Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs IFC Markets, 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 (founded in 1974) and IFC Markets (founded in 2006) differ in their public profile and oversight. IG is publicly traded and is a bank, while IFC Markets is privately held and not a bank.
Regulation is the key divider: IG holds 8 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses, compared with IFC Markets’ 1 Tier-1 and 0 Tier-2 licenses. ForexBrokers.com rates trust on a 0–99 scale where 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted; IG scores 99 (highly trusted), while IFC Markets scores 73 (average risk). This points to stronger top-tier oversight and a higher trust rating for IG than IFC Markets.
| Feature |
IG
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
When comparing commissions and fees, IG comes out ahead of IFC Markets for most traders, especially those who trade often or place larger orders. IG is rated 5 stars and ranked #7 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for Commissions and Fees. Its pricing is not the cheapest in the market, but it is competitive, with Forex Direct (DMA) spreads on EUR/USD averaging 0.62 pips in July 2023, or about 0.82 pips all-in after commission. IG’s CFD spreads were also fairly close to the industry average, and active traders may qualify for rebates that can lower costs further.
IFC Markets is a solid lower-cost option for some traders, but its overall pricing is less attractive than IG’s. It is rated 4 stars and ranked #33 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average, though its ECN account is better for active traders at about 1.1 pips all-in after commission. IFC Markets also stands out for having no inactivity fee and offering active trader discounts, which may help reduce costs for frequent users.
In simple terms, IG is the better pick if you want tighter pricing and more options for active trading, while IFC Markets may appeal if you value fee savings like no inactivity charge. For everyday forex and CFD trading, IG generally offers the lower total cost and stronger value overall.
| Feature |
IG
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG offers a wider range of investments than IFC Markets, with 19,537 tradeable symbols compared with 630. It also has more forex pairs available, with 97 versus 49, and both brokers support forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. For share trading, IG lets clients buy actual U.S.-listed and international stocks, while IFC Markets supports actual shares on international exchanges only and does not offer U.S.-listed exchange traded securities.
IG also stands out for having both real cryptocurrency purchases and cryptocurrency CFDs, while IFC Markets offers crypto CFDs only. Copy trading is available at IFC Markets but not at IG. Overall, IG is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #32, making IG the stronger choice for investors who want more market variety.
| Feature |
IG
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
IG and IFC Markets both give traders a wide choice of platform options, including free demo accounts, in-house platforms, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers also let users trade directly from charts, which is helpful for quick order entry and active trading. For charting and watch lists, each broker offers trading tools, though exact counts for indicators and watch list fields were not provided here.
The main difference is copy trading: IFC Markets offers it, while IG does not. Overall, IG comes out ahead in this category, earning 5 out of 5 stars and the #1 spot out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com for Trading Platforms and Tools. IFC Markets is still a solid choice, but it is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #30 out of 36 in the same category.
| Feature |
IG
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and IFC Markets both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, watchlist syncing, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. For everyday mobile use, that means either broker gives you the basic tools you would expect to monitor markets and keep your lists in step with your online account.
Where IG pulls ahead is in charting and overall mobile app quality. IG offers 33 technical studies in its mobile charts, compared with 30 at IFC Markets, and it also earns a higher mobile trading app rating, at 5 stars versus 4 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, IG takes the top spot at #1, while IFC Markets sits at #35, making IG the stronger choice for traders who want a better mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
IG
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IG has a clear edge over IFC Markets for market research. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, which gives traders the basics for following price moves and upcoming news. However, IG goes much further by offering forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, plus research tools from Autochartist, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading. IFC Markets does not offer these extra sources or tools, which can make its research section feel more limited for traders who want deeper market insight.
This difference shows up in independent ratings as well. IG earns 5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #31. For traders who want more market news, chart-based ideas, and third-party analysis, IG is the stronger choice for research overall.
| Feature |
IG
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning support for beginners, IG stands out ahead of IFC Markets. IG offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 learning materials, hosts online educational webinars every month, and provides more than 10 beginner videos as well as more than 10 advanced videos. This makes IG a stronger choice for new traders who want a clear path from the basics to more experienced trading topics.
IFC Markets also offers at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, but it does not appear to match IG on forex or CFDs education coverage or monthly webinars. That difference is reflected in expert ratings too: IG earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets holds a 3.5-star Education rating and ranks #25. For traders who want more guided learning and regular webinar access, IG is the better pick.
| Feature |
IG
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 IFC Markets. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
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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IFC Markets
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Between online brokers IG and IFC Markets, IG supports buying actual delivered cryptocurrency and trading crypto CFDs, whereas IFC Markets offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not provide access to delivered coins.
In a quick funding-methods comparison of online brokers IG and IFC Markets: IG supports ACH/SEPA and PayPal (both not available at IFC Markets), both brokers accept bank wire transfers, neither supports Skrill, 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 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | IFC Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review |
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