Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Interactive Brokers, 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 Interactive Brokers 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 and Interactive Brokers both give UK investors access to share trading, ETFs, CFDs and investment trusts, so each platform covers the main markets many people want in an account. Neither broker offers crypto trading or spread betting here, and neither provides advisor services. For many everyday investors, that means the choice comes down to the rest of the range and how each account fits your goals.
Where Interactive Brokers pulls ahead is in product range: it also offers funds, corporate bonds and government bonds (gilts), while IG does not. That broader selection helps explain why Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 out of 21 for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com, compared with IG at #6, even though both are rated 5 stars out of 5 for investment choices.
| Feature |
IG
|
Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK traders comparing IG vs Interactive Brokers, both offer browser-based platforms with charts that show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends). Each lets you add notes, apply index and stock overlays, and set price alerts—handy for keeping on top of moves without staring at the screen.
The standout difference is charting depth: Interactive Brokers includes 85 drawing tools and 155 technical indicators, while IG has 19 drawing tools and 33 indicators. However, IG provides real-time market data, and Interactive Brokers does not in this comparison—important if you trade fast-moving markets. Choose Interactive Brokers for a wider range of studies, or IG if live data is your priority.
| Feature |
IG
|
Interactive Brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 155 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 85 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
For UK investors exploring online brokers with retirement account options, both IG and Interactive Brokers present compelling choices. IG provides Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), offering flexible solutions for tax-efficient savings and retirement planning. Similarly, Interactive Brokers caters to UK investors by also offering ISAs and SIPPs, thus enabling users to strategically manage their investments and retirement funds. Both platforms grant access to these essential accounts, allowing investors to maximize their savings potential while planning for the future.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK traders comparing IG and Interactive Brokers on mobile, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, and each earns a 5-star mobile app rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, in the latest Mobile Apps ranking, IG places higher at #2 out of 21 brokers, while Interactive Brokers comes in at #5. If you prioritise app experience alongside platform choice, IG edges it on ranking, though both deliver top-rated apps on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing IG vs Interactive Brokers, both brokers run client webinars and archive them to watch on demand. IG covers funds and retirement but does not offer dedicated share trading education, while Interactive Brokers includes guides on share trading as well as funds and retirement. UK.StockBrokers.com rates both at 5 stars for beginner education; however, IG is ranked #1 out of 21 brokers, versus Interactive Brokers at #4. If share trading lessons matter most, Interactive Brokers has the edge; for overall guidance, IG leads the field.
| Feature |
IG
|
Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Interactive Brokers for UK investors: both offer research reports for funds and let you see portfolio allocation by asset class, plus shares and ETF research. Interactive Brokers goes further with dedicated funds research and bonds research, while IG lacks those categories (despite providing fund reports). If you want wider market research across shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds in one place, Interactive Brokers has the edge; if you mainly need shares and ETF research with clear allocation tools, IG will suit.
| Feature |
IG
|
Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Interactive Brokers? 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 and Interactive Brokers both offer crypto trading, but availability, supported assets, and trading conditions can differ by region, so traders should compare each broker’s crypto access, fees, and platform features before choosing one.
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Bestinvest appeals to a wide range of investors. Fees are competitive, particularly if you invest in funds or US shares, and investment options are extensive.
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Hargreaves Lansdown offers top research and a quality app but higher fees. Learn more about its features and if it’s right for your portfolio.
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Capital.com is a U.K. broker primarily known for CFDs (contracts for difference) and spread betting. While it previously offered the chance to buy and sell shares commission-free, you can no longer buy shares directly through Capital.com. Trading is limited to an unleveraged CFD account.
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Interactive Investor offers flat fees, wide investment choice, and strong research tools. See who ii is best for and whether it’s the right platform for you.
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Robinhood is great for trading US stocks and for beginners who want to learn the basics without worrying about small trades being swallowed up by hefty fees.
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IG is a trading platform for experienced investors, offering shares, ETFs, spread betting, and CFDs on an easy-to-use interface.
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XTB’s low fees and solid education make it ideal for new investors. Learn more about its features and drawbacks in our full XTB review.
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Charles Stanley Direct is an online investment platform where you can invest in a wide range of products, including stocks and ETFs, using various accounts like tax-advantaged ISAs and SIPPs.
Elizabeth Anderson December 30, 2025Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Review | IG Review | Interactive Brokers Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £3 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £3 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £3 | |
| 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 | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £3 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £3 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | $30 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 155 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 85 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Education | IG | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Review | IG Review | Interactive Brokers Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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