Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Trading 212, 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 Trading 212 are two prominent online brokers, each with unique attributes and regulatory standings. Established in 1974, IG carries a Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, indicating it is highly trusted. It is publicly traded and operates as a bank. This broker boasts 8 Tier-1 licenses, the highest level of trust according to ForexBrokers.com, and 2 additional Tier-2 licenses. These factors highlight IG as a solid choice for those seeking assurance in their trading platform.
In contrast, Trading 212 began operations in 2004 and has a Trust Score of 79, placing it in the average risk category. It is not publicly traded, nor does it function as a bank. Trading 212 holds 2 Tier-1 licenses, with no Tier-2 licenses, distinguishing it as a broker with fewer regulatory approvals compared to IG. For prospective users, these distinctions may influence the decision-making process based on personal priorities such as trust, public trading status, and regulatory backing.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
When comparing online brokers IG and Trading 212 based on commissions and fees, IG emerges as a favorable choice for active traders focusing on forex and CFD trading. IG provides a comprehensive array of trading options, including its Forex Direct accounts that cater to high-volume traders with competitive, industry-average spreads and commission discounts. The average spread for IG's Forex Direct accounts was 0.62 pips for EUR/USD during July 2023, after considering commission fees. This brokerage also offers a rebate program, allowing seasoned traders to benefit from lower spreads by achieving significant trading volumes. Rated 5 stars, IG holds the 8th position out of 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category by ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, Trading 212 offers a straightforward approach with zero-commission trading across its Invest and CFD accounts, but traders should be aware of the higher average spreads. In January 2024, Trading 212's average spread for the EUR/USD pair reached 1.9 pips, a figure that stands above the industry average and makes it less competitive for those seeking tighter spreads. Despite rating 4 stars for commissions and fees, Trading 212 is ranked significantly lower at 43rd place out of 62 by ForexBrokers.com in the same category.
Overall, IG stands out as a top choice for traders seeking competitive pricing through active trading incentives and lower spreads, particularly for high-volume forex and CFD traders. In contrast, while Trading 212 may appeal to casual investors with its zero-commission strategy, the relatively high spreads could deter those prioritizing cost-efficiency in their trading strategies.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | €10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 1.9 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing IG and Trading 212, both online brokers provide forex trading options through CFDs or spot contracts, catering to traders interested in currency pairs. IG offers an impressive array of 19,537 tradeable symbols, easily surpassing Trading 212's 8,025 symbols. Despite this, Trading 212 exceeds IG in the variety of forex pairs available; it offers 146 pairs while IG provides 97. Both platforms allow users to engage with exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international markets, so investors can purchase well-known shares like Apple and Vodafone without dealing with CFDs.
Neither IG nor Trading 212 supports copy trading or the purchase of actual cryptocurrency, though both allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives. With both brokers earning a solid five-star rating for their range of investments, traders might think they offer similar experiences. However, IG stands out with a higher industry ranking, placed 4th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared to Trading 212's 15th place. This positions IG as a slightly superior choice for investors seeking a more extensive selection of investment options.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 8025 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 146 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| 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 the trading platforms and tools of IG and Trading 212, both brokers offer simulated trading accounts, allowing users to practice their strategies risk-free. Each broker has developed its own proprietary platform in-house, ensuring tailored features for their respective user bases. IG stands out with a Windows-based desktop platform, giving users the option to download and trade offline, a feature Trading 212 does not offer. Both brokers provide web-based platforms, enabling seamless access through web browsers. Unlike IG, Trading 212 lacks integration with MetaTrader 4, a popular trading platform, although neither broker supports MetaTrader 5. Copy trading and other popular trading services like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade aren't available with either provider.
In terms of charting tools, IG and Trading 212 both offer 20 drawing tools, enabling detailed market analysis, and allow users to trade directly from stock charts. Watchlists from both brokers come with five customizable columns, allowing traders to organize their market view efficiently. With a five-star rating for its platforms and tools and ranking as the second-best broker in its category by ForexBrokers.com, IG has a slight edge over Trading 212, which received four stars and ranked 21st. This makes IG particularly attractive for those in need of advanced platform features and performance. However, Trading 212 remains a strong choice for those prioritizing ease of use and cost efficiency in online trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 54 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 20 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 5 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both IG and Trading 212 cater to iPhone and Android users, offering features that enhance trading on the go. Each provides alerts for stock or forex prices, and both apps sync watchlist symbols seamlessly with their respective online platforms, ensuring that any changes made are updated across devices. However, one clear distinction is in the number of technical studies available; IG offers 33, while Trading 212 provides a more extensive selection of 104. Despite this, both platforms allow users to draw trendlines, view charts across multiple time frames, and have autosave functions for chart drawings, providing a comprehensive mobile trading experience.
For users eager to keep an eye on real-time market movements, both IG and Trading 212 allow for the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes. However, ratings from ForexBrokers.com indicate a significant difference in overall app performance. IG, with its 5-star rating, is heralded as the top choice among 62 brokers, while Trading 212 holds a 4-star rating, landing it in the 17th spot. This highlights IG's superior user experience nestled in a landscape of competitive mobile trading solutions.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing IG and Trading 212 for market research capabilities, IG stands out as a more comprehensive option. IG provides daily market commentary, while Trading 212 does not. Both platforms offer forex news sourced from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, IG adds more depth with tools like Autochartist and a sentiment-based trading tool. Trading 212 lacks Autochartist but also provides a sentiment-based tool. Furthermore, IG features market research from TipRanks and resources from Acuity Trading, including the Signal Centre, which are absent on Trading 212.
Both brokers offer economic calendars to track global news events, but there's a noticeable difference in research ratings and rankings. IG earns a perfect 5-star rating for research, ranking second out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, whereas Trading 212 is rated 3.5 stars and ranks much lower at 46th. Thus, if extensive market research tools and insights are essential, IG appears to be the more superior choice over Trading 212.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| 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 Trading 212 provide comprehensive materials to guide novice traders through the basics of forex and CFDs. Both platforms boast a selection of over ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and webinars. IG and Trading 212 also ensure ongoing learning by offering monthly online educational webinars and maintain a searchable archive of recorded sessions, allowing clients to learn at their own pace. Each offers a wealth of beginner-focused videos to ease newcomers into the trading world, along with advanced videos that cater to more experienced traders.
An investor dictionary is available from both brokers, with definitions of at least 50 investing terms to help users understand the trading language. However, when it comes to overall education quality, IG takes a clear lead. It is rated 5 stars for its educational offerings and is ranked as the top platform out of 62 brokers in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com. Trading 212, while still a strong contender, holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 20th out of the same pool of brokers. This distinction suggests that while both platforms provide valuable resources, IG offers a more comprehensive educational experience for those starting out in trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Trading 212. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
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
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 |
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Both IG and Trading 212 do not allow the purchase of actual delivered cryptocurrency but do provide options for buying cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both IG and Trading 212 provide multiple deposit and withdrawal options for their users, including ACH and SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, though neither 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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2004 | |
| 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 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 8025 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 1.9 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | €10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 5 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 54 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 20 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | IG | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Trading 212 Review |
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