FP Markets vs IG Index

FP Markets or IG Index – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare FP Markets and IG Index in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

FP Markets vs IG Index Comparison Table 2025
FP Markets IG Index
rating empty
rating full
4
rating empty
rating full
4.7
FP Markets is ranked #60 among CFD brokers. IG Index is ranked #7 among CFD brokers.
Founded in 2005 in Australia, FP Markets is a broker regulated by both ASIC and CySEC. It offers a wide range of tradable assets and provides Standard and Raw accounts suitable for traders of all levels. The platform excels in tools, featuring the MetaTrader suite, user-friendly TradingView, and practical insights from Trading Central and AutoChartist. Founded in 1974, IG is a part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly listed brokerage (LSE: IGG). The company provides spread betting, CFD, and forex trading, offering access to over 17,000 markets. Its platforms and investing apps are notably user-friendly. Over the past 50 years, IG has consistently been an industry leader, excelling in all essential areas for traders.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Pros
  • FP Markets provides an excellent range of trading options, thanks to its broadened commodities offerings and support for more than 10,000 stocks.
  • FP Markets stands out as a highly accommodating broker for platform selection, offering MetaTrader, cTrader, Iress, and the more recent addition of TradingView.
  • FP Markets provides swift and reliable support, accessible 24 hours a day, five days a week, with average response times under one minute during tests.
  • FP Markets offers a smooth onboarding process, featuring cryptocurrency deposits and a choice of more than 10 base currencies, appealing to traders worldwide.
  • FP Markets now offers advanced research tools from Trading Central and Autochartist. These tools assist traders in spotting short-term opportunities by analysing chart patterns, indicators, and other technical elements.
  • IG stands out with its extensive range of instruments, offering stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, it has recently introduced US-listed futures and options, along with an AI Index. These options enhance opportunities for diversification in trading.
  • The web-based platform supports traders at every level, offering advanced charting tools and real-time market data vital for trading. Additionally, IG now includes TradingView integration.
  • The IG app provides an excellent mobile trading experience with an intuitive design, earning it the Runner Up position in our 'Best Trading App' award.
  • As a seasoned broker, IG adheres to stringent regulatory standards across various regions, ensuring significant trust.
  • IG provides a wide range of professional and engaging educational materials, such as webinars, articles, and analyses, tailored for traders.
  • The ProRealTime advanced charting platform remains free, provided traders meet modest monthly activity requirements.
Cons
  • The Raw account offers excellent pricing. However, the Standard account has wider spreads, averaging 1.1 pips on EUR/USD, which lags behind the competitive 0.8-pip spread at IC Markets.
  • FP Markets’ Iress platform is exclusively available to Australian clients. The platform is geared towards stock trading rather than forex. Data fees may accumulate quickly unless you are an active trader or hold a high-balance account.
  • FP Markets falls short of leading MetaTrader brokers. Although it provides a Trader's Toolbox on MT4, it offers only 130 instruments, restricting opportunities for serious traders. In contrast, Pepperstone offers 1,300 assets.
  • Traders Hub offers valuable resources such as the Daily Report, Technical Report, Market Insights, and Fundamental Analysis. Yet, it should diversify its daily content and ensure its forex news remains current to compete with market leaders like IG.
  • Beginners may find IG's fees complicated, as they vary depending on the trades or services. This could cause confusion and unexpected costs.
  • In the UK and EU, negative balance protection is available. However, US clients lack account protection and guaranteed stop losses.
  • IG has ended its swap-free account, diminishing its attractiveness to Islamic traders.
  • Based on tests, stock and CFD spreads remain less competitive than the lowest-cost brokers, such as CMC Markets.
  • IG imposes a monthly inactivity fee of $12 after two years, discouraging occasional traders.
Awards
  • Best Global Forex Value Broker 2023 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Forex Partners Programme Asia 2023 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Forex Broker Europe 2023 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Global Forex Value Broker 2022 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Global Forex Value Broker 2021 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Customer Service 2022 - Online Money Awards
  • Best Spread Betting Provider 2022 - Online Money Awards
  • Best Platform for the Active Trader 2022 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
  • Best Multi Platform Provider 2022 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
