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) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | 1.4 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.82 | 0.72 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 choice of investments than Vantage, making it the better pick for traders who want more markets in one place. IG provides 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with Vantage’s 1,028 symbols and 61 forex pairs. IG also lets clients trade forex as both CFDs and spot contracts, buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges, and purchase actual cryptocurrency as well as crypto CFDs. Vantage, by contrast, offers forex and crypto CFDs, but it does not offer direct share dealing or delivered cryptocurrency.
For extra features, Vantage does include copy trading, while IG does not. Even so, IG comes out ahead overall for range of investments, with a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, versus Vantage’s 3.5 stars and #33 ranking. If breadth of market access is your priority, IG clearly has the stronger offering.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1028 |
| 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.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both IG and Vantage give traders the basics they need on the go. Each broker offers iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts, watchlist syncing between the app and online account, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. That means you can check markets, update watchlists, and work on charts from your phone with either broker.
IG has the edge for mobile trading overall. Its app includes 33 technical studies compared with Vantage’s 30, and it also earns a perfect 5-star rating for mobile trading apps, while Vantage is rated 4 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, IG places first for mobile trading apps, while Vantage comes in at 24th, making IG the stronger pick for traders who want a more polished mobile experience.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| 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 daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, so each broker covers the basics well for keeping up with market moves and upcoming news. That said, IG goes further on research depth thanks to forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, plus extra tools from Autochartist, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading. Vantage, meanwhile, offers Trading Central tools, which IG does not.
Overall, IG has the edge in market research. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage is rated 4 stars and ranked #20. For traders who want more third-party news and analysis options in one place, IG offers the wider research package, while Vantage still provides a solid set of core tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| 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
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1028 | |
| 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) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | 1.4 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| 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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