Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs OANDA
IG vs OANDA: the differences
| Compare |  IG |  OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, Bonds |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | FCA, CFTC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | 72% |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:30 |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- Regulators: only OANDA offers FCA, CFTC.
- Markets: only IG offers Options, Futures, Spread betting.
- Markets: only OANDA offers Bonds.
- Features: only IG offers Fractional shares.
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%.
OANDA
OANDA fits traders who want to open an account without a minimum deposit and sit under regulators on both sides of the Atlantic. Its overall score is 8.4 with a cost score of 8.4, though the retail loss rate of 72% is a reminder that most balances do not survive the trading.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.7Higher |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.3 |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.5 |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | IG | OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 39 of 490 | 42 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 15 of 147 | 17 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 13 of 145 | 15 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 12 of 122 | 14 of 122 |
Sources behind this comparison
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
OANDA
- oanda.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokersway.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- tradingpedia.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional sharesCovers more | Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | OANDA TMS Brokers S.A. |
| Headquarters | Germany | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1996 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Phone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | OANDA | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0below the median | $10 |
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | 72%above the median | 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.
OANDA
Pros
- No minimum deposit: $0 means the account opens without putting money in first, and OANDA sits at the top of our minimum deposit ranking, ahead of Vantage and its $5.
- Regulated in Britain and the US: FCA and CFTC covers an FCA licence 542574 and a CFTC registration 0325821.
- UK balances sit under protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000, which pays compensation if the firm cannot return the money.
Cons
- Support runs on email and phone only, which leaves anyone wanting a live chat desk looking at other brokers.
- A retail loss rate of 72% is no better than the site figure of 70.15%, so the risk sits at the sector norm.
- Retail leverage of 1:30 magnifies losses as quickly as gains, and a $0 entry point makes it easy to size positions too large.
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.
OANDA
Who it suits
- Traders who want to open an account and start small: the minimum deposit of $0 removes the barrier to funding later.
- Anyone who checks regulators before depositing, since FCA and CFTC and protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000 are both on record.
- Forex traders who also want shares, ETFs, CFDs, crypto and bonds under one roof: stocks, etfs and forex.
Who should look elsewhere
- Futures traders, who get a longer list at eToro, where stocks, etfs and forex adds futures to the stocks, etfs and forex on offer here.
- Traders who want nothing beyond shares, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto, since CFI's stocks, etfs and forex covers that core without the bonds.
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.
OANDA
What is the minimum deposit for an OANDA account?+
OANDA lists a minimum deposit of $0, so you can open an account without funding it and add money later. On our minimum deposit ranking that places OANDA at position 1 of 213 brands, well clear of the field. Vantage, by contrast, asks for $5 before trading starts.
How is my money protected if something goes wrong?+
UK clients sit under investor protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000, the compensation paid if the firm cannot return the balance. The regulator behind that cover is named in FCA and CFTC, and the FCA licence number is 542574. US clients fall under the CFTC registration, 0325821, which is a separate arrangement.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- IG vs Nexo
- IG vs CFI
- IG vs Markets.com
- IG vs Exness
- IG vs Interactive Brokers
- IG vs Fidelity
- IG vs Webull
- IG vs Topstep
- IG vs Wealthsimple
- IG vs FXTM
- IG vs Ally Bank
- IG vs Firstrade
- IG vs Merrill Edge
- IG vs Plus500
- IG vs ActivTrades
- IG vs XTB
- IG vs NAGA
- IG vs eToro
- IG vs Robinhood
- IG vs S Broker
- IG vs EBC Financial Group
- IG vs CapTrader
- IG vs Kraken