Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Exness, 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.
IG and Exness are two prominent online brokers with key differences in their regulatory profiles. Founded in 1974, IG stands out as a publicly traded company that operates as a bank, boasting a top Trust Score of 99 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. It holds 8 highly trusted Tier-1 licenses and 2 trusted Tier-2 licenses, indicating a strong regulatory standing. In contrast, Exness, established in 2008, is not publicly traded and does not operate as a bank. It has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 81, categorizing it as a trusted broker, with 2 highly trusted Tier-1 licenses and 3 trusted Tier-2 licenses.
When choosing between IG and Exness, potential users might consider IG's long-standing presence and status as a public bank, which could offer added peace of mind for risk-averse individuals. Meanwhile, Exness provides a solid level of trust within the industry, appealing to those looking for a reliable trading platform with a slightly different regulatory focus. Both brokers offer unique advantages, catering to the diverse preferences and requirements of traders worldwide.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
When comparing online brokers IG and Exness for their commissions and fees, IG stands out with its specialized offerings and competitive pricing structures tailored for active traders. With a commendable five-star rating and an impressive ranking as the 8th out of 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category by ForexBrokers.com, IG is a favorite among those trading at high volumes. It offers versatile execution methods beyond traditional market making and distinguishes itself with Forex Direct accounts that cater to savvy traders. IG provides a tiered rebate program for high-volume traders, offering up to a 20% spread reduction when specific volume conditions are met. For example, traders can enjoy a spread as low as 0.60 pips with the most competitive rebate. The DMA account further enhances trading efficiency with minimal commission-based costs starting at $60 per million, thus appealing to traders who handle substantial volumes.
Exness features a variety of account types, aiming to cater to a wide range of trading preferences and budgets. With a four-star rating in the commissions and fees category and a ranking of 35th out of 62 brokers, Exness offers something for both new and experienced traders. The broker provides five primary account types, including two standard and three professional accounts, each with varying degrees of trading costs and execution methods. Noteworthy is the Zero Spread account, which includes a flat per-trade commission with no restrictions on leverage or stop-out levels, and the Raw account, which features competitive spreads and a per-trade commission, ideal for serious traders looking for precision in trade execution. Whether opting for the cost-efficient commission-based accounts or the broader execution flexibility of the Pro account, Exness presents an adaptable array of choices for traders.
In summary, while both IG and Exness offer appealing features, IG is the go-to broker for traders seeking the best in class for commission and execution options, especially those dealing in high volumes or intricate trade strategies. Its combination of rebate programs and diverse account offerings provides a solid platform for gaining favorable trading conditions. Meanwhile, Exness appeals to a broader audience with its extensive account selections, enabling traders to find the perfect balance between cost and execution quality, whether they are just starting or are seasoned in the trading arena.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| 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.
IG and Exness both allow traders to engage in forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. However, IG offers an extensive array of tradeable symbols, boasting 19,537, while Exness provides access to 227. When it comes to forex pairs, IG takes a slight lead with 97 pairs, compared to Exness's 96. A crucial differentiator is IG's option to invest in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, letting clients purchase shares such as Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, Exness lacks this capability, focusing instead on CFDs.
For those interested in copy trading, Exness offers this feature, while IG does not. Neither platform allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies, but traders can invest in cryptocurrency derivatives on both. In terms of investment variety, IG is rated highly with five stars, ranking 4th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, Exness holds 3.5 stars, placing it at 55th in the same category. These distinctions highlight that IG may be more appealing to investors seeking extensive market access and trading opportunities across different asset classes.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 227 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 96 |
| 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.
In comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by IG and Exness, both brokers provide virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice trading without financial risk. IG has crafted its own proprietary platform, available as both a web-based option and a Windows desktop download. Exness also offers a proprietary platform with similar features. However, Exness differentiates itself by offering copy trading, providing users with the ability to mimic the trades of experienced investors, a feature that IG does not support. Both brokers facilitate trading directly from the chart, and while IG provides MetaTrader 4 (MT4), Exness includes both MT4 and the more advanced MT5 in its offerings.
