Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as CFD/FX brokers: leveraged trading on forex, indices, commodities and crypto. Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as stock brokers: real shares and ETFs you own outright.
IG Markets
Regulated in your country IG Markets is allowed by ASIC to onboard clients residing in Australia.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
Pepperstone
Regulated in your country Pepperstone is allowed by ASIC to onboard clients residing in Australia.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
Best for
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of traders IG Markets and Pepperstone are best suited to, based on what each one actually offers in Australia.IG Markets is better than Pepperstone for long-term investors and options traders. Both are a good fit for professional traders, high-volume traders and scalpers.
| Overall score | IG Markets 87 Best 88 | Pepperstone 83 -4 not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Day trading i | ||
| Long-term investing i | ||
| Professional traders i | ||
| High-volume traders i | ||
| Scalpers i | ||
| Swing traders i | ||
| News traders i | ||
| Algo traders i | ||
| Stock traders i | ||
| Crypto traders i | ||
| Futures traders i | ||
| Options traders i |
Regulation
What we compare A comparison between the financial authorities that supervise IG Markets and the ones that supervise Pepperstone.IG Markets and Pepperstone are both regulated in Australia, by ASIC.
| Section score | IG Markets 100 100 | Pepperstone 100 not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-1 regulators | ||
| ESMA (European Union) i | ||
| FCA (United Kingdom) i | ||
| ASIC (Australia) i | ||
| CFTC (United States) i | ||
| NFA (United States) i | ||
| SEC (United States) i | ||
| CIRO (Canada) i | ||
| MAS (Singapore) i | ||
| SFC (Hong Kong) i | ||
| JFSA (Japan) i | ||
| FINMA (Switzerland) i | ||
| Tier-2 regulators | ||
| FMA (New Zealand) i | ||
| CBR (Russia) i | ||
| FSCA (South Africa) i | ||
| DFSA (Dubai) i | ||
| CSRC (China) i | ||
| ISA (Israel) i | ||
| LFSA (Malaysia) i | ||
| JSC (Jordan) i | ||
| CMA (Kenya) i | ||
| Tier-3 regulators | ||
| FSA (Seychelles) i | ||
| MMA (Maldives) i | ||
| SCB (Bahamas) i | ||
| FSC (Mauritius) i | ||
| VFSC (Vanuatu) i | ||
| FSC (Belize) i | ||
| CIMA (Cayman Islands) i | ||
| SV FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) i | ||
| FSRC (St. Kitts & Nevis) i | ||
| BMA (Bermuda) i | ||
| BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands) i | ||
| EDR (External Dispute Resolution) i | ||
Safety
What we compare A comparison of the tools and services that IG Markets and Pepperstone have in place to protect your money in Australia.Both IG Markets and Pepperstone offer segregated client funds and two-factor authentication. IG Markets is also a licensed bank.
| Section score | IG Markets 78 Best 78 | Pepperstone 65 -13 not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Company info | ||
| Is it publicly traded i | ||
| Is it a bank i | ||
| Year founded i | 1974 | 2010 |
| Parent company i | IG Group Holdings PLC | Pepperstone Group Limited |
| CEO i | Breon Corcoran | Tamas Szabo |
| Money safety | ||
| Segregated client funds i | ||
| Two-factor authentication i | ||
| Investor compensation scheme i | ||
| Additional money insurance i | ||
| Partner bank i | UniCredit Bank AG, UniCredit S.p.A., J.P. Morgan SE, CaixaBank, Citigroup, BNP Paribas | N/A |
| Brand power | ||
| Number of customers worldwide i | 320,000 | 909,000 |
| Annual revenue i | US$987,300,000 | US$13,000,000 |
| Monthly website search traffic i | 97.1K monthly visits | 1.3M monthly visits |
Costs
What we compare A comparison of what it costs to trade with IG Markets and with Pepperstone in Australia, both on each trade and on holding the account.IG Markets and Pepperstone are equally good for CFD/FX costs, since IG Markets charges lower forex commissions, at US$6 per lot (against Pepperstone's US$7), and has tighter S&P 500 CFD spreads, at 0.36 points (against Pepperstone's 0.5 points). On the other hand, Pepperstone is cheaper on EUR/USD, at US$9 per lot (against IG Markets' US$9.48), and has tighter gold CFD spreads, at 0.21 points (against IG Markets' 0.27 points). Neither IG Markets nor Pepperstone charges inactivity fees or account maintenance fees.
Only IG Markets can be assessed for real stock costs, since Pepperstone is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | IG Markets 72 -2 75 | Pepperstone 74 not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Broker fees | ||
| Deposit fees i | ||
| Withdrawal fees i | ||
| Overnight fees i | ||
| Inactivity fees i | ||
| Currency conversion fees i | ||
| Discounts on volume i | ||
| Real time market data fee i | ||
| Dividend withholding i | ||
| Account opening fees i | ||
| Account maintenance fee i | ||
| Portfolio management fee i | ||
| Fees on CFDs | ||
| Forex commission per lot i | US$6 | US$7 |
| EUR/USD average standard spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average raw spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average fixed spread i | ||
| EUR/USD total cost per lot i | US$9.475 | US$9 |
| S&P 500 fees (CFD) i | 0.36 points | 0.5 points |
| Gold fees (CFD) i | 0.27 points | 0.21 points |
| Bitcoin fees (CFD) i | US$40 | US$15 |
| US stocks fees (CFD) i | US$0.02 | US$0.02 |
| Fees on stocks | ||
| Stock fee type i | Free, Commission, Percentage | Commission, Percentage |
| US stocks fees (real) i | Free | |
| ETF fees (real) i | Free | |
| Management costs i | ||
| Connection costs i | ||
| Fees on futures | ||
| Futures fees per contract i | ||
| Platform fees i | ||
| Fees on options | ||
| Options fees per contract i | ||
| Event fees i | ||
| Fees on savings plans | ||
| IRA opening fee i | ||
| IRA maintenance fee i | ||
| 401k opening fee i | ||
| 401k maintenance fee i | ||
Available markets
What we compare A comparison of the markets and products you can trade with IG Markets and with Pepperstone in Australia, and of how many instruments each one gives access to.IG Markets is better than Pepperstone for CFD/FX markets, because IG Markets gives access to 18,000 tradable symbols (against Pepperstone's 1,350), lets you own stocks and ETFs outright, which Pepperstone does not, and offers options on commodities, forex, indices and stocks, which Pepperstone does not. Both IG Markets and Pepperstone offer CFDs on commodities, crypto, ETFs, forex, indices and stocks.
Pepperstone does not offer real stocks, being a CFD broker, so IG Markets and Pepperstone cannot be compared for real stock markets.
| Section score | IG Markets 100 Best 100 | Pepperstone 75 -25 not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Total tradable symbols i | 18,000 | 1,350 |
| Currency pairs i | ||
| Indices i | ||
| Commodities i | ||
| Stocks i | ||
| ETF i | ||
| Cryptocurrencies i | ||
| Bonds i | ||
| Interest rates i | ||
| Portfolios i | ||
| CFDs i | Commodities, Crypto, ETF, Forex, Indices, Stocks | Commodities, Crypto, ETF, Forex, Indices, Stocks |
| Futures i | ||
| Options i | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks | |
| Assets you can own i | Stocks, ETF |
Platform
What we compare A comparison of the trading platforms that IG Markets and Pepperstone make available to their clients in Australia.Pepperstone is better than IG Markets for platforms, given that Pepperstone offers cTrader, MetaTrader 5 and social trading, which IG Markets does not. Both IG Markets and Pepperstone offer a proprietary platform and MetaTrader 4.
Pepperstone does not offer real stocks, being a CFD broker, so IG Markets and Pepperstone cannot be compared for platforms.
| Section score | IG Markets 91 -6 91 | Pepperstone 97 Best not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary platform i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 i | ||
| cTrader i | ||
| Social trading platform i | ||
| Copy trading platform i | ||
| ZuluTrade i | ||
| TradingView i | ||
| Duplitrade i | ||
| Mirror Trader i | ||
| NinjaTrader i | ||
| AutoChartist i | ||
| Real time pricing i | ||
| 5 digit pricing i | ||
| One-click trading i |
Mobile
What we compare A comparison of the mobile apps of IG Markets and Pepperstone in Australia, and of what each one lets you do from your phone.IG Markets is better than Pepperstone for mobile trading, because IG Markets offers mobile trading signals, which Pepperstone does not. IG Markets and Pepperstone both offer a proprietary mobile app and the MetaTrader 4 app.
There is no like-for-like comparison for mobile trading, as Pepperstone is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | IG Markets 93 Best 93 | Pepperstone 86 -7 not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary app i | ||
| Social trading app i | ||
| Copy trading app i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 app i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 app i | ||
| cTrader app i | ||
| Mobile trading signals i | ||
| Mobile alerts i | ||
| Mobile charting tools i | ||
| Mobile drawing tools i | ||
| Mobile watchlist i | ||
| Smartwatch app i |
Trading features
What we compare A comparison of the trading tools and strategies that IG Markets and Pepperstone allow on their platforms in Australia.IG Markets and Pepperstone are equally good for CFD/FX trading features, as IG Markets executes orders faster, within 14 ms (against Pepperstone's 50 ms), and offers guaranteed stop losses. On the other hand, Pepperstone allows for high-frequency trading. IG Markets and Pepperstone both offer negative balance protection and trailing stops.
Pepperstone does not offer real stocks, being a CFD broker, so IG Markets and Pepperstone cannot be compared for real stock trading features.
| Section score | IG Markets 89 85 | Pepperstone 87 -2 not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Trade execution | ||
| Broker type i | Agency | Hybrid |
| Average execution time i | 14 ms | 50 ms |
| Slippage occurrence i | 11% | |
| Requotes occurrence i | 0.08% | |
| Tier-1 liquidity providers i | ||
| PFOF i | ||
| Leverage | ||
| Major FX pairs leverage i | 30:1 | 30:1 |
| Minor/Exotic FX pairs leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Major indices leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Minor indices leverage i | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Gold leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Commodities leverage i | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Equities leverage i | 5:1 | 5:1 |
| Cryptocurrency leverage i | 2:1 | 2:1 |
| Risk management | ||
| Stop losses i | ||
| Take profits i | ||
| Limit orders i | ||
| Trailing stop i | ||
| Margin call i | ||
| OCO orders i | ||
| Guaranteed stop loss i | ||
| Negative balance protection i | ||
| Minimum trade size (FX) i | 0.01 lots | 0.01 lots |
| Minimum trade size (stocks) i | US$1 | US$1 |
| Fractional stocks i | ||
| Trading compliance | ||
| Scalping strategies allowed i | ||
| Hedging strategies allowed i | ||
| Automated trading strategy allowed i | ||
| EAs use allowed i | ||
| HFT strategy allowed i | ||
| VPS use allowed i | ||
| API use allowed i | ||
| Price scraping allowed i | ||
| FIFO rule applies i | ||
Account types
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of account you can open at IG Markets and at Pepperstone in Australia, and of who each one is meant for.Pepperstone is better than IG Markets for CFD/FX account types, because Pepperstone offers a managed account, an Islamic account and a copy trading account, which IG Markets does not. Both IG Markets and Pepperstone offer a demo account and a professional traders account.
IG Markets and Pepperstone cannot be compared for real stock account types, because IG Markets is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while Pepperstone is a CFD broker.
| Section score | IG Markets 46 -31 68 | Pepperstone 77 Best not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Demo account i | ||
| Unlimited demo account i | ||
| Standard account i | ||
| Micro account i | ||
| Cent account i | ||
| Nano account i | ||
| Raw spread account i | ||
| ECN account i | ||
| Swap-free account i | ||
| Islamic account i | ||
| Professional traders account i | ||
| Fixed spread account i | ||
| Spread betting account i | ||
| Copy trading account i | ||
| Corporate account i | ||
| Managed account i | ||
| Stock investing account i | ||
| Margin investing account i | ||
| Savings account i | ||
| Retirement account i |
Account opening
What we compare A comparison of what it takes to open and fund an account with IG Markets and with Pepperstone in Australia.Pepperstone is better than IG Markets for account opening, given that Pepperstone supports 3 e-wallets (against IG Markets' 1), and has no minimum withdrawal (against IG Markets' US$150). Neither IG Markets nor Pepperstone requires a minimum deposit.
IG Markets and Pepperstone cannot be set side by side for account opening, as Pepperstone is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike IG Markets.
| Section score | IG Markets 80 -5 80 | Pepperstone 85 Best not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit i | US$0 | US$0 |
| Minimum withdrawal i | US$150 | US$0 |
| Wire transfers i | ||
| Credit cards i | ||
| Debit cards i | ||
| eWallets i | PayPal | PayPal, Neteller, Skrill |
| Local payment methods i | ||
| Account base currencies i | AUD, CAD, CHF, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NOK, NZD, SEK, SGD, USD, ZAR | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, SGD, HKD |
| Deposit waiting time i | Instant | Instant |
| Withdrawal waiting time i | up to 1 business days | up to 2 business days |
| Bonus program i |
Customer care
What we compare A comparison of the customer support of IG Markets and Pepperstone in Australia, in how it can be reached and how fast it answers.Pepperstone is better than IG Markets for customer care, given that Pepperstone offers customer support in 10 languages (against IG Markets' 2), and offers priority support, which IG Markets does not. IG Markets and Pepperstone both offer a dedicated account manager and phone support.
Only IG Markets can be assessed for customer care, since Pepperstone is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | IG Markets 71 -7 71 | Pepperstone 78 Best not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Number of languages supported i | 12 | 10 |
| Website languages i | Arabic, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish | Arabic, English, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese |
| Website available in English i | ||
| Customer support languages i | English, Chinese | Arabic, English, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese |
| Customer support in English i | ||
| Call back request i | ||
| Email support i | ||
| Phone support i | ||
| Live chat i | ||
| Priority customer support i | ||
| Dedicated account manager i | ||
| Cash sweep i | ||
| Stock lending i | ||
| Distributes proceeds i | ||
| Tax withholding agent i | ||
| Tax assistance i |
Learning
What we compare A comparison of the educational material that IG Markets and Pepperstone provide to their clients in Australia.IG Markets is better than Pepperstone for learning, given that IG Markets offers professional reports and a glossary, which Pepperstone does not. Both IG Markets and Pepperstone offer education for advanced traders and webinars.
There is no like-for-like comparison for learning, as Pepperstone is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | IG Markets 100 Best 100 | Pepperstone 84 -16 not offered |
|---|---|---|
| Education | ||
| Education center i | ||
| Education for beginners i | ||
| Education for advanced traders i | ||
| Webinars i | ||
| Tutorials i | ||
| Glossary i | ||
| Research | ||
| Economic calendar i | ||
| Traders' sentiment i | ||
| Daily market commentary i | ||
| Daily trading ideas i | ||
| News via social media i | ||
| Professional reports i | ||
| Watchlist i | ||
IG Markets vs Pepperstone: which one should you choose?
IG Markets
CFD/FX Choose IG Markets if you want an online CFD broker with ProRealTime and fast execution.
Stocks Choose IG Markets if you want a broker for securities investing with commission-free US stocks.
Open Account CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
Pepperstone
CFD/FX Choose Pepperstone if you want a CFD and forex broker with MetaTrader 5 and cTrader.
Open Account CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.Other popular comparisons
Below are other head-to-head comparisons that include IG Markets or Pepperstone, each scored with the same data and method as this page.
