Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Halifax, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Your capital is at risk.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, IG offers better pricing than Halifax for share dealing.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
IG vs Halifax: both brokers let you buy and sell shares, ETFs, and investment trusts. IG also offers crypto trading and CFDs, which Halifax does not. Halifax counters with access to funds plus corporate bonds and government bonds (gilts), none of which are available with IG, and it also provides adviser services, which IG lacks.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG is rated 5 stars and ranks 6th out of 21 for investment choices, while Halifax is rated 4.5 stars and ranks 8th. In simple terms, choose IG if you want crypto or CFD trading alongside share dealing and ETFs; pick Halifax if you want funds, bonds, or adviser support within your account.
| Feature |
IG
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
IG vs Halifax: For charting and trading tools, IG shows corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) directly on charts and supports both index and stock overlays, plus notes on charts. It provides 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators, along with a browser-based platform, price alerts, and real-time market data. Halifax also offers a browser-based platform, price alerts, and notes on charts, but it does not display corporate events on charts, lacks index and stock overlays, and does not provide real-time market data. Its drawing tools total 8.
If you value more technical indicators, Halifax lists 95 compared with IG’s 33. If you prefer live pricing, on-chart corporate events, and extra context from index and stock overlays, IG may feel more complete for day-to-day trading in the UK.
| Feature |
IG
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 95 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
For UK investors looking into retirement account options, both IG and Halifax present viable choices with similar offerings. Both brokers provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), allowing for tax-efficient saving and investment for retirement. IG and Halifax cater to those prioritizing tax benefits and flexibility in their retirement planning. Whether choosing IG or Halifax, you can benefit from the availability of ISAs and SIPPs to support your long-term financial goals. Comparing these two brokers, you’ll find the assurance of accessible retirement solutions tailored for UK investors.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
IG and Halifax both offer iPhone and Android trading apps, but their mobile performance differs: UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG’s app 5 stars and ranks it #2 out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Halifax’s app holds 3.5 stars and ranks #15. For UK investors comparing online brokers, these results suggest IG delivers a higher-rated mobile experience, whereas Halifax provides a simpler option for everyday use.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK, IG stands out on education: it runs client webinars and offers on-demand replays, while Halifax does not provide webinars. IG covers funds and retirement but not share trading; Halifax includes share trading alongside funds and retirement. Independent ratings back this up—UK.StockBrokers.com gives IG 5/5 stars and a #1 ranking out of 21 brokers, versus Halifax’s 4/5 stars and #12 ranking. If live lessons and catch-up videos matter most, IG is the better pick; if you want guidance on share trading basics, Halifax has that topic covered.
| Feature |
IG
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
IG vs Halifax for UK market research: both brokers offer shares and ETF research, plus research reports for funds. IG also lets you view portfolio allocation by asset class, which Halifax does not. However, Halifax adds dedicated funds research and bonds research, while IG lacks bonds coverage and does not provide dedicated funds research. Choose IG if you want clear allocation insights; choose Halifax if you prefer wider coverage across funds and bonds.
| Feature |
IG
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Halifax? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
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IG
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Halifax
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In the IG vs Halifax online broker comparison, only IG offers cryptocurrency trading, while Halifax does not.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Halifax | |
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| Review | IG Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | IG | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | N/A | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £9.50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £9.50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Halifax | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 95 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | IG | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | IG | Halifax | |
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| Review | IG Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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