Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Swissquote, 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 Swissquote are both established online brokers, with IG founded in 1974 and Swissquote in 1996. Both companies are publicly traded and operate as banks, offering clients a high level of credibility and stability. In terms of regulatory trust, IG distinguishes itself by holding 8 Tier-1 licenses, which are the highest level of regulatory approval and indicate a high degree of trust, compared to Swissquote's 5 Tier-1 licenses. Both brokers also hold 2 Tier-2 licenses, signifying they are both considered trusted entities in the financial industry.
Despite differences in the number of licenses, both IG and Swissquote achieve the highest Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, reflecting their commitment to maintaining a secure and reliable trading environment. Whether choosing IG or Swissquote, traders can be assured of a high level of trust and security thanks to their comprehensive regulation and history of reliable financial services. This makes them excellent choices for those looking to engage in online trading with confidence.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
When comparing the commissions and fees between IG and Swissquote, IG stands out with its competitive pricing, particularly for active traders. IG shines with a 5-star rating and is ranked #8 among 63 brokers for its commissions and fees. The broker's ability to handle large orders is notable, and its Forex Direct accounts offer appealing active trader pricing. In July 2023, spreads on IG's main Forex Direct account averaged 0.62 pips, which is close to the industry average, with an all-in cost of 0.82 pips when considering a per trade commission of 0.2 pips. IG also has a tiered active-trader rebate program that provides cashback options based on trading volume, further enhancing its attractiveness for high-volume traders.
In contrast, Swissquote offers a more premium banking experience but at a cost that doesn't compete with the lowest-cost brokers. The broker earns a 3.5-star rating and ranks #53 on ForexBrokers.com's list for commissions and fees. The lowest spreads available through Swissquote's U.K entity, Swissquote Ltd, are in the Elite account, which requires at least a $10,000 deposit and charges $5 per round-trip trade. Standard accounts have spreads starting at 1.3 pips, whereas Prime accounts start at a minimum spread of 0.6 pips. Across different regions of Swissquote, including its Luxembourg and Swiss branches, trading costs vary but tend to be higher when compared to its competitors like IG.
Overall, IG offers a more favorable fee structure for traders focused on cost-efficiency, especially those who trade in high volumes and can benefit from its tiered rebates. Swissquote, with its appealing Swiss banking benefits, caters to those who might prioritize other aspects of the trading experience over the absolute lowest trading costs.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $1000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A |
| 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 considering the range of investment options between IG and Swissquote, both brokers stand out with diverse offerings that cater to various investor needs. IG provides access to an impressive array of 19,537 tradeable symbols, including 97 forex pairs, giving clients extensive choice across different asset classes. Additionally, both IG and Swissquote allow investors to engage in forex trading as either CFDs or spot contracts, and both brokers also facilitate transactions in actual cryptocurrencies and their derivatives. Moreover, clients of both platforms can invest in exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, offering a wide reach into global markets.
While both IG and Swissquote receive a five-star rating for their range of investments, Swissquote edges slightly ahead, being ranked #2 by ForexBrokers.com for this category, compared to IG's #4 ranking. This can partly be attributed to Swissquote's inclusion of copy trading in its suite of features, providing a unique advantage for those inclined towards this type of investment strategy. Ultimately, both brokers offer competitive and comprehensive options for investors, with each providing unique strengths to suit different trading preferences.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 472 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 80 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Both IG and Swissquote provide traders with simulated trading options via free virtual demo accounts, offering an excellent opportunity to familiarize yourself with their platforms without financial risk. Each broker has developed its own proprietary platform and also supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4), catering to traders favoring these renowned interfaces. While both brokers offer Windows-based desktop and web browser platforms, Swissquote extends its offering by including MetaTrader 5 (MT5), whereas IG does not. Swissquote additionally supports copy trading, allowing clients to emulate successful strategies, a feature not available with IG. However, both brokers do not provide access to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade for social trading enthusiasts.
Charting capabilities differ, with IG supplying 20 drawing tools and Swissquote offering a more extensive set of 75. Both brokers facilitate trading directly from stock charts. For watch list customization, IG provides five columns, while Swissquote offers 11, enabling more granular tracking of market instruments. Rated highly by ForexBrokers.com, IG earns five stars and ranks second out of 63 brokers in trading platforms and tools, showcasing its strong reputation. Meanwhile, Swissquote garners a commendable 4.5-star rating and holds the 12th rank, offering a slightly less prominent, yet formidable, trading experience.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 86 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 75 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both IG and Swissquote provide comprehensive mobile trading solutions with apps available for iPhone and Android users. Both platforms support features like stock and forex price alerts, customizable watchlists with real-time quotes, and the ability to draw and save trendlines on charts. However, IG has a distinct advantage as its mobile app allows watchlist symbol syncing with the online account, a feature not available with Swissquote. When it comes to technical studies for charting, IG offers 33 studies, slightly ahead of Swissquote's 30, providing users with more tools for analysis.
In terms of flexibility, both apps allow users to view multiple time frames on charts, catering to various trading needs. Ratings from experts also highlight IG's superiority, with a perfect 5-star rating for its mobile trading app, compared to Swissquote's 4.5 stars. Moreover, IG is ranked as the top broker out of 63 in the Mobile Trading Apps category by ForexBrokers.com, whereas Swissquote holds the 12th position. For those prioritizing seamless syncing and a broader range of technical studies, IG stands out as a more favorable choice.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both IG and Swissquote provide daily market commentary and offer forex news from high-quality sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. These features ensure that you're always informed about market movements. They also both utilize tools from Autochartist to support technical or fundamental analysis, making it easier for traders to make informed decisions. However, neither broker provides tools from Trading Central, so if you're looking for insights from this specific provider, you might need to look elsewhere.
IG has a slight edge with additional resources such as a sentiment-based trading tool and market research from TipRanks, which Swissquote does not offer. Additionally, IG provides research tools from Acuity Trading, enhancing their market analysis offerings. Both brokers present a comprehensive economic calendar that tracks global news events. In terms of overall research capabilities, ForexBrokers.com ranks IG a strong #2 out of 63 brokers, boasting a 5-star rating, while Swissquote follows at #16 with a respectable 4-star rating.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners offered by IG and Swissquote, both brokers stand out with their extensive offerings. IG provides beginners with a wealth of educational materials, featuring more than ten pieces of content specifically focused on forex and CFDs, which include articles, videos, and archived webinars. Additionally, IG hosts at least one online educational webinar every month and maintains an easily searchable archive of these sessions. Ranking as the top broker for education by ForexBrokers.com, IG offers at least ten beginner and ten advanced trading videos and boasts an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms.
Swissquote also delivers a solid educational experience, supporting beginner traders with a similar collection of over ten forex and CFD-focused educational resources. It mirrors IG in offering monthly educational webinars and a searchable archive of these events. Swissquote also meets the criteria of providing at least ten beginner and ten advanced educational videos, alongside a comprehensive investor dictionary. While rated four stars for education and ranking 21st out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, Swissquote remains a commendable choice for those seeking strong educational support, though IG’s offerings earn the highest accolade and top ranking.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 Swissquote. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11.
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
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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Both IG and Swissquote provide the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency as well as cryptocurrency derivatives, allowing for diverse investment options in the crypto market.
Both IG and Swissquote provide a range of convenient deposit and withdrawal options, including ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, though only Swissquote supports Skrill for such transactions.
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 | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Swissquote Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Swissquote | |
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| Regulation | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | Yes | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 472 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 80 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $1000 | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 86 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 75 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | IG | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Swissquote Review |
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