ActivTrades provides traders its innovative proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, featuring market sentiment, hedging, and quality charts. It also upgrades MT4/MT5 with seven plugins, ensuring clients have a competitive core trading environment. ActivTrades maintains a superb technology infrastructure, making it an ideal broker for algorithmic traders. Beginners get interactive webinars and videos and may schedule one-on-one training sessions.
IG is a leading international broker and liquidity provider, writing CFDs based on client demand. It upgrades MT4 with 18 plugins and Autochartists, creating one of the most competitive MT4 trading environments. Traders may also use the proprietary web-based trading platform, ProRealTime, and L2 Dealer.
We have conducted an in-depth review of ActivTrades and IG to determine which presents the better overall choice and which traders will benefit the most at either broker.
- Features and Platforms
- Available Markets
- Typical Spreads and Fees
- Security and Trust
- IG versus ActivTrades - Verdict
 |  | |
Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
Regulators | CNMV, CONSOB, FCA, FSC Mauritius, SCB | ASIC, BaFin, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FINMA, FMA, FSCA, JFSA, MAS |
Tier 1 Regulator(s)? | ||
Owned by Public Company? | ||
Year Established | 2001 | 1974 |
Execution Type(s) | Market Maker | Market Maker |
Minimum Deposit | $0 | €0 |
Negative Balance Protection | ||
Trading Platform(s) | Other, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Proprietary platform, Trading View+ | Other, MetaTrader 4, Proprietary platform, Trading View+ |
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD | $10.00 | 0.9 pips |
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD | $14.00 | 1.4 pip |
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil | $0.06 | $0.03 |
Average Trading Cost Gold | $42.00 | $0.30 |
Retail Loss Rate | 83.00% | 70.00% |
Minimum Raw Spreads | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Minimum Standard Spreads | 0.5 pips | 0.6 pips |
Minimum Commission for Forex | Commission-free | Commission-free |
Islamic Account | ||
Signals | ||
US Persons Accepted? | ||
Managed Accounts | ||
| Visit Website | Visit Website 71% of retail spread bet and CFD accounts lose money |
Features and Platforms
| | |
MT4 | ||
MT5 | ||
MT4/MT5 Add-Ons | N/A | |
cTrader | ||
Proprietary Platform | ||
Automated Trading | ||
Social/Copy Trading | N/A | |
DOM? | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Scalping | ||
Hedging | ||
One-Click Trading | ||
OCO Orders | ||
Interest on Margin | ||
| Visit Website | Visit Website 71% of retail spread bet and CFD accounts lose money |
Noteworthy:
Advanced algorithmic traders can connect their solutions to the ActivTrades and IG infrastructure via API, and both brokers maintain dedicated institutional divisions.
Available Markets
| | |
Currency Pairs | N/A | |
Cryptocurrencies | N/A | |
Commodities | ||
Crude Oil | ||
Gold | ||
Metals | ||
Equity Indices | ||
Stocks (non-CFDs) | N/A | |
Bonds | N/A | |
ETFs | ||
Options | ||
Futures | ||
Synthetics | ||
| Visit Website | Visit Website 71% of retail spread bet and CFD accounts lose money |
ActivTrades presents clients with a balanced asset selection of 1,000+ instruments, an average Forex selection, but sub-standard cryptocurrency choices. IG maintains 18,000+ assets and an industry-leading Forex selection, including three currency pairs available for weekend trading. IG Markets also provides thematic portfolios, basket trading, and out-of-hours trading, providing a better edge for traders.
Typical Spreads and Fees
| | |
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD | $10.00 | 0.9 pips |
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD | $14.00 | 1.4 pip |
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil | $0.06 | $0.03 |
Average Trading Cost Gold | $42.00 | $0.30 |
Average Trading Cost Bitcoin | $101.00 | $90 |
Minimum Raw Spreads | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Minimum Standard Spreads | 0.5 pips | 0.6 pips |
Minimum Commission for Forex | Commission-free | Commission-free |
Deposit Fee | N/A | |
Withdrawal Fee | N/A | |
Inactivity Fee | N/A | |
| Visit Website | Visit Website 71% of retail spread bet and CFD accounts lose money |
Both brokers offer a highly competitive commission-free Forex cost structure, where ActivTrades has an advantage with lower minimum spreads and costs of $5.00 versus $6.00 at IG Markets. Equity trading commissions remain identical, and a rebate program exists at both brokers, where ActivTrades extends its pricing advantage.
Security and Trust
| | |
Country of the Regulator | Brazil, The Bahamas, Italy, Mauritius, Portugal, United Kingdom | United Arab Emirates, Australia, Bermuda, The Bahamas, Switzerland, Cyprus, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, South Africa |
Name of the Regulator | CNMV, CONSOB, FCA, FSC Mauritius, SCB | ASIC, BaFin, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FINMA, FMA, FSCA, JFSA, MAS |
Regulatory License Number | 434413, 199667 B, 43.050.917/0001-03, 433, 198, GB24203277 | 195355, 378/19, 10148759, confirmed, but no regulaary license number, F001780, 41393, 1489, unconfirmed, 220440, 18923, 0509630, 54814 |
Regulatory Tier | 4, 1, 1, 1, 4, 2 | 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 4 |
| Visit Website | Visit Website 71% of retail spread bet and CFD accounts lose money |
Both brokers offer negative balance protection and segregate client deposits. ActivTrades provides all clients with $1,000,000 in third-party liability insurance protection, while IG Markets is a UK publicly listed company and FTSE250 constituent. Both brokers have a clean regulatory record and offer an equally secure and trustworthy trading environment, as well-established multi-asset brokers.
IG vs ActivTrades – Verdict
ActivTrades
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Upgraded MT4/MT5 trading platforms and a cutting-edge proprietary alternative | Limited choice of cryptocurrencies |
| Excellent order execution due to superior technology infrastructure | |
| Outstanding educational resources for beginners | |
| Interest payments on free margin and volume-based cash rebate program |
IG
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent choice of trading platforms and superior asset selection | Limited deposit and withdrawal methods |
| Competitive trading costs with a volume-based cash rebate program | |
| Outstanding trading environment for algorithmic trading, including API support | |
| Comprehensive educational tools for beginner traders |
ActivTrades and IG shine with their upgraded trading platforms, innovative infrastructure, and educational tools for beginners who get one-on-one training at ActivTrades. Both brokers offer API trading for algorithmic traders. While ActivTrades offers lower trading costs, IG bests ActivTrades in all other sectors, trading platform choices and upgrades, asset selection, and trading tools, making it an overall better choice as a broker.
You might also be interested in reviewing the below broker comparisons:
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- IG Markets vs IC Markets
FAQs
Is IG a trusted broker?
IG ranks among the most trusted brokers. It is a UK publicly listed company and FTSE250 constituent with a clean regulatory record and approaching 50 years of experience.
Is IG broker regulated in the US?
Yes, IG is regulated in the US by the NFA and the CFTC.
Is IG a CFD broker?
IG Markets is the leading CFD broker in the industry and writes contracts based on client demand.
Which broker is better than IG?
It depends on individual preferences, but IG is one of the top five brokers globally.
Is ActivTrades an ECN?
ActivTrades is not an ECN broker but a market maker.
Is ActivTrades regulated?
ActivTrades has regulatory licenses from five regulators.
Is IG regulated in Australia?
Yes, IG operates an Australian subsidiary regulated by ASIC.
What is the minimum trade on IG?
The minimum trade size depends on the asset, but the minimum Forex trading size is 0.01 lots or 1,000 currency units.
Is IG regulated by the FCA?
Yes, IG operates under the FCA regulatory framework.
Is IG an ECN broker?
IG is not an ECN broker but a market maker.
Is IG trading good for beginners?
IG is an excellent choice for beginner traders due to its in-depth educational content and high-quality research and trading tools.