IG Group vs Robinhood

IG vs Robinhood Comparison Table 2024
IG Robinhood
4.4
0.9
We do not recommend trading with Robinhood. Their business practices have harmed traders and their "free" trading offer has been criticized for actually costing their traders millions of dollars.

Founded in 1974, IG is part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly traded (LSE: IGG) brokerage. The brand offers spread betting, CFD and forex trading across an almost unrivalled 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.

Robinhood is a stock broker and financial services firm based in California. The broker offers commission-free stocks, cryptos and ETFs, plus other products such as cash cards and retirement accounts. Despite its robust regulation, Robinhood has been involved in numerous scandals and security breaches since 2020. We urge investors to exercise caution.

Customer Reviews
4
1
Comment by Reviewer
"IG continues to provide a comprehensive package with an intuitive web platform and best-in-class education for beginners, plus advanced charting tools, real-time data, and fast execution speeds for experienced day traders." "Robinhood is aimed at traders looking for stocks and crypto investing opportunities with additional perks. However, the brokerage's recent business practices mean the brand isn't a good option if you want a reliable and trustworthy broker."
Pros
  • IG is amongst the best in terms of its range of instruments, which includes stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies, providing ample diversification opportunities
  • The proprietary web-based platform continues to caters to traders of all levels, with advanced charting tools and real-time market data useful for day trading
  • 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
  • As a well-established broker, IG operates under strict regulatory guidelines in multiple jurisdictions, maintaining a high level of trust
  • IG offers an extensive collection of professional and engaging educational resources, including webinars, articles, and analysis
  • The ProRealTime advanced charting platform is free as long as certain modest monthly trading activity requirements are met
  • Intuitive mobile trading app with 24/7 live support and in-app stock market news
  • Robinhood's 'Snacks' newsletter offers bite-sized financial news updates suitable for beginners
  • Interesting podcast hosted by the CEO and co-founder, covering topics such as blockchain and financial empowerment
  • Robinhood Cash Card offers weekly bonuses invested into stocks, as well as cashback on popular brands
Cons
  • 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
  • While there is negative balance protection in the UK and EU, there is no account protection or guaranteed stop losses for US clients
  • IG has discontinued its swap-free account, reducing its appeal to Islamic traders
  • Stock and CFD spreads still trail the cheapest brokers like CMC Markets based on tests
  • IG applies an inactivity fee of $12 per month after 2 years, deterring casual investors
  • Limited research and education tools compared to top-rated brokers like IG
  • Previous lawsuits and negative press surrounding the firm's controversial business practices
  • Despite the actual app showing quote data in real-time, data may be delayed by up to 20 minutes
  • Robinhood does not support advanced order types or options trades, while limit orders are collared up to 5%
  • Concerning history of security breaches
Awards
  • Best Customer Service 2022 - Online Money Awards
  • Best Spread Betting Provider 2022 - Online Money Awards
  • Best Platform for the Active Trader 2022 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
  • Best Multi Platform Provider 2022 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
  • Best Finance App 2022 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting Stocks, ETFs, ADRs
Demo Account
Yes No
Minimum Deposit
$0 $0
Trading Platforms
  • Web
  • ProRealTime
  • L2 Dealer
  • MT4
  • AutoChartist
  • TradingCentral
  • Robinhood Platform
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots $1
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA SEC, FCA
Margin Trading
Yes No
Margin Rate
2.5% 2.5%
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
Yes No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
Yes No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes No
Market Maker
Yes No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes No
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
App Review

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
4
iOS App Rating
4.6
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime No
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
Yes No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Yes No
Inactivity Fee
$12 $0
Islamic Account
No No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • USD
Stock Exchanges
Commodities
CFD Trading
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. CFD trading not offered
Leverage
1:30 (Retail), 1:250 (Pro)
FTSE Spread
1.0 N/A
GBPUSD Spread
0.9 N/A
Oil Spread
2.8
Stocks Spread
0.02
Forex Trading
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. Forex trading not offered
Forex App

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. Top marks.

GBPUSD Spread
0.9
EURUSD Spread
0.8
EURGBP Spread
0.9
Assets
80+
Currency Indices
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
IG's modest selection of 11 crypto CFDs trails top crypto brokers like Vantage which offers 40+ tokens. That said, it 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. Access 18 crypto assets through the Robinhood app with no commission fees, including access to Bitcoin. On the negative side, the selection is not as wide as other brands and security is weak.
Spread
Variable 0%
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • ADA
  • DOT
  • DOGE
  • LINK
  • UNI
  • XLM
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • BCH
  • LTC
  • SOL
  • DOGE
  • BTG
  • OMG
  • XMR
  • QTUM
  • DASH
  • XRP
  • XLM
  • ZEC
  • NEO
  • LSK
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
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