Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs easyMarkets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
When comparing online brokers IG and easyMarkets, IG stands out as a highly trusted choice in the trading industry. Founded in 1974, IG is both publicly traded and operates as a bank, adding to its credibility and financial stability. It boasts an impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99, indicating it is highly trusted. IG is further reinforced by possessing 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, symbolizing its strong compliance with top regulatory standards worldwide.
In contrast, easyMarkets, established in 2001, is privately owned and does not function as a bank. It holds a respectable ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 84 out of 99, placing it in the trusted category. easyMarkets is regulated with 2 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 licenses, reflecting a secure but more limited regulatory presence compared to IG. Overall, IG’s long-standing market presence and extensive regulatory endorsements make it a top choice for traders seeking a trusted online broker. Meanwhile, easyMarkets remains a solid option, particularly for those who prioritize simpler regulatory coverage.
| Feature |
IG
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
IG and easyMarkets are two brokers with distinct approaches to commissions and fees, offering traders varied experiences. IG, with a five-star rating, shines in scalability with multiple execution methods and competitive pricing for active traders, particularly through its Forex Direct accounts. In July 2023, IG's average spreads for standard-size contracts were slightly better than the industry average at 0.69 pips during peak trading hours. For volume traders, IG offers attractive discounts, including a 20% spread rebate for substantial forex transactions, lowering costs to a competitive 0.60 pips. IG also provides a direct market access (DMA) account with spreads averaging 0.62 pips plus a commission, positioning it 8th among 62 brokers in ForexBrokers.com's rankings.
In comparison, easyMarkets offers easier-to-understand but less flexible fee structures, earning a 3.5-star rating. Its fixed spreads for EUR/USD stand at 0.8 pips on its platform and TradingView, which can simplify budgeting for newer traders. However, these spreads increase when using the MT4 platform, where the standard account sees spreads of 1.7 pips, significantly higher than IG unless opting for a VIP account, which lowers it to 0.7 pips. MT5 users can access variable spreads starting from 0.7 pips. Despite these options, easyMarkets ranks 51st out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees, emphasizing the more economical offer by IG for active and high-volume traders.
| Feature |
IG
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the variety of investments on offer, IG and easyMarkets both provide opportunities in forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. However, IG outshines easyMarkets with a significantly higher number of tradeable options. IG offers a staggering 19,537 tradeable symbols, far eclipsing the 230 available through easyMarkets. For those interested in forex pairs specifically, IG also leads with 97 available options compared to easyMarkets' 63. Moreover, IG provides access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, giving investors the ability to purchase shares like Apple and Vodafone, while easyMarkets does not offer this feature.
In addition to forex and equities, both brokers allow for trading in cryptocurrency derivatives, albeit not the actual cryptocurrencies. While IG lacks copy trading features, easyMarkets fills this gap by providing the option. This broad spectrum of investments has earned IG a top-tier rating of 5 stars for its investment range and a high ranking of 4th among 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, easyMarkets receives a 3.5-star rating in the same category, placing it at 54th in the rankings. These comparisons highlight IG's extensive investment offerings and make it a formidable choice for a diverse trading experience.
| Feature |
IG
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 230 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 63 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When exploring online trading platforms, IG and easyMarkets are frequently compared for their features and usability. Both brokers offer free virtual demo accounts, allowing you to practice trading with simulated funds. They also provide proprietary platforms developed in-house and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4). While both offer a Windows-based desktop download option and a web-based platform for trading directly from your browser, only easyMarkets extends its platform capabilities with MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and the ability to engage in copy trading. Both, however, do not support DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting tools, IG offers 20 drawing tools, whereas easyMarkets provides 30, giving a slight edge to easyMarkets in customization. IG, on the other hand, excels in watch list management with five fields available for customization compared to easyMarkets’ eight. Both allow trading directly from charts, providing seamless user experiences. Despite these offerings, IG’s platform is rated five stars for its trading platforms and tools, proudly standing in the #2 position out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. EasyMarkets, rated four stars and ranked #35, still offers a strong suite of tools but may not match IG’s platform guidance and versatility.
