AvaTrade and IG are online forex brokers that offer their trading services to traders and investors. AvaTrade is a regulated and trusted forex broker. It is regulated by multiple regulatory authorities including ASIC, JFSA, FSA, FSCA, ADGM, CBI, ISA, KNF, IIROC. Similarly, IG is also a regulated broker which is regulated by ASIC, FCA, JFSA, SFC (Hongkong), FSCA, MAS, FMA, GmbH, FINMA. Both the brokers have their own strengths and weaknesses.
In this article, we will review and compare the brokerage services offered by AvaTrade and IG. We will explore options such as regulations, reputations, fees, features, leverage, and more. Additionally, we will analyze and rate the brokers based on macro and micro categories and options. By reviewing these aspects, you will get a clear idea of which broker suits you best for your trading journey.
AvaTrade vs IG: In a Nutshell
AvaTrade
Established in 2006, Avatrade is a forex and CFD broker based in Dublin, Ireland. The company offers a wide range of trading instruments including forex, commodities, stock indices, stocks, exchange-traded funds, options, cryptocurrencies, and bonds. The broker is regulated across 9 jurisdictions AvaTrade is regulated across 9 jurisdictions including ASIC, CySEC, IIROC, ADGM/FSRA, CBI, ISA, FSCA, FFAJ, and FSC in BVI. AvaTrade offers MetaTrader 4 and 5, AvaTradeGo, AvaOptions, and WebTrader platforms for the diverse needs and preferences of the traders. To learn more, you can read our review of Avatrade.
AvaTrade at a Glance
- Founded In: 2006
- Founder: Emanuel Kronitz, Negev Nosatzki, Clal Finance
- Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland
- Minimum Deposit: $100
- Maximum Leverage: 1:30 (for retail clients), 1:400 (for Non-EU, and professional accounts) (varies by region and account type)
- Regulations: CBI, ASIC, JFSA, FSA, FSCA, ADGM, ISA, KNF, IIROC
- Trading platform: MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGO, WebTrader, AvaOptions, DupliTrade, ZuluTrade
- Account Types: Retail, Professional, Islamic, Spread Betting (UK only)
- Trading Style: Trading Styles: Scalping, Hedging, Swing Trading, Day Trading, Automated Trading
- Payment Options: Bank Wire, Credit/Debit Cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney, Perfect Money
- US Traders: Not Accepted
IG
Founded in 1974 as IG Index by British financier Stuart Wheeler, IG is a well-known forex and CFD broker. Based in the United Kingdom, IG offers online trading services, including spread betting and CFD trading. It provides access to over 100 forex currency pairs, CFDs, commodities, stocks, indices, gold, silver, oil, bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies for personal investment and trading. As of 2021, IG had a market value of £2.9 billion and offered trading in 17,000 investment markets. Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), IG is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. To know more, read our review about IG.
IG Markets Overview
- Founded In: 1974
- Minimum Deposit: $250
- Maximum Leverage: 200:1
- Regulations: ASIC, FCA, JFSA, SFC (Hongkong), FSCA, MAS, FMA, GmbH, FINMA
- Trading platform:MT4, Tradingview, WebTrader, MobileTrader (MobileApp), ProRealTime
- Account Types: Standard account, DMA Account
- Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, PayPal
- US Traders: Accepted
Avatrade vs : IG Features
Avatrade
- Trading Instruments: 1,250+ popular assets, across Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, ETFs, and Options.
- Maximum leverage: 1: 30 for EU, UK, and Australian clients, 1:400 for global clients
- Minimum Deposit: $100
- Account Types: Two ( Retail account, Professional Account)
- Trading Fees: Starting from 0.9 pips on forex
- MAM: Available
- PAMM: No
- Scalping: Allowed
- News Trading: Allowed. However, spreads widen during major news
- EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed
IG
- Trading Instruments: 17,000+ trading instruments including forex, indices, cryptocurrencies, shares, commodities, bonds, options, etc
- Maximum leverage: 30:1 to 200:1 ( dependent on Jurisdiction and Tradable assets)
- Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit. However, the Minimum requires $250 if traders use credit/debit cards or PayPal
- Account Types: Ig Offers couple of account types including Standard Accounts, Limited Risk Accounts, Spread Betting Accounts, Options Trading Accounts, Turbo24 Accounts, Share Dealing Accounts, Professional Accounts, etc
- PAMM/ MAM: Available
- Scalping: Allowed
- News Trading: Allowed
- EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed
AvaTrade vs IG: Side By Side Comparison
AvaTrade vs IG: Pros and Cons
AvaTrade Pros & Cons
- Free deposit and withdrawal options
- Great research tools
- a wide range of trading instruments
- ability to trade from mobile devices
- Unique social trading features
- Impressive educational offerings
- Negative balance protection
- Does not charge any fees for deposits or Withdrawals
- Offers commission-free trading
- Offers negative balance protection
- Supports multiple trading platforms and EAs
- High inactivity fees
- Not regulated by the FCA
- Does not accept U.S. clients
- No guaranteed stop-loss
- Do not have 24/7 customer support
IG Pros & Cons
- Regulated by multiple top tire regulators like NFA, FCA, ASIC, FSA, AMF, FMA, MAS, DFSA
- Allows scalping, EA/ Robot Trading, News Trading
- Offers web trading, mobile trading and ECN Trading
- IG's acquisition of tastytrade for $1 billion brought options trading and listed-derivatives (such as futures) trading to clients in the United States
- 16,000 trading instruments, investments in IPOs and exchange-traded funds;
- Quality choice of trading platforms, including MT4, WebTrader, MobileTrader (MobileApp), ProRealTime
- Relatively good spreads, from 0.6-1 pips depending on the type of instrument;
- Offers passive investment programme ( MAM, PAMM accounts)
- Relatively high Minimum deposit ( Min Deposit $250)
- Conservative leverage in some areas ( The max leverage is 1:200)
- IG charges $/£12/€14 per month after 24 months of inactivity
- Limited product range on MT4
- High Stock CFD fees
AvaTrade Vs IG: Our Scores and Ratings
We rated both brokers, AvaTrade and IG, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 0.1 increments. To achieve a comprehensive rating, we broadly grouped all services offered by brokers into 6 macro categories and assigned percentage weights to them. Each macro category is subdivided into several data points which contributes to the total score of 1.0-10.0 assigned to each macro category. Since all categories are not equally important, our weight percentage plays a significant role in assessing the broker accurately. For example, Regulation and Security contributes a total weight of 40% to the whole ratings because this is the most important rating category. To learn more, read our methodology.
AvaTrade :
IG:
Final Verdict :
Both AvaTrade and IG.com offer similar trading services globally and are regulated forex brokers. The minimum lot size for both is as low as 0.1. However, there are some differences between them.
For example, AvaTrade is regulated by ASIC, JFSA, FSA, FSCA, ADGM, CBI, ISA, KNF, IIROC, while IG.com is regulated by ASIC, FCA, JFSA, SFC (Hongkong), FSCA, MAS, FMA, GmbH, FINMA.
AvaTrade cannot accept US clients as it is not regulated in the USA, while IG.com, being a US-regulated forex broker, can accept clients from both the US and around the world.
Our score for IG.com is 9, and for AvaTrade, it is 8.7 (according to our expert ratings, brokers that achieve a score of 8.00 or higher are considered safe and trustworthy).
Therefore, AvaTrade is most suited and trusted for non-US traders. However, if you are a US trader seeking a trusted and regulated forex broker, IG.com is a perfect choice.
