IG vs Trade Republic: Which Broker Suits You?
IG scores 4.2 and Trade Republic 3.4 out of 5 on our published methodology. IG leads on Platform & Tools, Regulation & Trust, Asset Range and Account Access & Support; Trade Republic leads on Costs & Fees. Both accept clients in the EU.
Overall score
Trade Republic
3.4/5
Best for: Low-cost EU investing & savings plans
Read the full Trade Republic review →Score by score
Each category is scored 1–5 using our published methodology. The overall score is the plain average of the first five; ease of use is shown separately.
Key facts side by side
| IG | Trade Republic | |
|---|---|---|
| What you own | Mixed | Real assets |
| Available assets | CFDs and spread betting, plus genuine UK share dealing and ISAs | Stocks, ETFs, bonds and crypto, plus warrants and private-market funds |
| Regulated by | FCA, ASIC and other regional regulators | German bank licence, supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank, with branches in several EU countries |
| Stands out for | Trading since 1974, LSE-listed, with very wide market access | A flat €1 order fee, free savings plans and interest on uninvested cash |
| Watch out for | Most of the range is leveraged rather than owned | EU only, an app-first service whose support has struggled with rapid growth, and tax reporting that varies by country |
| Accepts clients in | The UK, the EU and other countries | The EU |
Is IG cheaper than Trade Republic?
On our Costs & Fees score, Trade Republic rates 4/5 against IG’s 3/5, so it is generally the cheaper of the two for the costs we assess: commissions, spreads, currency conversion and account fees. Fees differ by country and account type and change often, so check both brokers’ current price lists before you choose.
Which is safer, IG or Trade Republic?
IG is regulated by FCA, ASIC and other regional regulators; Trade Republic by German bank licence, supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank, with branches in several EU countries. IG scores higher on our Regulation & Trust measure (5/5 against 4/5). Which company holds your account, and which investor compensation scheme covers it, depends on where you live. Compensation schemes cover a broker failing, never investment losses.
Which is better for beginners?
On ease of use for a beginner, which sits outside the overall score, IG scores 3/5 and Trade Republic 5/5. Trade Republic is the gentler place to start.
Who each one tends to suit
IG
- Tends to suit
- Established multi-market trading
- Stands out for
- Trading since 1974, LSE-listed, with very wide market access
- Watch out for
- Most of the range is leveraged rather than owned
Trade Republic
- Tends to suit
- Low-cost EU investing & savings plans
- Stands out for
- A flat €1 order fee, free savings plans and interest on uninvested cash
- Watch out for
- EU only, an app-first service whose support has struggled with rapid growth, and tax reporting that varies by country
More head-to-heads
Scores and facts come from our own reviews as of September 2026 and follow one published methodology. Plain Investor has no commercial relationship with either broker. This is general education, not personal financial advice. Fees, features and regulation change, so confirm current terms with each broker before opening an account.