IronFX vs IG Index

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

IronFX vs IG Index Comparison Table 2024
IronFX IG Index
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3.8
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4.4
IronFX is ranked #41 among CFD brokers. IG Index is ranked #22 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
IronFX is a multi-regulated forex and CFD broker founded in 2010. This award-winning firm offers 500+ markets to over 1.5 million clients across 180 countries. Traders can access various account types with competitive pricing on the MT4 platform, as well as 24/5 customer support in 30 languages. 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.
69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.
Pros
  • Alongside MT4, the broker continues to offer several additional services, including copy trading, a VPS solution, and PAMM/MAM accounts
  • Fixed and floating spread accounts are available, making IronFX a good choice for both beginners and experienced traders
  • Traders get access to the popular Trading Central research tool, which offers automated AI analytics and 24/7 support
  • IronFX is an established firm and is regulated by several reputable bodies, including the CySEC, FCA and FSCA
  • The broker frequently offers trading competitions with cash prizes, as well as welcome bonuses for new clients
  • The IronFX Academy delivers some excellent educational tools for beginners through to advanced traders
  • 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
  • It’s a shame that the broker doesn’t offer any additional software such as MT5 or TradingView to give experienced traders more choice
  • Commissions start from $13.50 per lot in the zero-spread accounts, nearly double the industry average
  • Compared to the leading brokers, IronFX offers a relatively small selection of share CFDs
  • 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 Online Trading Platform (2019)
  • Best Broker of the Year (2019)
  • Most Trustworthy Forex Broker Global (2019)
  • Best Online Trading & Financial Services Company (2020)
  • Best Online Forex Trading Platform (2021)
  • International Online Currency Trading Platform of the Year (2021)
  • Most Outstanding Online Trading Partners Program (2022)
  • 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
Forex, Indices, Shares, Futures, Commodities, Metals (all CFDs) CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$100 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
CySEC, FCA, FSCA, BMA / Bermuda FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA
Mobile Apps
Android, iOS, WebTrader 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
No No
Autochartist
Yes Yes
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
Yes Yes
STP Account
Yes No
ECN Account
Yes No
DMA Account
No Yes
MAM Account
Yes No
PAMM Account
Yes No
LAMM Account
Yes 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
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
The TradeCopier service allows aspiring investors to copy the strategies of top traders in real-time. The tool is a great way for beginners to learn from more experienced investors, whilst strategy providers can earn performance fees.
Social Trading
Yes No
Trade Signals
Yes Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes Yes
Tournaments
Yes No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No Yes
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No Yes
Inactivity Fee
3% $12
Islamic Account
Yes No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • PLN
  • CZK
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
Commodities
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Copper
  • Corn
  • Cotton
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
  • Oil
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Platinum
  • Palladium
  • Gold
  • Copper
  • Oil
  • Palladium
  • Silver
  • Sugar
  • Coffee
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Nickel
  • Steel
  • Iron
  • Precious Metals
  • Aluminium
  • Lithium
  • Cannabis
CFD
IronFX’s asset list of 300+ instruments covers forex, stocks, commodities and index CFDs. Maximum leverage from 1:30 to 1:1000 is available depending on account location. Traders can access superb technical analysis features, including 30 pre-integrated indicators and 9 charting time frames. 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 (FCA), 1:30 (CySEC), 1:500 (FSCA), 1:1000 (BM) 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro)
FTSE Spread
140 1.0
GBPUSD Spread<
0.8 0.9
Oil Spread
3 2.8
Stocks Spread
Variable 0.02
Forex
IronFX continues to offer a strong selection of 80 currency pairs. You can trade through the market-leading MT4 platform with a range of forex market research tools. That said, commission charges in the zero-spread accounts are high, starting from $13.50 per lot. 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
80+ 80+
GBPUSD Spread
0.8 0.9
EURUSD Spread
0.7 0.8
EURGBP Spread
0.9 0.9
Currency Indices
  • USD
IronFX IG Index
Review
Review
69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.
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