IG Index vs M4Markets

IG Index or M4Markets – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare IG Index and M4Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

IG Index vs M4Markets Comparison Table 2024
IG Index M4Markets
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4.4
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3.6
IG Index is ranked #19 among CFD brokers. M4Markets is ranked #38 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
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. M4Markets is an award-winning broker regulated by the CySEC, FSA and DFSA. Although relatively new, the broker continues to improve its offering with a range of innovative tools, platforms and accounts. Beginners can start with just $5, whilst experienced investors can access leverage up to 1:5000.
71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.
Pros
  • 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
  • M4Markets is a low-cost broker, offering spreads from 0.0 pips and $0 commissions, plus an accessible $5 minimum deposit
  • Execution speeds are fast, averaging 30 ms (we consider anything below 100 ms as fast and suitable for active traders)
  • The broker offers a range of hands-off trading opportunities, including a copy trading service, plus MAM/PAMM accounts
  • There’s a wide range of global payment methods available, with no deposit or withdrawal fees
  • Reliable 24/5 customer support is available in 10 languages via live chat, telephone and email
  • M4Markets holds multiple global licenses, including the CySEC and DFSA
Cons
  • 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
  • The educational resources trail the best brokers with only a small selection of eBooks and webinars offered
  • The range of around 200 investments is slim compared to top brokers, who typically offer over 1000
  • M4Markets doesn't offer any rebate schemes or rewards for active traders
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
  • Best Deposits & Withdrawals Broker, Fazzaco
  • Most Transparent Broker, World Finance Awards
  • Best Trading Conditions Broker Global, International Business Magazine
FCA Regulated
Yes No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting Forex, CFDs, Indices, Shares, Commodities, Cryptos
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $5
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA FSA, CySEC
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android Yes
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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rating full
4.6
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Android App Rating
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4
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Margin Trading
Yes No
Margin Rate
2.5%
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No No
Autochartist
Yes No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
Yes No
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
Yes No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No Yes
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No Yes
Robo Advisor
Yes No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
Yes No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes No
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime Yes (APIs)
Copy Trading
No Yes
Copy Trading Platform
M4Markets continues to deliver a user-friendly copy trading service to beginners looking to mirror other strategies and to experienced investors looking to become a mentors. The service easily synchronizes with your trading platform and is active 24/7.
Social Trading
No Yes
Trade Signals
Yes Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
Yes No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Yes No
Inactivity Fee
$12
Islamic Account
No Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • ZAR
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Copper
  • Oil
  • Palladium
  • Silver
  • Sugar
  • Coffee
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Nickel
  • Steel
  • Iron
  • Precious Metals
  • Aluminium
  • Lithium
  • Cannabis
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Oil
CFD
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. M4Markets offers CFD trading across forex, stocks, indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies. Traders can access powerful charting platforms with multiple order types and built-in indicators. There’s also a good selection of data-driven analysis tools supplied by reputable provider, Acuity.
Leverage
1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro) 1:1000
FTSE Spread
1.0 From 0.01
GBPUSD Spread<
0.9 Raw from 0.0 pips
Oil Spread
2.8 From 0.01
Stocks Spread
0.02 N/A
Forex
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. M4Markets offers 45+ currencies with zero pip spreads. The low latency and 30-millisecond execution speeds makes the broker a decent choice for forex traders. Additionally, there are no restrictions on trading strategies, including scalping.
Assets
80+ 50
GBPUSD Spread
0.9 Raw from 0.0 pips
EURUSD Spread
0.8 Raw from 0.0 pips
EURGBP Spread
0.9 Raw from 0.0 pips
Currency Indices
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
IG's modest selection of 11 crypto CFDs trails top crypto brokers like Vantage which offers 40+ tokens. That said, it stands out with its crypto index, which tracks the value of the top 10 digital currencies by market cap and provides a holistic way to speculate on the value of the crypto market. M4Markets offers a decent range of 15 crypto CFDs paired with USD. Traders can get started with as little as $5 and enjoy zero commissions on crypto trades. Spreads on BTCUSD average around 14.1 which is competitive and in line with the top low-cost crypto brokers.
Spread
Variable From 0.0 pips
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • ADA
  • DOT
  • DOGE
  • LINK
  • UNI
  • XLM
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
  • DOGE
  • DASH
  • XMR
  • OMG
  • NEO
  • QTUM
  • ZEC
  • DOT
  • SOL
  • ETX
  • AXS
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
IG Index M4Markets
Review
Review
71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.
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