Both IG and Exness have a suite of tools designed to make trading management smoother. While IG offers 20 drawing tools for chart analysis, Exness provides a more extensive selection with 87 tools. When examining watchlists, IG includes five columns for data organization, whereas Exness offers seven. Despite these features, IG scores higher in terms of overall platform and tools, receiving a five-star rating compared to Exness's four stars. Additionally, IG ranks significantly higher than Exness in the Trading Platforms and Tools category according to ForexBrokers.com, with IG securing the #2 spot out of 62 brokers, while Exness stands at #26.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 107 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both IG and Exness provide convenient options for users with iPhones and Android devices. Not only do they offer easy accessibility, but both platforms also allow users to stay updated with stock or forex price alerts. A notable feature of IG's app is the ability to sync watchlists seamlessly with the client’s online account, ensuring any changes made are consistently updated on both platforms. While Exness misses out on this syncing feature, it does match up with IG in providing a robust range of technical studies for charting, offering 35 compared to IG’s 33. Both apps allow users to draw trendlines, change time frames, and create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, IG's app holds an edge with its ability to auto-save chart drawings, something Exness doesn't provide.
Rated as one of the top mobile trading platforms, IG receives a full five stars for its mobile trading app, ranking #1 out of 62 brokers assessed by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Exness is rated slightly lower at four stars and holds the #26 position in the same category. While both platforms cater to the needs of modern-day traders, IG's app appears to offer a more comprehensive and user-friendly experience. Whether you're looking for advanced features like symbol syncing and auto-saving drawings or simply a highly-rated app for mobile trading, IG seems to hold a significant advantage in this comparison.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 35 |
| 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 IG and Exness, both online brokers provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, IG excels by offering advanced tools such as those from Autochartist, providing traders with in-depth technical analysis and fundamental insights. Exness, on the other hand, compensates with resources like Trading Central's Technical Analytics, which IG does not offer. Both platforms provide sentiment-based trading tools and comprehensive economic calendars that cover global news events, ensuring that traders stay informed of market movements.
Looking at additional research tools, IG takes the lead with offerings from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, whereas Exness lacks these resources. This disparity in research tools might influence users who value TipRanks' advanced analysis and Acuity Trading's insights. With these capabilities, IG earns a stellar 5-star research rating, ranking #2 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Conversely, Exness receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks at #41, suggesting that IG offers a more comprehensive and diverse research experience for its users.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 comparing the educational resources available to beginners, IG and Exness both provide ample content focused on forex and CFDs, each offering at least ten educational pieces such as articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, IG stands out with its commitment to continuous learning through monthly live webinars, a feature not available with Exness. Additionally, both brokers maintain a searchable archive of past webinars, ensuring learners can access a wealth of information at any time.
IG further distinguishes itself with its extensive range of beginner and advanced educational videos, covering a comprehensive array of trading topics, which cater to both novice and experienced traders. In contrast, Exness offers a similar selection of beginner videos but lacks advanced content. Both platforms provide an investor dictionary with over fifty investing terms, aiding newcomers in understanding crucial market language. Ultimately, IG's dedication to comprehensive education is reflected in its top ranking and 5-star rating from ForexBrokers.com, while Exness holds a 3.5-star rating, placing it lower in the educational offerings category.
| Feature |
IG
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 Exness. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #43.
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
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Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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Both IG and Exness do not allow users to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers IG and Exness, IG supports ACH and SEPA transfers, PayPal, and offers Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing funds, whereas Exness does not support ACH, SEPA transfers, or PayPal, but allows Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wires for transactions.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Exness | |
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| Regulation | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2008 | |
| 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 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Investments | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 227 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 96 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $10 | |
| 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 | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 107 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 87 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 35 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | IG | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Exness Review |
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