In this battle we compare XTB vs IG – two brokers that also offer great ISA investing as well as trading options. They are both dedicated trading platforms but have expanded their offering to become more holistic platforms. But which one is better?
Which is the Better Trading Platform: XTB or IG?
Our research found that IG is overall the better broker but XTB is a very solid choice for ISA investing as well as trading for beginner-intermediate level traders. However, IG wins overall due to its breadth of instrument choice, deep educational offerings and versatility as both a professional broker as well as investing suite.
Let’s compare them across spreads, ISA offerings, platform experience and more. Let’s get into it.
1. Key Features Comparison
| IG VS City Index | 
First | 
Second | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation | FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), NFA (US), and more | FCA (UK) | |
| Trading Platforms | Proprietary Platforms, MT4, MT5, TradingView | Proprietary Platform (xStation5) | |
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Spreads | Starting from 0.6 pips on forex | Starting from 0.8 pips on forex | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | Yes | |
| Range of Assets | 16,000+ | 11,000+ | |
| Education Resources | IG Academy, webinars, tutorials | Articles, Market Analysis & eBooks | |
| Customer Support | 24/5 via live chat, phone, and email | 24/5 via phone, chat, and email | |
| Funding Options | Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, Bank Transfer | Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, Bank Transfer | |
| Inactivity Fee | £0 | £10/month after 1 year of no activity | |
| Join IG | Join XTB |
2. Fees and Spreads
IG Fees
IG’s forex spreads start from 0.6 pips on major pairs like EUR/USD which is impressive but not the tightest we’ve seen. They also change no inactivity fees (they were abolished in January 2026) – which is great for traders.
However, they charge a 0.7% currency conversion fee for ISAs – so if you are purchasing US stocks with GBP for example, this is higher than Trading 212 and XTB which both charge 0.5%, respectively. This feels a bit high to be honest, so it’s something to watch if you are investing in US stocks with a larger account…
XTB Fees
XTB charges an inactivity fee of £10 on trading accounts after 1 year but this doesn’t apply to ISA accounts. XTB also has a lower ISA currency conversion fee than IG, so this is an advantage for those looking to invest rather than trade. XTB has higher spreads than IG, starting at 0.8 pips vs IG’s 0.6 – so the fees are higher for traders overall.
Verdict
If you are looking at ISAs then XTB is cheaper than IG overall with a lower currency conversion fee. If you are trading on them then IG is cheaper with 0.6 pip spread vs XTB’s 0.8. On balance, IG is cheaper both for trading (lower spreads and no inactivity fee) and ISAs (with a wider range of instruments to invest in the currency conversion fee is justifiable).
3. Trading Platforms
IG Trading Platforms
IG’s platform is easy to use and great for traders of all levels to get started. It is relatively simple, despite IG’s vast range of stocks, forex and indices to trade. When i first got started it proved a little difficult because it was just a new experience but after 1-3 hours you can learn the ins-and-outs of the platform and get started fairly quickly. Also, if you are looking at IG as a broker to plug into other platforms, they are interoperable with TradingView, MT4, MT5 and also have a host of professional-grade platforms like ProRealTime and L2 Dealer. Overall it’s a solid choice for platform offering.
XTB Trading Platforms
XTB offers something completely different. They decided on one platform – xStation5. You might be thinking: ‘oh, but i trade on Tradingview’, or ‘I trade on MT4’, well not anymore. xStation 5 is one of the best platforms I’ve used, and I’ve had years of experience testing and trialing new platforms from brokers. Think Tradingview (it’s very similar) but better. With news, education and easy to trade buttons – it’s just seemless. They have clearly invested a lot into the experience and it shows. Unlike mobile apps like Trading 212 which actually convert to a desktop experience pretty poorly. XTB thought about desktop traders first, then built the mobile version on top. The result is something that looks great on both desktop and mobile.
Verdict
For native webtrader experiences – XTB is the clear winner. XTB’s xStation5 platform is better than IG’s webtrader experience with clearer news integration, education built in and a smooth design interface. You can start trading or investing on XTB in minutes, to fully learn IG’s platform will take a few hours.
However, IG integrates with far more options than XTB – like Tradingview, MT4, MT5 – platforms that traders love. So purely on this alone, IG wins for trading platforms although XTB has one of the best native platform experiences I’ve seen.
4. Range of Tradable Instruments
IG Asset Range
This one is fairly straightforward. IG offers 16,000+ instruments to trade as of May 2026. It has one of the largest offerings of any UK broker.
XTB Asset Range
XTB claims 11,000+ instruments to trade. Whilst large, this is nowhere near IG’s offering.
Verdict
IG beats XTB for the number of assets to trade in 2026 both for ISAs and trading. IG offers 16,000+ and XTB offers 11,000+.
