Alison Heyerdahl
Edited by Alison Heyerdahl
Author

IG vs. markets.com

In the fast-paced world of forex trading, choosing the right broker is crucial. IG and markets.com are two popular options, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. This comparison will dive into the key features of both platforms,helping you decide which one best suits your trading style and goals.

Select Brokers to Compare

Forex Broker Comparison
Broker Score
4.69
/ 5
4.68
/ 5
Trust Rating
Trading Conditions
Trading Platforms
Deposit & Withdrawal
Assets Available
Education & Research
Customer Service
Beginner Friendly
Analysis Research
Min. Deposit
USD 0
USD 100

Regulation

Regulation
Australian Securities & Investment CommissionBermuda Monetary AuthorityBundesanstalt für FinanzdienstleistungsaufsichtCommodity Futures Trading Association
Dubai Financial Services AuthorityFinancial Conduct AuthorityFinancial Markets Authority of New ZealandFinancial Services AgencyFinancial Services Conduct AuthorityMonetary Authority of SingaporeSwiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority
Australian Securities & Investment CommissionBritish Virgin Islands Financial Services CommissionCyprus Securities and Exchange CommissionFinancial Conduct Authority
Financial Services Conduct Authority
Trading Desk Type
Market Maker
Market Maker
Trading Instruments
Bonds, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Digital 100s, Stock CFDs, ETFs, Forex, Indices, Interest Rates
Bonds, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Stock CFDs, ETFs, Forex, Indices

Conditions

Forex Pairs
80
56
Crypto Pairs
10
25
Pros
  • Well regulated
  • Tight spreads
  • Great platform choice
  • Excellent education
  • Excellent market analysis
  • Regulation by top-tier authorities
  • Hassle-free withdrawal process without any fees
  • Its proprietary trading platform is praised for its user-friendly interface catering to both beginners and experienced traders
  • Competitive spreads starting from 0.6 pips
Cons
  • High minimum deposit
  • Regulation by top-tier authorities
  • Hassle-free withdrawal process without any fees
  • Its proprietary trading platform is praised for its user-friendly interface catering to both beginners and experienced traders
  • Competitive spreads starting from 0.6 pips
% Lose with this broker
69%
70.3%
Leverage
200:1
300:1
Spread
0.60 pips
0.60 pips
Hedging
Yes
Yes
Scalping
Yes
Yes
Account Types
DMA, Live Account, Spread Betting
Live, Markets.com, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5
Islamic Account
Yes
Yes
Trading Platforms
MT4, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime
MT4, MT5, markets.com
Funding Methods
Bank Transfer, Mastercard, Paypal, Visa
Bank Transfer, Mastercard, Neteller, Skrill, Visa
Trading Commissions
Fees Included in Spread
Fees Included in Spread
Octa Octa
IG
markets.com
Trust Rating
5
5
Trading Conditions
4.5
5
Trading Platforms
4.5
4.5
Deposit & Withdrawal
5
4.5
Assets Available
5
4.5
Education & Research
5
5
Customer Service
4
4
Beginner Friendly
4
4
Analysis Research
5
5
Overall Rating
4.69
/ 5
4.68
/ 5

How Do IG and markets.com Compare?

The radar chart above illustrates the comparison between IG and markets.com across several key metrics, with the highest possible score being 100 in each category.

Helping You Choose the Right Broker

At FxScouts, our mission is to assist traders in finding the broker that best suits their needs. Comparing brokers side-by-side is an effective method to achieve this goal. We evaluated IG and markets.com, using our standard criteria: trust and regulation, trading platforms, costs and trading conditions, and educational and market analysis resources.

Trust and Regulation

Trust and regulation are crucial when selecting a Forex broker. A broker’s credibility is largely built on its regulatory status. We spend considerable time verifying the safety of each broker by examining their regulatory licenses. The more top-tier authorities regulating a broker, the higher its trust rating.

In our comparison:

  • IG holds six Tier 1 and three Tier 2 licences.
  • markets.com holds three Tier 1 and no Tier 2 licences.

Based on these findings, IG earned a higher trust rating than markets.com.

Is IG financially regulated?

Yes IG was founded in 1974 and is regulated by ASIC, BMA, BaFin, CFTC, DFSA, FCA, FMA, FSA-Japan, FSCA, MAS and FINMA.

 

Is markets.com financially regulated?

Yes markets.com was founded in 2008 and is regulated by ASIC, B.V.I FSC, CySEC, FCA and FSCA.

 

Trading Costs Comparison

When comparing brokers, trading costs are a significant factor. We consider the minimum deposit required to open an account and ongoing costs, including spreads and commissions. We measure the cost to trade one lot of EUR/USD using the broker’s account with the lowest minimum deposit, including both the spread and any commission charged.

We found that IG has overall lower trading costs than markets.com.

Top Overall Brokers by Broker Score

Trading Platforms Offered

Trading Platforms Offered Traders prefer brokers that offer a variety of trading platforms. We rate brokers higher if they support multiple platforms like MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5, cTrader, and proprietary platforms.

  • IG supports MT4, L2 Dealer and ProRealTime
  • markets.com supports MT4, MT5 and markets.com

Copy Trading Availability

Copy trading is beneficial for beginner traders or those unable to trade full-time. In this case both IG and markets.com offer copy trading.

Range of Trading Instruments

A broader range of CFD instruments provides more trading opportunities. IG offers a greater variety of instruments compared to markets.com:

  • IG: 80 Forex pairs.
  • markets.com: 56 Forex pairs.

Cryptocurrency Trading

For those interested in trading cryptocurrencies, markets.com offers 25 cryptocurrencies, while IG offers 10 cryptocurrencies. Therefore, markets.com is the better choice for cryptocurrency trading.

Deposit and Withdrawal Processes

Traders prefer brokers with quick and cost-effective deposit and withdrawal processes. We favor brokers that process withdrawals within 24 hours using multiple methods without charging fees.We found that neither IG nor markets.com charges a withdrawal fee. Overall, IG has better deposit and withdrawal processes than markets.com. 

Educational Support?

We often find that brokers offer very little in the way of educational materials, forcing traders to use other third-party sites or self-educate elsewhere. Beginner traders need well-structured, well-presented materials in multiple formats to get a good start at trading. More experienced traders also benefit from webinars led by experts in the field and advanced trading strategy sections with new trading ideas. 

IG and markets.com both have very good educational support. Both IG and markets.com offer educational support for more experienced traders.

Market Analysis Materials

Access to frequent and high-quality market research and analysis is crucial.

We found that IG offers better research analysis than markets.com and that both IG and markets.com offer frequent webinars.

Overall Verdict

  • IG:

    Founded in London in 1974 and regulated by the FCA, IG is a low-cost CFD broker with a long history of providing safe and secure trading and a vast range of trading instruments.

    Our research found that IG has over 320,000 clients worldwide and has been the largest CFD broker in the world by revenue for the last few years. It has two low-cost trading accounts and a spread betting account with no minimum deposit requirements and offers trading on over 17,000 instruments, all of which can be accessed on its award-winning app and web trader platform. 

    For more traditional investors, IG also runs a fully licenced stock brokerage on the side. And in addition to a wide range of trading tools, IG has a world-class selection of educational and market analysis materials to get new traders started.

  • markets.com:

    With a listing on the London Stock Exchange, a well-regulated and competitive trading environment, and a user-friendly, full-featured trading platform that allows spread betting, British traders will be hard-pressed to find a better broker.

    Markets.com offers traders fast, low-cost trading on a broad range of financial instruments, including over 2000 stock CFDs, Forex, commodities, indices, ETFs, and bonds. Although Markets.com offers only one live account, spreads start at 0.6 pips (EUR/USD), with no commissions and a minimum deposit requirement of only 100 GBP.

    Full support is offered for MT4, MT5, and Markets.com's award-winning in-house platform, Marketsx. An advanced multi-asset trading platform, Marketsx is packed full of features, including excellent trading tools, expert analysis, and in-depth charting. 

    Markets.com also provides a high level of customer service compared to other brokers, and all traders are assigned a dedicated Account Manager to assist with any queries regarding their account or using the platform.

Overall Ratings

  • IG: 4.69
  • markets.com: 4.68

For more detailed reviews, please read our comprehensive assessments of IG and markets.com.

Pepperstone
AvaTrade
FCA, ASIC
Regulators
ASIC, FSCA
200:1
Leverage
400:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.01 pips
Min. Spread
0.9 pips
USD 0
Min. Deposit
USD 100
Octa
XM
CySEC, FSCA
Regulators
CySEC, ASIC
1000:1
Leverage
1000:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.6 pips
Min. Spread
0.6 pips
USD 25
Min. Deposit
USD 5
Tickmill
Pepperstone
CySEC, FCA
Regulators
FCA, ASIC
500:1
Leverage
200:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.0 pips
Min. Spread
0.01 pips
USD 100
Min. Deposit
USD 0
AvaTrade
FxPro
ASIC, FSCA
Regulators
FCA, CySEC
400:1
Leverage
200:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.9 pips
Min. Spread
0.4 pips
USD 100
Min. Deposit
USD 100
Unbiased Expertise

Independent, in-depth reviews and comparisons of all well regulated Forex brokers, empowering you to make informed choices.

Educational Resources

Comprehensive guides for all levels, from the basics of Forex to advanced strategies tailored for your experience.

Transparent Information

A focus on facts, accuracy, and up-to-date data to give you the insights you need to succeed in your Forex journey.

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Best Forex Brokers in the Malaysia for 2024

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Regulated by FCA
Licenced by
Min. Deposit
Cost of Trading
Total trading cost at the time of last update, for 1 lot of EUR/USD using the account with the lowest minimum deposit. Includes spread and commission.
Broker Score
Official Site
Compare
Yes
FCA Regulated Forex BrokersASIC Regulated BrokersCySEC Regulated BrokersDFSA Regulated Forex Brokers
Bundesanstalt für FinanzdienstleistungsaufsichtSecurities Commission of the BahamasCapital Markets Authority
USD 0
USD 10
4.61
/ 5
No
CySEC Regulated BrokersFinancial Services Conduct AuthorityMwali International Services Authority
USD 25
USD 6
4.37
/ 5
Yes
CySEC Regulated BrokersFCA Regulated Forex BrokersFinancial Services Conduct AuthorityThe Seychelles Financial Services Authority
DFSA Regulated Forex Brokers
USD 100
USD 6
4.58
/ 5
No
ASIC Regulated BrokersFinancial Services Conduct AuthorityCySEC Regulated BrokersFinancial Services Agency
Central Bank of IrelandFinancial Regulatory Services AuthorityIsrael Securities Authority
USD 100
USD 9
4.59
/ 5
No
CySEC Regulated BrokersASIC Regulated BrokersDFSA Regulated Forex BrokersInternational Financial Services Commission
Financial Services Conduct Authority
USD 5
USD 6
4.45
/ 5
No
ASIC Regulated BrokersCySEC Regulated BrokersFinancial Services Conduct AuthorityThe Seychelles Financial Services Authority
Financial Services CommissionCapital Markets Authority
AUD 100
USD 6
4.40
/ 5
No
CySEC Regulated BrokersThe Seychelles Financial Services AuthoritySecurities Commission of the Bahamas
USD 200
USD 8
4.46
/ 5
Yes
CySEC Regulated BrokersFCA Regulated Forex BrokersFinancial Services Conduct AuthorityDFSA Regulated Forex Brokers
Financial Services CommissionThe Seychelles Financial Services Authority
USD 0
USD 10
4.53
/ 5
No
ASIC Regulated BrokersVanuatu
AUD 0
USD 4.50
4.41
/ 5
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Alison and Chris cover a range of topics, including how to choose a Forex broker, safety and regulation, how to reduce your risk, trading psychology, trading platforms, and trading strategies, among others.

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