Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Tickmill, 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 vs. Tickmill: IG (founded 1974) is publicly traded and a bank, while Tickmill (founded 2014) is not publicly traded and not a bank. On ForexBrokers.com, IG scores 99/99 (highly trusted) and Tickmill scores 85/99 (trusted). The site’s scale rates 90–99 as highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted.
Regulatory coverage differs, too. IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, whereas Tickmill holds 2 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Tier-1 regulators are considered highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted by ForexBrokers.com, underscoring IG’s broader top-tier oversight compared with Tickmill.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, IG and Tickmill both appeal to cost-conscious traders, but they do so in different ways. IG earns a 5-star rating and is ranked #6 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. It is not a bargain-basement broker, but its pricing can be attractive for active traders, especially through its Forex Direct DMA account, where spreads on EUR/USD averaged 0.62 pips and the all-in cost worked out to about 0.82 pips after commission. IG also offers volume-based rebates for eligible high-frequency traders, which can lower costs even further.
Tickmill is also a low-cost choice, with a 4.5-star rating and a #10 ranking out of 36 brokers. Its Classic account is commission-free, but spreads are much wider, so it is usually less appealing for frequent trading. Most price-sensitive traders will likely prefer Tickmill’s Raw account, which offers tight spreads and a commission of $3 per side per standard lot. After the commission is added in, the all-in cost is still competitive, though the recent fee increase has made it a little less cheap than before.
Overall, IG is the better pick for traders who want strong execution, tiered pricing, and possible rebates on larger trading volumes, while Tickmill is simpler and still offers low trading costs on its Raw account. If you want the lowest possible spread-plus-commission setup for active trading, both brokers are worth a look, but IG has the edge in the ranking and star rating, while Tickmill remains a solid value option.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | 1.70 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.82 | 0.70 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, IG offers far more choice than Tickmill. IG provides access to 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with Tickmill’s 637 symbols and 62 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but IG also lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, while Tickmill does not.
IG also stands out for share dealing, with access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets, such as Apple and Vodafone shares. Tickmill does not offer these exchange-traded securities. One area where Tickmill has an advantage is copy trading, which IG does not provide. Overall, IG is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers, while Tickmill is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #32.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 62 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| 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.
IG and Tickmill both give traders a wide choice of platform options, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, Windows desktop downloads, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both also let users place trades directly from charts, which can make trade entry quicker and easier. IG stands out because it also offers its own in-house platform, giving traders another option beyond the third-party tools available on both brokers.
When it comes to extra trading features, Tickmill has an edge in copy trading, while IG does not offer this service. Overall, IG scores higher for trading platforms and tools, earning 5 stars and ranking #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Tickmill’s 4 stars and #24 ranking. For traders who want the widest platform range and a top-rated experience, IG has the stronger offering, while Tickmill may appeal more to those interested in copy trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 97 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Tickmill both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage accounts and place trades from either device. Both apps also support watchlists that sync with the client’s online account, and both let users draw trendlines on charts. Where IG stands out is in added mobile features such as stock and forex price alerts, automatic saving of chart drawings, and a higher overall rating for mobile trading apps. IG is rated 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category, while Tickmill is rated 4 stars and ranks #25.
Tickmill does have one clear charting advantage in its mobile app, offering 97 technical studies compared with IG’s 33. That said, IG delivers a more polished mobile trading experience overall, especially for traders who want alerts, easier chart management, and top-ranked app quality. Tickmill still covers the basics well, but IG is the stronger choice for most mobile traders looking for a more complete app.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 97 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, IG has a clear edge over Tickmill. Both brokers provide daily market commentary and an economic calendar with upcoming global events, and each includes tools from Acuity Trading. However, IG goes much further by offering forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist research tools, sentiment data showing long and short positions, and TipRanks market research. Tickmill does not offer these extra research features.
This wider range of tools helps explain why IG scores higher for research, with a 5-star rating and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #2 out of 36 brokers. Tickmill is still useful for basic research needs, but it trails behind IG with a 4-star rating and a #19 ranking. For traders who want more market insight and analysis before placing trades, IG is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, both IG and Tickmill give new traders plenty of ways to learn. Each broker offers forex and CFDs learning content, regular online client webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos, as well as 10 advanced videos for traders who want to go deeper. That means either platform can help someone get started with trading basics and continue learning as their confidence grows.
IG stands out a bit more overall, thanks to a 5-star Education rating and a #7 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. Tickmill also does well, with a 4-star Education rating and a #14 ranking. For beginners comparing the two, IG appears to have the stronger education offering, while Tickmill still provides a solid range of useful learning tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Tickmill. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23.
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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Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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IG supports buying actual delivered cryptocurrencies and trading cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Tickmill offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not provide delivered coins.
IG vs Tickmill: IG supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire deposits/withdrawals and offers PayPal but not Skrill, while Tickmill does not support ACH/SEPA, does support bank wires, and offers both PayPal and Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability for both is unspecified.
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 | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Tickmill | |
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| Regulation | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 637 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 62 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | 1.70 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.82 | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 97 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 97 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | IG Review | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | IG | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Tickmill Review |
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