Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Spreadex, 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.
Comparing online brokers IG and Spreadex: IG, founded in 1974, is publicly traded and a bank, while Spreadex, launched in 1999, is privately held and not a bank. In regulation, IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted); Spreadex holds 1 Tier-1 license and 0 Tier-2 licenses.
On trust, ForexBrokers.com rates IG at 99/99 and Spreadex at 70/99. Under its scale, 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted—placing IG in the highly trusted group and Spreadex in the average risk bracket.
| Feature |
IG
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 1999 |
| 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 | 0 |
IG comes out ahead of Spreadex on commissions and fees, especially for active traders and larger orders. IG is rated 5 stars and ranked #7 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, while Spreadex is rated 4 stars and ranked #26. IG is not a discount broker, but it offers competitive pricing through its Forex Direct DMA account and volume-based rebates for professional traders. On its main Forex Direct offering, average EUR/USD spreads were 0.62 pips in July 2023, with an estimated all-in cost of 0.82 pips after commission.
IG’s CFD pricing is also fairly strong, with average spreads of 0.69 pips during the main trading session in July 2023, which was slightly better than the industry average. That said, costs can rise outside liquid market hours, when average spreads were 1.03 pips over the full day. For high-volume traders who qualify, IG’s rebate program can cut costs further, with discounts reaching up to 20% for very large forex volumes.
Spreadex is simpler but less competitive overall on price. Its average EUR/USD spread was 0.81 pips in January 2024, with a minimum spread of 0.6 pips available 60% of the time. While that may suit some traders, IG generally offers lower all-in trading costs and more ways to reduce fees, making it the better choice for cost-conscious and active forex traders.
| Feature |
IG
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 0.81 |
| 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 range of investments, IG offers more choice than Spreadex. IG has 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, while Spreadex provides 10,000 symbols and 52 forex pairs. Both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both support cryptocurrency CFDs. However, only IG lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, and only IG gives access to exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple and Vodafone shares.
Neither broker offers copy trading, but IG stands out for its wider market access overall. Despite both firms earning 5 stars for Range of Investments, ForexBrokers.com ranks IG higher at #4 out of 36 brokers, compared with Spreadex at #13. For traders who want a broader selection of markets and real shares, IG has the stronger offering.
| Feature |
IG
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 52 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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). | 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.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, IG has the edge over Spreadex. Both brokers offer a free demo account, a proprietary platform, and web-based trading, and each lets you place trades directly from a chart. However, IG goes further with a Windows desktop platform, plus support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which gives active traders more ways to trade and analyse the markets.
Spreadex still covers the basics well, but it does not offer a desktop download platform or MetaTrader access, which may matter if you want more platform choice. Neither broker offers copy trading. Overall, IG is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Spreadex scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #35, making IG the stronger option for traders who want more platform features and tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 58 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Spreadex both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app includes stock and forex price alerts. Both also let you draw trendlines on charts, which can help when tracking market moves on the go. IG goes further with 33 technical studies in its mobile charting, giving traders more ways to review price action.
Where IG stands out most is convenience and consistency across devices. Its watchlists sync between the mobile app and online account, and chart drawings auto-save, so changes are kept without extra effort. Spreadex does not offer watchlist syncing or auto-saving drawings in its app, and it does not list technical studies for mobile charting. Reflecting these differences, IG is rated 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Spreadex is rated 4 stars and ranks #34.
| Feature |
IG
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IG and Spreadex both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist signals, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for global events. Neither broker offers Trading Central research tools, so in that area they are the same.
Where IG pulls ahead is in the extra research it offers. IG includes TipRanks and Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre, while Spreadex does not. That added coverage helps explain why IG is rated 5 stars for Research and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with Spreadex at 4 stars and #28.
| Feature |
IG
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
IG stands out for beginners who want plenty of learning support, especially if they are looking into forex and CFDs. It offers forex/CFD education, regular online educational webinars, and a large selection of beginner and advanced trading videos, giving new and more experienced traders plenty to work through. That strong support is reflected in its 5-star Education rating and its #7 ranking out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Spreadex also provides beginner trading videos and offers some forex/CFD education, but its learning library is smaller and it does not run monthly educational webinars. It also lacks a deep set of advanced videos for more experienced traders. As a result, Spreadex holds a 4-star Education rating and ranks #34 out of 36, making IG the better choice for traders who want more educational resources and ongoing learning tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Spreadex. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #33.
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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Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 |
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Compared to Spreadex, which only offers cryptocurrency trading via CFDs, IG lets you buy both actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and crypto CFDs, making it the more versatile choice for digital asset traders.
IG vs Spreadex: IG supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, while Spreadex offers bank wires only (no ACH/SEPA or PayPal); neither broker supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability isn’t specified for either.
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 | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Spreadex | |
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| Regulation | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 52 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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). | 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 0.81 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 | |
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 58 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | IG | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Spreadex Review |
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