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 | 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.
IG and Swissquote both give beginner traders plenty of ways to learn forex and CFDs. Each broker offers at least 10 education pieces, plus monthly client webinars and a searchable archive of recorded sessions. You’ll also find at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos at both brokers, along with an investor dictionary containing 50+ trading terms—useful for decoding jargon and building confidence step by step.
Where they differ is in quality and recognition. IG earns 5 stars for Education and is ranked #1 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote holds 4 stars and ranks #20. If you want the most highly rated learning experience with a deep catalog and frequent live events, IG has the edge. Swissquote remains a strong option for newcomers who want a wide library and regular webinars, even if it doesn’t top the rankings.
| 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) | |||
| 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. 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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| Education |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Swissquote Review |
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