Loading …
Head to head
Kraken or IG? 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 heavily licensed venue in crypto — and the only one that is also a chartered US bank.
The most complete leveraged-trading operation in Europe — and it prices like it knows that.
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 4.1 out of 5. On commissions there is little between them — €0.00 against €0.00 for a reference EUR 5,000 order. IG scores 100 against 78 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 7. On platform and app IG is ahead, 4.6 against 4.5 out of 5. Which one is right depends on which of these axes matters for your trading profile.
KrakenIGKrakenIGKrakenIGKrakenIGKrakenIGUp to four brokers at once — every row a decision point.
Data as of: 30 Aug 2026
| Criterion | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.1 | 4.5 — Better |
| Group index | 78 of 100 | 100 of 100 |
| Best for | Traders who prioritise regulatory qualityCrypto derivatives and margin tradersAPI and algorithmic tradersHigher-volume spot tradersUS investors wanting crypto and stocks together | 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 |
| Regulation | CBICBICBIFCAFCAFCASECCFTCWY DoBCySEC+2 | FCABaFinFINMAASICMASJFSADFSA |
| Top-tier licences | 9 — Better | 6 |
| Investor protection | None | CHF 100,000 — Better |
| Listed group | No | Yes |
| Banking licence | Yes | Yes |
| Segregated client accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Negative balance protection | No | Yes |
| Audited financials | No | Yes |
| Disclosed regulatory actions | 2 | None |
| Founded | 2011 | 1974 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, US | London, GB |
| Fees | 3.4 | 4.0 — Better |
| Safety & regulation | 4.6 | 4.9 — Better |
| Trading platform | 4.5 | 4.7 — Better |
| Product range | 4.6 | 4.9 — Better |
| Mobile app | 4.4 | 4.5 — Better |
| Research | 3.6 | 4.6 — Better |
| Customer support | 4.0 | 4.3 — Better |
| Deposit & withdrawal | 4.0 | 4.2 — Better |
| Account opening | 4.3 — Better | 4.2 |
| Education | 3.8 | 4.5 — Better |
| Reference order EUR 5,000 | €0.00 | €0.00 |
| Minimum deposit | €1 | None — Better |
| Stocks (per order) | Free | Free |
| US stocks | n/a | Free |
| ETFs | Free | Free |
| Options | tiered | US$1 |
| Futures | tiered | US$1 |
| Crypto | tiered | n/a |
| Bonds (order) | n/a | n/a |
| Funds (order) | n/a | n/a |
| EUR/USD spread | n/a | 0.9 pips |
| Index CFD spread | n/a | 1 points |
| FX conversion | n/a | 0.8 % |
| Inactivity fee | None | None |
| Custody fee | None | None |
| Withdrawal fee | €1 | free — Better |
| Deposit fee | free | free |
| Overnight financing | n/a | n/a |
| Other fees |
|
|
| Asset classes (of 14) | 7 | 13 — Better |
| Exchanges | n/a | n/a |
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Commodities | No | Yes |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Warrants | No | Yes |
| Spread betting | No | Yes |
| Social trading | No | No |
| Platforms | Kraken ProKraken DesktopKraken (mobile app)Kraken APIKraken CLIKrakKraken Institutional / Prime | IG web platformIG Trading appProRealTimeL2 DealerMetaTrader 4TradingViewIG REST & streaming API |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Fractional shares | No | No |
| Maximum leverage | 1:5 | 1:30 |
| Account opening | Fully online; verification typically completes the same day, faster for EEA applicants with a supported ID | Fully online; typically same-day approval, 1–3 business days when manual document checks are triggered |
| Account types | KrakenKraken ProKraken+VIPKraken Institutional | CFD accountSpread betting accountShare dealing, ISA and SIPPUS Options & FuturesProfessional account |
| Payment methods | SEPASEPA InstantBank transferCrypto | Bank transferSEPACredit cardDebit cardPayPal |
| Account currencies | USDEURGBPCHFCADAUD | GBPEURUSDCHFAUDSGDJPY |
| Deposit time | SEPA and SEPA Instant 0–3 business days or instant; USD ACH near-instant; GBP Faster Payments 0–1 business days; CHF SIC same day | Instant by card or PayPal; 1–3 business days by bank transfer |
| Withdrawal time | SEPA 0–5 business days, SEPA Instant near-instant; USD ACH 0–2 business days; GBP FPS near-instant; CHF SIC same day | 1–5 business days depending on method and entity |
| Free withdrawals | n/a | n/a |
| Languages | EnglishGermanFrenchSpanishItalianDutchPortuguesePolishRomanianCzech+6 | EnglishGermanFrenchItalianSpanishDutchSwedishPolishChineseJapanese+1 |
| Channels | PhoneEmailLive chatTicket system | PhoneEmailLive chat |
| Availability | 24/7 live chat, with phone support and a ticket queue | 24/5, with limited weekend cover for IG's weekend markets |
Editorial assessment based on the recorded data.
Kraken
The most heavily licensed venue in crypto — and the only one that is also a chartered US bank.
Pros
Cons
Best for
IG
The most complete leveraged-trading operation in Europe — and it prices like it knows that.
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.
