Jasmine Birtles
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Trading212 vs IG: Full Investing Platform Comparison
Ruby Layram
31st Jul 2026
Trading 212 and IG are both long-established platforms for UK investors, but they’ve grown from very different roots. Trading 212 built its reputation on commission-free investing apps, while IG is one of the UK’s oldest trading firms, now also offering straightforward share dealing, ISAs and SIPPs alongside its trading products.
This guide compares them on what each platform publishes about itself, so you can see exactly where they differ on cost, safety, and features.
Also read: Trading212 vs eToro: Which is the best platform
* Some of the links in this article are affiliate or partner links. If you choose to purchase through them, MoneyMagpie may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services we believe offer value to our readers, and our editorial content is always produced independently.
Trading212 vs IG at a Glance
| Feature | Trading 212 | IG |
|---|---|---|
| UK regulator | Trading 212 UK Ltd, FCA authorised, FRN 609146 | IG Trading and Investments Ltd, IG Markets Ltd and IG Index Ltd, all FCA authorised |
| Investor protection (FSCS) | Cash held in banks protected up to £120,000 | Investments protected up to £85,000; funds held in segregated accounts at regulated banks, separate from IG’s own money |
| Commission on UK GBP shares/ETFs | £0- free on Invest, ISA and SIPP | £0- free on Share Dealing account, ISA and SIPP |
| FX fee on non-GBP trades | 0.15% | 0.7% |
| ISA account fee | £0 | £0 on the self-directed Share Dealing ISA; IG’s managed Smart Portfolio ISA carries a 0.25% tiered fee, capped at £42/year |
| SIPP account fee | £0 | £0 on self-directed SIPP; Smart Portfolio SIPP fee capped at £120/year |
| Minimum deposit | £1 (Stocks & Shares ISA) | No minimum via bank transfer; card deposits carry a minimum (IG’s help centre cites figures from £250 up to £500 depending on currency/method) |
| Range of stocks/ETFs | 10,000+ instruments across LSE, NYSE, NASDAQ and 7 European exchanges | 12,000+ shares and ETFs (IG’s ISA page states over 15,000+ globally) |
| Junior ISA | Not offered | Yes — £9,000/year tax-free allowance |
| Interest on uninvested cash | Paid daily on any balance, no minimum, opt-in/out anytime | Promotional rates advertised periodically (e.g. up to 5% AER for 12 months on new accounts); check IG’s current offer terms |
| Crypto investing | Not offered | Available, but IG’s own risk notice states you should not expect FSCS protection if something goes wrong |
| Signature feature | Pies & AutoInvest (rules-based automated investing) | Smart Portfolios (professionally managed, ready-made portfolios) |
| Demo/practice account | Free demo account | Free demo account |
| Share settlement | Standard market cycle (T+2 for UK shares) | T+2 for UK shares, confirmed on IG’s own help pages |
Regulation and Safety: Who’s Looking After Your Money?
Both platforms are FCA-regulated, but their corporate structures differ.
Trading 212 UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA reference number 609146) and is a member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
IG operates under three FCA-authorised entities: IG Trading and Investments Ltd, IG Markets Ltd and IG Index Ltd, reflecting its much longer history and broader product range beyond just investing.
On compensation, IG’s own site states that investments are protected up to £85,000 under the FSCS, and that client funds are held in accounts completely separate from IG’s own, at regulated banks.
Trading 212’s cash-interest terms state that cash held in banks is protected up to £120,000. As with any UK broker, cash placed in investment vehicles like money market funds rather than a bank deposit is treated as an investment, not a protected deposit, so always check how your specific uninvested cash is held.
Both platforms use a custodian model for your shares. IG explicitly describes this on its site: your shares are held by a regulated third-party custodian, kept separate from IG’s own accounts, adding a layer of protection if the broker itself ran into trouble.
Fees Compared: The Cost of Buying and Holding
This is one of the clearest differences between the two. Both platforms advertise £0 commission on UK GBP-denominated share and ETF trades across their Invest/Share Dealing, ISA and SIPP accounts.
Where they diverge is the foreign exchange fee charged when you buy or sell something priced in a currency other than GBP. Trading 212 states a flat 0.15% FX fee, while IG’s published rate is 0.7%. If you invest mostly in US or other non-UK stocks, that gap adds up over time.
Account fees follow a similar pattern. Trading 212 charges no account or custody fee on its Invest, ISA or SIPP accounts. IG’s self-directed Share Dealing account and ISA are also fee-free, but its managed Smart Portfolio option- where IG’s team builds and manages a portfolio for you- carries a 0.25% tiered fee, capped at £42 a year for an ISA or £120 a year for a SIPP.
