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 and Tickmill are both popular online brokers, but they have some notable differences in terms of trust and regulation. IG, established in 1974, is a long-standing player in the financial sector and is publicly traded. It holds a Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, thanks to its 8 Tier-1 licenses and status as a regulated bank. In contrast, Tickmill, founded in 2014, is not publicly traded and does not operate as a bank. It holds a Trust Score of 86, supported by 2 Tier-1 licenses. Both firms have 2 Tier-2 licenses each, marking them as reliable choices, though IG stands out with its higher level of regulatory approval.
The regulatory landscape showcases the distinction in trustworthiness between these two brokers. IG's extensive regulatory framework and its listing on the stock exchange emphasize its high level of trust and stability in the market. Meanwhile, Tickmill's position is notably secure, yet it isn't as deeply embedded in regulatory structures, given its shorter history and fewer high-level licenses. Whether a trader seeks the thorough regulatory backing of a well-established firm like IG or considers Tickmill's offering, assessing these factors can guide decision-making in the trading landscape.
| 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 earn 5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, IG places #7 of 63, while Tickmill is #10 of 63. The key takeaway: Tickmill’s Raw account often delivers a lower headline all-in cost on EUR/USD for most traders, whereas IG offers multiple ways for high-volume clients to drive costs down through DMA tiers and spread rebates.
IG’s spread-only CFD pricing averaged 0.69 pips during the main session in July 2023 (0.98 pips across all sessions; IG US averaged 1.18 pips), with wider spreads during quieter hours. Active-trader rebates can cut spreads by 10%–20% for qualifying professionals in the EU; in one example, a 20% rebate can bring an effective cost near 0.60 pips. IG’s DMA (Forex Direct) option requires £1,000, averaged 0.62 pips on EUR/USD in July 2023, and adds a tiered commission. At the best tier ($20 per million round-turn), the all-in cost can be about 0.82 pips; costs are higher at the $60 per million base tier. IG is well suited to traders who value DMA access, volume-based discounts, and the ability to place larger orders.
Tickmill offers two straightforward choices. The Classic account is commission-free but carried higher average spreads of about 1.76 pips (August 2023). The Raw account, which replaced the Pro account, charges $3 per side ($6 per standard lot) and lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips (October 2023). Factoring in the new commission, the Raw account’s all-in cost comes to about 0.71 pips, with a low $100 minimum deposit. Bottom line: for most traders seeking a simple, low-cost setup, Tickmill’s Raw account is typically cheaper; for very active traders who can qualify for IG’s rebates or top DMA tier, IG can be competitive while offering more ways to fine-tune pricing.
| 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.
Comparing IG and Tickmill for range of investments, IG clearly offers wider market access. IG lists 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, while Tickmill provides 637 symbols and 63 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot. IG also gives access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges (so you can buy actual shares like Apple or Vodafone), which Tickmill does not. Reflecting this breadth, IG holds a 5-star Range of Investments rating and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers, whereas Tickmill holds 3.5 stars and ranks #30.
For specialty features, both brokers support cryptocurrency CFDs, but only IG lets you buy actual cryptocurrency. Tickmill offers copy trading, while IG does not. In short, choose IG if you want the largest selection of markets and the ability to buy real shares and crypto; pick Tickmill if copy trading is a priority and a smaller lineup suits your needs.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 63 |
| 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 | 91 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Tickmill both offer well-made mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saving your chart drawings. For charting tools, IG includes 33 technical studies while Tickmill offers 30. A key difference is watchlist syncing: IG syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Tickmill does not.
In industry evaluations, IG stands out with a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and a #1 ranking out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #25. If watchlist syncing and a few extra studies matter to you, IG is the stronger pick. If you’re fine without syncing, Tickmill’s mobile app still covers the essentials for trading on the go.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
IG vs Tickmill for market research: Both brokers publish daily market commentary and deliver forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each provides a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions and a full economic calendar. Both also integrate Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre. Key differences: IG includes Autochartist for pattern recognition and screening, while Tickmill does not. IG also offers TipRanks analyst insights, which Tickmill lacks. Neither broker currently offers Trading Central.
These extras help IG earn a 5-star Research rating and the #2 spot out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; Tickmill holds 4 stars and ranks #19. If you want the widest set of built-in research tools—especially Autochartist and TipRanks—IG has the edge. If you mainly need daily commentary, trusted news, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, both IG and Tickmill cover those bases.
| Feature |
IG
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| 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
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | IG | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| 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 SCA 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 | 63 | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 91 | |
| 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 | 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Tickmill Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill