IG review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
IG suits traders who want shares, ETFs, forex, CFDs, options, futures, crypto and spread betting under a single account with no monthly charge. The account fee is €0, share dealing is commission-free, and investor protection runs to EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Key facts
- Best for
- Traders who want many markets under a single account with no monthly charge.
- Stock trade fee
- £0↗
- Account fee
- €0↗
- Markets
- Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread-betting↗
- Regulators
- Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC↗
- Investor protection
- EU ICS up to EUR 20,000↗
- Retail accounts that lose money
- 69%↗
- Platforms
- Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView↗
- Interest on cash
- 2.5%↗
- Legal entity
- IG Europe GmbH↗
- Headquarters
- Germany↗
- Features
- Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares
- Pricing model
- Commission-free
- Official website
- ig.com
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 5 sources
Pros and cons
Pros
- Account fee of €0 with a commission-free dealing model, commission free.
- The same account covers stocks, etfs and forex, keeping shares and derivatives in one place.
- Supervised by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and a SIPC member, with protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
- Demo account, mobile app and fractional shares in demo account, mobile app and fractional shares, plus cash interest of 2.5%.
Cons
- 69% of retail accounts lose money, close to the 72.13% typical of the forex brokers compared.
- Investor compensation stops at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000, so larger balances sit outside the scheme.
Who it suits
- Traders holding forex, CFDs, options and futures alongside shares and ETFs, who want a demo account to test first.
- Investors building small positions with fractional shares and parking spare cash at a 2.5% interest rate.
- EU clients who place weight on BaFin supervision and EU investor compensation of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who should look elsewhere
- bunq, whose markets cover only stocks, etfs and crypto and suits long term investing without derivatives.
- CFI, whose markets cover stocks, etfs and forex and stop short of options, futures and spread betting.
How it compares on our data
On account fee IG ranks 1 of 142 brands, and on stock trade fee it ranks 1 of 166. Both charges put the brand at the sharp end of the table, and the same fee-free pricing covers its wider derivatives range.
The company behind it
Trading runs through IG Europe GmbH, IG Europe GmbH, headquartered in Germany, DE. In Germany it is supervised by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) under licence MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91, and in the US it is a SIPC member, SIPC member 71021.
How IG compares
9.4 vs 9.4
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9.4 vs 9.4
9.4 vs 9.3
9.4 vs 8.7
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 8.7
9.4 vs 8.6
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 9.1
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 8.8
Where IG is available
- Available
- Everywhere except United States
- Licence in Germany
- Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) (MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91), checked September 26, 2026, also valid in Germany, Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
- Licence in United States
- SIPC (SIPC member 71021), checked September 26, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to hold an IG account?+
The account fee is €0, and share dealing is commission-free, so holding a position adds no account charge. Spare cash earns interest at 2.5% rather than sitting idle.
Is there a commission on buying shares?+
No. The pricing model is commission-free, commission free, and the stock trade fee is £0. Trading costs then come from the spread on the deal rather than a dealing commission.
How is my money protected?+
Investor protection is EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 under the EU scheme, and in the US the entity is a SIPC member, SIPC member 71021. Balances held above the scheme cap sit outside that cover.
Which markets can I trade?+
The listed markets are stocks, etfs and forex, spanning cash equities, ETFs, currencies, leveraged CFDs, options, futures and crypto. Spread betting sits in the same list, which narrows the gap with UK only brokers.
Which apps and platforms are available?+
Platforms listed are Mobile trading, L2 Dealer and ProRealTime, covering mobile trading, the L2 Dealer dealing desk and charting tools. TradingView and the MetaTrader terminals sit alongside the in-house mobile app.
Can I try the platform before committing money?+
Yes. A demo account appears in demo account, mobile app and fractional shares, so the platforms and markets can be tried without putting cash at risk. A mobile app and fractional shares sit in the same feature list.
How many retail accounts lose money?+
IG reports 69% of retail accounts losing money, close to the 72.13% seen across the forex brokers compared. Leverage pushes the figure high on both sides.
Who regulates the account?+
Trading runs through IG Europe GmbH, IG Europe GmbH, based in Germany, DE. It holds a Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) licence, MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91, and is a SIPC member in the US.
Sources
- sipc.org/list-of-members checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Licences
- esma.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-12/CASPS.csv checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Investor protection, Legal entity, Regulators
“ae_homeMemberState=DE”
- ig.com/en/marketing-partnership checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Markets, Platforms
“Set up a FREE demo account; Mobile trading; share dealing investment account”
- ig.com/ie checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account fee, Interest on cash
“EUR 0 Annual fees on share dealing investment account”
- ig.com/uk/charges checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Retail accounts that lose money
“69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider”
- ig.com/uk/investments/share-dealing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Pricing model, Stock trade fee
“GBP 0 commission on US stocks on share dealing investment account”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Minimum deposit, Inactivity fee.
Related by the facts
IG
Traders who want many markets under a single account with no monthly charge.