IG

Review method: published documents. This provider review may cover products beyond CFDs; account availability and protections depend on the contracting entity.

Ratings

Overall3.6/ 5

• Charting3.8 / 5
• Execution3.6 / 5
• Ease of use3.7 / 5
• Mobile4.3 / 5
• Automation3.7 / 5
• Data quality3.5 / 5
• Value3.4 / 5
• Support3.4 / 5

This assessment uses our trading-platform criteria. It is not a separate rating of the broker’s regulation or client protection.

Trustpilot

3.8 / 5

9,685 customer reviews

Observed 2026-07-07

Read the Trustpilot profile

A separate customer-review signal, not part of our score or a measure of trading performance.

Worth considering

• Very broad market access across CFDs, forex, indices, commodities, crypto CFDs, shares and ETFs where available
• Strong cross-device coverage with web, iOS, Android and third-party platform routes
• Fast and polished web trading workflow with chart trading, alerts, stops and limits
• Supports algorithmic workflows through ProRealTime, MT4, MT5, REST, streaming and FIX APIs
• Long-established broker, founded in 1974, with a regulated UAE entity

Consider the limitations

• No direct fit for active futures prop firms that require Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, CQG or firm-specific dashboards
• CFD pricing depends on spreads, overnight funding, conversion fees and market conditions, so costs are less transparent than exchange futures commissions
• Native IG charts are useful but thinner than specialist futures order-flow platforms for DOM, footprint and volume analysis
• Availability, instruments and platform integrations vary by region

What is IG

IG is a long-running online broker from IG Group, founded in 1974, with the UAE service operated by IG Limited from Dubai and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority. Its core product is broad market access through CFDs, forex, indices, commodities, crypto CFDs and share trading, delivered through IG's own web and mobile platforms plus integrations such as TradingView, MetaTrader, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer and APIs.

At a glance

IG is a credible, mature broker platform for CFD and stock traders who want web, mobile and API access from a large global provider. It is a poor match for the BullTraders core reader who needs a futures prop-firm platform with Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader or CQG connectivity. The platform is polished and broad, while the decisive drawback is product fit: IG is a broker for CFDs and shares, not a standard funded-futures execution stack.

Markets, instruments, and who can use it

IG UAE says clients can access more than 17,000 markets, including forex, indices, share CFDs, commodities, crypto CFDs, ETFs and direct stock trading where available. Platform access is broad: browser-based web trading, iOS, Android, TradingView, MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer and APIs in supported regions. If you trade CFDs, forex, indices or shares, IG is in its lane. If you trade CME futures through a prop account, this is the wrong gate, because the firms in that market usually route through their own dashboards or specialist futures connections rather than an IG brokerage account.

Charting and analysis

IG's own charts are stronger than a basic broker ticket and weaker than a specialist futures order-flow workstation. The official charting page lists 25 indicators, 17 drawing tools, chart splitting for comparing timeframes, tick-by-tick through monthly timeframes, HTML5 rendering and chart trading. That is enough for most CFD, forex and index traders who rely on price action, indicators, alerts and multi-timeframe layouts. It is thinner for futures specialists who want footprint charts, bid-ask imbalance, volume profile workflows, custom order-flow studies and a deep ecosystem of add-ons.

Order execution and order flow

The best part of IG's execution story is the polished web workflow. The deal ticket shows spread, margin and market information, supports stops and limits, offers alerts and allows trading directly from charts, including one-click trading where enabled. IG also says its platform uses best execution and cites 0.027 seconds from submission to fill on its OTC data for a 2023 sample period. That is useful for CFD trading, although it is still an OTC broker execution model. A futures scalper looking for a DOM, exchange depth, bracket presets on CME futures, footprint confirmation and prop-firm liquidation rules will find fewer of the specialist controls that define NinjaTrader, Tradovate or Sierra Chart.

Automation and backtesting

IG supports automation through several routes: ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and native APIs. The API route gives developers REST-based, streaming and, for eligible prime users, FIX access; IG says API users can pull live market data, historical prices and execute trades from IG accounts. ProRealTime is the more trader-friendly route because it includes its own coding language, optimisation suite and backtesting. The honest caution is that CFD backtests still depend on spread assumptions, financing costs, slippage and the broker's available historical data. Treat the backtester as a strategy-development tool, then forward-test on demo or very small size before trusting it with live risk.

Data, feeds, and connectivity

IG is its own broker and market-data gateway for most users, which simplifies setup and limits flexibility. Its API materials state that users can access live market data, historical prices and execution, and the platform pages describe real-time charts, alerts and market data on web and mobile. It also offers third-party front ends such as TradingView, MetaTrader and ProRealTime. For a futures prop trader, the important point is the missing connection: the firm normally supplies the data and execution route through Rithmic, Tradovate, CQG, NinjaTrader or a firm dashboard. IG does not become compatible simply because it has a good API.

