FXCM vs IG Index

FXCM or IG Index – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare FXCM and IG Index in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

FXCM vs IG Index Comparison Table 2024
FXCM IG Index
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3.5
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4.4
FXCM is ranked #44 among CFD brokers. IG Index is ranked #19 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
FXCM is a respected forex and CFD broker, established since 1999. The British-headquartered broker has won multiple awards and operates in various jurisdictions, including the UK and Australia. With zero commissions, over 400 assets, and a range of analysis tools, FXCM remains a popular choice for traders. The broker is also regulated by top-tier authorities including the FCA and ASIC. Founded in 1974, IG is part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly traded (LSE: IGG) brokerage. The brand offers spread betting, CFD and forex trading across an almost unrivalled selection of 17,000+ markets, with a range of user-friendly platforms and investing apps. For 50 years, IG has maintained its position as an industry leader, excelling in all key areas for traders.
71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.
Pros
  • Alongside the 4 charting platforms, FXCM also offers a market-leading range of specialist software for experienced investors, including QuantConnect, AgenaTrader and Sierra Chart
  • The proprietary Trading Station terminal is a good choice for traders looking for an all-in-one solution for their short-term and automated trading strategies
  • Traders can utilize several top-tier trading tools including a market scanner, forex signals and third-party research site, eFXPlus
  • FXCM’s global reputation is impressive, with licenses from the FCA, ASIC, CySEC and FSCA and a 20-year business history
  • A range of funding methods are available including bank cards, Apply Pay and PayPal, with instant processing times
  • The broker offers spread discounts and other excellent perks for experienced traders in the Active Trader account
  • FXCM has expanded its range of trading opportunities with 24-hour stock CFDs through MetaTrader 4
  • IG is amongst the best in terms of its range of instruments, which includes stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies, providing ample diversification opportunities
  • The proprietary web-based platform continues to caters to traders of all levels, with advanced charting tools and real-time market data useful for trading
  • The IG app offers a superb mobile trading experience with a clean design that helped it secure Runner Up at our Best Trading App award
  • As a well-established broker, IG operates under strict regulatory guidelines in multiple jurisdictions, maintaining a high level of trust
  • IG offers an extensive collection of professional and engaging educational resources, including webinars, articles, and analysis
  • The ProRealTime advanced charting platform is free as long as certain modest monthly trading activity requirements are met
Cons
  • Although FXCM continues to gear their services towards experienced traders, it’s a shame that there are no managed accounts on offer
  • There is no choice of retail accounts for traders, nor any Cent/Micro account options
  • The live chat support can be slow and unreliable compared to the top competitors
  • Beginners might find IG’s fee structure complex, with various fees for different types of trades or services, potentially leading to confusion or unexpected charges
  • While there is negative balance protection in the UK and EU, there is no account protection or guaranteed stop losses for US clients
  • IG has discontinued its swap-free account, reducing its appeal to Islamic traders
  • Stock and CFD spreads still trail the cheapest brokers like CMC Markets based on tests
  • IG applies an inactivity fee of $12 per month after 2 years, deterring casual investors
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
Yes Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Commodities CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$50 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
Variable 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, CySEC, ASIC FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA
Mobile Apps
iOS and Android iOS & Android
Trading App

IG offers a superb all-round trading app. One of the pioneers of mobile trading, the application has been developed and refined over many years, meaning it is now among the best trading apps. Quick response, user-friendly layout, access to full charting and a stable and reliable application. It also offers guaranteed stops – an important risk management tool not available on many apps we’ve tested.
iOS App Rating
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4.6
Android App Rating
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4
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
2.5%
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
No No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
Yes No
Autochartist
No Yes
eSignal
Yes No
Trading Central
No Yes
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No Yes
MAM Account
Yes No
PAMM Account
No 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
Yes Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime
Copy Trading
Yes No
Copy Trading Platform
FXCM offers social and copy trading on forex, CFDs and cryptos through the hugely popular ZuluTrade platform. The sign-up process is quick and you can track your performance in real-time.
Social Trading
Yes No
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
No Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
Yes No
Ethical Investing
No Yes
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No Yes
Inactivity Fee
$12
Islamic Account
No No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • ZAR
  • CHF
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Cannabis
  • Gold
  • Copper
  • Oil
  • Palladium
  • Silver
  • Sugar
  • Coffee
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Nickel
  • Steel
  • Iron
  • Precious Metals
  • Aluminium
  • Lithium
  • Cannabis
CFD
You can trade a range of CFD instruments across forex, shares, indices and commodities. There’s an excellent selection of platforms for traders, including TradingView and MT4, plus additional tools for experienced algo traders including API solutions. IG offers a huge selection of 17,000+ CFDs, providing more trading opportunities than most CFD brokers. Traders can go long or short on popular markets like stocks, currencies, commodities and cryptos, while custom price alerts and the IG Academy continue to enhance the trading experience.
Leverage
1:30 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro)
FTSE Spread
1.18 pts var* 1.0
GBPUSD Spread<
0.5 pips* 0.9
Oil Spread
0.05 (var)* 2.8
Stocks Spread
0.2% Var* 0.02
Forex
FXCM offers an average range of 40+ currency pairs, although there are no commissions and spreads are competitive from 0.78 pips for EUR/USD. The broker also offers 3 forex baskets covering USD, Yen and emerging markets benchmarks. IG offers an above-average suite of 80+ currency pairs on its proprietary web platform, mobile app or MetaTrader 4, with more advanced charts and forex analysis tools available on the ProRealTime software. Forex spreads are competitive based on tests, starting from 0.1 pips on majors like the EUR/USD.
Assets
40 80+
GBPUSD Spread
0.5 pips var* 0.9
EURUSD Spread
0.2 pips var* 0.8
EURGBP Spread
0.5 pips var* 0.9
Currency Indices
  • JPY
  • USD
FXCM IG Index
Review
Review
71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.
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