| Founded | 2008 | 1974 |
| Regulation | CySEC (Cyprus), FCA (UK), FSCA (South Africa), FSA (Seychelles) | FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), CFTC (US), MAS (Singapore), FINMA (Switzerland) |
| Market Instruments | Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Indices, Commodities, Metals | Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Indices, Commodities, Shares, ETFs, Bonds |
| Leverage | Up to 1:2000 (varies by account and region) | Up to 1:200 (varies by region) |
| Spread (EUR/USD) | From 0.1 pips (on Raw Spread accounts) | From 0.6 pips (on standard accounts) |
| Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Exness Terminal (Web-based) | IG Trading Platform (Web-based), MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer |
| Minimum Deposit | $10 (Standard account) | $250 (for non-US residents) |
| Account Types | Standard, Raw Spread, Zero, Pro | Spread Betting, CFD, Share Dealing, Forex Direct |
| Commission Fees | $3.5 per side for Raw Spread accounts | No commission on Forex, CFDs on shares may incur commission |
| Deposit Methods | Bank Wire, Credit/Debit Cards, e-wallets (Skrill, Neteller), Crypto | Bank Wire, Credit/Debit Cards, PayPal, Skrill |
| Withdrawal Methods | Bank Wire, Credit/Debit Cards, e-wallets (Skrill, Neteller), Crypto | Bank Wire, Credit/Debit Cards, PayPal, Skrill |
| Deposit Fees | No deposit fees | No deposit fees |
| Withdrawal Fees | No withdrawal fees (except for certain payment methods) | No withdrawal fees (except for international bank transfers) |
| Education | Webinars, Market Analysis, Articles, Economic Calendar | Webinars, Market Analysis, Articles, Trading Academy, IG Community |
| Demo Account | Yes | Yes |
| Customer Support | 24/7 Live Chat, Email, Phone | 24/5 Live Chat, Email, Phone |
| Regulated Regions | EU, UK, Asia, Africa | Global (with specific offerings for the US, UK, Australia, EU, and Asia) |
| Mobile Trading | Yes (via MetaTrader apps) | Yes (via IG mobile app, MetaTrader 4) |
| Social Trading | Yes (via copy trading services) | No direct social trading, but third-party integrations available |
| Additional Features | Instant withdrawals, Advanced risk management tools | Advanced charting, Professional account options, Direct market access for shares |
| Trading Instruments Count | Over 100+ | Over 17,000+ |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, and multiple others | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, and more |
| Cryptocurrency Trading | Yes (including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, etc.) | Yes (including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, etc.) |
| Execution Speed | Ultra-fast execution (typically <0.01 seconds) | Fast execution, but varies by market |
| Negative Balance Protection | Yes | Yes (for retail clients in regulated regions) |
| Order Types | Market, Limit, Stop, Stop Loss, Take Profit, Trailing Stops | Market, Limit, Stop, Stop Loss, Take Profit, Trailing Stops |
| Islamic (Swap-Free) Accounts | Yes (available for certain account types) | Yes (available for certain regions and account types) |
| Research Tools | Economic Calendar, Trading Signals, Market Sentiment Tools | Economic Calendar, Trading Signals, AutoChartist, Daily Reports |
| Risk Management Tools | Stop Out, Margin Call, Negative Balance Protection | Stop Out, Margin Call, Guaranteed Stop Losses (for a premium) |
| Trading Contests | Occasionally available | No trading contests |
| VPS Hosting | Yes (for free on certain account types) | Available for a fee |
| APIs for Algorithmic Trading | Yes (with support for MetaTrader API) | Yes (REST and FIX APIs for advanced traders) |
| Advanced Charting Tools | MetaTrader’s in-built advanced charting features | IG’s proprietary advanced charting tools, ProRealTime (for a fee) |
| Custom Indicators | Supports custom indicators (via MetaTrader) | Supports custom indicators (ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4) |
| Leverage Customization | Can customize leverage on certain account types | Leverage limits vary by region, no specific customization |
| Social Media Support | Active on multiple platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) | Active on multiple platforms (Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn) |
| Affiliate/IB Programs | Yes (various affiliate/introducer broker programs) | Yes (referral program and partnership options) |
