Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as CFD/FX brokers (leveraged trading on forex, indices, commodities and crypto), using the data of eToro's UK entity and IG Markets' UK entity. Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as stock brokers (real shares and ETFs you own outright), using the data of eToro's UK entity and IG Markets' UK entity.
eToro
Regulated in your country eToro is allowed by FCA to onboard clients residing in the UK.
61% of retail CFD accounts lose money. Below content does not apply to US users.
IG Markets
Regulated in your country IG Markets is allowed by FCA to onboard clients residing in the UK.
70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Best for
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of traders eToro and IG Markets are best suited to, based on what each one actually offers in United Kingdom.eToro is better than IG Markets for long-term investors, while IG Markets is better for day traders, professional traders and scalpers. High-volume traders, swing traders and news traders can choose either eToro or IG Markets.
| Overall score | eToro 80 -10 83 -5 | IG Markets 90 Best 88 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Day trading i | ||
| Long-term investing i | ||
| Professional traders i | ||
| High-volume traders i | ||
| Scalpers i | ||
| Swing traders i | ||
| News traders i | ||
| Algo traders i | ||
| Stock traders i | ||
| Crypto traders i | ||
| Futures traders i | ||
| Options traders i |
Regulation
What we compare A comparison between the financial authorities that supervise eToro and the ones that supervise IG Markets.eToro and IG Markets are both regulated in the UK, by the FCA.
| Section score | eToro 100 100 | IG Markets 100 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-1 regulators | ||
| ESMA (European Union) i | ||
| FCA (United Kingdom) i | ||
| ASIC (Australia) i | ||
| CFTC (United States) i | ||
| NFA (United States) i | ||
| SEC (United States) i | ||
| CIRO (Canada) i | ||
| MAS (Singapore) i | ||
| SFC (Hong Kong) i | ||
| JFSA (Japan) i | ||
| FINMA (Switzerland) i | ||
| Tier-2 regulators | ||
| FMA (New Zealand) i | ||
| CBR (Russia) i | ||
| FSCA (South Africa) i | ||
| DFSA (Dubai) i | ||
| CSRC (China) i | ||
| ISA (Israel) i | ||
| LFSA (Malaysia) i | ||
| JSC (Jordan) i | ||
| CMA (Kenya) i | ||
| Tier-3 regulators | ||
| FSA (Seychelles) i | ||
| MMA (Maldives) i | ||
| SCB (Bahamas) i | ||
| FSC (Mauritius) i | ||
| VFSC (Vanuatu) i | ||
| FSC (Belize) i | ||
| CIMA (Cayman Islands) i | ||
| SV FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) i | ||
| FSRC (St. Kitts & Nevis) i | ||
| BMA (Bermuda) i | ||
| BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands) i | ||
| EDR (External Dispute Resolution) i | ||
Safety
What we compare A comparison of the tools and services that eToro and IG Markets have in place to protect your money in United Kingdom.eToro and IG Markets both offer segregated client funds and an investor compensation scheme. IG Markets is also a licensed bank.
| Section score | eToro 85 -6 85 -6 | IG Markets 91 Best 91 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Company info | ||
| Is it publicly traded i | ||
| Is it a bank i | ||
| Year founded i | 2007 | 1974 |
| Parent company i | eToro Group Ltd. | IG Group Holdings plc |
| CEO i | Yoni Assia | Breon Corcoran |
| Money safety | ||
| Segregated client funds i | ||
| Two-factor authentication i | ||
| Investor compensation scheme i | ||
| Additional money insurance i | ||
| Partner bank i | BNY Mellon, EquiLend | Barclays|Lloyds |
| Brand power | ||
| Number of customers worldwide i | 3,610,000 | 820,000 |
| Annual revenue i | USD 1,340,000,000 | USD 987,300,000 |
| Monthly website search traffic i | 13.2M monthly visits | 97.1K monthly visits |
Costs
What we compare A comparison of what it costs to trade with eToro and with IG Markets in United Kingdom, both on each trade and on holding the account.IG Markets is better than eToro for CFD/FX costs, given that IG Markets is cheaper on EUR/USD, at 5.08 USD per lot (against eToro's 11.6 USD), has tighter S&P 500 CFD spreads, at 0.4 points (against eToro's 1.08 points), and has tighter gold CFD spreads, at 0.3 points (against eToro's 0.88 points). Neither eToro nor IG Markets charges inactivity fees or account maintenance fees.
