Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs tastytrade
Where IG and tastytrade differ
| Compare |  IG |  tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread bettingCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Options, Futures, Crypto |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPCCovers more | 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 | Mobile, Desktop, Web |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $1 |
| Account types | Not confirmed | IRA, Joint |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.0.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
- IG is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only IG offers CFDs, Spread betting.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only tastytrade offers Mobile, Desktop, Web.
- Features: only IG offers Demo account, Fractional shares.
- Features: only tastytrade 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%.
tastytrade
tastytrade suits traders who want options, futures and crypto in the same account as shares and ETFs, and it suits anyone starting small. The minimum deposit is $0, share dealing costs $0 a trade, and options cost $1 a contract, so the bill grows only if you trade derivatives.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Higher | 9.1The commission free model keeps equity dealing cheap, but the options contract fee of $1 is the line heavy option traders watch. |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.4 |
| Trust | 9.5Higher | 8.6 |
How they place
| Ranking | IG | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 48 of 471 | 150 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 18 of 147 | 65 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 16 of 145 | 63 of 145 |
| Options trading platforms | 12 of 103 | 53 of 103 |
| Futures trading platforms | 13 of 82 | 38 of 82 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | IG | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 71021 | SIPC SIPC member 69649 |
| Germany | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 | Not confirmed |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares | Crypto, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | TASTYTRADE INC |
| Headquarters | Germany | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | tastytrade | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0below the median | $25 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | Not confirmed | 72.05% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $1highest quarter | $0.625 |
| Interest on cash | 2.5%below the median | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 134 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.
tastytrade
Pros
- Share dealing costs $0 a trade, and the account opens from $0.
- All of stocks, etfs and forex sit under the same account.
- Protection is recorded as SIPC up to USD 500,000, with membership logged as SIPC member 69649.
Cons
- Options cost $1 a contract, so regular contract buyers pay more than occasional ones.
- The recorded account types under ira and joint are an IRA and a joint account.
- In the stock comparison, 72.03% of retail accounts lose money.
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.
tastytrade
Who it suits
- Traders who want options and futures in the same account as shares and ETFs.
- Anyone starting small, since the minimum deposit is $0.
- People saving into an IRA who also want crypto and forex nearby.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro if you want CFDs listed alongside the core markets: stocks, etfs and forex.
- CFI if you want the shorter list in stocks, etfs and forex, which ends at crypto.
- Vantage if you would rather start above the floor, since its minimum deposit is $5.
Country by country
| Country | IG | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
tastytrade
Is there a minimum deposit to open a tastytrade account?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened and funded with whatever you want to start on. Share dealing then costs $0 a trade, which keeps the running cost close to the opening balance.
What does an options contract cost?+
Options are charged per contract at $1. If you buy options often, that fee becomes the main line you track, while share dealing stays at $0. Traders who touch options now and then will feel it far less than regular contract buyers.
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