Exness vs IG: Complete Comparison for United Kingdom Traders (2026)

For United Kingdom traders, trading costs are a critical factor. Exness offers some of the lowest spreads in the industry, with the Zero account providing spreads from 0.0 pips on GBP/USD and a commission of $3.50 per lot per side. IG’s standard spreads on GBP/USD are around 0.8 pips, with no commission on standard accounts, but their fixed spread on UK 100 (FTSE 100) at 1 point is very competitive. For high-volume UK traders, Exness generally results in lower overall costs, especially on forex, while IG may be more cost-effective for UK index and share trading due to its transparent pricing and no hidden fees.

United Kingdom traders value robust, user-friendly platforms. Exness supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), both fully customisable and popular for algorithmic trading, plus its own Exness Terminal (web-based) and mobile apps. IG offers its award-winning proprietary platform, which is particularly strong for UK share and spread betting, alongside MT4 and ProRealTime. IG’s platform provides direct market access (DMA) for UK equities and advanced charting tools, making it ideal for traders who focus on UK stocks and indices.

Execution quality is crucial for UK traders. Exness offers STP/ECN execution with no requotes and low latency, achieving average execution speeds under 100 milliseconds. IG provides market execution for most instruments, with DMA for UK shares and indices, ensuring fast fills. Both brokers use tier-1 liquidity providers, but Exness’s execution is particularly praised for scalping and high-frequency strategies.

Both Exness and IG are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom, ensuring strict adherence to client money segregation, negative balance protection, and leverage limits (1:30 for retail clients). IG’s UK entity has been FCA-regulated since 1974, offering a long track record of compliance. Exness’s FCA registration (FRN 730729) is more recent but equally robust, and it also holds licences from CySEC and FSA. For UK traders, both brokers provide FSCS protection up to £85,000, giving peace of mind.

United Kingdom traders can fund their accounts conveniently using Bank Transfer, PayPal, Skrill, and Faster Payments at both Exness and IG. Exness offers instant processing for all electronic methods, with no deposit fees and minimum deposits as low as £10 via PayPal and Skrill. IG also supports these methods, with Faster Payments typically reflecting within two hours and PayPal deposits being instant. For withdrawals, Exness processes most requests within 24 hours, while IG takes 1-2 business days. UK traders should note that Exness does not charge withdrawal fees, whereas IG may apply a small fee for certain methods like Skrill.

For Muslim traders in the United Kingdom, both Exness and IG offer Islamic (swap-free) accounts. Exness provides Islamic accounts on all account types automatically upon request, with no swap charges on overnight positions for forex and metals, and no administrative fees. IG offers Islamic accounts for eligible clients, with swap-free conditions on forex, indices, and commodities, though some instruments like cryptocurrencies may incur a small admin fee. UK Muslim traders should verify eligibility with each broker’s support team.

United Kingdom traders benefit from dedicated customer support at both brokers. Exness offers 24/7 live chat and phone support in English, with a UK-based team available during business hours. IG provides 24/5 support via phone, email, and live chat, with a UK office and local phone number. Both brokers have comprehensive FAQ sections and educational resources tailored to UK traders.