eToro is better than IG Markets for real stock costs, given that eToro does not charge real-time market data fees or portfolio management fees, unlike IG Markets. Neither eToro nor IG Markets charges inactivity fees or account maintenance fees.
| Section score | eToro 52 -35 82 Best | IG Markets 87 Best 75 -7 |
|---|---|---|
| Broker fees | ||
| Deposit fees i | ||
| Withdrawal fees i | ||
| Overnight fees i | ||
| Inactivity fees i | ||
| Currency conversion fees i | ||
| Discounts on volume i | ||
| Real time market data fee i | ||
| Dividend withholding i | ||
| Account opening fees i | ||
| Account maintenance fee i | ||
| Portfolio management fee i | ||
| Fees on CFDs | ||
| Forex commission per lot i | Free | Free |
| EUR/USD average standard spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average raw spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average fixed spread i | ||
| EUR/USD total cost per lot i | USD 11.6 | USD 5.075 |
| S&P 500 fees (CFD) i | 1.08 points | 0.4 points |
| Gold fees (CFD) i | 0.88 points | 0.3 points |
| Bitcoin fees (CFD) i | USD 1,585.8 | USD 36 |
| US stocks fees (CFD) i | USD 0.02 | |
| Fees on stocks | ||
| Stock fee type i | Free | Commission |
| US stocks fees (real) i | Free | Free |
| ETF fees (real) i | Free | Free |
| Management costs i | ||
| Connection costs i | ||
| Fees on futures | ||
| Futures fees per contract i | USD 2 | |
| Platform fees i | ||
| Fees on options | ||
| Options fees per contract i | USD 2 | |
| Event fees i | ||
| Fees on savings plans | ||
| IRA opening fee i | ||
| IRA maintenance fee i | ||
| 401k opening fee i | ||
| 401k maintenance fee i | ||
Available markets
What we compare A comparison of the markets and products you can trade with eToro and with IG Markets in United Kingdom, and of how many instruments each one gives access to.IG Markets is better than eToro for CFD/FX markets, given that IG Markets gives access to 17,000 tradable symbols (against eToro's 5,461), offers futures on indices and commodities, which eToro does not, and offers options on commodities, forex, indices and stocks, which eToro does not. Both eToro and IG Markets offer CFDs on commodities, forex, indices and stocks.
IG Markets is better than eToro for real stock markets, given that IG Markets gives access to 17,000 tradable symbols (against eToro's 5,461), offers futures on indices and commodities, which eToro does not, and offers options on commodities, forex, indices and stocks, which eToro does not. Both eToro and IG Markets offer CFDs on commodities, forex, indices and stocks.
| Section score | eToro 75 -25 55 -45 | IG Markets 100 Best 100 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Total tradable symbols i | 5,461 | 17,000 |
| Currency pairs i | ||
| Indices i | ||
| Commodities i | ||
| Stocks i | ||
| ETF i | ||
| Cryptocurrencies i | ||
| Bonds i | ||
| Interest rates i | ||
| Portfolios i | ||
| CFDs i | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks |
| Futures i | Indices, Commodities | |
| Options i | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks | |
| Assets you can own i | Crypto, ETF, Stocks |
Platform
What we compare A comparison of the trading platforms that eToro and IG Markets make available to their clients in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than eToro for platforms, because IG Markets offers MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4 and TradingView, which eToro does not. eToro and IG Markets both offer a proprietary platform and one-click trading.
