Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Questrade, 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.
Comparing IG and Questrade on trust and regulation: IG was founded in 1974, is publicly traded, and is a bank. It earns a 99/99 Trust Score from ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the highly trusted 90–99 range. Questrade, founded in 2000, is not publicly traded and is not a bank, with an 85/99 Trust Score that sits in the trusted 80–89 range. For context, ForexBrokers.com classifies 70–79 as average risk, 60–69 as high risk, and below 59 as not trusted.
Regulatory coverage further separates the two: IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted), while Questrade holds 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. This broader top-tier oversight helps explain IG’s higher score, while Questrade still rates as trusted.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2000 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, IG generally comes out ahead of Questrade for active traders and forex pricing. IG is not a discount broker, but its costs can be competitive, especially through its Forex Direct DMA account, where EUR/USD spreads averaged 0.62 pips in July 2023 and the all-in cost worked out to about 0.82 pips after commission. IG also offers spread rebates for high-volume traders, which can lower costs further. IG earns a 5-star rating for commissions and fees and is ranked #7 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Questrade uses spread-based pricing, meaning its trading cost is built into the bid-ask spread rather than charged as a separate commission on forex trades. While Questrade says spreads can start at 0.8 pips, actual major-pair spreads were closer to 2.1 to 2.5 pips at the time of review, which can make trades more expensive in practice. For CFDs, Questrade adds a $9.95 USD fee per unit on top of the spread, and overnight financing can increase the total cost further. Questrade has a 3.5-star rating for commissions and fees and is ranked #33 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, IG is the better choice for traders who care most about lower commissions and tighter pricing, especially in forex and CFD trading. Questrade may be simpler because its costs are built into the spread, but its real-world pricing tends to be higher, particularly on larger or more frequent trades.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 0.8 or higher |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG and Questrade both let traders access forex, but IG offers a much wider overall range of investments. IG lists 19,537 tradeable symbols, compared with 675 at Questrade, and it gives clients access to 97 forex pairs versus Questrade’s 110. Where IG stands out most is in market variety: it offers exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, plus both delivered cryptocurrency and crypto CFDs. Questrade, by contrast, does not offer direct access to U.S. or international exchange-traded securities, and it does not offer crypto trading.
Neither broker supports copy trading. For Range of Investments, both IG and Questrade are rated 5 out of 5 stars, but IG is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com, placing #4 out of 36 brokers compared with Questrade at #12. In simple terms, if you want more choice across shares, forex, and crypto-related products, IG has the broader selection, while Questrade offers a narrower lineup focused mainly on forex.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 675 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 110 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | No |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
IG and Questrade both give traders a choice of a web-based platform, a Windows desktop download, a free demo account for practice, and a built-in platform developed by the broker. Each also lets you place trades directly from a stock chart, which can make trading a little faster and easier to manage. Neither broker offers copy trading, so if you want to follow and mirror other traders, you will need to look elsewhere.
Where IG stands out is with support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which adds more flexibility for charting and trading styles. Questrade does not offer MT4 or MT5, so its platform lineup is more limited in that area. This difference is reflected in third-party ratings too: IG earns 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 64 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Questrade both offer iPhone and Android trading apps, along with stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart drawings. That means either app gives mobile traders the key basics they need to track the market, manage watchlists, and work with charts while on the go.
Where IG stands out is in mobile app quality and overall ranking. IG’s app is rated 5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for Mobile Trading Apps, while Questrade is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #28. Questrade does offer more technical studies in its mobile charts, with 64 compared with IG’s 33, so it may appeal more to traders who want a wider range of indicators on their phone.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 64 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, IG offers a fuller set of tools and updates than Questrade. IG provides daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool showing long and short positions, research from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, plus an economic calendar for upcoming global events. It also includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis. Questrade covers some useful ground too, with Autochartist, Trading Central tools, and TipRanks, but it does not offer daily commentary, top-tier forex news, sentiment data, Acuity Trading research, or an economic calendar.
These differences show up in the ratings as well. IG earns 5 stars for research and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Research category, while Questrade receives 3.5 stars and ranks #34. For traders who want more news, analysis, and market insight in one place, IG has the stronger research offering overall.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing IG and Questrade for beginner education, IG stands out as the stronger choice. IG offers forex and CFDs learning material with at least 10 pieces focused on those topics, plus monthly online educational webinars and plenty of video content for both new and experienced traders. In fact, IG has at least 10 beginner trading videos and at least 10 advanced videos, which makes it easier for beginners to start learning and keep building their skills over time. Questrade, by comparison, does not meet the same level of forex or CFDs education and does not offer monthly educational webinars or the same number of beginner and advanced videos.
This gap is also reflected in independent ratings. IG is rated 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers in the Education category at ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #28. For beginners who want more step-by-step learning support, IG provides a wider range of helpful educational resources, while Questrade offers a more limited selection.
| Feature |
IG
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IG is better than Questrade. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Questrade finished with an overall rank of #29.
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
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
IG vs Questrade: IG allows investors to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Questrade does not offer real crypto purchases or crypto CFDs.
IG vs Questrade: IG offers ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposit and withdrawal options, while Questrade supports bank wires only—no ACH/SEPA or PayPal—and neither broker supports Skrill.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Questrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2000 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 675 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 110 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| 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). |
| Cost | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 0.8 or higher | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 64 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 64 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Education | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IG Review | Questrade Review |
| Overall | IG | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Questrade Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill