Loading …
Head to head
IG or Tickmill? Fees, regulation, platform and product range compared side by side — with a verdict drawn from the data.
Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly. Investments can fall in value. Past performance is not an indicator of future results.
The most complete leveraged-trading operation in Europe — and it prices like it knows that.
A tight-spread MetaTrader broker that quietly turned into a futures and multi-asset shop.
Advertising disclosure: where a partnership is active, we may earn a commission through broker links. The provider’s terms apply. Commissions do not influence our ratings; paid placements are separately labelled as sponsored.
Four decision axes, each derived from the recorded data.
Overall IG takes it, 4.5 against 3.9 out of 5. IG is the cheaper of the two: a reference EUR 5,000 stock order costs €0.00 there against €5.00. IG scores 100 against 70 out of 100 on the group index. Your account's protection depends on its legal entity. IG covers more ground with 13 of 14 asset classes against 11. On platform and app IG is ahead, 4.6 against 3.6 out of 5. Which one is right depends on which of these axes matters for your trading profile.
IGTickmillIGTickmillIGTickmillIGTickmillIGTickmillUp to four brokers at once — every row a decision point.
Data as of: 30 Aug 2026
| Criterion | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.5 — Better | 3.9 |
| Group index | 100 of 100 | 70 of 100 |
| Best for | Experienced CFD and spread bet tradersMulti-asset traders who want one accountUK ISA and SIPP investorsDirect market access share tradingUS options and futures from Europe | Active forex and CFD tradersScalpers and Expert Advisor usersFutures traders wanting micro contractsCost-driven MetaTrader usersTraders wanting FCA-regulated pricing |
| Regulation | FCABaFinFINMAASICMASJFSADFSA | FCACySECFSCADFSAFSA |
| Top-tier licences | 6 — Better | 1 |
| Investor protection | CHF 100,000 — Better | £85,000 |
| Listed group | Yes | No |
| Banking licence | Yes | No |
| Segregated client accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Negative balance protection | Yes | Yes |
| Audited financials | Yes | No |
| Disclosed regulatory actions | None | None |
| Founded | 1974 | 2014 |
| Headquarters | London, GB | London, GB |
| Fees | 4.0 | 4.5 — Better |
| Safety & regulation | 4.9 — Better | 3.9 |
| Trading platform | 4.7 — Better | 3.5 |
| Product range | 4.9 — Better | 3.8 |
| Mobile app | 4.5 — Better | 3.6 |
| Research | 4.6 — Better | 3.2 |
| Customer support | 4.3 — Better | 3.6 |
| Deposit & withdrawal | 4.2 | 4.3 — Better |
| Account opening | 4.2 | 4.8 — Better |
| Education | 4.5 — Better | 3.6 |
| Reference order EUR 5,000 | €0.00 — Better | €5.00 |
| Minimum deposit | None — Better | US$100 |
| Stocks (per order) | Free | in the spread |
| US stocks | Free | US$0.35 |
| ETFs | Free | in the spread |
| Options | US$1 — Better | US$1.30 |
| Futures | US$1 — Better | US$1.30 |
| Crypto | n/a | in the spread |
| Bonds (order) | n/a | in the spread |
| Funds (order) | n/a | n/a |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.9 pips | 0.1 pips — Better |
| Index CFD spread | 1 points | 0.3 points — Better |
| FX conversion | 0.8 % | 0.01 % — Better |
| Inactivity fee | None — Better | €10 · after 12 months |
| Custody fee | None | None |
| Withdrawal fee | free | free |
| Deposit fee | free | free |
| Overnight financing | n/a | n/a |
| Other fees |
|
|
| Asset classes (of 14) | 13 — Better | 11 |
| Exchanges | n/a | n/a |
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Warrants | Yes | No |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
| Social trading | No | No |
| Platforms | IG web platformIG Trading appProRealTimeL2 DealerMetaTrader 4TradingViewIG REST & streaming API | MetaTrader 4MetaTrader 5MetaTrader WebTraderTickmill Mobile AppCQGTrading Technologies (TT)FIX API and connectivityAdvanced Trading Toolkit |
| Demo account | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional shares | No | Yes |
| Maximum leverage | 1:30 | 1:30 |
| Account opening | Fully online; typically same-day approval, 1–3 business days when manual document checks are triggered | Fully online; verification typically completed within one business day |
| Account types | CFD accountSpread betting accountShare dealing, ISA and SIPPUS Options & FuturesProfessional account | ClassicRawFutures & OptionsIBKR Multi-AssetIslamic (swap-free) |
| Payment methods | Bank transferSEPACredit cardDebit cardPayPal | Bank transferSEPACredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerPayPalSofort |
| Account currencies | GBPEURUSDCHFAUDSGDJPY | USDEURGBPPLNCHF |
| Deposit time | Instant by card or PayPal; 1–3 business days by bank transfer | Cards and e-wallets instant; bank wire processed within 1 working day, arriving in 2–7 working days |
| Withdrawal time | 1–5 business days depending on method and entity | Processed within 1 working day; e-wallets often same day, bank wire 2–7 working days |
| Free withdrawals | n/a | n/a |
| Languages | EnglishGermanFrenchItalianSpanishDutchSwedishPolishChineseJapanese+1 | EnglishGermanChineseIndonesianRussianSpanishArabicPolishItalianKorean+3 |
| Channels | PhoneEmailLive chat | PhoneEmailLive chatTicket system |
| Availability | 24/5, with limited weekend cover for IG's weekend markets | 24/5, Monday to Friday, with a separate professional client services desk for futures and options |
Editorial assessment based on the recorded data.
IG
The most complete leveraged-trading operation in Europe — and it prices like it knows that.
Pros
Cons
Best for
Tickmill
A tight-spread MetaTrader broker that quietly turned into a futures and multi-asset shop.
Pros
Cons
Best for
Open an account with either
A demo account costs nothing and answers the platform question in ten minutes.
Advertising disclosure: where a partnership is active, we may earn a commission through broker links. The provider’s terms apply. Commissions do not influence our ratings; paid placements are separately labelled as sponsored.
Alternatives people weigh up alongside these two.