  • Best Finance App 2022 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Crypto CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$40 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
ASIC, CySEC, FSA, CMA FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA, FINMA, CONSOB, AFM
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App
FP Markets lacks a proprietary web or mobile app, which may deter beginners. Yet, mobile versions of MT4/MT5, cTrader, and TradingView provide real-time quotes, advanced charts, account management, and order execution. Australian clients gain exclusive access to the Iress mobile platform, featuring advanced analytics, module linking, and portfolio management. IG provides an excellent trading app. As a mobile trading pioneer, it has evolved over the years into a top-tier app. Expect swift responses, an intuitive interface, comprehensive charting, and dependable performance. Additionally, it includes guaranteed stops, a crucial risk management feature absent in many apps we've evaluated.
iOS App Rating
rating empty
rating full
4
rating empty
rating full
4.6
Android App Rating
rating empty
rating full
4
rating empty
rating full
4
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
2.5%
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes No
cTrader
Yes No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
Yes Yes
Autochartist
Yes Yes
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
Yes Yes
STP Account
Yes No
ECN Account
Yes No
DMA Account
Yes Yes
MAM Account
Yes No
PAMM Account
Yes No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
No Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime
Copy Trading
Yes No
Copy Trading Platform
FP Markets has launched its own social copy trading platform and provides access to the MetaTrader signals market. Additionally, it supports Myfxbook, making FP Markets a strong choice for social copy trading. Despite the platform being less user-friendly than cTrader Copy, these features enhance its appeal for traders.
Social Trading
Yes No
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No Yes
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No Yes
Inactivity Fee
$0 $12
Islamic Account
Yes No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Platinum
  • Palladium
  • Copper
  • Aluminium
  • Soybeans
  • Corn
  • Wheat
  • Steel
  • Iron
  • Cocoa
  • Cotton
  • Sugar
  • Coffee
  • Gold
  • Copper
  • Oil
  • Palladium
  • Silver
  • Sugar
  • Coffee
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Nickel
  • Steel
  • Iron
  • Precious Metals
  • Aluminium
  • Lithium
  • Cannabis
  • Lean Hogs
  • Cattle
CFD
FP Markets provides CFD trading across an excellent range of financial instruments, including stocks, major global indices, commodities, metals, cryptocurrencies, and bonds. Traders benefit from competitive spreads, rapid execution, and leverage up to 1:500, supported by top-tier liquidity. This ensures a smooth and efficient experience for short-term market participants. IG provides over 17,000 CFDs, giving traders more opportunities than most brokers. Investors can trade long or short on key markets such as equities, forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, customised price alerts and the IG Academy enrich the trading experience.
Leverage
1:30 (UK), 1:500 (Global) 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro)
FTSE Spread
1.64 1.0
GBPUSD Spread<
1.9 average 0.9
Oil Spread
0.04 2.8
Stocks Spread
Variable 0.02
Forex
FP Markets is an outstanding choice for forex enthusiasts, offering more than 70 currency pairs, with an expanded range of exotic options. Traders benefit from competitive pricing, with average spreads as low as 0.1 on EUR/USD in the Raw account. IG provides an extensive selection of over 80 currency pairs through its own web platform, mobile app, or MetaTrader 4. For advanced charting and forex analysis, the ProRealTime software is available. Testing shows forex spreads are competitive, beginning at 0.1 pips on major pairs such as EUR/USD.
Assets
70+ 80+
GBPUSD Spread
0.2 0.9
EURUSD Spread
0.1 0.8
EURGBP Spread
0.3 0.9
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
FP Markets offers CFDs on major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin. Traders can engage in speculation on price fluctuations through these derivatives. However, direct coin ownership is not provided. Additionally, emerging tokens for avid crypto traders are not available on FP Markets. IG offers a limited range of 11 crypto CFDs, lagging behind leading brokers such as Vantage, which provides access to over 40 tokens. Nonetheless, IG distinguishes itself with its crypto index, tracking the top 10 digital currencies by market capitalisation. This index offers traders a comprehensive method to speculate on the overall value of the crypto market.
Spread
17.3 (Bitcoin) Variable
Coins
  • ADA
  • BCH
  • BTC
  • DOG
  • DOT
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • LNK
  • LTC
  • RPL
  • SOL
  • XLM
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • ADA
  • DOT
  • DOGE
  • LINK
  • UNI
  • XLM
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
FP Markets IG Index
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
More Comparisons
FP Markets
vs

IG Index
vs