Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Trading 212, 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.
Comparing online brokers IG and Trading 212: IG was founded in 1974, while Trading 212 started in 2004. IG is publicly traded and operates as a bank; Trading 212 is privately held and is not a bank.
Regulation and trust differ notably. On the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, under 59 not trusted), IG scores 99 and holds 8 Tier-1 licenses plus 2 Tier-2 licenses. Trading 212 scores 82 and holds 3 Tier-1 licenses with no Tier-2 licenses, placing it in the trusted category.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
IG comes out ahead of Trading 212 on commissions and fees, especially for active forex and CFD traders. IG is not a discount broker, but its pricing can be very competitive, particularly through its Forex Direct DMA account. In July 2023, IG’s EUR/USD spreads averaged 0.62 pips, which worked out to an all-in cost of about 0.82 pips after commission. Its main CFD pricing was also slightly better than average, with typical spreads of 0.69 pips during normal trading hours. IG earns a 5-star rating and is ranked #7 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
Trading 212 advertises zero-commission trading, but that does not mean it is free to trade CFDs and forex. You still pay the spread, and Trading 212’s published average EUR/USD spread for April 2025 was 2.7 pips, which is well above the industry average. That makes it less attractive for cost-conscious active traders, even though the platform may appeal to beginners looking for simple pricing. Trading 212 holds a 4-star rating and is ranked #27 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
Overall, IG offers lower trading costs and more flexible pricing for frequent traders, while Trading 212 is easier to understand but generally more expensive for CFD and forex trading. If fees are your main concern, IG is the stronger choice, especially for larger or more active trades.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | €1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 2.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG and Trading 212 both give investors access to a wide mix of markets, including forex trading, U.S. and international exchange-traded shares, and both actual cryptocurrency and crypto CFDs. Neither platform offers copy trading, so if that is an important feature, you will need to look elsewhere. For everyday investors, the big difference is in the overall size of each platform’s market selection: IG lists 19,537 tradeable symbols, while Trading 212 offers 13,000. IG also has 97 forex pairs, compared with 180 at Trading 212, so Trading 212 has the edge for currency traders, while IG offers the broader overall range of investments.
In independent ratings, both brokers earn 5 stars for Range of Investments, showing that each provides a strong selection for most users. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks IG #4 out of 36 brokers in this category, ahead of Trading 212 at #15. In simple terms, Trading 212 stands out for its larger forex pair list, while IG is the stronger pick if you want access to more total instruments across different asset classes.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 13000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 180 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Trading 212 both give traders a free demo account for paper trading and a web-based platform that works in a browser. Each also lets you place trades straight from a chart, which is helpful if you like to act on price moves quickly. Neither broker offers copy trading, so if you want to follow and mirror other traders, you will need to look elsewhere.
Where IG stands out is in platform choice and trading tools. IG offers its own in-house platform, plus a Windows desktop download and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, giving active traders more ways to trade and analyze markets. Trading 212 does not offer a desktop app or MetaTrader, and it does not have a proprietary platform. That gap is reflected in independent reviews too: IG earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Trading 212 scores 4 stars and ranks #19.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 102 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Trading 212 both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app includes helpful tools like stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing between mobile and online accounts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. This means traders can keep track of markets and make chart updates from either device without losing their work. In day-to-day use, both apps cover the basics well and make it easy to monitor trades on the go.
Where they differ most is in charting depth and overall app ratings. Trading 212 offers more technical studies in its mobile app, with 104 compared with IG’s 33, which may appeal to traders who want more chart analysis tools. However, IG comes out ahead in independent mobile app reviews, earning a 5-star rating and the #1 rank out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 holds a 4-star rating and ranks #17. For mobile trading apps overall, IG has the stronger reputation, while Trading 212 offers the wider set of technical indicators.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, IG gives traders a much wider set of tools than Trading 212. IG offers daily market commentary, research from TipRanks, and tools from Autochartist and Acuity Trading, plus a sentiment tool, an economic calendar, and forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. Trading 212 also provides forex news, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, but it does not include daily commentary, Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research.
This difference shows up in the ratings too. IG is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #32. For traders who want deeper market insight and more built-in research features, IG is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, IG has the edge over Trading 212. IG offers forex and CFDs learning material, runs online client webinars at least once a month, and provides at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos for traders who want to keep learning. Trading 212 also offers at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, but it does not provide monthly educational webinars, and it does not appear to match IG’s depth of forex and CFDs-focused learning content.
That difference shows up in the ratings and rankings too. IG is rated 5 stars for Education and places #7 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #20. For beginners looking for more hands-on learning options, IG is the stronger choice overall.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Trading 212. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #25.
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
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 82 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
In the IG vs Trading 212 comparison, both brokers let you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and also trade cryptocurrency CFDs, giving investors flexible options for real coin ownership or leveraged crypto exposure.
Comparing online brokers IG vs Trading 212: both support ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, IG additionally supports PayPal while Trading 212 does not, and neither broker supports Skrill.
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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 13000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 180 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 102 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Trading 212 Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill