Alternatives to IG

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51%-81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

IG is a long-established investment platform that has ISAs, pensions, contracts for difference (CFDs), excellent research and a learning facility with a demo account. You can buy and sell US shares with no commission with IG (provided you’ve traded more than 3 times in the previous month), which is a big plus.

If you’d rather not trade with IG, or if IG isn’t taking on new sign-ups, we’ve collected together some IG alternatives that you could consider.

Hargreaves Lansdown: a close alternative


Finder score	★★★★★	★★★★★
Customer satisfaction survey	★★★★★	★★★★★
FSCS protected?
Stocks and shares ISA available?
Standard trading fee	£8	£11.95
Foreign exchange fees	0.5%	1%
UK - London Stock Exchange
US - New York Stock Exchange
US - NASDAQ
App
Desktop or web access
Keep in mind	Capital at risk. 71% of retail CFD accounts lose money	Capital at risk
	More Info	Go to site More Info

Hargreaves Lansdown and IG are pretty much on par with one another — Hargreaves Lansdown has a huge range of shares and also allows you to invest in a range of different account types, including ISAs and pensions.

Hargreaves Lansdown is more expensive than IG, with trades costing £11.95.

The charting and investment tools are pretty extensive with both providers, offering a great service for experienced investors. Both providers offer demo accounts to show beginners how the platform works.

You can read our full review of Hargreaves Lansdown if you’d like to learn more.

eToro: an alternative if you want commission-free stock trading


Finder score	★★★★★	★★★★★
Customer satisfaction survey	★★★★★	★★★★★
FSCS protected?
Stocks and shares ISA available?
Standard trading fee	£8	£0.00
Foreign exchange fees	0.5%	0.5%
UK - London Stock Exchange
US - New York Stock Exchange
US - NASDAQ
App
Desktop or web access
Keep in mind	Capital at risk. 71% of retail CFD accounts lose money	Capital at risk. 51% of retail CFD accounts lose money
	More Info	Go to site More Info

Another great alternative to IG is eToro. It offers commission-free stock trading and has a demo account so you can practise investing. eToro offers professional charting tools and research as well as offline trading that lets you place some orders when the platform is down. You can also copy other people’s trades with its CopyTrader feature.

Its trading screen is complex so, like IG, it can seem overwhelming. You can invest in more than 1,000 stocks globally with eToro from some of the biggest stock exchanges in the world. eToro has them categorised by sector and exchange to give you ideas on what to trade.

If you think you’d like to learn more, you can check out our review of eToro.

Freetrade: a good alternative for beginners


Finder score	★★★★★	★★★★★
Customer satisfaction survey	★★★★★	★★★★★
FSCS protected?
Stocks and shares ISA available?
Standard trading fee	£8	£0
Foreign exchange fees	0.5%	0.59%
UK - London Stock Exchange
US - New York Stock Exchange
US - NASDAQ
App
Desktop or web access
Keep in mind	Capital at risk. 71% of retail CFD accounts lose money	Capital at risk
	More Info	More Info

If you’re looking for another platform that lets you invest in an ISA, then Freetrade might be an option to consider. Freetrade is an investing app that lets you buy UK and US stocks and invest in funds and ETFs. Because of its simple design, it’s really beginner friendly.

It’s got a pink interface that echoes digital banks like Monzo and Starling. Its biggest selling point is that it’s free (obviously), although you’d have to pay a 0.59% foreign exchange fee. If you plan to trade frequently then it can save you quite a lot of money (£11.95 per trade compared with Hargreaves Lansdown, £8 per trade compared with interactive investor and £9.95 compared with AJ Bell).

You can check out our full review of Freetrade if you want to learn more.

Bottom line

IG is a pretty good trading platform, but it could be overwhelming if you’re just starting out, and expensive if you’re not trading much money. We think Hargreaves Lansdown, eToro and Freetrade are good alternatives to IG, but you could also check out our comparison table if you want to find a different platform. You can narrow your options down by features that are important to you.

All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.

Thank you for your feedback!

Zoe Stabler DipFA

Zoe was a senior writer at Finder specialising in investment and banking, and during this time, she joined the Women in FinTech Powerlist 2022. She is currently a senior money writer at Be Clever With Your Cash. Zoe has a BA in English literature and a Diploma for Financial Advisers. She has several years of experience in writing about all things personal finance. Zoe has a particular love for spreadsheets, having also worked as a management accountant. In her spare time, you’ll find Zoe skating at her local ice rink.

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