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 |
IG and Tickmill both score well for commissions and fees, but they take different routes to low costs. IG earns 5 stars (ranked #7 of 63 for Commissions and Fees), while Tickmill earns 4.5 stars (ranked #10 of 63). IG caters to high-volume and advanced traders with Direct Market Access (DMA) via its Forex Direct account, plus volume-based rebates on its CFD account. Tickmill keeps pricing simple and sharp with its Raw account’s tight spreads and a flat commission, alongside a lower minimum deposit.
IG’s Forex Direct (DMA) pricing averaged a 0.62-pip spread on EUR/USD in July 2023, with an all-in cost around 0.82 pips after commission. On its CFD account, typical EUR/USD spreads were about 0.69 pips during main trading hours, and 0.98 pips across the full day (IG US averaged 1.18 pips). For professionals in the EU who trade large volumes, IG’s active-trader rebates can cut spreads by up to 20%, which can push effective costs meaningfully lower. Commissions on DMA are tiered by monthly volume, and the DMA account has a £1,000 minimum.
Tickmill’s Raw account lists a typical 0.11-pip EUR/USD spread and now charges $3 per side ($6 round-turn) per standard lot, putting the all-in cost near 0.71 pips under normal market conditions. The Classic account is commission-free but averages wider spreads (about 1.76 pips). With just a $100 minimum for the Raw account, Tickmill offers an easy entry point for cost-focused traders. Bottom line: Tickmill’s Raw account can be cheaper on EUR/USD than IG’s DMA (0.71 vs. about 0.82 pips), while IG can reward very high-volume traders with rebates that may narrow costs further, though spreads vary by time and market conditions.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.70 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.70 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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.
IG offers a much wider range of investments than Tickmill. Both brokers support forex trading as either a CFD or spot contract, but IG gives traders access to far more markets overall, with 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with Tickmill’s 637 symbols and 62 forex pairs. IG also stands out for offering exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, as well as the ability to buy actual cryptocurrency, while Tickmill does not offer these options.
Tickmill does have one feature IG does not: copy trading. Both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs, so traders can speculate on crypto price movements without owning the coin itself. Still, IG is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranked #4 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #30, making IG the stronger choice for investors who want more variety.
| 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 vs Tickmill: both brokers offer a free demo account for simulated trading, plus web and Windows desktop platforms with the ability to place orders directly from charts. IG also provides its own in-house trading platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Tickmill does not have a proprietary platform but supports both MT4 and MT5. If you want copy trading, Tickmill offers it; IG does not.
For platform quality, ForexBrokers.com rates IG 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers in the Trading Platforms and Tools category. Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #24. In short, IG suits traders who want a broker-built platform plus MetaTrader, while Tickmill is a good fit for MetaTrader-focused traders who also want 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 give traders mobile access on iPhone and Android, and both let users sync watchlists between the app and their online account. Each app also supports drawing trendlines on charts, so you can do basic chart analysis on the go. That said, IG has the edge for everyday mobile use because it offers stock and forex price alerts, while Tickmill does not.
When it comes to charting and overall app quality, Tickmill offers more technical studies in its mobile app, with 97 compared with IG’s 33. However, IG still comes out ahead overall thanks to features like auto-saving chart drawings, a 5-star mobile trading app rating, and a #1 ranking from ForexBrokers.com in the Mobile Trading Apps category. Tickmill is rated 4 stars and ranks #25, making it a solid option, but not as strong as IG for mobile trading.
| 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, an economic calendar, and Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre, but IG goes much further with forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. IG also offers Autochartist, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and market research from TipRanks, giving traders more ways to track price moves and market sentiment.
Tickmill still covers the basics well, but its research offering is more limited overall. It does not provide top-tier forex news, Autochartist, sentiment tools, or TipRanks, which may matter for traders who want more in-depth analysis. This difference is reflected in independent ratings, where IG earns 5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers, while Tickmill scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #19.
| 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.
IG vs. Tickmill for beginner trading education: both brokers provide forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, run online client webinars at least monthly, and offer at least 10 beginner videos alongside at least 10 advanced videos to help you progress from basics to more complex topics.
The difference shows up in independent ratings. IG earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #14. If you want the highest-rated education experience, IG stands out. If you’re comfortable with a slightly lower rating but still want plenty of webinars and videos for beginners, Tickmill is a solid choice.
| 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) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.70 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 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 | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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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