Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
- Experts rate IG Trading Platform highly, noting its comprehensive features and excellent market access, with a total rating of 5.0/5. The platform is praised for its competitive pricing and deep liquidity, although some limitations exist, such as the lack of automated trading strategies on the main platform.
- Across 746 user reviews on Good Money Guide, averaging 4/5, customers frequently highlight the platform's ease of use, reliability, and extensive range of products. Many users appreciate the seamless integration of various trading options, particularly for cryptocurrencies, while some express concerns about customer service response times and occasional technical issues.
IG Trading Platform Expert rating
Our expert rating is the average of the areas listed here, each scored out of 5 by our team.Our experts have rated IG Trading Platform across five key areas of our review framework.
- Pricing5.0
- Market Access5.0
- Online Platform5.0
- Customer Service5.0
- Research & Analysis5.0
Pros
- Excellent market range
- Deep liquidity
- DMA & level-2 pricing
Cons
- Some pricing is not competitive
- Very big so customer service can be a little slow
See full expert review
Our verdict
IG remains at the forefront of the online trading industry and has one of the best online trading platforms for new and experienced traders. I really like trading on IG’s platform and have done so for over 20 years now. As an experienced trader I find it very intuitive, but for new traders, it offers a simple layout with lots of news, research, and technical analysis indicators. For experienced traders, it offers deep liquidity, the largest market range, and DMA execution through L2 dealer.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Is IG's trading platform any good?
Yes, it's a great all-round trading platform. Here's five things that I think make it stand out.
1 - Tax free profits
IG’s main web-based trading platform is used by CFD and Spread Betting clients, although clients can also download MT4, ProRealtime and L2 Dealer. The platform is developed in-house and is suitable for most traders where you can access 17,000 markets to trade as a CFD or financial spread bet. The trading platform also provides access to non-leveraged trading accounts for physical shares dealing and ETF investing with SIPP and ISA options.
2 - Automated trading strategies on MT4 and IG Markets
There are a few limitations to the main platform though, for example, there is no facility for automated trading strategies. However, IG offers two alternative platforms (MT4 & 5) for those clients who use Algos and trading bots. However, for most users, IG’s in-house platform will be more than sufficient for their needs.
3 - Trading signals
Some stand-out features of the trading platform are how Autochartist and PIA trading signals are copied straight to order tickets and their ability to constantly innovate features such as adding logarithmic charting and creating news and research around what traders are looking at on the platform.
4 - Competative pricing
Compared to other online trading platforms IG’s pricing is always competitive, they are by no means the cheapest broker, but they are not expensive. IG tends to win business based on market range, service, and liquidity and keeps spreads to the lower end of the industry standard. Whilst pricing is an important factor when choosing a trading platform, with IG, you get what you pay for and that is a fairly priced excellent all-round service.
5 - Deep liquidity
On some of the major traded indices and FX pairs, IG's CEO told me that their internal liquidity can be better than the on-exchange order book. Which means for larger traders trading popular markets, you can potentially get better fills than trading with DMA.
What does the IG trading platform look like?
Overall, IG has one of the most comprehensive trading platforms around. And after 46 years of offering margin products to retail customers, IG knows what works and what customers expect from their broker, namely, reliable pricing, technology and customer service.
Customer reviews for IG
Customer ratings come from reviews left on this site. Every review is read and approved before it is published.Based on 746 reviews
- Excellent38%
- Very good36%
- Basic18%
- Poor5%
- Bad3%
Read customer reviews
1/5
Pros:
brand
Cons:
fee
5/5
Pros:
Range of securities
Cons:
Can't think of anything
2/5
Pros:
None
Cons:
Fees
3/5
3/5
5/5
Pros:
Great execution
Cons:
Lower FX fees
3/5
5/5
Pros:
Charts
Cons:
Nothing
4/5
Pros:
Wide range of financial instruments, useful mobile app
Cons:
Reduce bid/offer spreads
4/5
Pros:
Broad tange
Cons:
None
2/5
5/5
Pros:
Easy to understand charts
Cons:
Showing company financial reports/information in application
4/5
Pros:
Accurate pricing
Cons:
Spreads
3/5
Pros:
Brand and events
Cons:
Mobile app
chris barker @ 08/21/2021 11:01
I've treated with IG UK for some years now and have found the level of service excellent and the site easy to navigate. Some of the criticism on here seems to come novice traders and is unwarranted. a) You've always had to pay a commission on buying a stock and then again selling it, they are two separate transactions and that it whichever firm you use, especially traditional stockbrokers. b) Spread widen in volatile trading, because they always do all over, regardless of firm and it's the underlying market that does that; not the CFD provider. c) during the pandemic (depending on where you live), all service standards for pretty much all organisations has suffered. Anyone moaning about this may themselves have been forced to work from home and people say the same things their own organisation! Just be realistic that's all, market conditions change rapidly and at times can be untradeable, even for the institutions.
Florin @ 02/09/2021 08:37
I had a share dealing account with them since April 2020 together with demmo accounts. I have attempted for 1 week now to open a live spread betting account but is absolutley impossible. First of all the option was not given on the platform to add a spread betting account, I contacted the webchat service, I have been advised to close the share dealing account and try to re-apply. After they closed my share dealing account, I tried to re-apply but they would not let me do so (as the system recognises my name, address etc) and it sends me to log in into an account which is suspended now !!!! I e-mailed them, but just going in circle not being given an explanation why I cannot open a Spread Account or any support to fix the issue. I also tried to call them but after 2 hours being on hold I just gave up. Absolutely shocking customer service. I will be definetly looking to go somewhere else as the level of customer service is very poor !!!
Emis @ 06/12/2020 09:14
They charge their commission two times on the same trade! You buy lets say 1 stock worth 1000$ they charge 15$, you sell it- again 15$. Are you crazy? I have not checked so lost some money until noticed.
4/5
Pros:
Easy to use app
Cons:
Provide more awareness on education tools
4/5
Pros:
research
Cons:
Continue to invest more in technical aspects i.e. app/website etc
4/5
Pros:
Futures trading
Cons:
Better UI
Richard is the founder of the Good Money Guide (formerly Good Broker Guide), one of the original investment comparison sites established in 2015. With a career spanning two decades as a broker, he brings extensive expertise and knowledge to the financial landscape.
Having worked as a broker at Investors Intelligence and a multi-asset derivatives broker at MF Global (Man Financial), Richard has acquired substantial experience in the industry. His career began as a private client stockbroker at Walker Crips and Phillip Securities (now King and Shaxson), following internships on the NYMEX oil trading floor in New York and London IPE in 2001 and 2000.
Richard’s contributions and expertise have been recognized by respected publications such as The Sunday Times, BusinessInsider, Yahoo Finance, BusinessNews.org.uk, Master Investor, Wealth Briefing, iNews, and The FT, among many others.
Under Richard’s leadership, the Good Money Guide has evolved into a valuable destination for comprehensive information and expert guidance, specialising in trading, investment, and currency exchange. His commitment to delivering high-quality insights has solidified the Good Money Guide’s standing as a well-respected resource for both customers and industry colleagues.
