Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Questrade, 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 Questrade, which started in 2000, are two prominent names in the world of online brokerage. When it comes to public trading credentials, IG stands out as it is listed on a stock exchange, unlike Questrade. Additionally, IG also operates as a bank. This distinction is not shared by Questrade, giving IG a broader financial foundation and presence.
Both brokers possess licenses, but IG clearly leads with eight Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, while Questrade holds two Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. This contributes to IG achieving a perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its high level of trust. Questrade, with a Trust Score of 86, is still regarded as trusted, though it has fewer top-tier licenses compared to IG.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2000 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
Comparing commissions and fees, IG is the stronger value for active forex and CFD traders, while Questrade’s pricing suits occasional traders but is pricier on key pairs. IG earns 5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #7 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com. Questrade earns 3 out of 5 stars and is ranked #33 of 63.
IG offers two main pricing paths. Its CFD account features typical EUR/USD spreads that averaged 0.69 pips during main trading hours (July 2023), 0.98 pips across all sessions, with higher spreads during quieter periods. High-volume traders who qualify as professionals in the EU can get 10% to 20% spread rebates (e.g., 20% off a 0.76-pip spread brings the effective cost near 0.60 pips). For deeper discounts, IG’s DMA “Forex Direct” account (minimum £1,000) uses commission-based pricing: average EUR/USD spreads were 0.62 pips in July 2023, and adding a $20 per million round-turn commission (about 0.2 pips) brings the all-in cost to roughly 0.82 pips. Commission tiers start at $60 per million and can drop to $10 per million per side for very large monthly volumes.
Questrade’s advertised EUR/USD target spread of 1.9 pips is meaningfully higher than the industry average, making it less cost-effective for frequent forex traders compared to IG’s DMA and rebate options. Bottom line: IG’s tiered commissions, active-trader rebates, and competitive average spreads make it the more cost-efficient choice for active and high-volume traders, whereas Questrade is simpler but pricier on core forex pricing.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | ÂŁ1 | $250 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A |
| 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.
When it comes to the range of investments, IG stands out for variety with 19,537 tradeable symbols, compared with Questrade’s 641. Questrade, however, lists more forex pairs (110 vs. IG’s 97). Both let you trade forex in CFD or spot formats, and both provide access to exchange-traded stocks on U.S. markets (like Apple) as well as international exchanges (such as London). Neither broker offers copy trading.
For crypto access, IG supports both direct coin purchases and crypto CFDs, while Questrade offers crypto CFDs but not direct coin buying. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments category, each earns 5 stars; IG ranks #4 out of 63 brokers, and Questrade ranks #12.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 641 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 110 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| 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 vs Questrade for trading platforms and tools: Both brokers offer a free paper trading demo, their own proprietary platforms, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Each lets you place orders directly from a chart, and neither supports copy trading. A key difference is third-party compatibility: IG offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Questrade does not.
Ratings reflect this gap. ForexBrokers.com gives IG 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Questrade earns 4 stars and ranks #28. Choose IG if you want MetaTrader along with in-house platforms across web and Windows. Choose Questrade if you’re fine with a broker-built platform and don’t need MT4 or MT5, while still getting demo access and chart trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 64 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Questrade both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, synced watchlists that update between mobile and your online account, plus handy charting tools like drawing trendlines with auto-saved annotations. Whether you track stocks or forex, both apps cover the essentials for trading on the go.
For charting depth, Questrade offers more built-in technical studies (64 indicators) compared with IG (33). However, IG holds the edge in overall user experience, earning 5 stars and the #1 ranking for Mobile Trading Apps out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade is rated 4 stars and ranked #28. In short: pick IG if you want a top-rated, highly polished mobile app; choose Questrade if having a wider set of mobile indicators matters most.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 64 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IG takes the lead for market research, earning 5 stars and ranking #2 out of 63 brokers, while Questrade scores 3.5 stars and ranks #34. IG delivers daily market commentary, forex news from leading outlets, a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, TipRanks insights, Autochartist, and Acuity Trading’s tools. Questrade does not provide daily commentary or a sentiment tool, but it does offer Trading Central (which IG lacks), along with TipRanks, Autochartist, and an economic calendar. Questrade’s access to top-tier forex news feeds isn’t specified here.
Both brokers include an economic calendar, and both integrate TipRanks and Autochartist. Choose IG if you want frequent commentary, in-platform sentiment data, and a wider mix of third-party research. Pick Questrade if Trading Central is a priority and you’re comfortable without daily commentary or sentiment tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing education for beginners, IG stands out. It runs client webinars at least monthly, offers 10+ beginner videos, and also provides 10+ advanced videos to grow with you as your skills improve. That breadth is reflected in its 5-star Education rating and #7 of 63 ranking by ForexBrokers.com. Questrade does have 10+ beginner videos, but it does not host monthly client webinars and does not reach the 10-video mark for advanced topics. Its Education rating is 3.5 stars, ranking #28 of 63.
For forex and CFD education specifically, the data here doesn’t confirm whether either broker delivers a dedicated library of 10+ pieces focused on those topics. If you want live guidance and a deeper path from beginner to advanced, IG is the stronger pick. If you mainly want beginner-friendly videos without webinars, Questrade can still cover the basics.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
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 Questrade. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Questrade finished with an overall rank of #29.
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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Questrade
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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IG vs Questrade for cryptocurrency: IG lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies and trade crypto CFDs, while Questrade offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support purchasing real, delivered crypto.
IG vs Questrade: IG offers ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposit and withdrawal options, while Questrade supports bank wires only—no ACH/SEPA or PayPal—and neither broker 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 | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Questrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Questrade | |
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| Regulation | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2000 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | 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 | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 641 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 110 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | ÂŁ1 | $250 | |
| 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 | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 64 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 64 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | ||
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Questrade Review |
| Overall | IG | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Questrade Review |
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