Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs Trade Nation
What sets them apart
| Compare |  IG |  Trade Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread bettingCovers more | Forex, CFDs, Spread betting |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | FCA |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | 57.1% |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | TN Trader |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits and withdrawals |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 30:1 |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 8.9.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- Regulators: only Trade Nation offers FCA.
- IG is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only IG offers Stocks, ETFs, Options.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only Trade Nation offers TN Trader.
- Features: only IG offers Demo account, 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%.
Trade Nation
Trade Nation suits UK retail traders who want a regulated, no-frills CFD account with nothing to pay for holding it. The minimum deposit is $0 and the inactivity fee is $0, so the running cost of an idle account sits at the very bottom of our table.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | Trade Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.6HigherInactivity fee of $0, minimum deposit of $0 and Free deposits and withdrawals for funding, all at the cheap end. |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 8.5 |
| Trust | 9.5Higher | 8.6 |
What each covers
| Markets | IG | Trade Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | No |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Spread betting | Yes | Yes |
How they place
| Ranking | IG | Trade Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Forex brokers | 18 of 147 | 71 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 16 of 145 | 69 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 14 of 122 | 60 of 122 |
Choosing between them
Pick IG if offer, trust, and markets matter most.
Pick Trade Nation if cost matter most.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | Trade Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional sharesCovers more | Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | Trade Nation Financial UK Ltd |
| Headquarters | Germany | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | Trade Nation | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0below the median | $25 |
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | 57.1%lowest quarter | 72.05% |
| 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.
Trade Nation
Pros
- Minimum deposit of $0, top of our list on deposits
- Inactivity fee of $0, also top of our list
- Free deposits and withdrawals, so moving money on and off carries no charge
Cons
- Markets are limited to forex, cfds and spread betting, so there is no share dealing alongside the CFDs
- Retail accounts that lose money stand at 57.1%, lower than most brokers on our table but still a majority
- Only one platform, TN Trader, with a mobile app as the stated feature
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.
Trade Nation
Who it suits
- UK traders who want an FCA regulated account with no minimum balance
- Anyone who keeps a CFD account open for months and does not want an inactivity charge
- Beginners who prefer one clear platform, TN Trader, rather than a choice
Who should look elsewhere
- Buy and hold investors, since markets run to forex, cfds and spread betting only
- Traders who want crypto, futures or options, none of which sit in forex, cfds and spread betting
- Anyone wanting several platforms, as only TN Trader is listed
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.
Trade Nation
What is the minimum deposit at Trade Nation?+
The minimum deposit is $0, which is 1 of 213 brands in our table. You can open an account with a small balance and add more whenever you want. Deposits themselves carry no charge, since Free deposits and withdrawals.
Does Trade Nation charge an inactivity fee?+
The inactivity fee is $0, which puts it at 1 of 56 brands on that measure. If your account sits unused for a while, there is no monthly deduction for holding it open.
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