IC Markets vs IG Markets (2026) — Which Is Better?
Compare IC Markets and IG Markets — features, pricing, pros and cons.
Numbers, fees, and platform capabilities cited here come from each vendor's public documentation. Confirm current pricing before you commit. Methodology →
Quick Verdict
Higher Rated
IC Markets (4.5)
More Affordable
IC Markets (Free)
IC Markets
True ECN forex broker with the lowest average spreads in the industry, deep liquidity, and support for MT4/MT5/cTrader.
IG Markets
World's largest CFD and spread betting provider with 17,000+ markets, ProRealTime charting, and 50 years of trading heritage.
Spread, Regulation & Feature Breakdown
| Feature | IC Markets | IG Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.5 | ★ 4.3 |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Markets | bonds, forex, crypto, stocks, indices, commodities, futures | forex, stocks, crypto, futures, options |
| AI Analysis | ✗ | ✗ |
| Backtesting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Paper Trading | ✓ | ✓ |
| Price Alerts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Social Features | ✗ | ✗ |
| Broker Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automated Trading | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trade Journaling | ✗ | ✗ |
| Performance Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Risk Management | ✓ | ✓ |
| News Feed | ✗ | ✓ |
| Education Content | ✓ | ✓ |
Forex Broker Head-to-Head
IC Markets and IG Markets target different trader priorities. IC Markets specializes in forex with True ECN execution and the industry's tightest spreads, making it ideal for cost-conscious currency traders. IG Markets offers vastly broader market access with 17,000+ tradable instruments across CFDs, forex, and more, positioning itself as a one-stop platform for diversified traders.
The critical differentiator lies in execution quality versus market breadth. IC Markets delivers sub-40ms execution speeds with zero dealing desk interference, crucial for active traders relying on tight spreads. IG Markets counters with 50 years of operating history and ProRealTime professional charting included at no cost, providing established credibility and advanced technical tools that justify its higher overall cost structure.
Choose IC Markets if you're a non-US forex trader obsessed with minimizing costs and execution speed on currency pairs. IG Markets suits traders seeking exposure across multiple asset classes, those willing to pay slightly higher spreads for platform stability and a trusted reputation, and portfolios where the $12/month inactivity fee won't apply after 2 years of regular activity.
IC Markets: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Lowest average spreads in the industry
- + True ECN execution with no dealing desk
- + Sub-40ms execution speeds
- + Supports all trading styles including scalping
Cons
- - Not available to US residents
- - Customer support can be slow during peak times
- - Limited research and analysis tools
IG Markets: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + 50+ years of operating history — highly trusted
- + 17,000+ tradable markets
- + ProRealTime professional charting included free
- + Excellent educational content via IG Academy
- + Regulated by FCA, ASIC, and other top authorities
Cons
- - CFDs not available to US clients (forex only)
- - Inactivity fee of $12/month after 2 years
- - Spread betting only available in UK/Ireland
- - Share CFD commissions can be high
IC Markets vs IG Markets: True ECN vs Multi-Asset Powerhouse
IC Markets and IG Markets get lumped together as "big forex CFD brokers" but they are very different businesses. IC Markets is an Australian ECN specialist built for scalpers and algo traders. IG Markets is a 50-year-old FTSE 250 company with 17,000+ instruments across every asset class. Neither serves US retail. The decision is about execution model, not brand comparison.
ECN vs market-maker execution
IC Markets' Raw Spread account routes orders through liquidity providers with sub-40ms execution and 0.02 pip average spreads on EUR/USD, plus $3.50/side/lot commission. That's genuine ECN pricing — the broker is not on the other side of your trade.
IG Markets operates a market-maker model on retail CFD accounts. Spreads start at 0.6 pips on the Standard account, no commission on forex. IG's DMA (direct market access) tier is available but requires a professional-qualified account.
If you run an EA that fires 200 trades per day on M1 charts, IC Markets' cost structure is meaningfully cheaper and the execution is closer to the market. If you swing-trade holding positions for days, the ECN advantage disappears in the noise.
Product breadth is the other axis
IC Markets covers 2,250+ instruments — forex, indices, commodities, bonds, crypto CFDs, some stock CFDs. Solid but focused.
IG covers 17,000+ instruments. Forex pairs, index CFDs, thousands of shares CFDs across US/UK/EU/Asia exchanges, commodities, options on shares (in supported jurisdictions), and spread betting (UK/Ireland only). If you trade multiple asset classes at one broker, IG is the deeper platform by an order of magnitude.
Platforms
IC Markets offers MT4, MT5, and cTrader. cTrader is genuinely useful for depth-of-market visibility and one-click scalping — this is the platform IC Markets is known for.
IG offers its proprietary IG Trading Platform (web + desktop + mobile), ProRealTime professional charting (free — this is normally a paid product), MT4, and L2 Dealer for DMA. ProRealTime is the standout: level-2 order book, 250+ indicators, backtesting engine — the platform IG owners actually use for serious analysis.
Regulation and safety
IG Group is FTSE 250-listed with 50+ years of operating history. Retail entities regulated by FCA (UK), ASIC (AU), BaFin (DE), MAS (SG), CFTC/NFA (US forex-only), FSCA (ZA), and more. This is the most transparent balance-sheet position in retail forex.
IC Markets is regulated by ASIC (Australia), CySEC (Cyprus), FSA (Seychelles), and SCB (Bahamas) depending on where you open your account. ASIC-regulated entity is the strongest — offshore entities have fewer client-money protections. Check which entity accepts your registration before funding.
Costs at typical volume
EUR/USD, 1 standard lot round-trip:
IC Markets Raw Spread: ~0.02 pips + $7 commission = ~$9 per lot round-trip.
IG Standard: ~0.6 pips = ~$6 per lot round-trip (no commission).
IG is cheaper on light trading. IC Markets Raw Spread wins on high-frequency: the 0.02 pip average spread vs IG's 0.6 pips more than offsets commission once you're doing 5+ lots or scalping ticks.
Minimum deposits and inactivity
IC Markets requires $200 minimum deposit. IG has no minimum on Standard. Neither is a real barrier.
IG charges $12/month inactivity fee after 2 years of no trades. IC Markets charges no inactivity fee. If you're a set-and-forget trader, IC Markets is the friendlier option; if you trade at all regularly, this is irrelevant.
Our take
Pick IC Markets if: you scalp, run EAs, or do high-frequency intraday. Raw Spread + cTrader + ASIC-regulated entity is genuinely the tightest cost structure in retail forex.
Pick IG Markets if: you trade multiple asset classes, want ProRealTime for charting, or value 50 years of institutional credibility with a listed-company balance sheet. IG is the fuller-featured platform if forex isn't your only focus.
Both are solid outside the US. Neither is available to US retail traders for CFDs. If you're US-based, this comparison isn't the right starting point — see the US-available broker options instead.