Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Exness, 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.
Comparing online brokers IG and Exness: IG was founded in 1974 and is publicly traded, while Exness launched in 2008 and is not publicly traded. ForexBrokers.com rates broker trust from 0–99, where 90–99 means highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted at all. IG has a Trust Score of 99 (highly trusted) and is a bank; Exness has a Trust Score of 80 (trusted) and is not a bank.
Regulatory coverage also differs. IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Exness holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses. In short, IG has broader top-tier oversight, while Exness still maintains multiple trusted licenses.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
IG stands out for traders who want competitive pricing, especially if they trade often or in larger sizes. It is not a low-cost discount broker, but its Forex Direct DMA account can be especially attractive, with average EUR/USD spreads around 0.62 pips and an all-in cost near 0.82 pips once commission is included. IG also offers active trader rebates for high-volume clients, which can bring costs down even further. For commissions and fees, IG is rated 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers.
Exness takes a different approach by offering several account types with different cost structures, so your trading costs depend heavily on which account you choose. Its commission-free Standard and Standard Cent accounts usually have wider spreads, while the Pro account offers lower spreads with flexible execution. For traders who want tighter pricing, the Zero Spread account charges a small commission, and the Raw account uses low spreads plus a commission of up to $7 per round turn lot. For commissions and fees, Exness is rated 4 stars and ranks #32 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, IG is the stronger choice if your main goal is lower trading costs and better pricing for active or high-volume trading. Exness can still be a good fit if you want account options and simple access to forex and CFD trading, but its fees and spreads are less competitive overall. In short, IG is the better pick on commissions and fees, while Exness offers more variety in how you can pay to trade.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.82 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing IG vs Exness for range of investments, IG offers the wider choice by a large margin. IG lists 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, while Exness has 239 tradeable symbols and 78 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs. However, IG also gives clients access to actual cryptocurrencies, as well as exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international markets, which Exness does not provide.
In simple terms, IG is the better pick for traders who want more market variety and direct access to shares and crypto. Exness may still suit traders focused mainly on forex and CFDs, but its overall selection is much smaller. That difference is reflected in ratings too: IG scores 5 out of 5 for Range of Investments and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers, while Exness scores 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #36.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 78 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| 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 Exness both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including free demo accounts for practice, their own in-house platforms, web-based access, and Windows desktop downloads. Each broker also supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and both let you trade directly from charts. One notable difference is that neither broker offers copy trading, so traders looking for that feature will need to look elsewhere.
When it comes to trading tools, IG has the edge overall. It is rated 5 out of 5 for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 4 out of 5 and ranks #15. For traders comparing IG vs Exness, both platforms cover the essentials well, but IG appears to offer the stronger overall experience for platform quality and tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Exness both offer iPhone and Android apps, along with stock or forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account. Each app also lets you draw trendlines on charts, making it easy to track price moves on the go. For everyday mobile trading needs, both brokers cover the basics well and give users a smooth way to monitor markets from a phone.
Where IG stands out is in its overall mobile experience. IG’s app has 33 technical studies, auto-saves chart drawings, and is rated 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, ranking #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. Exness offers more chart studies at 100, but its app does not auto-save drawings and is rated 4 stars, with a rank of #18. If you want the stronger all-around mobile app, IG has the edge, while Exness may appeal to traders who want a wider set of chart indicators.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, IG has the edge over Exness. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, and an economic calendar to track key global events. However, IG goes further with extra tools such as Autochartist, sentiment data that shows long and short positioning, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading resources like Signal Centre. Exness, by comparison, includes Trading Central tools, but it does not offer the same range of third-party research extras.
This difference is also reflected in ratings and rankings. IG is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #34. For traders who want more in-depth market insight and a wider mix of research tools, IG is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner learning tools, IG and Exness both give traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 pieces of learning content, regular online client webinars, and enough beginner and advanced videos to help new traders and more experienced users build their skills. That means either platform can serve as a starting point for someone who wants to learn the basics of trading and keep learning over time.
That said, IG comes out ahead on education overall. IG earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers with ForexBrokers.com, while Exness holds a 3.5-star Education rating and ranks #20. In simple terms, both brokers provide helpful educational material, but IG is the stronger choice for beginners who want more highly rated learning support.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
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 Exness. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
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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Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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In the IG vs Exness comparison for cryptocurrency trading, IG lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Exness offers only cryptocurrency CFD trading and does not support purchasing real crypto.
Online brokers IG and Exness differ in funding methods: IG supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals (no Skrill), while Exness supports Skrill and bank wires (no ACH/SEPA or PayPal), with Visa/Mastercard availability not specified for either.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Exness | |
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| Regulation | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 78 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | IG | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Exness Review |
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