| Feature |
IG
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 8 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When choosing between IG and easyMarkets for a mobile trading app, there are several factors to consider. Both brokers provide apps for iPhone and Android, allowing you to trade on-the-go. IG stands out by offering stock and forex price alerts, a feature not available with easyMarkets. Both platforms allow watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring that changes made on your mobile app are reflected in your online account. For technical analysis enthusiasts, easyMarkets provides a wider array of technical studies with 81 options compared to IG's 33. Both apps allow users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts. However, IG's app automatically saves chart drawings, adding an extra layer of convenience.
IG allows the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, a capability also offered by easyMarkets. In terms of ratings, IG excels with a perfect 5-star rating for its mobile trading- app, while easyMarkets follows with 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, IG is ranked #1 out of 62 brokers for its mobile trading application, demonstrating its high user satisfaction and feature-rich platform. easyMarkets, placed at #29, still presents a solid option but with fewer accolades in the mobile trading domain. Both brokers offer effective mobile solutions, but IG appears to provide a superior overall experience based on these comparisons.
| Feature |
IG
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 81 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of online brokers IG and easyMarkets, both platforms provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, IG stands out with its use of specialized tools from Autochartist and market insights from TipRanks, which are not available with easyMarkets. EasyMarkets does offer tools from Trading Central, which could appeal to users interested in technical analytics that aren't offered by IG. Both brokers provide sentiment-based trading tools and maintain economic calendars that track important global news events.
The distinctions in research services reflect in their ratings and rankings. IG is rated at an impressive 5 stars for research, securing the second spot among 62 brokers assessed by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, easyMarkets holds a 3.5-star rating, positioning it at number 43. These differences highlight IG's comprehensive research capabilities, which could be beneficial for traders seeking extensive tools and diverse news sources. While easyMarkets provides certain unique features, IG's extensive offerings and higher industry rating make it a top choice for those prioritizing research depth and variety.
| Feature |
IG
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both IG and easyMarkets are committed to offering a wealth of information to help new traders. IG provides more than ten educational pieces, such as articles, videos, and archived webinars, focusing on forex and CFDs. Similarly, easyMarkets offers a comparable array of educational materials covering the same topics. For those who enjoy live learning, both brokers host monthly webinars allowing clients to gain insights directly from experts. Each platform also features a searchable archive of recorded webinars, ensuring that users have access to past content at their convenience.
IG goes a step further with resources tailored specifically for beginners, including at least ten beginner-focused videos that cover essential trading concepts. They also provide advanced educational content for more experienced traders. EasyMarkets matches this with its beginner and advanced video offerings. Both brokers supply a dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms, which is perfect for those new to investing. However, based on their educational offerings, IG stands out with a 5-star rating and a number one ranking by ForexBrokers.com, whereas easyMarkets is rated at 3.5 stars and ranked 39th out of 62 brokers. This makes IG the more highly-regarded option for educational resources.
| Feature |
IG
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IG is better than easyMarkets. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while easyMarkets finished with an overall rank of #42.
IG offers the ultimate comprehensive trading package, featuring excellent trading and research tools, industry-leading education, and an extensive range of tradeable markets.
| Feature |
IG
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 84 |
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Both IG and easyMarkets allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither platform offers the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency.
Both IG and easyMarkets allow ACH and SEPA transfers, as well as Visa and Mastercard and bank wire transactions for depositing or withdrawing funds; however, IG additionally offers the convenience of PayPal, while easyMarkets provides Skrill for their users.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | easyMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | easyMarkets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | easyMarkets | |
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| Regulation | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 230 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 63 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 8 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 81 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | IG Review | easyMarkets Review |
| Overall | IG | easyMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | easyMarkets Review |
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