Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs Topstep
Where IG and Topstep differ
| Compare |  IG |  Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0 | $0.50 |
| Account fee | €0 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread bettingCovers more | Futures |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | National Futures Association (NFA) registered introducing broker, Topstep Brokerage LLC, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered FCM / NFA member, Plus500US Financial Services LLC |
| 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 | TopstepX |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $49 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | 1% processing fee on debit card deposits and withdrawals; wire fee $10 outbound, $0 inbound |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- Regulators: only Topstep offers National Futures Association (NFA) registered introducing broker, Topstep Brokerage LLC, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered FCM / NFA member, Plus500US Financial Services LLC.
- Markets: only IG offers Stocks, ETFs, Forex.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only Topstep offers TopstepX.
- Features: only IG offers Mobile app, Fractional shares.
- Features: only Topstep offers Futures.
- Pricing model: only IG offers Commission free.
- Pricing model: only Topstep 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%.
Topstep
Topstep suits beginners who want a low-cost route into futures prop trading, pairing a challenge price of $49 with a profit split of 90% that is competitive without topping the table. The brokerage account adds an account fee of $0 and payouts Every 2 weeks, so it suits a funded account you plan to grow.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.4HigherAccount fees are $0, the inactivity fee is $0 and the challenge costs $49, against a site median of €56.56. |
| Offer | 9.6Commission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.7Higher90% paid Every 2 weeks on a 2 step evaluation, with markets limited to futures. |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.5 |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | IG | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | No |
| Forex | Yes | No |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
How they place
| Ranking | IG | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Futures trading platforms | 11 of 83 | 12 of 83 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares | Demo account, Futures |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Low fees |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | Topstep LLC |
| Headquarters | Germany | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2010 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre, Community |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | Topstep | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $49above the median | $10 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $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.
Topstep
Pros
- Entry is priced at $49 for a 2 step evaluation, with a profit split of 90%.
- The brokerage account fee is $0 and the inactivity fee is $0, so an account left open does not slowly bleed money.
- Payouts arrive Every 2 weeks, a steadier rhythm than a single monthly cycle.
Cons
- The split of 90% leaves a share of profits with the firm, where Apex Trader Funding shares 100%.
- Markets are futures only, against 80.6% of the brands here that cover stocks.
- Topstep ranks 7 of 21 on challenge price, and Alpha Capital Group lists $27 for its own challenge.
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.
Topstep
Who it suits
- Beginners testing futures prop trading, since beginners lists beginners and demo account and futures includes a demo account.
- Traders who want low running costs on a funded account: an account fee of $0, an inactivity fee of $0 and 90% kept of profits.
- Anyone weighing entry price against share, since Funding Pips runs challenge prices of $29 to $555, a different price point to Topstep's $49.
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who want the whole profit, since Apex Trader Funding shares 100% against the 90% kept here.
- Anyone trading stocks, ETFs or crypto, because the market list is futures.
- Budget-first buyers, since Alpha Capital Group lists $27 for its challenge.
Current offers
Topstep
Current offer
Discount code
Responsible Trading Advantage discounts: Up to $30/month
Add a Daily Loss Limit to unlock exclusive benefits, including larger payout caps and discounts on eligible accounts; listed as -$10 / -$20 / -$30 on the $50K / $100K / $150K accounts
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Topstep Trading Combine monthly discount: -$10 to -$30
One-time activation fee paid after passing the Trading Combine; discount is shown alongside the eligible account price
Source, checked September 26, 2026
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.
Topstep
How much does the Topstep challenge cost?+
The evaluation fee is $49, and the same figure is listed as the minimum deposit, so that is the outlay before any trading. For context, the median challenge price across the brands here is €56.56. A failed attempt means paying the fee again to try, so treat it as a cost of repeated attempts rather than a single ticket.
What profit do I keep and how quickly are payouts made?+
Once funded, you keep 90% of the profit, and payouts go out Every 2 weeks. The split is a percentage of profit rather than a flat fee, so a thin month does not eat into it. The cadence matters as much as the percentage for cash flow, since a good month reaches your account sooner with a frequent schedule.
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