Broker comparison

ActivTrades vs IG Comparison

Compare trading conditions, commissions and platforms of Forex brokers ActivTrades and IG. Find out which broker is best for you.

VS summaryScores and ranking at a glance
ActivTradesHigher ranked
Rating
4.3/5
Rank
#26
Register

81% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this broker

IG
Rating
4.1/5
Rank
#38
Register

68-72% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this broker

  • Conditions, fees and platforms compared
  • Ratings and ranking positions checked
  • Based on our review methodology
How we compare brokers
Updated
Author · Editor

We test brokers on real accounts using our own methodology, evaluating the quality of order execution, trading conditions, platforms and customer support.

Who is better - ActivTrades or IG?

Quick comparison

Key differences between the brokers

Below, we show only the differences in trading conditions covered in our reviews. These may include the minimum deposit, available markets, platforms and account types. Compare these details with your requirements.

Methodology

Ratings and ranks

ActivTrades ranks higher in the editorial ranking.
ActivTrades
Rating: 4.3/5Rank: #26
IG
Rating: 4.1/5Rank: #38

ActivTrades

Different platforms
  • MetaTrader 5
  • ActivTrader
  • TradingView

IG

Different platforms
  • IG Trading Platform
  • L2 Dealer

This material is not personalized financial advice. Terms and service availability vary by country.

Full broker ranking

Comparison Table of ActivTrades and IG

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Overview: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Foundation Year
2001
1974
Regulated in Countries
Bahamas, United Kingdom, Portugal, Luxembourg, Brazil
United Kingdom, Bermuda, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, France, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates
Minimum Deposit
  • 1 CHF
  • 1 EUR
  • 1 GBP
  • 1 SEK
  • 1 USD
  • 1 AUD
  • 1 CHF
  • 1 EUR
  • 1 GBP
  • 1 HKD
  • 1 JPY
  • 1 NOK
  • 1 NZD
  • 1 SEK
  • 1 SGD
  • 1 USD
Spread
from 0.5 points
from 0.165 points
Max Leverage
1:400
1:200
Trading Assets (CFDs)
  • Forex
  • Precious Metals
  • Energy Carriers
  • Soft Commodities
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • ETF
  • Bonds
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Forex
  • Precious Metals
  • Energy Carriers
  • Soft Commodities
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • ETF
  • Bonds
  • Cryptocurrency
Trading Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • ActivTrader
  • TradingView
  • MetaTrader 4
  • IG Trading Platform
  • L2 Dealer
Review

ActivTrades Review

ActivTrades Logo
Register81% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this broker
Countries of registration:
Regulators:
Trading Assets
Forex Precious Metals Energy Carriers Soft Commodities Indices Stocks ETF Bonds Cryptocurrency
Trading Platforms
MetaTrader 4MetaTrader 5ActivTraderTradingView

ActivTrades is suitable for beginner traders who value simplicity and intuitive trading platforms, as well as a variety of educational materials to improve their skills. Moreover, this broker can be a suitable option for experienced traders who prefer to trade various instruments and use the powerful features of the MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradingView platforms.

However, for traders with more specific requirements, such as a variety of trading accounts or individual conditions for professional traders, ActivTrades may be less attractive.

Pros and Cons of ActivTrades

Pros

  1. Wide range of trading assets.
  2. A wide variety of trading platforms.
  3. Extensive training materials including webinars, videos, articles and guides.
  4. Professional Support Team.

Cons

  1. Lack of diversity in trading accounts.

ActivTrades is in the top 10 of the following ratings:

IG Review

IG Logo
Register68-72% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this broker
Countries of registration:
Regulators:
Trading Assets
Forex Precious Metals Energy Carriers Soft Commodities Indices Stocks ETF Bonds Cryptocurrency
Trading Platforms
MetaTrader 4IG Trading PlatformL2 Dealer

IG is a highly regulated broker with licenses from reliable financial authorities, providing clients with high funds protection. Thanks to narrow spreads, traders can effectively manage their costs and increase the profitability of their operations. Quality trading platforms and advanced analytical tools support informed trading decisions, while extensive educational resources make IG attractive to traders of all experience levels.

Pros and Cons of IG

Pros

  1. Licenses from regulators with a high level of credibility.
  2. Tight spreads.
  3. A variety of markets and products.
  4. Extensive set of analytical tools and content.
  5. Quality educational resources for different levels of traders.

Cons

  1. Limited choice of trading accounts.
  2. High trading fee on DMA account.
  3. Inactivity fee.
  4. Limited choice of payment methods.

