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Rankings updated November 2026

CMC Markets vs IG

Your capital is at risk. Trade only with funds you can afford to lose.

CMC Markets

4.7/5

Argentina flag Doesn't accept traders from Argentina. See available CFD brokers

Not available in your countryRead CMC Markets review

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Rating breakdown

  • Regulation & trust4.80.4 higher than IG (4.4)
  • Assets & markets4.70.2 higher than IG (4.5)
  • Fees & costs4.30.7 lower than IG (5.0)
  • Platforms & tools4.30.5 lower than IG (4.8)
  • Accounts & banking4.50.5 higher than IG (4.0)
  • Education4.30.5 lower than IG (4.8)
  • Research4.50.4 lower than IG (4.9)
  • Customer support4.5same as IG (4.5)

IG’s score. Numbers show the difference.

IG

4.5/5

#23 in our CFD broker rankings

Argentina flag Accepts traders from Argentina

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Rating breakdown

  • Regulation & trust4.40.4 lower than CMC Markets (4.8)
  • Assets & markets4.50.2 lower than CMC Markets (4.7)
  • Fees & costs5.00.7 higher than CMC Markets (4.3)
  • Platforms & tools4.80.5 higher than CMC Markets (4.3)
  • Accounts & banking4.00.5 lower than CMC Markets (4.5)
  • Education4.80.5 higher than CMC Markets (4.3)
  • Research4.90.4 higher than CMC Markets (4.5)
  • Customer support4.5same as CMC Markets (4.5)

CMC Markets’s score. Numbers show the difference.

