Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs Vantage
What sets them apart
| Compare |  IG |  Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Account fee | €0 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting | Forex, CFDs, Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Metals |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | 74% to 89% |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | MT4, MT5 |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $5 |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | Not confirmed |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | no deposit or withdrawal fee |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
- Markets: only IG offers Options, Futures, Spread betting.
- Markets: only Vantage offers Metals.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only Vantage offers MT4, MT5.
- Features: only IG offers Fractional shares.
- Features: only Vantage offers Copy trading.
- Pricing model: only IG offers Commission free.
- Pricing model: only Vantage 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%.
Vantage
Vantage suits UK and European traders who want forex, CFDs, shares, ETFs, crypto and metals in one account. The cost picture is friendly, with an account fee of $0 and no deposit or withdrawal charge, while the opening balance and retail losses are the trade-offs.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.3 |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.2 |
| Trust | 9.5 | Not confirmed |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | IG | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 48 of 471 | 84 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 18 of 147 | 36 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 16 of 145 | 34 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 14 of 122 | 28 of 122 |
Feature by feature
| Markets | IG | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Metals | No | Yes |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
Licences and countries
| Country | IG | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 | Not confirmed |
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 71021 | Not confirmed |
Where these facts come from
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Vantage
- fxleaders.com: 6 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokerchooser.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares | Demo account, Mobile app, Copy trading |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Low fees |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | Germany | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | Vantage | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $5below the median | $25 |
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | 74% to 89%above the median | 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.
Vantage
Pros
- No standing charges on the account: an account fee of $0 and an inactivity fee of $0, so a balance left untouched still costs nothing to keep.
- One account across forex, cfds and stocks, so short-term currency trading and longer stock holding do not need a second broker.
- A demo account, a mobile app and copy trading, with orders placed on MT4 and MT5 listed in MT4 and MT5.
Cons
- The minimum deposit of $5 leaves Vantage at 92 of 213 on entry cost, behind CFI at $0 and XTB at €0.
- Retail accounts that lose money run 74% to 89%, a wider band than the site median of 70.15%.
- Vantage is listed under low fees, while 69.8% of the brands compared run on a commission-free model, so frequent traders can find cheaper pricing elsewhere.
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.
Vantage
Who it suits
- Traders who want forex, CFDs, shares, ETFs, crypto and metals held in one account, listed in forex, cfds and stocks.
- Anyone likely to leave money parked for a while, since the inactivity fee is $0.
- Copy traders and mobile traders, with a demo account, a mobile app and copy trading included in demo account, mobile app and copy trading.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, if futures matter, since they are part of stocks, etfs and forex but not of forex, cfds and stocks.
- CFI or XTB, if the opening balance is the deciding factor and a minimum deposit of $0 or €0 suits better than $5.
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.
Vantage
What is the minimum deposit at Vantage?+
You need $5 to open an account, a little above the site median of €4.64 though well under the highest minimum deposit of €26,308.87 in the comparison. In practice the balance is small enough to fund from everyday money and top up later rather than committing a large sum on day one.
Does Vantage charge an account fee or an inactivity fee?+
Neither applies. The account fee is $0 and the inactivity fee is $0, so holding the account open or leaving it untouched carries no standing charge. For readers weighing costs, those two lines matter more over time than the entry point, because they are the fees most often buried in small print elsewhere.
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