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.
In the world of online trading, choosing a trustworthy broker is crucial. IG, founded in 1974, is a seasoned player in the financial arena and is publicly traded, which often means greater transparency for investors. As a bank, IG has certain protections and obligations that may be appealing to traders. It holds an impressive 8 Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust according to ForexBrokers.com standards, and boasts a perfect Trust Score rating of 99 out of 99. Additionally, IG has 2 Tier-2 licenses, signifying further regulatory compliance.
Pepperstone, on the other hand, entered the market in 2010 and does not operate as a publicly traded company or a bank. While it holds 3 Tier-1 licenses—fewer than IG—it still manages to maintain a strong regulatory standing with these highly trusted licenses. Pepperstone scores a commendable 95 out of 99 on the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score scale, reflecting its commitment to maintaining trust with its clients. Furthermore, like IG, Pepperstone holds 2 Tier-2 licenses. Both brokers demonstrate a commitment to regulation, but IG’s longer history and more extensive licensing may offer greater reassurance to some investors.
| 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 offer competitive pricing, but the best deal depends on your account type and trading volume. Pepperstone’s Razor account lists a 0.10-pip average spread on EUR/USD plus a commission equivalent to 0.70 pips, for a 0.80-pip all-in cost (July 2024). Pepperstone’s Standard account is commission-free but pricier at about 1.1 pips. IG’s DMA (Forex Direct) route averaged a 0.62-pip spread on EUR/USD (July 2023); your all-in cost depends on your commission tier, and at the best tier ($20 per million round-turn) it works out to roughly 0.82 pips, while the base tier is higher. On IG’s spread-only CFD account, typical main-session spreads averaged 0.69 pips in July 2023 (global), about 0.98 pips across all sessions globally, and about 1.18 pips in the U.S.; spreads can widen in quieter hours.
High-volume traders can lower costs further with rebates. IG offers a professional-only active trader program with a 10% spread rebate from £50 million in monthly forex volume and up to 20% from £300 million—potentially bringing effective costs near 0.60 pips in certain scenarios. Pepperstone’s Active Trader program rebates 15% to 25% of the spread in the U.K. and EU for professional clients trading £20 million to £200 million per month, and 10% to 30% in Australia based on lot tiers, reducing the effective spread on Razor or Standard.
Ratings and rankings: IG earns 5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #7 of 63 brokers. Pepperstone earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #6 of 63. In practice, Pepperstone’s Razor all-in cost (about 0.80 pips) is very close to IG’s best-tier DMA figure (about 0.82 pips), while IG’s rebates and DMA tiers can be attractive for very large tickets. Your cheapest option will hinge on platform preference, account type, and how much you trade.
| 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
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 |
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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 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Pepperstone | |
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| Regulation | IG | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| 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 SCA 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 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Pepperstone Review |
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