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Rankings updated October 2026

IG vs Alpari

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

Higher rated

IG

4.8/5

#22 in our CFD broker rankings

Angola flag Accepts traders from Angola

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 & trust4.42.1 higher than Alpari (2.3)
  • Assets & markets4.51.2 higher than Alpari (3.3)
  • Fees & costs5.02.0 higher than Alpari (3.0)
  • Platforms & tools4.92.1 higher than Alpari (2.8)
  • Accounts & banking4.01.0 higher than Alpari (3.0)
  • Education5.03.5 higher than Alpari (1.5)
  • Research4.92.9 higher than Alpari (2.0)
  • Customer support4.51.7 higher than Alpari (2.8)

Alpari’s score. Numbers show the difference.

Alpari

3.3/5

#70 in our CFD broker rankings

Angola flag Accepts traders from Angola

Rating breakdown

  • Regulation & trust2.32.1 lower than IG (4.4)
  • Assets & markets3.31.2 lower than IG (4.5)
  • Fees & costs3.02.0 lower than IG (5.0)
  • Platforms & tools2.82.1 lower than IG (4.9)
  • Accounts & banking3.01.0 lower than IG (4.0)
  • Education1.53.5 lower than IG (5.0)
  • Research2.02.9 lower than IG (4.9)
  • Customer support2.81.7 lower than IG (4.5)

IG’s score. Numbers show the difference.

IG vs Alpari comparison table 2026
IGAlpari
OverviewFounded 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.Alpari is an offshore multi-asset broker that offers traders a wide range of forex trading opportunities as well as stock, index and commodity CFDs. The broker also offers fixed costs with payouts known upfront. Trading takes place on the reliable MT4 and MT5 platforms, plus the brand's mobile app. Alpari offers tight ECN spreads which will serve active day traders.
Customer Reviews
4.3
Based on 3 customer reviews
3
Based on 1 customer reviews
Trustpilot Score
3.6
–
Bonus Offer–30% up to $100 (terms apply)
Comment by Reviewer“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.”“Alpari will suit short-term traders with a low $30 deposit and user-friendly charting tools. Forex traders also benefit from tight spreads while the broker's PAMM service will appeal to hands-off investors.”
Pros
  • 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 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.
  • As a well-established broker, IG operates under strict regulatory guidelines in multiple jurisdictions, maintaining a high level of trust.
  • 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, while IG has also added TradingView integration.
  • 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.
  • By building exclusively on MetaTrader infrastructure, Alpari gives traders access to the largest third-party EA and custom indicator ecosystem in retail forex. Thousands of pre-built automated strategies, indicators, and scripts are deployable without any proprietary platform restrictions or compatibility issues — a freedom that brokers running closed proprietary platforms can't offer.
  • The Alpari Rewards program returns a portion of trading costs as redeemable points that convert directly into withdrawable funds—not vouchers or platform credits. The tiered structure means rewards compound as trading volume increases, effectively reducing the all-in cost per trade for consistently active traders in a way that's straightforward to calculate and actually accessible.
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.
  • IG has discontinued its swap-free account, reducing its appeal to Islamic traders.
  • IG applies an inactivity fee of $12-$18 per month after 2 years, deterring casual investors.
  • Unlike brokers that operate multiple regulated entities, Alpari primarily operates under MISA in the Comoros Union and a forex license from the NBRB in Belarus. For a broker with 25+ years of operation and 1 million+ claimed clients, the absence of any progression toward tier-one regulation is a strategic choice, not an oversight — and that choice tells traders something meaningful about where the broker's priorities lie.
  • Alpari has removed its ultra-low $5 minimum deposit in an account revamp, now lifting the barrier with its Micro account to a $30 starting investment.
  • Alpari's entire desktop trading setup runs on MT4 and MT5 — there's no cTrader, no TradingView integration, and no proprietary platform built to fill either gap. For active ECN traders, that's a meaningful limitation. cTrader offers genuine depth-of-market visibility and a more responsive order management environment than MT4 can match, and TradingView has become the de facto charting standard for serious retail forex traders.
InstrumentsCFDs (not in US), Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting (UK only)Forex, CFDs, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, Crypto
Demo AccountYesYes
Minimum Deposit$0$30
Trading Platforms
  • Web
  • L2 Dealer
  • MT4
  • TradingView
  • AutoChartist
  • TradingCentral
  • ProRealTime
  • MT4
  • MT5
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade0.01 Lots0.01 Lots
RegulatorCFTC, NFA, FCA, BaFin, ASIC, FINMA, MAS, JFSA, FMA, DFSA, BMAMISA, NBRB
Margin TradingYesYes
Margin Rate1.0% – 1.5% for Forex, 3.0% – 3.4% for Shares, Indices, and Commodities–
STP AccountNoNo
ECN AccountNoNo
DMA AccountYesNo
MAM AccountNoNo
PAMM AccountNoYes
LAMM AccountNoNo
Demat AccountNoNo
AI / Machine LearningYesNo
Robo AdvisorYesNo
Negative Balance ProtectionYesNo
Market MakerYesNo
P2P TradingNoNo
Spot TradingYesYes
Mobile AppsiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
App ReviewIG 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
3.6
iOS App Rating
4.6
3.6
Auto TradingExpert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTimeExpert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy TradingNoYes
Copy Trading Platform–Users can follow experienced strategy managers at Alpari, including seasoned forex traders. The broker offers account ratings to help you find a suitable provider as well as notifications on returns and one-click deposits and withdrawals.
Social TradingNoNo
Trade SignalsYes–
VPS HostingYesNo
TournamentsNoNo
Demo CompetitionsNoYes
Ethical InvestingYesNo
Custodial AccountNoNo
Guaranteed Stop LossYesNo
Inactivity Fee$12$5
Islamic AccountNoYes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CZK
  • NGN
Stock Exchanges
Commodities
CFD Trading
OverviewIG 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.Alpari offers CFDs on 60+ forex pairs, hundreds of global stocks, 11 stocks indices and spot metals and energies. Trading takes place via the MT4 or MT5 platforms, and the broker provides strategy and copy trading support as well as educational resources and 24/5 multilingual customer service.
Leverage1:30 (Retail), 1:250 (Pro)1:3000
FTSE Spread1.013
GBPUSD Spread0.90.7
Oil Spread2.84.0
Stocks Spread0.022.0
Forex Trading
OverviewIG 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.Alpari traders can access 60+ currency pairs and crosses via CFDs on the MT4 and MT5 platforms. The broker offers very competitive pricing, especially on the ECN Pro account which is commission free. Significant leverage up to 1:1000 is available.
GBPUSD Spread0.90.7
EURUSD Spread0.860.4
EURGBP Spread0.90.6
Assets80+50+
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
OverviewIG 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.Alpari offers a solid selection of popular crypto tokens paired with the USD. Spreads are competitive, starting at 1 and users can analyze the digital asset markets with the leading MetaTrader platforms, including on the weekends.
SpreadVariable1
Coins
  • 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
  • AVE
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ADA
  • LINK
  • DAI
  • DOGE
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • ECH
  • FIL
  • LTC
  • XMR
  • DOT
  • XRP
  • MATIC
  • SOL
  • XLM
  • USDT
  • TRON
  • UNI
  • USDC
Crypto LendingNoNo
Crypto MiningNoNo
Crypto StakingNoNo
Auto Market MakerNoNo

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.