Kraken charge for stock trades+
Stock dealing is priced at $0 and Kraken describes its model as commission free. Bank funding is framed separately as Free bank deposits, card 3.75% + 0.25, so card use adds cost while bank transfer terms remain distinct. Check the fee schedule before placing orders.
What is the minimum deposit to open an account+
Account entry is set at $1. That level sits below $50 at eToro, yet above $0 at ActivTrades and €0 at XTB. It keeps starting balances modest while leaving room for funding charges.
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