IG is in the top 10 of the following ratings:

Reliability

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Reliability: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Reliability
5/5
5/5
Foundation Year
2001
1974
Regulated in Countries
Bahamas, United Kingdom, Portugal, Luxembourg, Brazil
United Kingdom, Bermuda, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, France, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates
Regulators

ActivTrades

ActivTrades - highly regulated, transparent broker with a good reputation. International regulation and client fund protection make it a reliable choice.

IG

The company is subject to numerous international regulators, ensuring a high degree of transparency.

Account Opening

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Account Opening: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Account Opening
4/5
4/5
Minimum Deposit
  • 1 USD
  • 1 EUR
  • 1 GBP
  • 1 CHF
  • 1 SEK
  • 1 USD
  • 1 EUR
  • 1 GBP
  • 1 CHF
  • 1 AUD
  • 1 NZD
  • 1 JPY
  • 1 NOK
  • 1 SEK
  • 1 SGD
  • 1 HKD

ActivTrades

The account opening process at ActivTrades is quite accessible for most traders, but verification can take a significant amount of time.

IG

The account opening process is simple, fast, and convenient for traders of any experience level.

Pros

  1. No minimum deposit required.
  2. Quick registration process (5-10 minutes).

Cons

  1. Necessity to provide extensive personal and financial information.
  2. Verification may take a couple of days.
  3. There is a possibility of being denied account opening.

Account Types

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Account Types: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Account Types
2/5
2.5/5
Trading Accounts
  • Individual
  • Pro
  • CFD
  • DMA
Minimum Deposit
  • 1 USD
  • 1 EUR
  • 1 GBP
  • 1 CHF
  • 1 SEK
  • 1 USD
  • 1 EUR
  • 1 GBP
  • 1 CHF
  • 1 AUD
  • 1 NZD
  • 1 JPY
  • 1 NOK
  • 1 SEK
  • 1 SGD
  • 1 HKD
Spread
from 0.5 points
from 0.165 points
Max Leverage
1:400
1:200
Trading Assets (CFDs)
  • Forex
  • Precious Metals
  • Energy Carriers
  • Soft Commodities
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • ETF
  • Bonds
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Forex
  • Precious Metals
  • Energy Carriers
  • Soft Commodities
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • ETF
  • Bonds
  • Cryptocurrency
Trading Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • ActivTrader
  • TradingView
  • MetaTrader 4
  • IG Trading Platform
  • L2 Dealer
Demo Account
Yes
Yes
Swap-free Account
Yes
No

ActivTrades

ActivTrades offers 2 trading accounts suitable for most traders, but some options are missing.

Pros

  1. Availability of an Islamic account.

Cons

  1. No STP/ECN accounts.
  2. Lack of fixed spread accounts.
  3. Investment accounts (PAMM, copy trading) are not offered.

IG

IG offers a limited selection of accounts, meeting the basic needs of traders, but not accommodating specific requirements.

Pros

  1. Availability of DMA account for professional traders.
  2. Premium service offered for high-value clients.
  3. Free demo account for practice and training.

Cons

  1. Absence of Islamic and investment accounts.
  2. No fixed spread accounts and cent accounts.

Commissions

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Commissions: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Commissions
3.7/5
3/5
Spread
from 0.5 points
from 0.165 points
Average Spread (EURUSD)
1
1.1
Commission
No data
per $1M turnover$60.00

ActivTrades

ActivTrades offers average commissions with tight spreads, but high swap rates and inactivity fees.

IG

IG provides an average level of commissions, with low spreads but high transaction fees on DMA accounts.

Pros

  1. Low spreads.
  2. No fees for deposits/withdrawals.

Cons

  1. High transaction fee on DMA account.
  2. Inactivity fee.
  3. Currency conversion fee and guaranteed stop fee.

Deposit and Withdrawal

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Deposit and Withdrawal: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Rating
4.5/5
3.7/5
Account Funding Methods
  • Neteller
  • Skrill
  • AstroPay
  • Bank Transfer
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • PayPal
  • Bank Transfer
  • Credit and Debit Cards

ActivTrades

ActivTrades offers a variety of convenient methods for depositing and withdrawing funds.

Pros

  1. Diversity of payment systems.
  2. Most transactions are commission-free.
  3. Fast processing of requests.

Cons

  1. No options for using cryptocurrencies.

IG

Broker IG offers an average level of services for deposits/withdrawals, not charging a fee, but has limitations on available methods.

Pros

  1. No commission for funding and withdrawal.
  2. PayPal available as a deposit/withdrawal option.
  3. Transparent information about limits.

