Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Pepperstone, 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 vs Pepperstone: IG was founded in 1974 and is publicly traded, while Pepperstone launched in 2010 and is privately held. IG is a bank; Pepperstone is not. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, below 59 not trusted), IG scores 99 and Pepperstone 94—both in the highly trusted range.
For regulation, IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Pepperstone holds 3 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses. With more top-tier licenses and a perfect 99 score, IG has the edge for those prioritizing the most extensive oversight, while Pepperstone remains a highly trusted, well-regulated option.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
If you’re weighing commissions and fees, both IG and Pepperstone earn 5 out of 5 stars, with Pepperstone ranked #6 of 63 and IG ranked #7 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com. Pricing is close: Pepperstone’s Razor account posts an all-in cost around 0.80 pips on EUR/USD (July 2024), while IG’s Forex Direct (DMA) pricing comes in near 0.82 pips using July 2023 data. Your actual costs will depend on the account type you choose, your trading volume, and when you trade.
IG isn’t a discount broker, but it delivers competitive pricing for active forex traders. On its CFD account, typical EUR/USD spreads averaged about 0.69 pips during the main session in July 2023 (0.98 pips across the full day, and 1.18 pips at IG US). IG’s Forex Direct (DMA) account averaged a 0.62-pip spread on EUR/USD in July 2023, with an all-in cost near 0.82 pips once commission is included. High-volume, professional clients can lower costs further via tiered spread rebates (generally 10%–20%), which can trim the effective all-in cost to roughly 0.60 pips. IG’s commissions and fees rating: 5/5 stars; ranking: #7 of 63.
Pepperstone uses agency execution and shines on its commission-based Razor account available on MetaTrader, cTrader, and TradingView. As of July 2024, the Razor account listed a 0.10-pip average spread on EUR/USD; after a commission-equivalent of 0.70 pips, the all-in cost is about 0.80 pips. The commission-free Standard account averaged 1.1 pips, making it pricier than Razor. Active traders may qualify for spread rebates: in the U.K./EU, professional clients can receive roughly 15%–25% back depending on monthly volume; in Australia, tiered discounts run about 10%–30% based on lots traded (requirements apply and rates vary by product). Pepperstone’s commissions and fees rating: 5/5 stars; ranking: #6 of 63.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.1 |
| 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 | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing the range of investments, IG offers far broader market access than Pepperstone. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, but IG lists 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, while Pepperstone offers 1,726 symbols and 65 pairs. Reflecting this depth, IG holds a 5-star Range of Investments rating and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers, versus Pepperstone’s 4 stars and #23 ranking.
IG also supports exchange-traded stocks on both U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy shares like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Vodafone (LSE: VOD) directly—Pepperstone doesn’t offer exchange-traded shares. For crypto, IG provides both real coin purchases and crypto CFDs; Pepperstone limits crypto to CFDs only. One edge for Pepperstone is copy trading, which IG doesn’t offer. In short, choose IG if you want the widest selection including direct share dealing and real crypto, and pick Pepperstone if you prefer a CFD-focused setup with access to copy trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1726 |
| 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 Pepperstone both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for practice, an in-house proprietary platform, and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade from a chart on both, and they’re available on the web and as a Windows desktop download. One notable difference: Pepperstone supports copy trading, while IG does not—so if you want to mirror other traders, Pepperstone has the edge.
In independent testing, IG scores higher for platforms and tools with a 5-star rating and the #1 spot out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. Pepperstone earns 4 stars and ranks #21. If you’re prioritizing top-rated platform features, IG leads; if copy trading is a must-have, Pepperstone may be the better fit.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing IG vs Pepperstone for mobile trading, both brokers check the key boxes: iPhone and Android apps, price alerts for stocks and forex, synced watchlists between app and web, and chart tools that let you draw trendlines with drawings saved automatically. For charting depth, IG offers 33 technical studies, while Pepperstone offers 30, giving IG a slight edge for traders who rely on indicators.
In overall quality, IG leads with a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and a #1 ranking out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Pepperstone earns 4 stars and ranks #19. If you want the strongest all-around mobile experience and more built-in studies, IG stands out; if you’re already using Pepperstone, its app still covers the essentials very well.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When comparing IG and Pepperstone for their market research offerings, both brokers stand out by delivering daily market commentary and providing forex news from trusted sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. Additionally, they both incorporate Autochartist tools for better technical and fundamental research, along with sentiment-based trading tools showing the long or short position ratio across currency pairs. Furthermore, both offer an economic calendar with current global news events, enhancing their research capabilities.
However, there are notable differences between the two. IG has the edge in terms of variety and depth, offering insights from platforms like TipRanks and additional tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, which Pepperstone lacks. Rated at 5 stars compared to Pepperstone’s 4.5, IG secures the #2 position in research rankings by ForexBrokers.com out of 63 brokers, while Pepperstone sits at #12. This indicates IG's superior position when it comes to comprehensive market research features.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
For beginners comparing IG vs Pepperstone on education, both brokers make it easy to start learning. Each hosts educational client webinars at least once a month and offers 10+ beginner-friendly videos that explain trading basics step by step. As you progress, both libraries also include 10+ advanced videos, so you can grow from first lessons to more complex topics without leaving the platform.
Where they differ is in third-party scores. IG earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Pepperstone scores 4.5 stars and ranks #15. If you want the highest-rated learning path, IG has a slight edge; if you prefer a strong lineup of webinars and beginner videos, Pepperstone remains an excellent choice for getting started.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Pepperstone. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #17.
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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Pepperstone
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 |
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IG allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and trading cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Pepperstone supports cryptocurrency CFDs only and does not offer purchases of the underlying coins.
In the IG vs Pepperstone comparison, both online brokers support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, while neither supports Skrill.
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 | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Pepperstone | |
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| Regulation | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1726 | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Tools | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | IG | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Pepperstone Review |
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