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.
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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 stand out for low-cost trading, but they suit slightly different types of traders. IG earns a 5-star rating and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, thanks to its flexible pricing and strong execution on larger orders. Its Forex Direct DMA account is especially appealing for active traders, with average EUR/USD spreads around 0.62 pips and an all-in cost near 0.82 pips after commission. IG also offers volume-based rebates for professional traders, which can lower costs further for those who trade a lot.
Tickmill is also a strong pick for cost-conscious traders, with a 4.5-star rating and a #10 ranking out of 36 brokers. Its Classic account charges no commission, but the spreads are much wider, averaging 1.76 pips. For better pricing, the Raw account is the better choice: it uses a $3 per side commission and had typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.11 pips, putting the all-in cost near 0.71 pips. Even after the recent commission increase, Tickmill remains attractive for active traders who want tight spreads and low entry requirements.
In simple terms, IG is a better fit for traders who want more account choices and strong pricing on larger or more frequent trades, while Tickmill is often the cheaper option for those who prefer a low-deposit Raw account with very tight spreads. IG edges ahead overall in the commissions and fees category, but both brokers offer competitive trading costs compared with many rivals.
| 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.
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, while Tickmill offers 637 symbols and 62 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs. However, IG also lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, which Tickmill does not.
IG also stands out for its access to exchange traded securities, including shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple and Vodafone. Tickmill does not offer direct share dealing on these markets, but it does support copy trading, which IG does not. 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 #30, making IG the stronger choice for investors who want a wider selection.
| 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) - 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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