Pricing decoded

IG's headline platform entry point is a Free demo account, and the live account has no separate platform license for IG's own web and mobile platform. The cost picture sits in trading charges: spreads, share CFD commission where applicable, overnight funding, stop-loss charges for guaranteed stops, live exchange data for some markets and currency conversion. IG UAE lists a 0.5% currency conversion charge for CFD trades in a currency different from the account base currency, and says live share price data fees may apply when accessing live exchange prices.

For a worked example, compare the license economics rather than pretending IG has futures platform tiers. A trader using IG web for CFD indices pays no monthly platform lease, so there is no lifetime-license break-even month. If the same trader considers a paid third-party charting route such as ProRealTime or paid exchange live data, the break-even is usage-driven: the paid tool only pays for itself if the better workflow reduces spread, slippage or error costs by more than the monthly fee. Illustratively, if a third-party setup costs $40 per month, it needs to save more than $40 per month in execution mistakes, missed alerts or workflow time to be rational. That is a productivity decision, not a commission-tier decision.

Prop-firm compatibility

IG is not a normal active-futures prop-firm platform. The firms covered in prop-firm reviews typically support routes such as Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Rithmic, CQG, TradingView connections supplied by the firm, or their own web dashboards. IG is a broker account, so you trade with IG rather than logging into an evaluation or funded futures account at Apex Trader Funding, Topstep, Earn2Trade, Take Profit Trader or similar firms. For this reason, IG should be treated as prop-firm incompatible for our futures platform collection unless a specific firm explicitly names IG as a supported broker route. Link readers back to prop-firm reviews before they open an IG account for a funded-futures use case.

Mobile and cross-device

Mobile is one of IG's stronger areas. The app is available for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and Android tablets, and IG says it supports dealing, risk management, charts, alerts, market data, deposits and withdrawals. For CFD and stock traders, that gives real cross-device continuity. For high-speed futures scalping, mobile remains a monitoring and emergency-management surface rather than the main place to trade, because the specialist DOM and order-flow workflow still belongs on a desktop.

Should you run it on a VPS

Most IG users do not need a VPS for the standard web or mobile platform. A VPS becomes relevant if you run MetaTrader, ProRealTime automation, custom API code or a browser session that must remain connected around the clock. For funded futures accounts, a VPS is often part of the desktop-platform stack, but IG is not that stack for the usual prop-firm reader. If you need low-latency or always-on hosting for supported automation, compare options in VPS reviews.

Who it suits

IG is for CFD, forex, index, commodity and share traders who value a regulated broker, broad markets, a clean web platform, strong mobile access and optional automation routes. It also suits traders who want to test ideas in a demo account before moving to live CFD risk. It is a weak choice for futures prop traders, DOM scalpers, order-flow specialists and anyone whose trading plan depends on Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, CQG or a specific funded-account dashboard. It is also a poor fit for traders who want exchange-traded futures rather than broker-provided CFDs.

Our verdict

IG is a strong broker platform judged on its own job: broad CFD and share access, polished web and mobile trading, respectable charting, and credible automation routes. Its weaknesses come from fit, not basic quality. For BullTraders' active futures prop reader, the lack of normal funded-futures compatibility and specialist futures order-flow tooling is decisive. Use IG if you want a mature CFD and stock broker. Choose a futures-native platform if you are trading evaluations, funded accounts or exchange-traded futures.

FAQ

Is IG good for futures prop-firm trading?

No. IG is a broker for CFDs, forex, indices, commodities, crypto CFDs and shares. Futures prop firms usually require specific futures connections or firm dashboards, so IG is generally the wrong platform for that workflow.

Does IG have a free demo account?

Yes. IG advertises a Free demo account, and demo access is one of the cleanest ways to test the web and mobile platforms before opening a live account.

Can I trade from charts on IG?

Yes. IG says users can open, close and edit positions directly from charts, and can use one-click trading where enabled.

Does IG support automated trading?

Yes. IG supports automation through ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and native APIs. The suitability depends on region, account type, product and the realism of your spread and slippage assumptions.

What are IG's main costs?

The main costs are spreads, commissions on some products, overnight funding, currency conversion, guaranteed stop charges where used and live exchange data fees for some markets. IG UAE lists a 0.5% currency conversion charge for CFD trades in a currency different from the account base currency.

Is IG better on desktop or mobile?

The web platform is the better primary workspace for analysis and execution. The mobile app is unusually capable for monitoring, alerts, account management and occasional trades, but active scalping still belongs on a proper desktop setup.

Provider documentation

IG official website contains the provider's product pages and legal terms. Match the account, plan and country before applying a rule or advertised price.

Provider pricing

IG pricing and available products should be checked for the exact account or hosting configuration. Compare the full charge, billing period and optional services before purchase.

Text updates, score evidence and customer-review observations have separate dates. This document review does not report a demo, execution or withdrawal test.