5. Regulation and Security
IG Regulation
IG is a well-established UK broker and is one of most trusted names in the industry. It’s regulated by top-tier authorities, including the FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), and the NFA (US). Client funds are securely held in segregated accounts, and UK clients are protected under the FSCS up to £85,000.
XTB Regulation
XTB is also regulated by the FCA (UK) and also offers client fund segregation. While their coverage is slightly less global than IG (give it time…) it’s still secure for UK traders.
Verdict
Both brokers are solid in terms of security, but IG wins for its broader global regulation.
6. Customer Support
IG Support
IG offers 24/5 support via live chat, phone, and email. During testing, their team responded quickly and effectively, even for more complex queries.
XTB Support
XTB also provides 24/5 support, with helpful agents available via phone, chat, and email. Their support quality was comparable to IG’s during our tests.
Verdict:
It’s a tie. Both brokers offer reliable, responsive support.
7. Educational Resources
IG Education
IG’s education is deep and broad. It’s also clearly organised into their fantastic IG academy which is great for beginner traders and investors. It’s seen as the go-to hub for UK traders looking to learn more. They offer webinars, videos, and courses for all abilities.
XTB Education
XTB is pretty impressive in its own right. It has a fantastic articles, the quality of which sometimes beat IG in our blind test. The also offer something IG, and no other UK broker does – eBooks. This is a clear advantage vs other brokers. They understand that traders need their information organised and clearly downloadable in PDF. However, I wish i could say the same for the rest of their educational material on the site. Whilst the articles are excellent, the actual educational page itself is disorganised and although they have labels, the actual content itself is hard to find.
Verdict:
IG Academy wins. IG Academy is clearly labelled, organised, broken into beginner, intermediate and advanced trading levels, they have webinars, videos and courses for every stage. XTB has great materials but it’s just not organised very well at all. Their ebook offering is above and beyond compared to most other brokers, but it’s all very jumbled.
XTB has a great method of accessing educational content from their platform, so this counted in their favour, but until they organise their education page a bit more clearly, they unfortunately lose this battle.
FAQ’s
1. Is IG better than XTB for Forex trading?
Yes. IG offers spreads starting at 0.6 pips for forex, but XTB offers 0.8 pips – this means that IG is cheaper for trading than XTB. They also have no inactivity fees as of May 2026, whereas XTB has a holding cost of £10 after 1 year. IG offers 16,000+ instruments to trade vs XTB’s 11,000+ so IG is comprehensively a better trading platform than XTB.
2. Is IG better than XTB for ISAs?
It depends. IG is better for the range of instruments to invest in, with 16,000+ assets vs XTB’s 11,000+. However, IG has a higher forex conversion fee of 0.7% vs XTB’s 0.5%. XTB’s fees are more in line with other brokers / investing platforms like Trading 212 and IG’s are higher than both Trading 212 and XTB. So if you are looking for a wide range of things to invest in, then IG is for you. If you are more cost-concious and don’t want any unexpected fees, or have a larger ISA amount, then IG’s fees may add up if you are buying a lot of US stocks, for example, using GBP.
3. Is IG better than XTB for Beginners?
XTB’s xStation 5 platform is the easier platform to get started. It is more beginner-friendly than IG’s native webtrader experience. However, IG, with it’s wider range of instruments to trade, offers beginners a solid base from which to trade. I would choose XTB for beginners as 11,000+ instruments from XTB is plenty, and the platform experience is much easier to get started.
4. Is IG better than XTB for UK traders?
Yes, IG is overall better than XTB for UK traders. It offers more global regulation, a wider collection of tradable assets, and lower spreads.
5. Is IG better than XTB for trading platforms?
IG offers a wider range of platforms with ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, TradingView, MT4, MT5 and it’s own native webtrader experience. XTB offer one platform natively – xStation 5. XTB’s platform, whilst exceptional, does not match IG’s depth and breadth of offering. So if you are looking for a broker to integrate into other platforms, then IG is the better pick.
Final Verdict
| Criteria | Winner |
|---|---|
| Fees and Spreads | IG |
| Platforms | IG |
| Asset Range | IG |
| Regulation and Security | Tie |
| Customer Support | Tie |
| Educational Resources | IG |
Whilst it might look like IG beats XTB hands-down, the truth is that both have their distinct advantages and disadvantages and XTB still remains an exceptional platform for beginners, ISA investors and those looking for a Trading 212 alternative. IG simply stands head and shoulders above most brokers in terms of asset variety, regulation, fees and platforms offered.
No Minimum Deposit
Best for Stocks
IG offers 17,000+ trading instruments and combines robust regulation with cutting-edge platforms like ProRealTime, TradingView, and L2 Dealer.
68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Who Should You Choose?
IG if you want a trusted, globally-regulated investment or trading platform and are comfortable with slightly higher fees for the pleasure of trading with them.
XTB if you are looking for an easy-to-use, beginner-friendly platform as an alternative to etoro or trading 212 and are looking for a bridge from those platforms into a fully fledged broker.
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