Both are FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected. The real difference is fees, account types and how each platform feels to use. Verified against each provider’s published charges.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Cost-conscious DIY investors who want to keep every fee at zero.
Active investors who want professional tools alongside long-term holdings.
Tick what you need. No account, no email. The answer is on this page.
Tick what you need above and we'll tell you which of the two covers it.
Account availability verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Reviewers consistently rate the app as easy to use and good value, and many mention the competitive interest paid on uninvested cash.
The most common criticisms are slow identity verification for new accounts and support that can take time to respond.
Read Trading 212 reviews on TrustpilotExperienced traders rate the platform quality, charting and market access.
Lower scores than rivals, with complaints about account queries and the complexity of the product range.
Read IG reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | Trading 212 | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £0 | £0 (custody fee removed January 2026) |
| Share dealing | £0 commission | £0 commission with instant currency conversion |
| Fund dealing | ETFs only, £0 commission | Not confirmed: check IG's site for fund availability |
| FX fee | 0.15% | 0.7% |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Free | Free |
| SIPP | Free | Commission-free; administered by Options Pensions, £205 a year |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £1 | No minimum |
A 0.25% yearly fee gap sounds small. On £50,000 over 20 years it is about £5,900 (illustrative). Add your ISA and pension balances to Delphina yourself and see what your charges cost by retirement and whether you're on track.
See what my fees costIllustrative: £50,000, 5% a year growth before charges, 0.25% vs 0.50% a year in charges, no further contributions. Not a recommendation of Trading 212 or IG. Delphina is guidance, not financial advice.
Trading 212 built its name on removing fees. There is no platform fee, no dealing commission and no account charge on its ISA or SIPP. The only cost most investors pay is a 0.15% currency conversion fee when buying shares priced in dollars or euros.
The trade-off is scope. You can hold shares and ETFs but not traditional funds, and support is app-based. For an investor who wants a global tracker ETF inside an ISA at close to zero cost, it is very hard to beat on price.
IG is best known for trading, but its share dealing account and ISA became far more competitive in 2026 when it removed custody fees and commissions. You get institutional-quality tools with no platform charge.
The 0.7% currency conversion fee is the main cost to watch on US shares, and there are no traditional funds. It suits confident investors; beginners will find simpler homes elsewhere.
Neither charges a platform fee or commission on standard share dealing, so the main difference is currency conversion. Trading 212 charges 0.15% FX on trades in other currencies. IG converts automatically at 0.7%. Buying £1,000 of US shares costs £1.50 in FX at Trading 212 and £7 at IG.
IG also offers manual multi-currency conversion, which avoids the 0.7% FX fee but adds commission: £3 per UK share trade, 3c per US share (minimum $15) and 0.1% on European shares (minimum €10). IG scrapped its £24 quarterly custody fee in January 2026 and has no inactivity fee.
Both offer a Stocks & Shares ISA and a SIPP. The SIPP cost is where they differ most. Trading 212 charges no SIPP admin fee. IG's SIPP is administered by Options Pensions, which charges £205 a year, so over five years that adds up to £1,025 before any FX. You can usually access a personal pension from 55, rising to 57 from 6 April 2028.
Trading 212 tends to suit people buying shares and ETFs, including overseas shares, who want the lowest FX charge of the two and a SIPP with no admin fee. IG tends to suit people who want a Junior ISA from the same provider as their own ISA, or the option of manual multi-currency conversion with per-trade commission instead of an FX fee.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. Trading 212's platform fee is £0, against £0 (custody fee removed January 2026) at IG. On dealing, Trading 212 charges £0 commission for shares and eTFs only, £0 commission for funds, while IG charges £0 commission with instant currency conversion for shares and not confirmed: check IG's site for fund availability for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
Trading 212 is best for cost-conscious DIY investors who want to keep every fee at zero. IG is best for active investors who want professional tools alongside long-term holdings. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On Trading 212's ISA: Free. On IG's ISA: Free. Both offer a flexible ISA, so you can withdraw and replace money in the same tax year without using up allowance. Minimums are £1 at Trading 212 and No minimum at IG.
Trading 212 offers a SIPP (free). IG offers a SIPP (commission-free; administered by Options Pensions, £205 a year).
Trading 212 scores 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Excellent) from tens of thousands of reviews. IG scores 3.8 out of 5 (Great) from around 8,500 reviews. The most common criticisms are slow identity verification for new accounts and support that can take time to respond. Lower scores than rivals, with complaints about account queries and the complexity of the product range.
Yes. UK platforms accept ISA and SIPP transfers in, and you start the transfer with the receiving provider rather than the one you are leaving. Trading 212 charges free on withdrawals and IG charges free. Transfer as cash and you are out of the market while it settles; transfer in specie and you keep your holdings but it takes longer.
Trading 212 or IG, the account is the easy part. What decides when you can retire is how much goes in and for how long. Delphina works that out from what you already hold and what you pay in each month.
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