Cons

  1. Absence of cryptocurrencies and most electronic wallets.
  2. Withdrawal processing time can take up to 5 business days.
  3. Restrictions on the minimum withdrawal amount.

Markets and Products

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Markets and Products: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Markets and Products
5/5
5/5
Forex
49
99
Precious Metals
3
11
Energy Carriers
7
9
Soft Commodities
9
20
Indices
31
46
Stocks
1035
13000
ETF
75
5400
Bonds
6
19
Cryptocurrency
12
15

ActivTrades

ActivTrades offers a wide range of trading instruments, providing access to all major markets, making it attractive to various traders.

IG

IG offers an extensive range of products and markets for trading, with an impressive selection of CFDs, options, and thematic baskets.

Trading Platforms

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Trading Platforms: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Rating
5/5
5/5
Trading Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • ActivTrader
  • TradingView
  • MetaTrader 4
  • IG Trading Platform
  • L2 Dealer

ActivTrades

ActivTrades offers diverse trading platforms, each catering to different trading needs, combining efficiency, advanced features, and user-friendly interfaces.

Pros

  1. Multiple platforms including MT4, MT5, ActivTrader, and TradingView integration.
  2. Advanced tools and features for comprehensive market analysis.
  3. Customization options and social trading aspects in TradingView.

IG

IG offers a variety of trading platforms, including MetaTrader 4, IG Trading Platform, and L2 Dealer, catering to traders of all levels.

Analytics

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Analytics: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Rating
5/5
5/5

ActivTrades

ActivTrades provides extensive analytical resources, including market analysis, economic calendar, technical analysis tools, trading signals, and ideas.

IG

IG provides an impressive array of research and analytical tools that will appeal to traders of any experience level.

Education

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Education: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Rating
5/5
5/5

ActivTrades

ActivTrades offers high-quality and diverse educational materials that will be useful for traders of any level.

IG

IG offers high-quality and comprehensive educational materials suitable for traders of various levels.

Customer Support

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Customer Support: comparison of ActivTrades, IG
BrokerActivTradesIG
Rating
5/5
5/5
Email Support
Hotline Phones
Social Media

ActivTrades

ActivTrades' technical support is commendable for its professionalism, diverse communication channels, and 24/5 availability.

Pros

  1. Highly professional and knowledgeable staff.
  2. Multiple contact options including phone, chat, and email.
  3. 24/5 availability.

IG

IG provides fast and professional support.

Comparisons of ActivTrades and IG with other brokers

Conclusion

When choosing between ActivTrades and IG, match their platforms, markets, account types and funding terms to your needs.

Before opening an account, verify fees, regulation, support and service availability for your country in the sections above.

FAQ

Which broker is better: ActivTrades or IG?

ActivTrades ranks higher than IG in our editorial ranking. That does not make it a universal choice: compare fees, markets, platforms, account types and support.

Which broker is better for beginners: ActivTrades or IG?

Beginners should compare availability in their country, account types, minimum deposit, trading platforms and customer support.

Who has lower typical trading costs (spreads/commissions) — ActivTrades or IG?

It depends on the instrument and account type. Compare the live conditions in the “Commissions” section on this page — we break down the nuances category by category.

What trading platforms are available with ActivTrades and IG?

ActivTrades: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, ActivTrader, TradingView. IG: MetaTrader 4, IG Trading Platform, L2 Dealer. See the “Platforms” section for details and selection tips.

What markets can you trade with ActivTrades and IG?

ActivTrades: Forex, Precious Metals, Energy Carriers, Soft Commodities, Indices, Stocks, ETF, Bonds, Cryptocurrency. IG: Forex, Precious Metals, Energy Carriers, Soft Commodities, Indices, Stocks, ETF, Bonds, Cryptocurrency. Full lists and differences are in the “Markets” section.

What account types are offered by ActivTrades and IG?

ActivTrades: Individual, Pro. IG: CFD, DMA. See “Account Types” for a side-by-side comparison.

What deposit and withdrawal methods are supported by ActivTrades and IG?

ActivTrades: Neteller, Skrill, AstroPay, Bank Transfer, Visa, Mastercard. IG: PayPal, Bank Transfer, Credit and Debit Cards. Check method-specific fees/settlement times.

Which broker is safer — ActivTrades or IG — and how was this assessed?

We consider regulation, corporate transparency, fund protection, and incident history. See the “Reliability” section for our findings.

Nikolay is an experienced specialist in financial markets and co-founder of IamForexTrader. He has been successfully trading Forex since 2014 and has been actively involved in the cryptocurrency market since 2017.

He develops investment strategies adaptable to any level of experience and has been actively investing in stocks, bonds and ETFs since 2018.