Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Axi, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
IG was established in 1974 and has since built a strong reputation as a reliable online broker. It is a publicly traded company and also operates as a bank. IG is well-regulated, holding an impressive eight Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted, and two Tier-2 licenses, which are also trusted. IG has received a top-tier Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its status as a highly trusted broker.
Axi, founded in 2007, is a privately-held company that does not function as a bank. It holds two Tier-1 licenses, establishing it as a dependable entity, alongside one Tier-2 license. Axi has been assigned a Trust Score of 82 out of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, classifying it within the trusted range. While both IG and Axi maintain solid regulatory profiles, IG's extensive regulatory credentials and bank status set it apart.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers IG and Axi, IG demonstrates a strong offering with dynamic pricing suited for active traders through its Forex Direct accounts. Although not a discount broker, IG's size enables it to provide scalable execution options across multiple products. The broker stands out with pricing for active traders, featuring average spreads of 0.62 pips in July 2023 and an all-in cost of 0.82 pips for the Forex Direct account, factoring in a 0.2 pip commission. IG's varied offerings also include CFD accounts, where average spreads during main trading sessions were 0.69 pips, slightly better than the industry average. Additionally, IG's active trader rebate program offers spread discounts up to 20% for high-volume traders. IG's commission-based DMA account caters to experienced traders looking for further discounts, with average spreads of 0.62 pips and tiered commission rates based on monthly trading volumes.
On the other hand, Axi provides a more straightforward yet less detailed cost structure, without publicly available average spread data. While its offerings may suit a different type of trader, Axi's lack of detailed pricing transparency may be a consideration for those who actively pursue competitive spreads and trading conditions. Nevertheless, Axi maintains a respectable standing with a rating of 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. However, it is ranked lower than IG, positioning at #44 out of 63 brokers, as per ForexBrokers.com.
IG, with its diverse account options and favorable pricing structures, garners a 5-star rating and ranks impressively at #8 among 63 brokers in the same category. The broker's structured approach to rebates and varied execution methods makes it appealing to both high-volume traders and those seeking competitive costs on larger order executions. Its combination of Forex Direct and CFD accounts, complemented by a robust rebate program, truly underscores its edge in commissions and fees when compared to Axi.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG vs Axi for range of investments: Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, but IG’s catalog is far larger. IG offers 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with Axi’s 175 symbols and 65 pairs. Only IG lets you buy exchange‑traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges (for example, Apple on Nasdaq or Vodafone in London); Axi does not offer real share dealing. For crypto, IG supports both actual coins and crypto CFDs, while Axi only offers crypto CFDs.
Axi stands out with copy trading, which IG doesn’t provide. Overall, IG is rated 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, while Axi is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #57. If you want the widest market access and the ability to own shares and cryptocurrencies, choose IG; if you prefer copy trading and a simpler lineup, Axi may suit you.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 175 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
IG and Axi both let you practice with a free demo (paper) account and both offer web-based platforms plus a Windows desktop download. IG adds a proprietary, in-house platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4), while Axi relies on MT4 and does not offer its own platform. Neither broker supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can place trades straight from charts with either broker. For social features, Axi supports copy trading; IG does not.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates IG at 5 stars and ranks it #2 of 63 brokers, while Axi earns 3.5 stars and is ranked #64. Both provide charting indicators and watch lists, but the exact counts were not specified. In short, choose IG if you want a highly rated in-house platform alongside MT4, or pick Axi if you prefer MT4 with access to copy trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG vs Axi mobile trading apps: both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. IG stands out for watchlist syncing between mobile and web, while Axi does not sync watchlists. IG also autosaves chart drawings; Axi does not. For charting tools, IG includes 33 technical studies compared with Axi’s 30.
In independent ratings, IG earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, while Axi is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #60. If you want synced watchlists and saved annotations across devices, IG is the better fit. Traders who need basic alerts and charting on both iPhone and Android may find Axi sufficient.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IG vs Axi for market research: IG clearly leads for everyday insights, offering daily market commentary while Axi does not. Both brokers stream forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, include Autochartist tools for technical ideas, do not offer Trading Central, and provide sentiment tools that show long vs. short positioning. Each also delivers an economic calendar to track upcoming events.
IG goes further with added partner research, including TipRanks and tools from Acuity Trading (Signal Centre). Axi’s lineup does not specify TipRanks or Acuity integrations. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, IG earns 5/5 stars and ranks #2 of 63 for Research, while Axi scores 3/5 stars and ranks #56. If you want daily commentary and broader third‑party insights, IG is the stronger pick; if you only need news, a calendar, and Autochartist, Axi covers the basics.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing IG vs Axi for beginner education, both brokers provide forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, including articles, videos, and regular client webinars (at least monthly). Each offers 10+ beginner-focused videos to help you learn the basics step by step. Where they differ is depth: IG also supplies 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go further, while Axi does not meet that advanced-video mark.
This gap shows in the scores. IG earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Axi earns 3 stars and ranks #27. For new traders, both can get you started with beginner videos and live sessions, but IG’s larger library makes it easier to progress from beginner to more advanced topics. If education is a top priority, IG is the stronger choice; Axi is suitable for basics but has fewer options as your skills grow.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IG is better than Axi. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Axi finished with an overall rank of #49.
IG offers the ultimate comprehensive trading package, featuring excellent trading and research tools, industry-leading education, and an extensive range of tradeable markets.
| Feature |
IG
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Axi
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 |
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In the IG vs Axi comparison, IG lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trade crypto CFDs, whereas Axi supports only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not allow purchasing the actual coins.
IG vs Axi: IG supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal and bank wire deposits/withdrawals but not Skrill, while Axi does not support ACH/SEPA and its availability of PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard and bank wires is not specified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Axi | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Axi | |
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| Regulation | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 175 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IG Review |
| Overall | IG | Axi | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review |
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