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 vs Interactive Brokers: for UK investors comparing account investment choices, both brokers offer share trading, ETFs, crypto trading, CFDs, and investment trusts. Neither provides advisor services. Spread betting is not specified in the information provided.
The key difference is breadth: IG does not offer funds or bonds (corporate or UK gilts), while Interactive Brokers does offer funds and both corporate and government bonds. Both earn 5/5 for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com, though Interactive Brokers ranks #1 of 21 brokers and IG ranks #6. If you need funds or bonds alongside shares, ETFs, crypto, and CFDs, Interactive Brokers covers more; for core markets, either platform works.
| Feature |
IG
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Interactive Brokers
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|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| 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
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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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Both online broker IG and Interactive Brokers offer crypto trading, giving investors the flexibility to trade digital assets on either platform.
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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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Fidelity offers thousands of investments and also offers financial advice for those wanting direction. My view is that Fidelity is most suited to traditional investors who hold a range of accounts through the platform.
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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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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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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.
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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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Trade U.K. and U.S. shares commission-free with CMC Invest. Backed by CMC Markets. Explore if it’s the right app for your portfolio today.
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Elizabeth Anderson Dec 5, 2023Select 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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