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Comparison · IG vs Interactive Brokers
IG publishes EUR/USD from 0.6 pips with no commission; Interactive Brokers publishes no spread in pips and charges a commission set in basis points of the trade. Both hold FCA authorisation for UK clients. Terms below are the brokers’ own, checked 19 Oct 2026.
Low Spread Brokers does not give personal investment advice.
Quick answer
IG is a CFD and spread betting broker with a published EUR/USD minimum of 0.6 pips, or $6.00 of spread per standard lot. Interactive Brokers is a multi-asset broker that quotes interbank prices plus a commission in basis points, so its forex cost cannot be put in pips from published data. Choose by what you trade: spread bets, MT4/MT5 or TradingView point to IG; trading exchange-listed assets alongside FX points to Interactive Brokers.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
8.0/10
Fits: UK spread bets and CFDs from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD, with MT4, MT5, TradingView, API, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer
70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (IG Markets Ltd / IG Index Ltd (UK)).
6.2/10
Fits: forex next to exchange-traded assets in one account, with no minimum deposit ($0)
58.9% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited).
| Published term | IG | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary score | 8.0/10 | 6.2/10 |
| Minimum deposit | £1 | $0 |
| Lowest EUR/USD spread published | 0.6 pips (UK spread bet/CFD, 19 Oct 2026) | Not measured |
| Commission | 0 GBP per lot per side | Not published |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary, API, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer | proprietary |
| Account types | Standard, Demo, Spread betting, Professional | Standard, Demo |
| Funding methods | Debit card, Credit card, Bank transfer | Bank wire, ACH (US), Direct ACH (US), Check (US), Online Bill Pay (US), Wise balance transfer, USDC stablecoin (USD) |
| Regulators and licence numbers, as published | FCA 195355, FCA 114059, FCA 944492, BaFin 148759, ASIC AFSL 515106, FMA Not published, FINMA Not published, MAS Not published, DFSA F001780, JFSA Not published, FSCA Not published, BMA Not published, CFTC/NFA NFA ID 0509630 | SEC / CFTC Not published, FCA 208159, DFSA F008423, Central Bank of Ireland C423427, ASIC AFSL 453554, CIRO Not published, MAS CMS100917, JFSA Kanto Local Finance Bureau Registration No. 187, SFC Hong Kong Not published |
| Max. retail leverage, by company | 1:30 (major FX, retail; margin 3.33% on EUR/USD, GBP/USD) (FCA) · 1:30 (major FX spread bets, retail; margin 3.33%) (FCA) | 1:30 (major FX CFDs, retail: ESMA-style minimum initial margin 3.33%; 5% other pairs) (FCA) · Leverage limits per CBI CFD rules (Aug 2019) for retail; ESMA minimum margin 3.33% major FX (1:30) per CFD margin page (Central Bank of Ireland) |
| Retail loss rate, first company listed | 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (IG Markets Ltd / IG Index Ltd (UK)). | 58.9% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited). |
Preliminary scores from published data, 0–10 per criterion. IG scores higher on platforms and accounts; regulation is level. Interactive Brokers shows 0 on costs because it publishes no EUR/USD spread in pips: that bar compares a figure with a gap, not two costs. Research and support are not scored for either yet.
IGInteractive Brokers
IG’s cost from its published spread. Interactive Brokers has no row: it publishes no EUR/USD spread in pips and sets its commission in basis points of trade value, so we cannot price a lot from its pages.
| Broker | Account | Spread | Commission | Per lot, round turn | 20 lots a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IG | UK spread bet/CFD | 0.6 pips from · 19 Oct 2026 | £0.00 | $6.00 | $120.00 |
Spread × $10 per pip for one standard lot of EUR/USD, at the published minimum. Real spreads are often wider; swaps and conversion fees are not included.
The answer turns on what else you trade and how you want to see your costs.
IG’s accounts in our data are CFD, spread betting and professional accounts. Interactive Brokers is a multi-asset broker: forex, CFDs and exchange-traded assets in one account.
IG puts the whole cost in the spread, from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD. Interactive Brokers charges a commission in basis points on interbank prices; check its fee page for your trade size before comparing.
IG offers MT4, MT5, TradingView, API, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer besides its own platform. Interactive Brokers lists only its own software in our data, so a MetaTrader expert advisor will not run there.
In the UK: IG Markets Ltd (FRN 195355), IG Index Ltd (FRN 114059) and IG Trading and Investments Ltd (FRN 944492) at IG, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited (FRN 208159) at Interactive Brokers. IBKR states that UK accounts are cleared and carried by Interactive Brokers LLC in the US, a SIPC member. Check both FCA numbers on the register yourself.
Brokers with an FCA-authorised company for UK residents, lowest published minimum deposit first; ties broken by the overall score. Deposits are in each broker’s own currency.
76.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (OANDA Europe Limited).
69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (CMC Markets UK plc).
61% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Saxo Capital Markets UK Ltd).
Methodology v1 · preliminary scores
Both brokers are scored by the same formula from their published terms. We have not opened live accounts with either, so no figure on this page is a test result.
Partner status and advertising. We have no affiliate or advertising agreements with brokers.
Published spreads behind the scores
| Checked | Quote | Spread |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 2026 | EUR/USD, UK spread bet/CFD account, IG | 0.6 pips |
| 19 Oct 2026 | EUR/USD, Spread-only (OANDA Europe Limited, UK) account, OANDA | 0.6 pips |
| 19 Oct 2026 | EUR/USD, FX Active account, CMC Markets | 0.0 pips |
Risk warning:
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money.
Low Spread Brokers does not give personal investment advice.
FAQ
Answers use the brokers’ published terms collected up to 19 Oct 2026. Terms change: check the broker’s own page before you trade.
Ask a questionWe cannot give personal investment advice.
It cannot be settled from published data. IG publishes EUR/USD from 0.6 pips with no commission, about $6.00 per standard lot at the minimum. Interactive Brokers publishes no spread in pips and charges a commission in basis points of trade value, so the comparison depends on your trade size; use its fee page with your own numbers.
Data collected up to 19 Oct 2026
Yes. UK clients sign with Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited (FRN 208159), as the broker publishes it; check the number on the FCA Register. Interactive Brokers says UK accounts are cleared and carried by Interactive Brokers LLC (US, SIPC member) and that the FSCS covers its products only in limited circumstances.
Data collected up to 19 Oct 2026
Not according to our data: Interactive Brokers lists one standard account type and no spread betting. IG offers spread betting to UK residents through IG Index Ltd.
Data collected up to 19 Oct 2026
IG lists Tier 1 companies with FCA, BaFin, ASIC, FINMA, MAS, DFSA and JFSA; Interactive Brokers with SEC / CFTC, FCA, DFSA, Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, CIRO, MAS and JFSA. The count matters less than which company accepts residents of your country.
Data collected up to 19 Oct 2026
Both publish 1:30 on major forex pairs for UK retail clients, the FCA cap, which is 3.33% margin. Lower caps apply to minor pairs, indices, commodities and shares.
Data collected up to 19 Oct 2026
As of 19 Oct 2026, Interactive Brokers publishes 58.9% of retail CFD accounts losing money at Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited; IG publishes 70% at IG Markets Ltd / IG Index Ltd (UK). The figure describes the clients and the products they trade, not the broker’s safety.
Data collected up to 19 Oct 2026
Broker pages the figures on this page come from, with the date we copied them.
Licence numbers, leverage and loss rates of IG and Interactive Brokers sit in one table above.
CFDs are complex and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly.