Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs FXCM, 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 and FXCM are both seasoned players in the online brokerage industry, with IG having been around since 1974 and FXCM since 1999. Both companies are publicly traded, signaling transparency and accountability, but only IG also functions as a bank. When it comes to regulatory trust, IG shines brighter, holding 8 Tier-1 licenses, a higher benchmark for high trust, compared to FXCM's 4. Both firms hold 2 Tier-2 licenses, which are also considered reliable.
According to ForexBrokers.com, IG boasts an impressive Trust Score of 99 out of 99, categorizing it as highly trusted. In comparison, FXCM holds a Trust Score of 95, which still places it in the highly trusted category but just a notch below IG. This demonstrates IG's stronger regulatory framework, offering potential investors a sense of greater security when trading through their platform.
| Feature |
IG
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
Comparing commissions and fees, IG earns 5/5 stars and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers, while FXCM scores 4.5/5 stars and ranks #17. Both offer multiple pricing paths, but IG tends to favor high-volume traders with direct market access (DMA) and volume-based discounts, whereas FXCM’s pricing is slightly above the industry average unless you qualify for its active-trader tiers.
IG’s spread-only CFD pricing averaged 0.69 pips during the main session in July 2023 (0.98 pips across all sessions globally; IG US averaged 1.18 pips on EUR/USD). Professional clients can unlock spread rebates of 10% to 20% at higher volumes, which can lower effective costs to around 0.60 pips in example scenarios. IG’s Forex Direct (DMA) account requires about £1,000, uses tiered commissions from roughly $60 per million (base) down to $10 per million per side at very large volumes, and posted an average EUR/USD spread of 0.62 pips in July 2023; the all-in cost often comes in around 0.82 pips depending on your tier.
FXCM’s standard EUR/USD spread averaged 0.78 pips in May 2024 for its EU, U.K., and Australia entities (1.38 pips for its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity). Its commission-based plan showed a 0.28-pip core spread, with an effective cost near 0.74 pips after commissions. The Active Trader program (availability varies by region) offers five rebate tiers starting from $5 to $25 per million traded; for example, in the U.K., a $25,000 balance and roughly $50 million in monthly volume can reduce commissions to $2.50 per side ($5 round-turn), producing an effective spread around 0.78 pips. Bottom line: FXCM can get competitive with higher volumes, but IG’s DMA and rebates can deliver lower all-in costs for very active traders.
| Feature |
IG
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | Starts from $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG and FXCM both support forex trading via CFDs or spot, but IG’s lineup is far broader. IG offers 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with FXCM’s 440 symbols and 46 forex pairs. IG also lets clients buy exchange‑traded stocks on U.S. and international markets, while FXCM does not offer exchange‑traded shares. For crypto, IG provides access to both actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and crypto CFDs; FXCM offers crypto CFDs only.
Ratings reflect this breadth: IG earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers, while FXCM scores 4.5 stars and ranks #21. One notable difference is copy trading—FXCM offers it, IG does not. If you want the widest variety of markets and the option to buy real shares and crypto, IG stands out; if copy trading within a smaller set of instruments is your priority, FXCM may fit.
| Feature |
IG
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 440 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 46 |
| 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 vs FXCM: both brokers cover the essentials for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and let you place trades directly from charts. A key difference is that IG also offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while FXCM does not. For social features, FXCM supports copy trading; IG does not.
In third-party testing by ForexBrokers.com, both IG and FXCM earned 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, but IG ranked #1 out of 63 brokers, while FXCM ranked #4. Choose IG if MT5 access or the highest overall ranking matters most; choose FXCM if built-in copy trading is your priority.
| Feature |
IG
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and FXCM both make mobile trading easy with iPhone and Android apps. Each one supports price alerts for stocks and forex, plus watchlists that sync with your online account so changes carry over between devices. For charts, both apps let you draw trendlines, and your drawings auto-save for later.
If you want more built-in technical studies, FXCM offers 59 versus IG’s 33. That said, IG earns a higher score for overall mobile experience: IG is rated 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps by ForexBrokers.com, while FXCM is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #16. Choose IG for top-rated ease and polish, or go with FXCM if a larger set of indicators is your priority—either way, you get alerts, synced watchlists, and capable charting.
| Feature |
IG
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 59 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research offerings, both IG and FXCM provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from reputable sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. However, IG distinguishes itself by offering tools from Autochartist, which FXCM lacks. On the other hand, FXCM offers technical analysis tools from Trading Central, which IG does not provide. Both brokers feature sentiment-based trading tools and market research via TipRanks, but IG edges ahead by including additional resources from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, which FXCM does not offer.
Both IG and FXCM provide essential tools like economic calendars for tracking global events, yet IG's enhanced suite of research tools earns it a higher rating of five stars compared to FXCM's 4.5 stars in the research category. Consequently, IG is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com, positioned as the second best among 63 brokers, whereas FXCM holds the 11th spot. This indicates that while both brokers deliver valuable research capabilities, IG provides a more comprehensive range of resources for market analysis.
| Feature |
IG
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IG and FXCM both offer education for forex and CFD traders that’s friendly to beginners. Each broker runs online client webinars at least once a month, and both provide sizeable video libraries with at least 10 beginner videos plus at least 10 advanced videos. That means you can start with the basics and gradually take on more complex trading topics, using short lessons and live sessions to learn at your own pace.
For overall quality, IG comes out ahead: it earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. FXCM is close behind with a 4.5-star Education rating and a #13 ranking. If you want the strongest beginner learning experience, IG has the edge. If you prefer FXCM’s platform or features, its frequent webinars and deep video catalog still make it a dependable choice for new traders.
| Feature |
IG
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FXCM. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10.
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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FXCM
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 |
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IG vs FXCM: IG allows trading both actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency CFDs, while FXCM offers cryptocurrency CFDs only and does not provide access to actual delivered coins.
IG vs. FXCM: for deposits and withdrawals, both brokers support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, FXCM additionally offers Skrill while IG does not, and Visa/Mastercard availability is 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 | FXCM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | FXCM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | FXCM | |
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| Regulation | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 440 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 46 | |
| 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 | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | Starts from $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 59 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FXCM Review |
| Overall | IG | FXCM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | FXCM Review |
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