Both platforms pass on the same UK government charge of 0.5% Stamp Duty Reserve Tax on UK-listed share purchases, since that’s a Treasury tax rather than a broker fee.
Stocks & Shares ISA: How the Two Compare
Both offer a flexible Stocks and Shares ISA, letting you invest up to £20,000 a year (2025/26 allowance) tax-free, with the ability to withdraw and replace money in the same tax year without losing that allowance. Trading 212’s ISA has no account fee and can be opened with as little as £1. IG’s self-directed Share Dealing ISA is also commission-free with no account fee, and IG additionally offers a managed Smart Portfolio ISA for a 0.25% tiered fee if you’d rather not choose your own investments.
One notable difference: IG also offers a Junior ISA, letting you invest up to £9,000 a year tax-free on behalf of a child. Trading 212 does not currently offer a Junior ISA, so IG has the edge if you’re investing for a child specifically.
What Can You Actually Invest In?
Trading 212 lists over 10,000 tradeable instruments, shares, ETFs, ETPs, REITs and investment trusts, across the London Stock Exchange, NYSE, NASDAQ and several European exchanges. It does not offer direct crypto investing.
IG’s Share Dealing account gives access to over 12,000 shares and ETFs (its Stocks and Shares ISA page cites more than 15,000 global shares and ETFs). IG also offers direct crypto investing, though its own risk disclosure is explicit that you shouldn’t expect FSCS protection if something goes wrong with a crypto holding, the same caveat that applies to crypto on other platforms.
Interest on Cash and Signature Features
Trading 212 pays interest daily on your entire uninvested cash balance, with no minimum or maximum, and you can switch it on or off at any time.
IG periodically advertises promotional interest rates for new customers on cash held across GIA, ISA or SIPP accounts (for example, a time-limited 5% AER offer for 12 months has appeared on IG’s site), check IG’s current promotions page, as these rates and terms change and aren’t necessarily permanent, unlike Trading 212’s standing daily-interest feature.
Each platform also has a standout feature for hands-off investors. Trading 212’s Pies & AutoInvest tool lets you build or copy a rules-based basket of stocks and ETFs that invests automatically on a schedule.
IG’s Smart Portfolios are ready-made, professionally managed portfolios built and rebalanced by IG’s in-house team using asset allocation, closer to a traditional managed service than Trading 212’s DIY-style Pies.
Both platforms offer a free demo account to practise on before investing real money.
So, Which Is Better for UK Beginners?
If your priority is the lowest possible cost for straightforward buy-and-hold investing, especially if you deal in GBP and want free daily interest on spare cash, Trading 212’s numbers are hard to beat: no commission, no account fee, and a lower 0.15% FX fee.
IG is worth a closer look if you want a broader instrument range, a fully managed Smart Portfolio option without switching providers, a Junior ISA for a child’s investments, or you value IG’s much longer track record as an established UK broker. Just factor in the higher 0.7% FX fee if you plan to trade a lot of non-GBP stocks, and check whether IG’s advertised interest rate is a lasting feature or a time-limited promotion before relying on it.
Neither platform is wrong for a beginner. Trading 212 suits those who want the cheapest, simplest DIY setup, while IG suits those who want more account options (including for a child) and the reassurance of a long-established broker, potentially with a managed option built in.
What to Do Next
- If cost is your main concern, compare the 0.15% (Trading 212) vs 0.7% (IG) FX fee based on how much you expect to invest in non-GBP shares.
- If you’re investing for a child, check IG’s Junior ISA, since Trading 212 doesn’t currently offer one.
- If you’d rather not pick your own investments, compare Trading 212’s Pies & AutoInvest against IG’s managed Smart Portfolios and their respective fees.
- Check both platforms’ current terms, fees and any promotional interest rates directly before opening an account, since these can change.
- Try each platform’s free demo account first if you want to get a feel for the app before committing real money.
Risk Disclaimer
This article is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not regulated financial advice, and MoneyMagpie is not a financial adviser. All investing carries risk, and the value of your investments can go down as well as up, you could get back less than you put in. Fees, interest rates, and terms mentioned above are correct as published by Trading 212 and IG in July 2026 and are subject to change; always check both providers’ current terms before opening an account. Always do your own research or speak to a regulated financial adviser before making investment decisions.
* Some of the links in this article are affiliate or partner links. If you choose to purchase through them, MoneyMagpie may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services we believe offer value to our readers, and our editorial content is always produced independently.
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