In this head to head comparison of IG vs FOREX.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let’s dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Regulation
IG and FOREX.com are both prominent players in the online brokerage space, each with decades of experience in the industry, as IG was established in 1974 and FOREX.com in 1999. Both companies are publicly traded, which means they have to meet certain standards for financial transparency. However, only IG operates as a bank, while FOREX.com does not. This distinction can be important for traders who prioritize the security of dealing with a banking institution.
When it comes to regulatory credibility, IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, while FOREX.com is close behind with 7 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 licenses. This signals a high level of trust for both platforms. Indeed, each company has earned a perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, indicating they are both highly trusted brokers. This level of regulatory adherence ensures that investors can feel secure when trading with either platform.
| Feature | Visit Site | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded info | 1974 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) info | Yes | Yes |
| Bank info | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses info | 8 | 7 |
| Tier-2 Licenses info | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses info | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses info | 1 | 1 |
Fees
IG and FOREX.com both publish clear pricing, but IG generally comes out cheaper for high-volume traders. IG’s Forex Direct (DMA) pricing averaged a 0.62-pip spread on EUR/USD in July 2023, and at the top commission tier the all-in cost is about 0.82 pips. FOREX.com can look pricier in the U.S. on its Standard account, while its RAW Spread account narrows the spread but adds a commission that can make total costs similar to the Standard plan unless you trade big monthly volumes. Ratings and rankings: IG — 5.0/5 stars, ranked #7 of 63 for Commissions and Fees; FOREX.com — 4.5/5 stars, ranked #15 of 63 for Commissions and Fees.
IG offers spread-only CFD pricing and a commission-based DMA route. Typical CFD spreads during the main session averaged 0.69 pips in July 2023 (0.98 pips across the full day; IG US averaged 1.18 on EUR/USD). Active-trader rebates on the CFD side can cut spreads by 10% to 20% for professionals trading £50m–£300m+ per month. The DMA Forex Direct account (minimum £1,000) uses tiered commissions; with average spreads of 0.62 pips and top-tier commission equivalent to 0.2 pips round-turn, the effective cost can land near 0.82 pips on EUR/USD. This combination makes IG especially appealing to frequent or large-order traders (5.0/5 stars; #7/63).
FOREX.com provides several account types. In the U.S., the Standard account averaged about 1.4 pips on EUR/USD (July 2023), while outside the U.S. average EUR/USD spreads were about 0.74 pips. The RAW Spread account posts typical spreads near 0.13 pips (February 2024) plus a $7 per lot commission (about 0.7 pips), with six rebate tiers that return $2–$9 per million. Unless you trade more than $50m per month, the RAW account’s all-in cost often mirrors the Standard account for U.S. clients; very high volumes can unlock better effective pricing. Overall: 4.5/5 stars; #15/63 for Commissions and Fees.
| Feature | Visit Site | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit info | £1 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) – Standard account info | 0.91 info | 1.00 info |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD – Active info | 0.82 info | 1.13 info |
| Non-wire bank transfer info | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info | Yes | Yes |
Range of investments
IG vs FOREX.com: when it comes to range of investments, IG offers a wider selection. IG lists 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, while FOREX.com provides 5,500 symbols and 80 forex pairs. Both support forex trading as CFDs or spot, and both let you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international markets (think Apple on NASDAQ and Vodafone in London). Neither broker offers copy trading.
For crypto, IG lets you buy actual cryptocurrencies as well as trade crypto CFDs; FOREX.com offers crypto CFDs but not actual coins. Both earn 5 stars for Range of Investments, with IG ranked #4 of 63 brokers and FOREX.com ranked #6. If you want the widest variety and the option to own crypto directly, IG has the edge; FOREX.com still covers a large lineup that suits many traders.
| Feature | Visit Site | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) info | 19537 | 5500 info |
| Forex Pairs (Total) info | 97 | 80 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) info | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading info | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info | Yes info | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker’s U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker’s U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Trading platforms and tools
IG and FOREX.com cover the essentials for platform choice and ease of use. Both offer free paper trading with a demo account, their own proprietary platforms, a Windows-based desktop download, and a web-based (browser) platform. MetaTrader users are welcome at either broker, with support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can place trades directly from charts on both. Neither broker offers copy trading. For charting and watchlists, each provides a variety of indicators and customization options to suit different trading styles.
According to ForexBrokers.com, both IG and FOREX.com earn 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In this category, IG ranks #1 out of 63 brokers, while FOREX.com ranks #5. If you want the top-ranked overall platform experience, IG stands out. If you prefer a similar feature set with strong tools and the same access to MT4/MT5 plus demo trading across web and desktop, FOREX.com is also an excellent pick.
| Feature | Visit Site | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) info | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) info | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform info | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading info | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info | Yes | Yes |
| Charting – Indicators / Studies (Total) info | 33 | 90 |
| Charting – Trade From Chart info | Yes | Yes |
Forex trading apps
IG and FOREX.com both deliver well-rounded mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts for stocks and forex, watchlist syncing with your online account, drawing trendlines on charts, and automatically saving your chart drawings so they’re ready when you return—making it easy to move between devices without losing your work.
For charting depth, FOREX.com offers 90 technical studies in its mobile app, while IG offers 33. Both apps earn 5 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 63 brokers, IG is #1 for Mobile Trading Apps and FOREX.com is #2, so the choice often comes down to IG’s top-ranked experience versus FOREX.com’s larger library of indicators.