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 |
Comparing IG vs Swissquote on commissions and fees, IG comes out cheaper for most forex and CFD traders. IG is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote holds 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #54. IG offers more ways to reduce costs through DMA (Forex Direct) pricing and volume-based rebates, whereas Swissquote’s pricing reflects the premium of banking with a Swiss financial group.
IG’s standard CFD pricing on EUR/USD averaged about 0.69 pips during the main trading session in July 2023 (0.98 pips across all sessions; IG US averaged 1.18). Professional clients can earn 10% to 20% spread rebates once monthly volume tops £50 million to £300 million, which can bring effective costs toward roughly 0.60 pips in example scenarios. IG’s DMA Forex Direct account (about £1,000 minimum) uses tiered commissions; with average spreads of 0.62 pips, the all-in cost was about 0.82 pips in July 2023 at the top commission tier of roughly 0.2 pips.
Swissquote’s fees vary by entity and account. In the U.K., active traders who deposit at least $10,000 get the most competitive setup via the Elite (commission-based) account with a $5 round-turn fee; the Standard account starts at 1.3 pips on EUR/USD, and the Prime account advertises a 0.6-pip minimum spread (note: minimums are not averages). In Luxembourg, minimum spreads run from 0.8 pips (Prime, $50,000 minimum) to 1.5 pips (Standard, $1,000). In Switzerland, forex accounts start from 1.7 pips (Standard, $1,000 minimum) down to 1.1 pips (Prime, $50,000), with custom pricing available for high-volume traders. Overall, IG delivers lower average trading costs, while Swissquote tends to be pricier unless you qualify for its top tiers.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $1000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG and Swissquote both support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. IG offers a much broader catalog with 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with Swissquote’s 472 symbols and 80 pairs. Both let you buy and hold real exchange-traded stocks in the U.S. (think Apple) and on major international exchanges (such as Vodafone in London).
Crypto fans can access both actual cryptocurrencies and crypto CFDs at either broker. Copy trading is available at Swissquote but not at IG. For Range of Investments, both earn 5 stars; among 63 brokers rated by ForexBrokers.com, Swissquote ranks #2 and IG ranks #4. In short, pick IG for the widest market coverage, or Swissquote if you want copy trading with a strong selection across asset classes.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 472 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 80 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Swissquote both offer free demo accounts for paper trading. Each provides a proprietary platform and supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Both give you a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform, and both let you place trades directly from charts.
Key differences come down to extra tools and overall ratings. Swissquote supports copy trading and also offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while IG does not. IG earns 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Swissquote’s 4.5 stars and #12 ranking. Choose IG if top-tier platform ratings matter most; pick Swissquote if MT5 and copy trading are priorities.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 86 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both IG and Swissquote offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. You’ll get price alerts on both, plus the ability to draw trendlines and have your chart drawings auto-saved. IG stands out for syncing watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so any change you make carries over automatically; Swissquote doesn’t sync watchlists. For charting, IG includes 33 technical studies versus Swissquote’s 30.
In independent testing, IG’s mobile app earned 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote scored 4.5 stars and ranked #12. If seamless watchlist syncing and a slightly wider indicator set matter to you, IG is the better pick. If you’re already with Swissquote, its app still covers the essentials for trading on the go.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | 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 (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IG and Swissquote both cater well to beginners. Each broker hosts client webinars at least once a month and offers 10 or more beginner-focused videos on trading, with content relevant to forex and CFDs. As you progress, both also provide 10+ advanced videos to help you keep learning.
Ratings set them apart. For Education, IG earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote holds 4 stars and ranks #20. If you want the highest-rated learning experience, IG stands out; if monthly webinars and a solid set of starter videos are enough, Swissquote is a dependable alternative.
| Feature |
IG
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 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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IG vs Swissquote: both online brokers let you buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, offering flexibility to own coins or speculate via derivatives.
IG vs Swissquote: both brokers support ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wires; Swissquote additionally offers Skrill (IG does not), and Visa/Mastercard availability is not 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 | 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 (FSA 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) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 472 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 80 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $1000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 86 | |
| 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 Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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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