IG Group vs TradeStation

IG vs TradeStation Comparison Table 2024
IG TradeStation
4.4

IG is #4 in our CFD broker rankings.

3.5

TradeStation is #13 in our CFD broker rankings.

United States Flag Traders from US accepted
United States Flag Traders from US accepted

Founded in 1974, IG is part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly traded (LSE: IGG) brokerage. The brand-US 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.

TradeStation is a popular, SEC-regulated broker offering stock, CFD and futures trading through powerful proprietary trading platforms. Available assets vary by region, with CFD trading available on the global branch. The US-based broker has different pricing methods split to cater for active day traders, or longer term stock holders.

Forex trading involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits.
Customer Reviews
4
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." "TradeStation is a secure, tried-and-tested broker for stock traders who want a powerful, flexible platform. The $500 minimum deposit makes this broker a better fit for experienced traders."
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
  • Reputable brand with oversight from top US regulators
  • Powerful trading platform with desktop, webtrader and mobile app
  • Support for third-party platform add-ons
  • Fast and responsive customer service
  • Quick, straightforward account setup
  • Competitive commissions on US stocks
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 ETF options with no commission-free ETFs
  • Expensive subscription fees for many add-ons
  • Pricing disadvantages less active traders
  • Limited free data and in-depth research
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 CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Futures, Commodities
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $500
Trading Platforms
  • Web
  • ProRealTime
  • L2 Dealer
  • MT4
  • AutoChartist
  • TradingCentral
  • MT4
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots Min lot size will vary
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA SEC
Margin Trading
Yes No
Margin Rate
2.5%
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
Yes Yes
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 and Windows
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
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
Islamic Account
No No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • CHF
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. Trade CFDs on popular asset classes, including forex and stocks. FX CFD commissions are competitive at 0.6 basis points while for shares it's a minimum of $3 per order.
Leverage
1:30 (Retail), 1:250 (Pro) 1:20
FTSE Spread
1.0 N/A
GBPUSD Spread
0.9 N/A
Oil Spread
2.8 0.06 pips
Stocks Spread
0.02 0.2% Var
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. Speculate on 26 currencies including majors. Top-tier liquidity is available from 17 of the biggest forex dealing banks, alongside dynamic order management and low commissions.
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 Variable
EURUSD Spread
0.8 Variable
EURGBP Spread
0.9 Variable
Assets
80+ 26
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. Crypto trading not offered
Spread
Variable
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • ADA
  • DOT
  • DOGE
  • LINK
  • UNI
  • XLM
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No Yes
Auto Market Maker
No No
Forex trading involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits.
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