IG account types explained (2026)

IG's spreads: "0.6 pips EUR/USD (MT4, UK)". Its commission: "Commission-free on MT4 forex". A "from" spread is the lowest the broker shows, not what you pay most of the time. To compare two accounts fairly, add the spread cost and the round-turn commission for one lot; the cost per lot calculator does it in a few seconds.

• Fewer, longer trades: the spread matters less than swaps and simplicity; a commission-free account keeps the costs in one number.
• Many short trades: the spread is paid on every trade, so a raw-spread account with commission often costs less per lot. Check with the calculator before you decide.
• Small first account: start with the account that has the lowest minimum deposit (IG: "No minimum balance required to create a CFD trading account") and a demo first.

IG lists: IG App, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer. Not every account is available on every platform; IG's account pages say which.

Which IG company opens your account depends on where you live. If you live in the EU, the UK, Australia, South Africa, Kenya, the UAE or Qatar, our link only goes to an IG entity licensed for your country, and where there is none we show no link. We show no sign-up links at all in countries where promoting offshore brokers is not allowed. Check each licence on the regulator's register before you deposit.

IG publishes that 80% of its retail CFD accounts lose money. Before you choose, put IG next to its closest rivals: IG vs OANDA, IG vs Axi, IG vs FP Markets. Our country pages list IG for South Africa, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy.