Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as CFD/FX brokers (leveraged trading on forex, indices, commodities and crypto), using the data of IG Markets' UK entity and XTB's UK entity. Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as stock brokers (real shares and ETFs you own outright), using the data of IG Markets' UK entity and XTB's UK entity.
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.
XTB
Regulated in your country XTB is allowed by FCA to onboard clients residing in the UK.
80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Best for
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of traders IG Markets and XTB are best suited to, based on what each one actually offers in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than XTB for day traders, high-volume traders and algo traders, while XTB is better for long-term investors. Both are a good fit for professional traders, scalpers and swing traders.
| Overall score | IG Markets 90 Best 88 Best | XTB 77 -13 78 -10 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 IG Markets and the ones that supervise XTB.IG Markets and XTB are both regulated in the UK, by the FCA.
| Section score | IG Markets 100 100 | XTB 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 IG Markets and XTB have in place to protect your money in United Kingdom.Both IG Markets and XTB offer segregated client funds and an investor compensation scheme. IG Markets is also a licensed bank.
| Section score | IG Markets 91 Best 91 Best | XTB 86 -5 86 -5 |
|---|---|---|
| Company info | ||
| Is it publicly traded i | ||
| Is it a bank i | ||
| Year founded i | 1974 | 2002 |
| Parent company i | IG Group Holdings plc | XTB S.A. |
| CEO i | Breon Corcoran | Omar Arnaout |
| Money safety | ||
| Segregated client funds i | ||
| Two-factor authentication i | ||
| Investor compensation scheme i | ||
| Additional money insurance i | ||
| Partner bank i | Barclays|Lloyds | Barclays, JP Morgan Chase |
| Brand power | ||
| Number of customers worldwide i | 820,000 | 1,600,000 |
| Annual revenue i | USD 987,300,000 | USD 260,000,000 |
| Monthly website search traffic i | 97.1K monthly visits | |
Costs
What we compare A comparison of what it costs to trade with IG Markets and with XTB in United Kingdom, both on each trade and on holding the account.IG Markets is better than XTB for CFD/FX costs, since IG Markets is cheaper on EUR/USD, at 5.08 USD per lot (against XTB's 10.6 USD), has tighter S&P 500 CFD spreads, at 0.4 points (against XTB's 0.59 points), and has tighter gold CFD spreads, at 0.3 points (against XTB's 0.89 points). Neither IG Markets nor XTB charges account maintenance fees or deposit fees.
IG Markets and XTB are equally good for real stock costs, as IG Markets does not charge inactivity fees. On the other hand, XTB does not charge options fees (against IG Markets' 2 USD per contract), and does not charge real-time market data fees. Neither IG Markets nor XTB charges account maintenance fees or deposit fees.
| Section score | IG Markets 87 Best 75 -1 | XTB 53 -34 76 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 5.075 | USD 10.6 |
| S&P 500 fees (CFD) i | 0.4 points | 0.59 points |
| Gold fees (CFD) i | 0.3 points | 0.89 points |
| Bitcoin fees (CFD) i | USD 36 | |
| US stocks fees (CFD) i | USD 0.02 | Free |
| Fees on stocks | ||
| Stock fee type i | Commission | Free, Percentage |
| 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 | Free |
| 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 IG Markets and with XTB in United Kingdom, and of how many instruments each one gives access to.IG Markets is better than XTB for CFD/FX markets, as IG Markets gives access to 17,000 tradable symbols (against XTB's 5,200), offers futures on indices and commodities, which XTB does not, and offers options on commodities, forex, indices and stocks, which XTB does not. Both IG Markets and XTB offer CFDs on commodities, forex, indices and stocks.
IG Markets is better than XTB for real stock markets, as IG Markets gives access to 17,000 tradable symbols (against XTB's 5,200), offers futures on indices and commodities, which XTB does not, and offers options on commodities, forex, indices and stocks, which XTB does not. Both IG Markets and XTB offer CFDs on commodities, forex, indices and stocks.
| Section score | IG Markets 100 Best 100 Best | XTB 65 -35 45 -55 |
|---|---|---|
| Total tradable symbols i | 17,000 | 5,200 |
| 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 | Bonds, ETF, Stocks |
Platform
What we compare A comparison of the trading platforms that IG Markets and XTB make available to their clients in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than XTB for platforms, since IG Markets offers MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4 and AutoChartist, which XTB does not. Both IG Markets and XTB offer a proprietary platform and TradingView.
