Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs RoboForex, 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 and RoboForex offer different levels of trust and regulatory oversight for online trading. IG, established in 1974, is a publicly-traded company and operates as a bank. It boasts a perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 on ForexBrokers.com, thanks to its eight Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, which categorize it as highly trustworthy. In contrast, RoboForex, founded in 2009, is neither publicly traded nor a bank. It holds a single Tier-1 license, has no Tier-2 licenses, and carries a Trust Score of 73, indicating an average risk according to ForexBrokers.com.
Choosing between IG and RoboForex depends on the level of trust and regulatory backing you seek. IG's long-standing presence in the market and extensive licensing set it apart as a more secure choice for traders who prioritize safety. Meanwhile, RoboForex offers an alternative for those who might prioritize different features but should consider the average risk level associated with its operations as highlighted by its Trust Score. Understanding these differences can help guide informed decisions tailored to an individual's trading needs and comfort with risk.
| Feature |
IG
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2009 |
| 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 | 2 |
IG outperforms RoboForex on headline pricing for many traders. IG holds a 5/5 star Commissions & Fees rating and ranks #8 of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while RoboForex is rated 3.5/5 stars and ranks #56 of 63. RoboForex’s published average spread on EUR/USD is 1.3 pips on its Procent and Pro accounts, which is higher than IG’s typical figures.
On IG’s spread-only CFD account, EUR/USD averaged about 0.69 pips during the main trading session in July 2023, or 0.98 pips across all sessions (IG US averaged 1.18 pips). High-volume clients who qualify as professionals under EU rules can receive 10%–20% spread rebates; for example, a 20% rebate on a 0.76‑pip baseline brings costs to roughly 0.60 pips.
IG’s DMA (Forex Direct) account is commission-based and targets active traders: average EUR/USD spreads were 0.62 pips in July 2023, with commissions starting at $60 per million and dropping to $10 per million per side at very high volumes. At that top tier, the all-in cost is about 0.82 pips. Overall, IG’s tiered pricing and rebates can translate to lower costs than RoboForex’s 1.3‑pip average on EUR/USD, particularly for high-volume traders, though spreads at any broker can widen during quieter market hours.
| Feature |
IG
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to a diverse array of investment options, IG and RoboForex present some distinct differences. IG offers an impressive 19,537 tradeable symbols, including 97 forex pairs. In contrast, RoboForex provides 8,400 tradeable symbols with 28 forex pairs. IG stands out with the availability of U.S. and international exchange-traded securities, allowing clients to invest directly in shares like Apple and Vodafone. RoboForex, however, does not offer this direct access to U.S. or international stocks. Both brokers provide forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and while IG supports purchasing actual cryptocurrency, RoboForex focuses on cryptocurrency derivatives.
Copy trading enthusiasts will find RoboForex appealing due to its support for this feature, whereas IG does not offer it. IG has a top-tier Range of Investments rating, scoring 5 stars and ranking #4 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. RoboForex follows with a 4.5-star rating, holding the #21 spot. This analysis indicates that IG may provide a broader investment scope, particularly for those interested in direct stock purchases and a wider selection of forex pairs, whereas RoboForex might attract those keen on copy trading and cryptocurrency derivatives.
| Feature |
IG
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 8400 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 28 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 RoboForex both offer free demo (paper) accounts and let you trade on the web and on Windows desktop. IG adds its own in-house platform, while RoboForex sticks to third-party options. Both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4); only RoboForex also supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5). If you want copy trading, RoboForex offers it; IG does not. Neither connects with DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Both allow trading directly from charts and include technical indicators and drawing tools; IG lists 20 drawing tools versus 15 at RoboForex. Watchlists are customizable, with five fields at IG and seven at RoboForex.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, IG earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while RoboForex holds 4 stars and ranks #44. In short, choose IG if you prefer a high-rated, broker-built platform experience; choose RoboForex if you need MT5 and copy trading alongside MT4.
| Feature |
IG
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and RoboForex both deliver iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts, real-time watchlists, multiple time frames, trendline drawing, and autosaving chart annotations. IG pulls ahead on charting depth, offering 33 technical studies versus RoboForex’s 30. Another key difference is watchlist syncing: IG syncs symbols between mobile and the web platform, while RoboForex does not, which can mean more manual updates if you switch devices.
Independent ratings reflect this gap. ForexBrokers.com gives IG 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps, while RoboForex earns 4 stars and ranks #44. If cross-device convenience and a wider set of indicators are priorities, IG may be the better fit; if you just need core tools on iOS or Android, RoboForex covers the essentials.
| Feature |
IG
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IG and RoboForex both cover the core needs for market research. Each provides daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources (such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones), an economic calendar, and added insights from Acuity Trading.
Where they differ is in specialized tools. IG includes Autochartist tools, a sentiment gauge showing long vs. short positions, and TipRanks research. RoboForex lacks those three, but it does offer Trading Central analytics, which IG does not. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, IG earned 5/5 stars for Research and ranked #2 out of 63 brokers, while RoboForex earned 3.5/5 stars and ranked #38. Pick IG if you want stronger built-in screening, sentiment data, and stock research; pick RoboForex if Trading Central is your priority.
| Feature |
IG
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing IG vs RoboForex for beginner education, IG clearly leads. IG offers a wide library of forex and CFD education with well over 10 pieces of content, runs at least one client webinar per month, and provides a searchable archive of past sessions. New traders get at least 10 beginner-focused videos, plus 10+ advanced videos for when they’re ready to level up. IG also includes an investor dictionary with 50+ terms to help you learn the basics. Reflecting this depth, IG earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com.
RoboForex’s learning tools are more limited. It does not meet the threshold of 10 forex/CFD education pieces, does not host monthly educational webinars, and has no searchable webinar archive. It also lacks the minimum of 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, and does not offer a 50+ term investor dictionary. As a result, RoboForex is rated 3.5 stars for Education and ranks #57 out of 63. For beginners who want structured lessons, ongoing webinars, and an easy path from basics to advanced topics, IG is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
IG
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 RoboForex. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while RoboForex finished with an overall rank of #46.
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
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
IG allows users to purchase actual cryptocurrency and offers cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas RoboForex provides access solely to cryptocurrency derivatives without offering the purchase of actual cryptocurrency.
Both IG and RoboForex support ACH and SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, but only RoboForex includes Skrill as an additional payment option.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | RoboForex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 8400 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 28 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | IG Review | RoboForex Review |
| Overall | IG | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | RoboForex Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill