IG versus ActivTrades
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
Features and Platforms
| Features & Platforms | ActivTrades (visit site) | IG (visit site) |
 |  | |
| Headquarter: | UK | UK |
Established : | 2001 | 1974 |
Retail Loss Rate: | 81.00% | 76.00% |
Regulation: | ||
Minimum Deposit: | $10 | $250 |
Demo Account: | ||
Managed Account: | ||
Islamic Account: | ||
Inactivity Fee | £10 monthly after one year | £12 monthly after 24 months |
Deposit Fee: | Yes + Third-Party | Third-Party |
Withdrawal Fee | Yes + Third-Party | Third-Party |
Funding Methods: | 6 | 4 |
MT4: | ||
MT5: | ||
cTrader: | ||
Proprietary Platform: | ||
Automated Trading: | ||
Social / Copy Trading: | ||
MT4/MT5 Add-ons: | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss: | ||
Negative Balance Protection: | ||
Bonuses and Promotions: | ||
Unique Feature One: | Superb technology infrastructure | API Trading |
Unique Feature Two: | Excellent education | MT4 plugins + Autochartist |
Broker Offers: |
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
| Available Markets | ActivTrades | IG |
| Currency Pairs: | ||
Cryptocurrency Pairs: | ||
Commodities and Metals: | ||
Indices: | ||
Equities: | ||
Bonds: | ||
ETFs: | ||
Options, Futures, and Synthetics: | ||
Maximum Retail Leverage: | 1:200 | 1:200 |
Maximum Pro Leverage: | 1:400 | 1:200 |
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
| Typical Spreads & Fees | ActivTrades | IG |
Minimum Raw Spreads: | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Minimum Standard Spreads: | 0.5 pips | 0.6 pips |
Minimum Commission for Forex: | Commission-free | Commission-free |
Commission for CFDs/DMA: | 0.10% / $0.02 per share | 0.10% or $0.02/share (US) |
Commission Rebates: | Yes | Yes |
Execution Type: | Market Maker | Market Maker |
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
ActivTrades
| Country of the Regulator | Name of the Regulator | License Number |
UK | Financial Conduct Authority | 434413 |
Bahamas | Securities Commission of The Bahamas | 199667 B |
Luxembourg | Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier | B232167 |
Italy | Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa | 198 |
Bulgaria | Financial Supervision Commission | Undisclosed |
IG
| Country of the Regulator | Name of the Regulator | License Number |
UK | Financial Conduct Authority | 195355 |
Cyprus | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission | 378/19 |
Germany | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority | 10148759 |
Switzerland | Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority | Confirmed, but no regulatory license number |
Dubai | Dubai Financial Services Authority | F001780 |
South Africa | Financial Sector Conduct Authority | 41393 |
Singapore | Monetary Authority of Singapore | Confirmed, but no regulatory license number |
Japan | Japanese Financial Services Agency | Unconfirmed |
Australia | Australian Securities & Investments Commission | 220440 & 515106 |
New Zealand | Financial Markets Authority | FSP18923 |
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.
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.
Is IG an ECN broker?
IG is not an ECN broker but a market maker.
Is IG regulated by the FCA?
Yes, IG operates under the FCA regulatory framework.
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 in Australia?
Yes, IG operates an Australian subsidiary regulated by ASIC.
Is ActivTrades regulated?
ActivTrades has regulatory licenses from five regulators.
Is ActivTrades an ECN?
ActivTrades is not an ECN broker but a market maker.
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.