IG vs AvaTrade

IG is better than AvaTrade for most traders. IG offers a substantially larger range of markets, a deeper selection of professional trading platforms, strong research tools and a particularly strong regulatory position for UK traders.

AvaTrade is the better choice if copy trading, AvaProtect or dedicated vanilla FX options through AvaOptions are important to you. Those are meaningful advantages, but they do not outweigh IG's broader overall offering for the average active trader.

IG vs AvaTrade at a glance

Product availability, leverage, investor protections and fees vary by country and legal entity. Traders should check the terms applying to their own jurisdiction before opening an account.

Why IG beats AvaTrade overall

IG wins because it gives traders considerably more room to grow.

IG advertises access to more than 17,000 markets, including forex, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies and specialist markets such as bonds, rates and options. AvaTrade advertises more than 1,000 financial instruments, with its MetaTrader 5 offering marketed around 1,250+ assets. (IG)

That difference matters more than the raw number suggests.

A trader who starts with EUR/USD may later want to trade individual equities, less common indices, commodities, options or another niche market. IG is less likely to force that trader to open a second brokerage account purely because the instrument they want is unavailable.

IG also has the deeper platform ecosystem. Traders can use IG's own web and mobile platforms alongside MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer. L2 Dealer provides direct market access functionality for eligible products and clients. (IG)

AvaTrade remains competitive, particularly for MT4 and MT5 users, but its strongest differentiators are specialist products rather than overall breadth.

Verdict: choose IG unless AvaTrade offers a specific feature you know you will actually use.

IG vs AvaTrade fees: which broker is cheaper?

IG currently advertises forex CFD spreads from 0.6 points, including a minimum 0.6 spread on EUR/USD on its international offering. AvaTrade advertises CFD spreads starting from 0.9 pips. Both brokers primarily incorporate the trading cost of many forex and CFD transactions into the bid-ask spread. (IG)

That does not mean every IG trade will cost less.

Spreads are affected by the instrument, liquidity, volatility, trading session, account type and jurisdiction. Overnight financing can also become more important than the opening spread for positions held for several days.

Share CFDs introduce another difference because commission structures can apply rather than purely spread-based pricing.

The useful comparison is therefore not simply "which broker has the lowest advertised spread?" It is:

total trading cost = spread + commission + financing + currency conversion + optional platform/data charges

That calculation should be performed against the instruments and holding periods you actually intend to trade.

AvaTrade's inactivity fees deserve attention

This is one area where the comparison becomes much clearer.

AvaTrade's published fee schedule states that, unless prohibited by local law, an account can incur an inactivity fee after three consecutive months of non-use. The published charge is currently $50, €50 or £50 depending on the account currency. AvaTrade also publishes a $100, €100 or £100 annual administration fee after 12 consecutive months of non-use. (Avatrade)

IG's current UK pricing page lists its trading-account inactivity fee as free, although IG's terms differ between countries and products. (IG)

For somebody who trades only occasionally, AvaTrade's inactivity policy can therefore matter more than a fractionally different EUR/USD spread.

IG vs AvaTrade trading platforms

A major change worth noting in 2026 is that both brokers now support MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. IG currently offers MT5 alongside MT4, its proprietary platform, TradingView, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer. (IG)

That makes older comparisons claiming AvaTrade has an advantage because IG lacks MT5 outdated.

AvaTrade offers its WebTrader and mobile platform alongside MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and AvaOptions. It also offers social and copy-trading functionality through products such as AvaSocial, depending on the trader's location. (AvaTrade Support)

Choose IG's platforms if you want:

• a larger multi-asset trading environment
• TradingView integration
• advanced charting through ProRealTime
• MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5
• DMA functionality through L2 Dealer where eligible
• a platform ecosystem that can accommodate increasingly sophisticated trading

Choose AvaTrade's platforms if you want:

• MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5
• a relatively straightforward proprietary web/mobile experience
• copy or social trading where available
• AvaProtect
• dedicated vanilla FX options through AvaOptions

For an experienced trader, IG's ecosystem is stronger.

For a trader specifically looking for social trading or AvaOptions, AvaTrade has a legitimate advantage.

Is AvaTrade better than IG for copy trading?

AvaSocial allows users to find other traders and replicate trading strategies. AvaTrade also supports additional automated or copy-trading integrations in parts of its offering. (Avatrade)

There is an important jurisdiction caveat that many broker comparisons miss.

AvaTrade's own help documentation states that community or social trading through AvaSocial is not available to traders from European countries due to regulatory requirements. Availability should therefore be checked before choosing AvaTrade specifically for this feature. (AvaTrade Support)

Copy trading also does not remove trading risk. Copying somebody else's positions simply transfers the decision-making process. Losses remain possible, and historical performance is not a guarantee of future results.

Is AvaTrade's AvaProtect better than IG's guaranteed stops?

AvaProtect allows an eligible AvaTrade trader to purchase time-limited protection on certain FX, gold and silver positions. The protection has a cost based partly on factors such as expected volatility, position size and protection period. AvaTrade states that qualifying losses incurred during the protection period are reimbursed according to the product's terms. (Avatrade)

IG instead offers guaranteed stops on supported CFD positions. A guaranteed stop closes the position at the specified level even if the market gaps through that price. IG states that the guaranteed-stop premium is charged only if the stop is triggered. (IG)

The distinction is simple:

AvaProtect protects an eligible trade for a defined period. IG's guaranteed stop guarantees a defined exit price.

Neither feature makes leveraged trading safe. They are risk-control mechanisms with different cost structures and use cases.

IG vs AvaTrade for forex trading

IG combines competitive advertised forex spreads with MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, its proprietary platform, research tools and, for eligible sophisticated clients, Forex Direct DMA functionality. (IG)

AvaTrade offers more than 50 forex currency pairs and supports MT4, MT5, WebTrader and its mobile platform. (Avatrade)

AvaTrade becomes more interesting when the requirement is not simply spot-style forex CFD trading.

AvaOptions gives AvaTrade a dedicated proposition for traders interested in vanilla FX options, while AvaSocial gives eligible clients a copy-trading route that IG does not directly replicate.

For conventional active forex trading, however, IG gets the overall vote.

IG vs AvaTrade for market range

IG wins by a considerable margin.

IG advertises more than 17,000 global markets. Its international offering includes thousands of shares alongside forex, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies and specialist instruments. (IG)

AvaTrade advertises more than 1,000 instruments across forex, stocks, ETFs, commodities, indices, cryptocurrencies and related CFD markets. (Avatrade)

AvaTrade's range is large enough for many retail traders, so 17,000 markets should not be treated as automatically useful.

The practical advantage is optionality.

A trader who only ever trades five major forex pairs gets little benefit from thousands of additional instruments. A multi-asset trader looking for individual international equities, specialist markets or a broader selection of instruments gets far more value from IG.

Which broker has better research?

IG provides an in-platform Reuters news feed alongside economic-calendar data, market information and its own research and analysis functionality. ProRealTime adds another layer for traders focused heavily on technical analysis. (IG)

AvaTrade should not be dismissed here. AvaTrade integrates Trading Central, including market analysis, trading ideas, economic-calendar functionality, Market Buzz and trading signals, across supported platforms. (Avatrade)

The difference is therefore not "IG has research and AvaTrade does not."

Both have useful research tools.

IG simply offers the more comprehensive environment when combined with its broader market and platform ecosystem.

IG vs AvaTrade for beginners

Both brokers provide demo accounts and educational material.

AvaTrade puts considerable emphasis on structured education, tutorials, webinars and beginner-friendly interfaces. Its WebTrader and mobile platform are designed to reduce some of the complexity associated with professional trading terminals. (Avatrade)

IG's advantage is that a beginner is less likely to outgrow the broker. The same account ecosystem provides access to more markets and increasingly advanced platforms as the trader's requirements develop.

A beginner should not choose AvaTrade solely because copy trading appears easier. Leveraged trading remains high risk whether you make the decision yourself or copy another trader.

Which has the lower minimum deposit, IG or AvaTrade?

IG states that there is no minimum balance required to create a CFD trading account, although payment-method and jurisdiction-specific requirements can still apply. (IG)

AvaTrade publishes a standard minimum deposit of $100, €100, £100 or A$100, depending on account currency and availability. (AvaTrade Support)

Minimum deposit should not be a major deciding factor unless starting capital is genuinely constrained. The economically important questions are trading cost, market availability, regulation and whether the platform actually supports the strategy you intend to use.

Is IG or AvaTrade better regulated?

IG Markets Limited is authorised and regulated by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 195355. (FCA)

AvaTrade operates through several regulated companies internationally. Its public regulatory information lists entities supervised by regulators including the Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC in Australia, Japan's Financial Services Agency, South Africa's FSCA, the Abu Dhabi Global Market FSRA and other authorities. (Avatrade)

AvaTrade's current public regulator list does not list an FCA-regulated AvaTrade entity.

That makes IG the more straightforward choice for UK traders who specifically want their broker relationship under an FCA-authorised IG entity.

For clients elsewhere, the better question is not simply "which brand is more regulated?"

Ask:

Which legal entity will hold my account, which regulator supervises it, and what client protections apply to that exact entity?

Regulatory protection varies considerably between countries.

IG or AvaTrade: which should you choose?

Choose IG if you want the strongest all-round offering.

IG is the better choice for traders who prioritise broad market access, professional trading tools, research, TradingView or ProRealTime integration, advanced execution options and a strong UK regulatory position.

Choose AvaTrade if one of its specialist advantages is central to your strategy.

AvaTrade makes more sense if you specifically want AvaOptions, AvaProtect or eligible copy/social-trading functionality and are comfortable with the market range, fee structure and legal entity available in your jurisdiction.

Final verdict

The biggest reason is not one slightly cheaper spread or one better mobile feature. It is the combination of 17,000+ markets, MT4, MT5, TradingView, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, strong research capabilities and a mature multi-asset trading ecosystem. (IG)

AvaTrade is not simply an inferior version of IG. Its advantage is specialisation. AvaSocial, AvaProtect and AvaOptions give AvaTrade capabilities that may make it the better broker for a narrower group of traders.

For everyone else, IG is the better default choice.

Before depositing money with either broker, open the available demo account and verify that the markets, order types and platform workflow you intend to use are actually supported in your country. Then check the live pricing and fee schedule for those specific instruments rather than choosing a broker from headline spreads alone.

Broker products, fees, platform availability and regulatory entities can change by jurisdiction. CFDs and other leveraged products are high-risk instruments and can result in rapid losses. This comparison is general information, not personal investment advice.

The strongest information-gain angles here are the 2026 MT5 update at IG, the AvaSocial European availability caveat, and the large difference in inactivity policy, because weaker comparison pages tend to flatten those into generic feature ticks.