Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Trading 212, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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, Trading 212 offers better pricing than IG for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £1 per year.
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.
In the UK, both IG and Trading 212 offer a range of investment options, each providing a reliable platform for investors seeking diverse choices. IG and Trading 212 both facilitate share trading, ETF, and CFD trading, ensuring that those interested in these popular assets are well catered for. Additionally, both brokers allow investment in trusts, providing even more opportunities for building a diverse portfolio. However, the specific offerings in areas like crypto trading, spread betting, and bond trading remain unspecified, which could be a consideration for more specialized investors.
When assessed by UK.StockBrokers.com, IG and Trading 212 each receive an impressive 4.5-star rating for their investment choices, signaling a high level of satisfaction among users. However, IG is ranked slightly higher at #11 out of 21 brokers compared to Trading 212, which holds the #16 position. This ranking suggests IG may have a slight edge in certain areas, while both platforms undoubtedly offer strong options for UK investors aiming to make informed decisions on their financial journey.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | ||
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
In comparing IG and Trading 212, both brokers offer impressive trading tools for UK investors. IG allows users to display corporate events like earnings and dividends directly on their charts, a feature that Trading 212 seems to lack. When it comes to charting tools, Trading 212 takes the lead with 27 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, while IG provides 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators. Both platforms allow users to add notes to charts, which makes it convenient for personal record-keeping and strategy planning.
Both IG and Trading 212 offer browser-based trading platforms, making it easy for traders to access market data and make trades from virtually any computer. Also, price alerts and real-time market data are available with both brokers, ensuring traders are always up to speed with market fluctuations. This means that while IG might be preferred for those who need corporate event markers on charts, Trading 212 could be better suited for traders who rely heavily on technical analysis due to its wider range of charting tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 106 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 27 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
In the UK, both IG and Trading 212 provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) as a tax-efficient way to invest and save for the future. IG goes a step further by offering a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), catering to those planning for retirement through flexible pension investing. This gives IG an edge over Trading 212, which does not currently offer SIPP accounts. While both platforms allow for innovative ISA investing options, IG's additional SIPP offering presents a wider choice for those looking to manage their retirement planning directly through an online broker.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking seamless trading on the go, both IG and Trading 212 offer highly-rated mobile apps available for both iPhone and Android users. Ranked by UK.StockBrokers.com, IG stands out at #2 among 21 brokers, while Trading 212 follows closely at #3, showcasing their commitment to user-friendly mobile trading. Each app has earned a perfect 5-star rating, reflecting high user satisfaction and reliable performance. Whether you choose IG or Trading 212, both provide strong options for mobile trading, empowering users to trade efficiently from their mobile devices.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors between IG and Trading 212, IG stands out as a prime choice for UK investors. IG offers live educational webinars that are also archived for anytime access, while Trading 212 does not provide this service. Both platforms cover share trading education, but Trading 212 extends its resources further by including information about funds, an area IG doesn’t cover. However, IG shines in retirement education, a topic Trading 212 overlooks. Ranked #1 for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com, IG is highly rated with 5 stars, compared to Trading 212's #13 ranking and 4-star rating. Overall, IG provides a more comprehensive educational experience for novice investors.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, IG and Trading 212 have distinct offerings suitable for UK investors seeking insights into different investment products. IG provides research reports for funds, making it a useful option for those interested in fund-specific insights, whereas Trading 212 does not offer such reports. On the other hand, Trading 212 allows users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available on IG. Both brokers excel in offering research on shares, ETFs, and CFDs, supporting investors looking to explore these asset types. However, neither IG nor Trading 212 provides research for funds or bonds, which may be a consideration for those seeking comprehensive asset coverage.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Trading 212? 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.
| Feature |
IG
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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IG provides extensive online trading services but does not currently offer cryptocurrency trading, whereas Trading 212 includes cryptocurrency options, making it a versatile choice for investors interested in crypto assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Review | IG Review | Trading 212 Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Funds | |||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | |||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | |||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | ||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 - £8 | 0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 - £8 | 0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 106 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 27 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | |||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
| Education | IG | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | Trading 212 | |
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| Website |
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| Review | IG Review | Trading 212 Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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