| Webinars Frequency | Regular weekly webinars | Regular webinars and trading workshops |
| Security Features | 2-factor authentication, SSL encryption | 2-factor authentication, SSL encryption, segregation of funds |
| Customizable Interface | Yes (on MetaTrader platforms) | Yes (on IG’s platform, MetaTrader, ProRealTime) |
| Professional Accounts | Yes (offering higher leverage and lower margins for professionals) | Yes (professional accounts with added benefits like lower spreads) |
| Direct Market Access (DMA) | No | Yes (for professional clients on certain instruments like shares) |
| Corporate Accounts | Yes (offers accounts for businesses) | Yes (offers accounts for businesses and institutional clients) |
| Spreads on Major Indices | Variable spreads (starting from 0.1 points on indices) | Variable spreads (starting from 0.1 points on major indices) |
| Spreads on Commodities | Spreads from 0.1 pips (varies by commodity) | Spreads from 0.3 pips (varies by commodity) |
| Execution Model | Market execution | Market execution (with Direct Market Access on certain products) |
| Scalping & Hedging Allowed | Yes (scalping and hedging allowed) | Yes (scalping and hedging allowed) |
| Trading Hours | 24/5 trading (Forex and most markets) | 24/5 trading, extended hours for shares and indices |
| Weekend Trading | Limited (only crypto) | Yes, on cryptocurrencies, certain indices, and commodities |
| Tick Charts | Available via MetaTrader | Available via IG platform and MetaTrader 4 |
| Depth of Market (DOM) | No (basic order book depth in MetaTrader) | Yes (advanced DOM available for share CFDs and Forex Direct) |
| Volatility Protection | Available as part of risk management features | Yes, including guaranteed stop-loss (with premium charge) |
| Custom Margin Requirements | No | Yes (for professional accounts and certain products) |
| Auto Closeout Levels | Yes (when margin level reaches a threshold) | Yes (when margin level reaches a threshold) |
| Automated Trading Features | Fully supported on MetaTrader (EAs and custom scripts) | Supported via MetaTrader and ProRealTime |
| Support for Micro Lots | Yes (from 0.01 lots) | Yes (from 0.01 lots) |
| Order Placement Methods | One-click trading, pending orders, market execution | One-click trading, pending orders, market execution |
| Requotes | No requotes (due to market execution) | No requotes (with fast execution, DMA available for certain assets) |
| Slippage | Can occur during high volatility | Can occur during high volatility |
| Swap Rates (Overnight Fees) | Varies by instrument and account type, free for swap-free accounts | Varies by instrument, region, and account type |
| Interest on Free Margin | No | No |
| Client Base | Over 400,000 active clients globally | Over 239,000 active clients globally |
| Deposit Processing Time | Instant (for most methods) | Instant (for most methods) |
| Withdrawal Processing Time | Instant for most methods, up to 24 hours for bank transfers | Typically processed within 24 hours, varies by method |
| Asset Classes for DMA | N/A | Forex, Shares (for professional clients) |
| Multi-Currency Accounts | Yes (can hold multiple currencies in one account) | Yes (available for certain clients) |
| Fractional Share Trading | No | Yes (on certain shares and ETFs) |
| Tax Reporting Assistance | Basic transaction history reporting | Comprehensive tax reporting features, including capital gains report for share trading |
| Bonus & Promotions | Occasional promotions (varies by region) | Limited or no promotions due to strict regulatory compliance |
| User Experience on Mobile | Good (MetaTrader apps with decent customization) | Excellent (with proprietary IG app offering full platform functionality) |
| Backtesting Features | Available in MetaTrader (with EAs) | Available in ProRealTime (advanced backtesting tools) |
| API Documentation | Available (for traders using MetaTrader APIs) | Extensive API documentation for REST and FIX (advanced trading) |
| Spreads on Shares | Not available (only CFDs on shares) | Spreads starting from 0.1% on share CFDs |
| Partnership Programs | Yes (IBs, affiliates) | Yes (IBs, affiliates, white-label partnerships) |
| News Feed Integration | Yes (via MetaTrader and Exness Terminal) | Yes (via IG platform, including Reuters, DailyFX) |
| Chart Timeframes | Multiple timeframes (1 minute to 1 month in MetaTrader) | Multiple timeframes (including tick, second, minute, and daily charts) |