CMC Markets vs IG comparison table 2026
CMC MarketsIG
OverviewEstablished in 1989, CMC Markets is a respected broker listed on the London Stock Exchange and authorized by several tier-one regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CIRO. More than 1 million traders from around the world have signed up with the multi-award winning brokerage.Founded in 1974, IG is part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly traded (LSE: IGG) brokerage. The brand offers a top-tier selection of 17,000+ markets, with a range of user-friendly platforms and investing apps. For 50 years, IG has maintained its position as an industry leader, excelling in all key areas for traders.
Customer Reviews
4.5
Based on 4 customer reviews
4.3
Based on 3 customer reviews
Trustpilot Score
4.3
3.7
Comment by Reviewer“With advanced charting tools and an extensive range of tradable CFDs, including an almost unrivalled selection of currencies and custom indices, CMC Markets provides a fantastic online platform for traders of all levels. ”“IG continues to provide a comprehensive package with an intuitive web platform, best-in-class education for beginners, advanced charting tools bolstered by its recent TradingView integration, real-time data, and robust trade execution for experienced day traders.”
Pros
  • We've bumped up its 'Assets & Markets' rating after almost monthly product additions in 2025 and 2026, from extended hours trading on 5,000+ US stocks and ETFs to new share CFDs and certificates and warrants, plus fractional shares in some regions.
  • The brokerage continues to stand out with its wide range of value-add resources, including pattern recognition scanners, webinars, tutorials, news feeds, and research from respected sources like Morningstar.
  • CMC Funded available from October 2026, providing up to a $100k prop trading-style simulated account to traders looking to prove their skills on CMC's trading infrastructure with wide market access, including prediction markets.
  • CMC offers excellent pricing, including tight spreads and low trading fees for all but stock CFDs. The Alpha and Price+ schemes also offer perks for active traders with up to 40% discounts on spreads.
  • CMC Markets has added an AI News feature, using AI to surface and summarise market stories rather than place trades for you, hinting at where broker research tools are heading.
  • IG obtained a crypto asset license from the FCA, allowing it to re-enter the UK market to provide buying, selling and storing opportunities on 55+ digital tokens with fees from 1.49%, and all within an FCA-licensed environment.
  • The IG app offers a superb mobile trading experience with a clean design that helped it secure Runner Up at our 'Best Trading App' award.
  • IG is amongst the best in terms of its range of instruments, which includes stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies, plus added US-listed futures and options as well as an AI Index, providing diversification opportunities.
  • The ProRealTime advanced charting platform is free as long as certain modest monthly trading activity requirements are met.
  • IG offers an extensive collection of professional and engaging educational resources, including webinars, articles, and analysis.
Cons
  • Despite improvements, the web platform still requires enhancements to make it as intuitive to trade on as software from rivals like IG.
  • An inactivity fee of $15 per month is applied after 12 months of inactivity, which may deter casual investors.
  • The CMC Markets app offers the complete trading package but the design and user experience trails category leaders like eToro.
  • IG applies an inactivity fee of $12-$18 per month after 2 years, deterring casual investors.
  • Beginners might find IG’s fee structure complex, with various fees for different types of trades or services, potentially leading to confusion or unexpected charges.
  • IG has discontinued its swap-free account, reducing its appeal to Islamic traders.
Awards
  • Best Trading App 2023 - DayTrading.com
  • No.1 Platform Technology 2022
  • No.1 New Tool 2022
  • No.1 Most Currency Pairs 2022
  • Best Trade Execution 2021
  • Best Forex Broker For Beginners 2021
  • Most Transparent Forex Broker Europe 2020
  • Best Trading Platform 2020
  • Best Trading App 2019
  • Best Customer Service 2018
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InstrumentsCFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting, Certificates and Warrants (Germany and Austria)CFDs (not in US), Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting (UK only)
Demo AccountYesYes
Minimum Deposit$0$0
Trading Platforms
  • Web
  • MT4
  • MT5
  • TradingView
  • Web
  • L2 Dealer
  • MT4
  • TradingView
  • AutoChartist
  • TradingCentral
  • ProRealTime
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade0.01 Lots0.01 Lots
RegulatorFCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSACFTC, NFA, FCA, BaFin, ASIC, FINMA, MAS, JFSA, FMA, DFSA, BMA, CONSOB
Margin TradingYesYes
Margin Rate3.0%1.0% – 1.5% for Forex, 3.0% – 3.4% for Shares, Indices, and Commodities
STP AccountNoNo
ECN AccountNoNo
DMA AccountNoYes
MAM AccountNoNo
PAMM AccountNoNo
LAMM AccountNoNo
Demat AccountNoNo
AI / Machine LearningNoYes
Robo AdvisorNoYes
Negative Balance ProtectionYesYes
Market MakerYesYes
P2P TradingNoNo
Spot TradingYesYes
Mobile AppsiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
App ReviewThe award-winning app from CMC Markets has transformed mobile trading. The app's modern and customizable interface offers a unique user experience, distinct from competitors. Moreover, with its comprehensive charting capabilities featuring 25 technical indicators and 15 drawing tools, as well as its fast and stable trading environment, it's an exceptional choice for day traders.IG offers a superb all-round trading app. One of the pioneers of mobile trading, the application has been developed and refined over many years, meaning it is now among the best trading apps. Quick response, user-friendly layout, access to full charting and a stable and reliable application. It also offers guaranteed stops – an important risk management tool not available on many apps we’ve tested.
Android App Rating
3.7
4
iOS App Rating
4.1
4.6
Auto TradingExpert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTraderExpert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime
Copy TradingNoNo
Social TradingYesNo
Trade SignalsYesYes
VPS HostingYesYes
TournamentsNoNo
Demo CompetitionsYesNo
Ethical InvestingNoYes
Custodial AccountNoNo
Guaranteed Stop LossYesYes
Inactivity Fee$15$12
Islamic AccountYesNo
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • SGD
  • PLN
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
Stock Exchanges
Commodities
CFD Trading
OverviewCMC lets you trade CFDs on 12,000+ assets across currencies, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs and treasuries with new equities spanning quantum computing, AI learning, and digital car sales in 2025. Spreads are tight, there are no hidden fees and the industry-leading MetaTrader 4 platform is also supported for leveraged trading. Year after year, CMC shines as one of the best CFD brokers in the market.IG offers a huge selection of 17,000+ CFDs, providing more trading opportunities than most CFD brokers. Traders can go long or short on popular markets like stocks, currencies, commodities and cryptos, while custom price alerts and the IG Academy continue to enhance the trading experience.
Leverage1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)1:30 (Retail), 1:250 (Pro)
FTSE Spread1 pt1.0
GBPUSD Spread0.90.9
Oil Spread3.52.8
Stocks Spread0.020.02
Forex Trading
OverviewCMC presents an extensive array of 300+ forex pairs characterized by tight spreads and rapid executions, surpassing the offerings of many competitors in terms of currency diversity. Forex indices also present a fairly unique and holistic way to speculate on the value of key currencies like the USD, EUR and GBP.IG offers an above-average suite of 80+ currency pairs on its proprietary web platform, mobile app or MetaTrader 4, with more advanced charts and forex analysis tools available on the ProRealTime software. Forex spreads are competitive based on tests, starting from 0.1 pips on majors like the EUR/USD.
GBPUSD Spread0.90.9
EURUSD Spread0.70.86
EURGBP Spread1.10.9
Assets300+80+
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CHF
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
OverviewCMC Markets offers trading on popular digital tokens like Bitcoin but really stands out for its crypto indices that provide broader exposure to the cryptocurrency market. There is also minimal slippage and an excellent 99.9% fill rate, making CMC a great option for active crypto day traders.IG offers a growing selection of over 100 crypto CFDs and digital assets for buying, selling and storing. It also stands out with its crypto index, which tracks the value of the top 10 digital currencies by market cap and provides a holistic way to speculate on the value of the crypto market. Its crypto offering was also bolstered in the UK after it secured a digital asset license from the FCA, providing trading and investing on popular crypto coins in a regulated setting. It has also expanded its spot crypto offering to Australia, France, and Singapore.
SpreadFrom 1.3Variable
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • EOS
  • TRON
  • NEO
  • ADA
  • XLM
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • SOL
  • XRP
  • BCH
  • ADA
  • TIA
  • LINK
  • EOS
  • HBAR
  • ICP
  • LTC
  • NEAR
  • NEO
  • ONDO
  • PEPE
  • DOT
  • POL
  • SHIB
  • XLM
  • SUI
  • TRX
  • TON
  • UNI
  • DOGE
  • AAVE
  • APT
  • ARB
  • AVAX
  • CRYPTO10
Crypto LendingNoNo
Crypto MiningNoNo
Crypto StakingNoNo
Auto Market MakerNoNo
Not available in your countryRead CMC Markets review

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.