Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs XTB, 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, XTB 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 XTB would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while XTB would cost £0 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 competitive online brokerage landscape, both IG and XTB provide a variety of investment choices tailored to meet diverse trading needs in the UK. IG allows you to trade in shares, ETFs, CFDs, and investment trusts, making it a versatile option for those keen on diversifying their portfolio. XTB, on the other hand, offers opportunities to trade shares, ETFs, and CFDs, providing a solid foundation for traders focused on these assets. Although both platforms enable crypto trading, IG stands out with its inclusion of investment trusts, giving users broader avenues for investment.
When it comes to ratings, both brokers receive a commendable 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices. However, IG is slightly ahead, ranking 11th out of 21 brokers, compared to XTB's 13th place. While neither platform ventured into spread betting, funds trading, or bonds, they each cater well to investors looking to engage in dynamic trading activities. Whether you're inclined towards IG's more comprehensive offerings or XTB's focused approach, both brokers present compelling options for online investors in the UK.
| Feature |
IG
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | 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.
When comparing IG and XTB for trading tools, both brokers offer the convenience of displaying corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, adding depth to your analysis. IG provides 19 drawing tools while XTB slightly edges out with 20, offering a bit more variety for artistic chart annotations. When it comes to technical indicators, XTB again takes the lead with a total of 39 options, compared to IG's 33, giving traders a wider range of analytical capabilities. Both platforms allow the addition of notes directly on charts, further enhancing the trader's ability to personalize their trading experience.
Both IG and XTB support browser-based trading platforms, ensuring seamless access from anywhere without software installation. Adding to their stalwart offerings, both brokers enable traders to create alerts for stock price updates and provide real-time market data, ensuring that investors are equipped with the latest information to make informed decisions. While both cater well to their users' needs, XTB's slightly richer feature set in terms of drawing tools and technical indicators might appeal to traders looking for a bit more flexibility in their analysis.
| Feature |
IG
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 39 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
For UK investors considering retirement accounts, both IG and XTB offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), providing tax-efficient savings options. IG further extends its offering with Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) accounts, allowing for broader retirement planning flexibility. Meanwhile, XTB offers ISAs but does not provide a SIPP option, making IG a more comprehensive choice for those seeking extensive retirement account offerings.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK traders evaluating mobile platforms, both IG and XTB offer applications compatible with iPhone and Android devices, ensuring accessibility on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG's mobile app excels with a rating of 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 21 evaluated brokers, highlighting its superior performance and user satisfaction. In comparison, XTB boasts a commendable 4.5-star rating and holds the #6 spot, offering a reliable option but falling slightly behind IG in both score and rank. Both brokers provide strong solutions for mobile trading, with IG taking a slight edge in overall user experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educating beginner investors, IG and XTB offer distinct resources that can cater to different learning preferences. IG provides a comprehensive suite of educational webinars that can be accessed anytime, ensuring flexibility for new learners. These webinars cover crucial topics such as share trading and retirement planning, making it a strong choice for UK investors keen on broadening their financial knowledge. XTB, on the other hand, offers resources on share trading but does not provide webinars or information on aspects like funds or retirement. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG stands out with a top rating of 5 stars for beginner education, securing the number one spot among 21 brokers, while XTB receives a respectable 4.5 stars, placing it at ninth. Thus, for a beginner investor in the UK, IG may offer a more comprehensive educational platform compared to XTB.
| Feature |
IG
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online brokers IG and XTB, UK investors may find varying degrees of support for their needs. IG provides research reports for funds, a feature that XTB lacks. On the other hand, XTB allows users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, an option not available with IG. Both brokers offer research on shares, ETFs, and CFDs, catering to diverse investor interests. However, neither IG nor XTB offers dedicated research for funds or bonds. This comparison highlights the importance of aligning broker capabilities with individual investment strategies and preferences.
| Feature |
IG
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 XTB? 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
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XTB
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|---|---|---|
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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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While IG provides crypto trading options to its clients, XTB also offers the ability to trade cryptocurrencies, making both platforms viable choices for investors interested in crypto assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | IG Review | XTB Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Spread Betting | Yes | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | IG | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| 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 | N/A | |
| 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 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 39 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | IG | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | |||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | XTB | |
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| Review | IG Review | XTB Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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