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 |
IG and Pepperstone both earn 5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but they appeal to different types of traders. IG is ranked #6 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category, while Pepperstone comes in slightly ahead at #5. IG is not a discount broker, but it offers good value for active traders, especially through its Forex Direct DMA pricing and volume-based rebates. On its main Forex Direct account, IG’s EUR/USD all-in cost was about 0.82 pips based on July 2023 data, while its CFD spreads averaged around 0.69 pips during normal trading hours.
Pepperstone is known for its agency-style execution and strong pricing on its Razor account, which is the broker’s best option for lower trading costs. In July 2024, Pepperstone’s Razor account showed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.10 pips, and the all-in cost was about 0.80 pips once commission was included. Its Standard account is easier for casual traders to use because it is commission-free, but the average spread of 1.1 pips makes it more expensive than Razor.
For active traders, both brokers offer fee discounts through rebate programs. IG gives spread rebates to high-volume professional clients, with savings that can reach up to 20% in some tiers, while Pepperstone’s Active Trader program can reduce spread costs by 15% to 25% in the UK and EU, and up to 30% in Australia for the highest-volume clients. In simple terms, Pepperstone is usually the better pick for raw pricing on its Razor account, while IG stands out for traders who want flexible execution and competitive pricing on larger or more active forex trades.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $10 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.82 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 offers a wider range of investments than Pepperstone overall. IG gives clients access to 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with Pepperstone’s 2,631 symbols and 65 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both let clients buy actual cryptocurrency as well as trade crypto CFDs. However, IG also stands out for its share dealing, offering exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Pepperstone does not offer these non-CFD shares.
In terms of extra features, Pepperstone offers copy trading, while IG does not. Even so, IG comes out ahead for range of investments, with a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. Pepperstone is rated 4 stars and ranked #23, which reflects a smaller selection of markets overall.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 2631 |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, Windows desktop downloads, and access to both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also offers a proprietary platform built in-house, along with tools that let you trade directly from a chart. In other words, both are well set up for beginners who want a practice account and for more active traders who want flexible ways to place trades.
The biggest difference is copy trading, which Pepperstone offers but IG does not. That may matter if you want to follow and mirror other traders. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, IG is rated 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 36 brokers, while Pepperstone is rated 4 stars and ranked #21. Based on platform quality and available tools, IG has the edge overall, while Pepperstone stands out for its copy trading feature.
| 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 | 90 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Pepperstone both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, plus useful features like price alerts and watchlist syncing between mobile and online accounts. Both apps also let you draw trendlines on charts and automatically save those drawings, which helps if you want to keep track of ideas as you move between devices.
Where IG pulls ahead is in charting and overall app quality. IG’s mobile app includes 33 technical studies, compared with 30 for Pepperstone, and it earns a 5-star rating for mobile trading apps versus Pepperstone’s 4 stars. That edge shows up in industry rankings too, with IG placed #1 out of 36 brokers for mobile trading apps, while Pepperstone ranks #19.
| 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.
IG and Pepperstone both give traders daily market commentary, top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, sentiment tools showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking major global events. This means both brokers offer useful day-to-day market insight for traders who want to stay on top of news and price drivers.
Where IG stands out is its wider range of extra research tools. IG includes Autochartist, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading features such as Signal Centre, while Pepperstone does not offer these add-ons. As a result, IG earns a 5-star Research rating and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers for research at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Pepperstone’s 4.5-star rating and #13 ranking.
| Feature |
IG
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 beginner-friendly learning materials, both IG and Pepperstone give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFDs education with well over 10 relevant learning pieces, plus online educational webinars at least once a month. They also both provide at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so whether you are just starting out or want to build on your trading knowledge, either platform gives you a wide range of lessons to explore.
That said, IG has the edge in education overall. It is rated 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Pepperstone is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #15. For beginners comparing online broker education, IG stands out as the stronger choice, though Pepperstone still offers a solid mix of helpful trading content.
| 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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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 |
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IG and Pepperstone both let traders buy actual delivered cryptocurrency as well as trade cryptocurrency CFDs, making each online broker a flexible option for those seeking either direct crypto ownership or leveraged crypto trading.
IG vs Pepperstone: For deposits and withdrawals, both brokers support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, while only Pepperstone also supports Skrill, giving it broader e-wallet coverage.
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 | 2631 | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 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 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 | 90 | |
| 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 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 | No | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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