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 vs Vantage for regulation and trust: IG was founded in 1974 and is publicly traded and a bank, while Vantage, founded in 2009, is privately held and not a bank. ForexBrokers.com rates IG at 99/99 and Vantage at 91/99; both fall in the highly trusted band (90–99), above trusted (80–89), average risk (70–79), high risk (60–69), and do-not-trust (<59).
Licensing also differs. IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted), compared with Vantage’s 2 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2. Both are highly trusted, but IG has more top-tier regulatory approvals and is exchange-listed and a bank.
| 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 comes out ahead of Vantage on commissions and fees thanks to its lower pricing for active and high-volume traders. Its Forex Direct DMA account offers competitive all-in costs, with EUR/USD spreads that averaged 0.62 pips and an estimated all-in cost of about 0.82 pips after commission. IG also offers active-trader rebates on CFD pricing, which can bring costs down further for qualifying clients. For commissions and fees, IG is rated 5 stars and ranked #7 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Vantage also offers a few pricing choices, including Standard STP, RAW ECN, and PRO ECN accounts, but its overall costs are a bit higher than IG’s. Its Standard account is spread-only and can be pricier, while the RAW account posted an all-in EUR/USD cost of about 0.75 pips after commissions. The PRO account is Vantage’s best-priced option, with a lower commission rate, but it has tighter eligibility rules. Vantage is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #12 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, IG is the better pick if low trading costs are your top concern, especially if you trade often or place larger orders. Vantage still offers fair pricing and can be a solid choice, but it does not quite match IG’s edge on overall commissions and fees.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.32 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.72 |
| 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 much wider range of investments than Vantage, making it a stronger pick for traders who want more choice. IG provides forex trading as both CFDs and spot contracts, along with 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with Vantage’s 1,000 symbols and 61 forex pairs. IG also lets clients buy real shares on U.S. and international exchanges, while Vantage does not offer exchange traded securities. In addition, IG allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrency as well as cryptocurrency CFDs, giving investors more ways to trade and invest.
Vantage does have a few features that IG does not, including copy trading, and it also offers forex and crypto CFDs. However, IG clearly leads on range of investments overall, earning 5 out of 5 stars for this category and ranking #4 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Vantage is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #32, reflecting a more limited selection for traders looking for broader market access.
| 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 and Vantage both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, a proprietary platform, web-based trading, and Windows desktop downloads. They also support MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and both let you place trades directly from a chart. For traders who want to test ideas before risking real money, either broker offers simulated paper trading.
The biggest difference is copy trading, which Vantage offers but IG does not. When it comes to overall platform quality, IG has the edge: it earns 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #20. If copy trading matters to you, Vantage may fit better; if you want the highest-rated all-around platform experience, IG stands out.
| 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) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Vantage both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each includes stock or forex price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart drawings. For charting tools, IG has a slight edge with 33 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 for Vantage. Both apps give traders the basics they need to follow the markets and manage trades on the go.
The biggest difference is watchlist syncing: IG lets watchlists in the mobile app sync with the online account, so updates carry across devices, while Vantage does not. That extra convenience helps make IG the stronger overall choice for mobile trading, which is reflected in its 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and #1 ranking out of 36 brokers. Vantage still offers a solid app, but it sits at 4 stars and ranks #24 in the same category.
| 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.
IG and Vantage both give traders a strong set of market research tools, including daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar. This means either broker can help you stay on top of market events, spot possible trade ideas, and follow the mood across currency pairs and other instruments.
Where IG stands out is in the extra research depth it offers. IG also includes Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre, while Vantage offers Trading Central but does not provide TipRanks or Acuity Trading. That wider mix helps explain why IG earns a 5-star Research rating and a #2 ranking from ForexBrokers.com, compared with Vantage’s 4-star rating and #20 ranking.
| 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.
When it comes to beginner-friendly learning materials, both IG and Vantage give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers at least 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, runs online client webinars at least once a month, and provides 10 or more beginner videos as well as 10 or more advanced videos for traders who want to go further. That means both platforms can help users learn the basics and build on that knowledge over time.
IG has the edge overall for education. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category, while Vantage is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #23. For beginners looking for a broker with stronger educational support, IG stands out as the better choice, though Vantage still offers a solid range of learning resources.
| 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 #24.
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
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 91 |
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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 | 91 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Vantage | |
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| Regulation | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 91 | |
| 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 (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 | 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 CMA 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 | 0.91 | 1.32 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.72 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $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) | Yes | 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 | 91 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Vantage Review |
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