Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Vantage, 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 Vantage are two online brokers that differ significantly in terms of their trust and regulation credentials. Founded in 1974, IG is both a publicly traded company and functions as a bank, giving it a stronger foundation in the financial world compared to Vantage, which started in 2009. IG holds a Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, the highest possible rating, making it a highly trusted broker. Vantage, with a Trust Score of 90, is also considered highly trusted but falls short of IG's perfect rating.
When it comes to regulatory licenses, IG stands out with eight Tier-1 licenses, which are deemed the most reliable by ForexBrokers.com, along with two Tier-2 licenses. Vantage, on the other hand, has two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. These differences reflect their commitment to regulatory compliance, positioning IG as the more established and trusted option for those seeking an online brokerage.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2009 |
| 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 | 3 |
IG generally edges out Vantage on commissions and fees, especially for high-volume forex traders. IG earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, while Vantage earns 4.5 stars and ranks #20 out of 63. Both brokers offer multiple account types, but IG’s DMA/Forex Direct pricing and pro-level rebates can drive total costs lower than Vantage’s, particularly if you trade large volumes.
IG’s CFD account typically averages 0.69 pips during the main trading session, about 0.98 pips across the full day (IG US: 1.18 pips on EUR/USD). Its Forex Direct (DMA) account averaged 0.62 pips on EUR/USD (July 2023), with an all-in cost around 0.82 pips once commissions are included. Commissions are tiered from about $60 per million at lower volumes down to $10 per million per side for very high volumes, and eligible professional clients in the EU can get 10%–20% spread rebates; at the top tier, that can bring effective costs near 0.60 pips.
Vantage’s pricing depends on the account: the Standard STP spreads averaged about 1.30 pips on EUR/USD (March 2023). The RAW ECN account averaged 0.15 pips plus a $6 round-turn commission (about 0.75 pips all-in). The PRO ECN account is sharper at $2 per side ($4 round turn), but it has higher entry requirements (e.g., wholesale classification in Australia or $10,000 minimum via Cayman). Vantage’s active trader rebates ($2–$8 per standard lot) apply only to the Standard account, which already has the widest spreads—dampening the benefit versus IG for cost-focused, high-volume traders.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | 1.30 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.75 |
| 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 far wider range of investments than Vantage. IG lists 19,537 tradeable symbols versus Vantage’s 1,000, and 97 forex pairs compared with Vantage’s 61. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot. A big differentiator is stock access: IG lets you buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international markets (think Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), while Vantage does not offer real share dealing.
On the niche features front, Vantage supports copy trading, whereas IG does not. For crypto, IG lets you buy actual coins as well as trade crypto CFDs; Vantage limits you to crypto CFDs only. Reflecting the breadth of markets, IG earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, while Vantage scores 3.5 stars and ranks #51. Choose IG if you want the biggest selection and access to real shares and actual crypto; pick Vantage if copy trading is a must-have and you’re focused on CFDs.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 61 |
| 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 Vantage: Both online brokers offer free demo accounts for paper trading, proprietary platforms, web-based platforms, and Windows desktop downloads. You can place trades straight from charts on both, and both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Key differences: Vantage adds copy trading and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while IG does not offer copy trading or MT5.
For platform quality, IG earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools at ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage scores 4 stars and ranks #21. Choose IG if you want a top-rated in-house, web, and desktop experience with MT4; pick Vantage if MT5 and copy trading are must-haves alongside MT4 and its own platform options.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both IG and Vantage offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each supports price alerts for stocks and forex, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saving your drawings. For technical analysis, the IG mobile app provides 33 built-in studies, while the Vantage mobile app includes 30.
The key difference is watchlist syncing: IG syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Vantage does not. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, IG’s mobile trading app earned 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers; Vantage earned 4 stars and ranked #29. If you want seamless watchlists and a wider set of studies, IG is the stronger pick; if you just need core features on iPhone and Android with alerts and charting, Vantage still gets the job done.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When comparing IG and Vantage for market research, both platforms provide daily market commentary and forex news sourced from leading providers like Bloomberg and Reuters. Additionally, they both offer sentiment-based trading tools and maintain economic calendars to help traders stay informed about significant global events. While both brokers supply tools from Autochartist, Vantage stands out by also offering resources from Trading Central, whereas IG does not.
In terms of exclusive features, IG offers market research tools from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, services Vantage does not provide. This contributes to IG’s superior research rating of 5 stars, making it the second-best among 63 brokers, according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Vantage holds a 4-star rating and is positioned at rank 22. Therefore, traders who prioritize comprehensive market insights and additional research tools might lean towards IG.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both IG and Vantage give beginners a clear path to learn forex and CFDs. Each broker meets the mark for education with at least ten pieces focused on these markets, plus monthly client webinars to keep skills fresh. New traders get plenty of videos too: both offer at least ten beginner videos and at least ten advanced videos, so you can move from basics to more complex topics at your own pace.
Where they differ is quality and recognition. IG is rated 5 stars for Education and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, making it a standout choice for first-time traders who want top-rated lessons and frequent live sessions. Vantage also supports beginners with regular webinars and a sizable video library, earning a 4-star Education rating and a #24 ranking. If you want the highest-rated learning experience, IG has the edge; if you’re looking for solid beginner content and monthly webinars, Vantage still delivers good value.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vantage. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Vantage finished with an overall rank of #26.
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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Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 |
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IG vs Vantage: IG lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and trade crypto CFDs, whereas Vantage offers cryptocurrency CFDs only and does not support purchasing actual crypto.
IG vs Vantage: For deposit and withdrawal methods, IG supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wires but not Skrill, while Vantage lacks ACH/SEPA yet supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires; Visa/Mastercard availability was 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 | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Vantage | |
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| Regulation | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2009 | |
| 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 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 61 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | 1.30 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.75 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $50 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage Review |
| Overall | IG | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Vantage Review |
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