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 for UK investors: IG lets you trade shares, ETFs, CFDs, crypto, and investment trusts, but does not offer funds, corporate bonds, gilts, or adviser services. Halifax, by contrast, does not offer share trading, crypto, or CFDs, but does offer ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds (gilts), investment trusts, and adviser services.
Both brokers earn 5 stars for Investment Choices from UK.StockBrokers.com; however, Halifax ranks 7th out of 21 while IG ranks 11th out of 21. In short, IG suits those focused on trading markets like shares, ETFs, CFDs, and crypto, while Halifax better fits investors who want funds, bonds, investment trusts, and advice.
| Feature |
IG
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| 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.
Comparing IG vs Halifax for trading tools in the UK, IG clearly leads on charting and analysis. IG lets you display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts; Halifax does not. IG provides 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators, while Halifax offers none. IG also allows you to add notes to charts and apply both index and stock overlays, features that Halifax lacks.
On the platform side, both IG and Halifax offer browser-based trading and let you set price alerts. However, IG includes real-time market data, whereas Halifax does not—useful if you want up-to-the-minute prices when planning and tracking trades.
| Feature |
IG
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| 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.
For UK investors seeking a reliable mobile trading experience, IG and Halifax both provide iPhone and Android apps to manage investments on the go. IG's app significantly outshines its counterpart, securing a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, while Halifax's app receives a more modest 3.5 stars. In a ranking of 21 brokers for mobile app performance, IG impressively claims the #2 spot, demonstrating its superior functionality and user satisfaction, whereas Halifax lags behind at #18. This comparison highlights IG's commitment to delivering a top-tier mobile trading platform compared to Halifax's offering.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
IG vs Halifax: For UK beginner investor education, IG stands out by offering live client webinars with on-demand replays, while Halifax provides no webinars. Both lack dedicated share trading education, but IG adds helpful content on funds and retirement that Halifax doesn’t. Independent reviews echo this gap—UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG 5 stars and ranks it #1 of 21 brokers for beginner education, compared with Halifax at 3.5 stars and #18—making IG the clearer pick for learning resources.
| Feature |
IG
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
UK investors comparing IG and Halifax for market research will find IG offers shares and ETF research, fund research reports, and a portfolio allocation by asset class view, but it lacks a broader funds research section and has no bond research. Halifax also delivers shares and ETF research and adds broad funds and bond research, yet it does not include dedicated fund research reports or an allocation breakdown. Choose IG for allocation tracking and fund reports; pick Halifax for bonds and wider funds coverage.
| Feature |
IG
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £9.5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website 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 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | IG | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| 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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