Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Trade Nation, 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.
Founded in 1974, IG stands as a veteran in the online brokerage field and is publicly traded, adding another layer of transparency and credibility. It also operates as a bank, setting it apart from many of its competitors. IG holds an impressive 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses. This strong regulatory backing contributes to its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99, categorizing it as a highly trusted broker. This extensive regulatory compliance ensures a dependable and secure trading environment for users looking for an established choice in the market.
In comparison, Trade Nation, which entered the scene in 2014, isn't publicly traded nor operates as a bank. It holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, reflecting its commitment to regulatory standards. With a respectable Trust Score of 85 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, Trade Nation is considered a trusted broker, providing a reliable trading experience. Despite having a shorter history and a smaller regulatory portfolio than IG, Trade Nation still offers trustworthy services suitable for traders seeking an alternative broker.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing IG and Trade Nation, you'll find both brokers have their unique strengths in terms of commissions and fees. IG offers various execution methods, including its Forex Direct accounts, which cater to active traders with competitive pricing. On standard Forex Direct accounts, IG’s typical spread was around 0.62 pips in July 2023, with an all-in cost of 0.82 pips after adding a per trade commission of 0.2 pips. IG also provides a three-tier active-trader rebate program for volume traders, offering potential discounts of up to 20% on spreads, further lowering costs for professional traders. The Dynamic Market Access (DMA) account provides robust savings, with variable commission-based pricing that offers an effective spread of 0.82 pips for high-volume traders.
Trade Nation, on the other hand, appeals to traders with its fixed-spread pricing model. For the popular EUR/USD trading pair, Trade Nation maintains a fixed spread of 0.6 pips, though prices can widen during the rollover period to as much as 1.4 pips, resulting in an average closer to 1 pip. The broker offers three main account types, with the TN Trader account on its proprietary platform being notable for offering the lowest spreads when considering all-in costs versus their MetaTrader options. Trade Nation covers competitive grounds without the complexity of variable pricing typical with most competitors, ensuring cost predictability for its users.
Both brokers boast a 5-star rating for their commissions and fees, reflecting their competitive standing in the market. In terms of ranking, Trade Nation edges slightly ahead, holding the #7 spot out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IG follows closely at #8. Whether you prefer IG's scalable execution options and DMA account for significant discounts or Trade Nation’s simplicity with fixed spreads, both brokers provide excellent trading conditions tailored for various trading needs.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | 0.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.6 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG and Trade Nation both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot. IG lists 19,537 tradeable instruments and 97 currency pairs, while Trade Nation offers about 1,000 symbols and 46 pairs. This means IG covers far more markets across indices, commodities, shares, and more, whereas Trade Nation focuses on a tighter lineup that may suit traders who prefer a simpler menu.
For exchange-traded investing, IG lets clients buy actual shares on U.S. exchanges (like Apple on NASDAQ) and on international exchanges (like Vodafone in London); Trade Nation does not offer exchange-traded shares. In crypto, IG supports both real crypto purchases and crypto CFDs, while Trade Nation offers crypto CFDs only. Trade Nation does provide copy trading, which IG does not. Reflecting the difference in market range, ForexBrokers.com rates IG 5 stars and ranks it 4th out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, compared with Trade Nation’s 3.5 stars and 39th place.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 46 |
| 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.
Comparing IG vs. Trade Nation for trading platforms and tools: both online brokers offer free virtual demo accounts, in-house platforms, and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Each provides a web-based platform and a Windows desktop download. Neither supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5). A key difference is chart trading: IG lets you place trades directly from charts, while Trade Nation does not. On the flip side, Trade Nation offers copy trading, which IG does not.
For platform quality, IG earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools at ForexBrokers.com. Trade Nation scores 4 stars and ranks #45. In short, choose IG if chart-driven order placement matters to you, and consider Trade Nation if you want built-in copy trading alongside MT4 and easy web and desktop access.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Trade Nation both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts, watchlists that sync between mobile and web, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-saved drawings—so your work carries over across devices.
For charting, Trade Nation offers more built-in technical studies (99 vs. IG’s 33). However, IG earns the stronger overall marks: it’s rated 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps by ForexBrokers.com, while Trade Nation holds 4 stars and a #46 ranking. If you want the highest-rated mobile experience, IG is the better pick; if you prioritize a larger library of indicators, Trade Nation has an edge.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 99 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IG vs Trade Nation: both brokers deliver daily market commentary and stream forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each also provides a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning. Where they differ is in depth and breadth. IG holds a 5-star Research rating and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Trade Nation earns 3.5 stars and ranks #43. That gap reflects IG’s broader lineup of research features designed for forex and CFD traders who want more insight at their fingertips.
IG offers Autochartist for technical pattern recognition, TipRanks for stock research insights, Acuity Trading (including Signal Centre), and a full economic calendar covering upcoming global events. Trade Nation includes Acuity Trading (Signal Centre) and a sentiment tool, but does not provide Autochartist, TipRanks, or an economic calendar; neither broker integrates Trading Central. If you want extensive, built-in market research tools, IG is the stronger choice. If you prefer a simpler toolkit focused on the essentials, Trade Nation covers the basics.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IG vs Trade Nation for beginners: IG is the stronger pick for learning forex and CFDs. IG earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Education (ForexBrokers.com). It offers at least 10 beginner videos plus at least 10 advanced videos, so newcomers can grow from basics to more complex strategies. IG also runs live educational webinars at least once a month, giving beginners regular chances to learn in real time and ask questions.
Trade Nation can work for self-guided learners, with at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos. That said, it doesn’t host monthly educational webinars, and its Education rating is 3.5 stars with a #41 ranking out of 63. If you want a deeper, more interactive learning path, IG is the safer bet. If you mainly want a video library to cover the essentials at your own pace, Trade Nation may still fit the bill.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 Trade Nation. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Trade Nation finished with an overall rank of #34.
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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Trade Nation
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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In the IG vs Trade Nation online broker comparison, IG allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and trading cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Trade Nation offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support purchasing real (delivered) crypto.
IG stands out for offering ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wires (but not Skrill), whereas Trade Nation does not support ACH/SEPA and its support for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires is not specified.
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 | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Trade Nation Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Trade Nation | |
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| Regulation | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 46 | |
| 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 | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | 0.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.6 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 99 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Education | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trade Nation Review |
| Overall | IG | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Trade Nation Review |
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