| Section score | IG Markets 91 Best 91 Best | XTB 86 -5 86 -5 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 IG Markets and XTB in United Kingdom, and of what each one lets you do from your phone.IG Markets is better than XTB for mobile trading, given that IG Markets offers the MetaTrader 5 app, the MetaTrader 4 app and mobile trading signals, which XTB does not. IG Markets and XTB both offer a proprietary mobile app and mobile price alerts.
| Section score | IG Markets 93 Best 93 Best | XTB 67 -26 67 -26 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 IG Markets and XTB allow on their platforms in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than XTB for CFD/FX trading features, given that IG Markets has less slippage, at 11% (against XTB's 28.05%), and offers guaranteed stop losses and tier-1 liquidity providers, which XTB does not. Both IG Markets and XTB offer negative balance protection and trailing stops.
IG Markets is better than XTB for real stock trading features, since IG Markets has less slippage, at 11% (against XTB's 28.05%), and offers fractional shares and tier-1 liquidity providers, which XTB does not. IG Markets and XTB both offer trailing stops and API access.
| Section score | IG Markets 89 Best 92 Best | XTB 75 -14 74 -18 |
|---|---|---|
| Trade execution | ||
| Broker type i | Agency | NDD |
| Average execution time i | 14 ms | 6 ms |
| Slippage occurrence i | 11% | 28.05% |
| 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 0 | 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 IG Markets and at XTB in United Kingdom, and of who each one is meant for.XTB is better than IG Markets for CFD/FX account types, as XTB offers an Islamic account, a micro account and a swap-free account, which IG Markets does not. IG Markets and XTB both offer a demo account and a professional traders account.
XTB is better than IG Markets for real stock account types, because XTB offers a stock investing account, which IG Markets does not. IG Markets and XTB both offer a demo account and a standard account.
| Section score | IG Markets 46 -4 29 -20 | XTB 50 Best 49 Best |
|---|---|---|
| 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 IG Markets and with XTB in United Kingdom.XTB is better than IG Markets for account opening, as XTB offers 2 account base currencies (against IG Markets' 1), has no minimum withdrawal (against IG Markets' 100 USD), and offers local payment methods, which IG Markets does not. Neither IG Markets nor XTB requires a minimum deposit.
| Section score | IG Markets 62 -3 62 -3 | XTB 65 Best 65 Best |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit i | USD 0 | USD 0 |
| Minimum withdrawal i | USD 100 | USD 0 |
| Wire transfers i | ||
| Credit cards i | ||
| Debit cards i | ||
| eWallets i | ||
| Local payment methods i | ||
| Account base currencies i | GBP | EUR, USD |
| Deposit waiting time i | Instant | Instant |
| Withdrawal waiting time i | up to 1 business days | up to 3 business days |
| Bonus program i |
Customer care
What we compare A comparison of the customer support of IG Markets and XTB in United Kingdom, in how it can be reached and how fast it answers.IG Markets is better than XTB for customer care, given that IG Markets offers customer support in 12 languages (against XTB's 10), and offers a dedicated account manager, which XTB does not. IG Markets and XTB both offer phone support and live chat.
| Section score | IG Markets 78 Best 78 Best | XTB 62 -16 62 -16 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of languages supported i | 12 | 14 |
| Website languages i | Arabic, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish | Arabic, Czech, German, English, French, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovenian, Spanish, Turkish, Chinese |
| Website available in English i | ||
| Customer support languages i | Arabic, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish | Arabic, Greek, English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Chinese |
| 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 IG Markets and XTB provide to their clients in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than XTB for learning, since IG Markets offers professional reports, which XTB does not. Both IG Markets and XTB offer education for advanced traders and webinars.
| Section score | IG Markets 100 Best 100 Best | XTB 88 -12 88 -12 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
IG Markets vs XTB: which one should you choose?
IG Markets
CFD/FX Choose IG Markets if you want a CFD and forex broker with low trading costs, a wide choice of markets and a guaranteed stop loss.
Stocks Choose IG Markets if you want a broker for securities investing with a wide choice of markets and a guaranteed stop loss.
Open Account 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
XTB
CFD/FX Choose XTB if you want an online CFD broker with fast execution and a range of assets to own.
Stocks Choose XTB if you want a stock brokerage service with fast execution, and with bonds and ETFs to own.
Open Account 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.Other popular comparisons
Below are other head-to-head comparisons that include IG Markets or XTB, each scored with the same data and method as this page.
