IG vs AvaTrade at a glance
| | IG | AvaTrade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.6 pips | 0.9 pips |
| GBP/USD spread | 0.9 pips | 1.5 pips |
| XAU/USD spread | 0.30 pips | 0.34 pips |
| Commission | Spread-only on forex | Spread-only, inactivity fee applies |
| Minimum deposit | £250 (card £1) | $100 |
| Max leverage | 1:30 (FCA retail) | 1:30 (EU retail) / up to 1:400 offshore |
| Regulation | FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, CFTC | Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, FSCA, FSA Japan |
| Platforms | IG Web, MT4, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer | MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGO, WebTrader |
| Withdrawals | 1-3 business days | 1-3 business days |
| Founded | 1974 | 2006 |
Spread-by-spread
IG quotes EUR/USD at 0.6 pips and gold at 0.30 pips; AvaTrade quotes 0.9 pips and 0.34 pips. Raw spreads only tell half the story — add the commission (Spread-only on forex vs Spread-only, inactivity fee applies) before you decide which is genuinely cheaper on the pairs you trade.
Total cost of a 1 lot EUR/USD round turn
The only cost comparison that matters is spread plus commission, measured together:
- IG — 0.6 pips plus Spread-only on forex
- AvaTrade — 0.9 pips plus Spread-only, inactivity fee applies
- Vantage — 0.0 pips (Raw ECN) plus $3 per side per lot (Raw ECN) (the lowest commission of the raw ECN group)
Across 200 lots a month, a $0.50 per-side commission difference alone is $200 — $2,400 a year kept in or taken out of your account before a single pip of market movement.
Safety and regulation
IG: FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, CFTC. LSE-listed and FCA-regulated; FSCS cover for eligible UK retail clients.
AvaTrade: Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, FSCA, FSA Japan. No FCA entity for UK retail clients; EU/offshore entities instead.
Whichever you pick, confirm the entity you are onboarded to, that client funds are segregated, and that negative balance protection applies to your account type.
Platforms and execution
IG supports IG Web, MT4, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer. AvaTrade supports MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGO, WebTrader. MT4 remains best for expert advisors, MT5 adds depth of market, and cTrader gives the clearest view of raw pricing and order book depth.
Verdict: IG vs AvaTrade
Between the two, pick on the metric that dominates your strategy — commission for scalpers, withdrawal speed for active traders, regulation for long-term capital. But on pure cost, neither beats Vantage: 0.0 pips (Raw ECN) raw spreads, $3 per side per lot (Raw ECN), up to 1:500 leverage, MT4/MT5/cTrader and same-day withdrawals from a $50 minimum deposit. Open a Vantage account.