| Section score | eToro 84 -7 84 -7 | IG Markets 91 Best 91 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary platform i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 i | ||
| cTrader i | ||
| Social trading platform i | ||
| Copy trading platform i | ||
| ZuluTrade i | ||
| TradingView i | ||
| Duplitrade i | ||
| Mirror Trader i | ||
| NinjaTrader i | ||
| AutoChartist i | ||
| Real time pricing i | ||
| 5 digit pricing i | ||
| One-click trading i |
Mobile
What we compare A comparison of the mobile apps of eToro and IG Markets in United Kingdom, and of what each one lets you do from your phone.IG Markets is better than eToro for mobile trading, because IG Markets offers the MetaTrader 5 app, the MetaTrader 4 app and a mobile watchlist, which eToro does not. Both eToro and IG Markets offer a proprietary mobile app and mobile trading signals.
| Section score | eToro 87 -6 87 -6 | IG Markets 93 Best 93 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary app i | ||
| Social trading app i | ||
| Copy trading app i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 app i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 app i | ||
| cTrader app i | ||
| Mobile trading signals i | ||
| Mobile alerts i | ||
| Mobile charting tools i | ||
| Mobile drawing tools i | ||
| Mobile watchlist i | ||
| Smartwatch app i |
Trading features
What we compare A comparison of the trading tools and strategies that eToro and IG Markets allow on their platforms in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than eToro for CFD/FX trading features, because IG Markets offers guaranteed stop losses and tier-1 liquidity providers, which eToro does not, and allows for scalping. eToro and IG Markets both offer negative balance protection and trailing stops.
IG Markets is better than eToro for real stock trading features, as IG Markets has no minimum trade size on stocks (against eToro's 10 USD), offers tier-1 liquidity providers, which eToro does not, and allows for automated trading. eToro and IG Markets both offer trailing stops and fractional shares.
| Section score | eToro 60 -29 76 -16 | IG Markets 89 Best 92 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Trade execution | ||
| Broker type i | Agency | Agency |
| Average execution time i | 14 ms | |
| Slippage occurrence i | 11% | |
| Requotes occurrence i | ||
| Tier-1 liquidity providers i | ||
| PFOF i | ||
| Leverage | ||
| Major FX pairs leverage i | 30:1 | 30:1 |
| Minor/Exotic FX pairs leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Major indices leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Minor indices leverage i | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Gold leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Commodities leverage i | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Equities leverage i | 5:1 | 5:1 |
| Cryptocurrency leverage i | ||
| Risk management | ||
| Stop losses i | ||
| Take profits i | ||
| Limit orders i | ||
| Trailing stop i | ||
| Margin call i | ||
| OCO orders i | ||
| Guaranteed stop loss i | ||
| Negative balance protection i | ||
| Minimum trade size (FX) i | 0.01 lots | 0.01 lots |
| Minimum trade size (stocks) i | USD 10 | USD 0 |
| Fractional stocks i | ||
| Trading compliance | ||
| Scalping strategies allowed i | ||
| Hedging strategies allowed i | ||
| Automated trading strategy allowed i | ||
| EAs use allowed i | ||
| HFT strategy allowed i | ||
| VPS use allowed i | ||
| API use allowed i | ||
| Price scraping allowed i | ||
| FIFO rule applies i | ||
Account types
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of account you can open at eToro and at IG Markets in United Kingdom, and of who each one is meant for.eToro and IG Markets are equally good for CFD/FX account types, as eToro offers an unlimited demo account while IG Markets offers a raw spread account and a spread betting account. eToro and IG Markets both offer a demo account and a professional traders account.
eToro is better than IG Markets for real stock account types, because eToro offers a stock investing account, a margin investing account and an unlimited demo account, which IG Markets does not. Both eToro and IG Markets offer a demo account and a corporate account.
