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 IG and Exness for their commission and fee structures, IG stands out with a rating of five stars for its commissions and fees. IG's platform caters to both standard and active traders through its Forex Direct accounts, providing various methods of execution, including the Direct Market Access (DMA) option. This flexibility allows for competitive pricing, with average spreads for the main Forex Direct account around 0.62 pips in July 2023, and an all-in spread cost of 0.82 pips after accounting for trade commissions. Volume traders can also benefit from IG’s active trader rebate program, with rebates ranging from 10% to 20% depending on monthly trading volume. IG is ranked #8 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Commissions and Fees category.
Exness, on the other hand, provides a diverse range of account types suited for both new and veteran traders. It offers five primary account types, including two standard and three professional accounts. Each account comes with varying fee structures, where commission-based accounts feature lower spreads in comparison to their commission-free counterparts. Notably, the Zero Spread account has a fixed commission of $0.05 per trade, while the Raw account incurs a commission of up to $7 per round-turn lot. Rated at four stars for commissions and fees, Exness ranks as #38 among 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
Overall, both brokers present distinct advantages in terms of pricing strategies. IG excels with its scalable execution and active trader incentives, making it appealing to high-volume traders with its stellar ratings and top-tier ranking. Meanwhile, Exness provides flexibility with multiple account types, catering to diverse trader needs with its practical commission-based offerings.
| 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.
When comparing the investment offerings of IG and Exness, it's clear that both excel in certain areas. IG provides a far greater number of tradeable symbols, boasting 19,537 options, compared to Exness' 227. Both brokers offer forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, with IG providing 97 tradeable forex pairs while Exness offers 96. IG stands out by allowing clients to buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, enabling the purchase of well-known stocks such as Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, Exness does not extend this service.
For those interested in cryptocurrencies, both brokers allow trading in derivatives, but neither offers the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Exness has an edge with copy trading capabilities, a feature that IG does not currently support. In terms of rankings and reviews, IG receives an impressive 5-star rating and ranks 4th out of 62 brokers for the range of investments according to ForexBrokers.com, while Exness holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks at 56th. This makes IG a preferred choice for investors seeking extensive investment options.
| 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.
When comparing IG and Exness in terms of trading platforms and tools, both brokers offer a comprehensive range of options designed to enhance user experience. IG and Exness each provide a free virtual demo account, making it easy for new traders to practice and learn without financial risk. Both brokers also have proprietary platforms that are developed in-house, in addition to offering well-known platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4). However, Exness goes a step further by offering MetaTrader 5 (MT5), which IG does not. Both brokers provide platforms that are accessible via Windows desktop downloads and web browsers, ensuring flexibility and ease of access for traders.
For copy trading options, Exness stands out by offering this feature, while IG does not. In terms of charting, Exness offers a wider selection of drawing tools with 87 available options compared to IG's 20 tools. Both platforms allow traders to execute trades directly from charts, making the trading process smoother. When it comes to watch lists, Exness offers a bit more customization with seven columns, while IG provides five. Despite these differences, IG earns a higher rating of five stars out of five for trading platforms and tools and ranks #2 out of 62 brokers, according to ForexBrokers.com, while Exness receives a four-star rating and ranks #31.
| 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 comparing the mobile trading apps of IG and Exness, both platforms offer convenient iPhone and Android applications, catering well to mobile traders. Users of both apps can benefit from stock and forex price alerts. However, IG takes a step ahead with features like watchlist symbol syncing, allowing for cohesive management between mobile and online accounts. In contrast, Exness does not offer this syncing feature. Charting enthusiasts will find similar offerings from both brokers, with IG providing 33 technical studies and Exness slightly edging out with 35. Both apps allow traders to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts, but IG stands out by automatically saving these drawing changes.
Further adding to IG's appeal is its ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes, which is also available in Exness. Yet, in terms of overall user satisfaction, IG’s app shines with a 5-star rating compared to Exness's 4-star rating. This is reflected in the rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where IG clinches the top spot out of 62 brokers for its mobile trading app, while Exness holds the 32nd position. These ratings and rankings underline the superior user experience offered by IG's mobile app, making it a preferred choice for traders seeking a seamless and efficient trading experience on the go.
| 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
|
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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