Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs Public
Where IG and Public differ
| Compare |  IG |  Public |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Options, Bonds |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | FINRA, SEC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | 3.3%Higher |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.2% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.060 to $0.18 |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | Not confirmed |
| Account types | Not confirmed | IRA, Roth IRA |
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Key differences
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.4.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- Regulators: only Public offers FINRA, SEC.
- IG is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only IG offers Forex, CFDs, Futures.
- Markets: only Public offers Bonds.
- Interest on cash is higher at Public: 3.3% vs 2.5%.
- Features: only IG offers Demo account.
- Features: only Public offers Crypto, Options.
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%.
Public
Public suits people building a retirement account who care most about what a trade costs and where the money sits. Stock trades are $0, the account opens from $0, and protection runs to SIPC up to USD 500,000 in the US.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.6HigherStock trades cost $0, options contracts run $0.06 to $0.18 and margin borrowing starts at 4.2%. |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.2A ira and roth ira account covers stocks, etfs and crypto plus a mobile app and fractional shares. |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.5 |
Feature by feature
| Markets | IG | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | No |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
Availability and regulation
| Country | IG | Public |
|---|---|---|
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 71021 | |
| Germany | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 | Not confirmed |
If neither fits
Nexo has interest on cash at 13%, against 2.5% for IG and 3.3% for Public.
Nexo reviewSources behind this comparison
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Public
- public.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokercheck.finra.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | IG | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 39 of 490 | 49 of 490 |
| Options trading platforms | 11 of 103 | 15 of 103 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares | Crypto, Fractional shares, Options, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | Open to the Public Investing, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Germany | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | Public | 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 | 4.2%lowest quarter | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.060 to $0.18lowest quarter | $0.59 |
| Interest on cash | 2.5%below the median | 3.3%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.
Public
Pros
- Stock trades cost $0, so a regular monthly purchase is not eaten by commission.
- The account opens from $0, which is below the €4.64 typical minimum across the brokers on our data.
- Cash parked in the high-yield account earns 3.3% while it waits to be invested.
Cons
- Options contracts add a fee of $0.06 to $0.18 each, on top of the premium you pay for the option itself.
- Margin borrowing runs at 4.2%, so borrowed positions carry an interest charge that keeps accruing.
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so there is no phone line for questions about a transfer or a tax form.
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.
Public
Who it suits
- You are saving for retirement in the US and want commission-free stock trades in one account
- You want to hold spare cash at a stated rate while you decide what to buy
- You are starting with small amounts and want fractional shares rather than whole shares
Who should look elsewhere
- You need forex, CFDs or futures, which CFI and eToro both list in stocks, etfs and forex and stocks, etfs and forex
- You want a UK ISA or SIPP wrapper, neither of which appears in ira and roth ira
- You want to talk to a broker on the phone, since support covers email and help centre
Current offers
Public
Current offer
Bonus
Transfer your portfolio. Earn an uncapped 1% match.: 1% match
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | IG | Public |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
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.
Public
Is Public really commission free for stock trades?+
Yes. A stock trade costs $0, so buying shares itself carries no charge. The costs sit elsewhere: options contracts cost $0.06 to $0.18 each, and margin borrowing runs at 4.2%. A simple monthly share purchase only pays the trade charge of $0.
What is the minimum deposit at Public?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened and funded from a very small amount. That is well under the €4.64 typical minimum across the brokers on our data, where the upper quartile sits at €87.70. No threshold has to be cleared before the first trade.
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