| Section score | eToro 48 74 Best | IG Markets 46 -2 29 -45 |
|---|---|---|
| Demo account i | ||
| Unlimited demo account i | ||
| Standard account i | ||
| Micro account i | ||
| Cent account i | ||
| Nano account i | ||
| Raw spread account i | ||
| ECN account i | ||
| Swap-free account i | ||
| Islamic account i | ||
| Professional traders account i | ||
| Fixed spread account i | ||
| Spread betting account i | ||
| Copy trading account i | ||
| Corporate account i | ||
| Managed account i | ||
| Stock investing account i | ||
| Margin investing account i | ||
| Savings account i | ||
| Retirement account i |
Account opening
What we compare A comparison of what it takes to open and fund an account with eToro and with IG Markets in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than eToro for account opening, given that IG Markets does not require a minimum deposit (against eToro's 100 USD), credits deposits faster, within the same day (against eToro's 5 days), and pays out withdrawals faster, within 1 day (against eToro's 7 days). eToro and IG Markets both offer credit cards and debit cards.
| Section score | eToro 59 -3 59 -3 | IG Markets 62 Best 62 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit i | USD 100 | USD 0 |
| Minimum withdrawal i | USD 30 | USD 100 |
| Wire transfers i | ||
| Credit cards i | ||
| Debit cards i | ||
| eWallets i | ||
| Local payment methods i | ||
| Account base currencies i | USD | GBP |
| Deposit waiting time i | up to 5 business days | Instant |
| Withdrawal waiting time i | up to 7 business days | up to 1 business days |
| Bonus program i |
Customer care
What we compare A comparison of the customer support of eToro and IG Markets in United Kingdom, in how it can be reached and how fast it answers.IG Markets is better than eToro for customer care, because IG Markets offers customer support in 12 languages (against eToro's 7), has a website in 12 languages (against eToro's 7), and offers phone support, which eToro does not. Both eToro and IG Markets offer a dedicated account manager and live chat.
| Section score | eToro 69 -9 69 -9 | IG Markets 78 Best 78 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Number of languages supported i | 7 | 12 |
| Website languages i | Arabic, German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese | Arabic, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish |
| Website available in English i | ||
| Customer support languages i | Arabic, German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese | Arabic, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish |
| Customer support in English i | ||
| Call back request i | ||
| Email support i | ||
| Phone support i | ||
| Live chat i | ||
| Priority customer support i | ||
| Dedicated account manager i | ||
| Cash sweep i | ||
| Stock lending i | ||
| Distributes proceeds i | ||
| Tax withholding agent i | ||
| Tax assistance i |
Learning
What we compare A comparison of the educational material that eToro and IG Markets provide to their clients in United Kingdom.eToro and IG Markets are equally good for learning, as both offer education for advanced traders and webinars.
| Section score | eToro 100 100 | IG Markets 100 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Education | ||
| Education center i | ||
| Education for beginners i | ||
| Education for advanced traders i | ||
| Webinars i | ||
| Tutorials i | ||
| Glossary i | ||
| Research | ||
| Economic calendar i | ||
| Traders' sentiment i | ||
| Daily market commentary i | ||
| Daily trading ideas i | ||
| News via social media i | ||
| Professional reports i | ||
| Watchlist i | ||
eToro vs IG Markets: which one should you choose?
eToro
CFD/FX Choose eToro if you want an online CFD broker with copy and social trading.
Stocks Choose eToro if you want a share dealing service with copy and social trading.
Open Account 61% of retail CFD accounts lose money. Below content does not apply to US users.
IG Markets
CFD/FX Choose IG Markets if you want a CFD and forex broker with low trading costs, several platforms and room for automated strategies.
Stocks Choose IG Markets if you want a stockbroker with a wide choice of markets and fast payouts.
Open Account 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.Other popular comparisons
Below are other head-to-head comparisons that include eToro or IG Markets, each scored with the same data and method as this page.
