Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Axi, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% 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 was established in 1974 and has since built a strong reputation as a reliable online broker. It is a publicly traded company and also operates as a bank. IG is well-regulated, holding an impressive eight Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted, and two Tier-2 licenses, which are also trusted. IG has received a top-tier Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its status as a highly trusted broker.
Axi, founded in 2007, is a privately-held company that does not function as a bank. It holds two Tier-1 licenses, establishing it as a dependable entity, alongside one Tier-2 license. Axi has been assigned a Trust Score of 82 out of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, classifying it within the trusted range. While both IG and Axi maintain solid regulatory profiles, IG's extensive regulatory credentials and bank status set it apart.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
IG and Axi are two prominent online brokers, each offering distinct advantages when it comes to commissions and fees. IG stands out due to its scalable execution capabilities across various products and multiple execution methods. The broker shines with its Forex Direct accounts, which provide competitive pricing for active traders. For its main Forex Direct account, IG's spreads averaged 0.62 pips during July 2023, with a total cost of 0.82 pips after including a per-trade commission. The average spread for IG's CFD accounts was 0.69 pips during peak trading hours, offering slightly better rates than the industry average. IG provides active traders with discounts through a tiered rebate program, reducing spreads significantly for those with high monthly trading volumes. IG boasts a five-star rating for commissions and fees and ranks 8th out of 63 brokers in this category.
On the other hand, while specific average spread data is not available for Axi, it still holds its own with a solid four-star rating for commissions and fees. Axi ranks 43rd out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Despite not having the extensive range of execution methods and active trader discounts that IG offers, Axi provides a competitive platform for traders looking for a simpler fee structure. Its slightly lower ranking in comparison to IG might appeal to traders who prioritize straightforward pricing over more complex, volume-based discount structures.
Overall, while IG leads the way with its advanced features for active and high-volume traders, including the additional benefits available through its DMA account and Forex Direct offering, Axi offers a reliable alternative with a decent rating and a less complex commission structure. IG's higher ranking reflects its comprehensive approach to trading costs, thus determining which broker is more suitable will depend on an individual's trading volume and preference for either simplicity or advanced discount systems.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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IG and Axi both provide opportunities for forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, catering to traders interested in currency markets. However, IG stands out significantly with an impressive range of 19,537 tradable symbols compared to Axi's 175. This broader offering is evident in their forex pairs as well, where IG provides access to 97 pairs while Axi offers 65. Additionally, IG grants customers the ability to invest directly in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing clients to purchase stocks like Apple and Vodafone, an option unavailable with Axi.
For those interested in cryptocurrency, IG offers unique opportunities to purchase actual cryptocurrencies in addition to derivatives, whereas Axi only offers cryptocurrency derivatives. On the other hand, Axi facilitates copy trading, a feature not offered by IG. Given their expansive range of investment options, IG receives a 5-star rating for Range of Investments compared to Axi's 3.5 stars. Moreover, IG is ranked 4th out of 63 brokers in this category by ForexBrokers.com, emphasizing its extensive investment offerings, while Axi is ranked 56th.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 175 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 65 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When evaluating trading platforms and tools between IG and Axi, it's clear that both brokers offer a comprehensive suite of services tailored to different trading styles. IG stands out with its in-house developed proprietary platform, catering to those seeking a unique trading experience, alongside its offerings for both downloadable desktop and web-based platforms. While Axi does not have a proprietary platform, it supports widely-used platforms like MetaTrader 4, ensuring traders can enjoy familiar tools and functionalities. Both brokers provide free virtual demo accounts for simulated trading, allowing users to practice without financial risk. However, Axi advances with copy trading options, linked with ZuluTrade, providing opportunities for traders to follow and replicate successful strategies from experienced investors, a feature IG does not offer.
Charting capabilities are crucial for robust market analysis, and here, IG provides slightly more advanced options with 20 drawing tools compared to Axi's 15. Both brokers facilitate trading directly from stock charts, enhancing user convenience. IG further enhances user customization with five fields for watch lists, whereas Axi offers seven. Despite these strengths, IG's trading platform and tools earn a perfect 5-star rating, standing tall at #2 among 63 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com ratings, reflecting its superior user satisfaction and technological advancement. In contrast, Axi, rated at 3.5 stars and ranked #63, may not cater to as wide a range of tools and user needs as IG does, though it remains a viable option for traders preferring specific functionalities like copy trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of online brokers IG and Axi, both offer iPhone and Android apps, ensuring accessibility across popular devices. They each provide stock or forex price alerts and allow users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts. However, IG edges out with watchlist symbol syncing between its mobile app and online account, a feature Axi lacks. While both brokers let you create watchlists with real-time quotes, IG's app further distinguishes itself with the capability to auto-save chart drawings, unlike Axi's app.
IG offers 33 technical studies in its mobile app, slightly more than Axi's 30, providing traders with a bit more in terms of charting tools. The user experience reflects in customer ratings: IG scores a perfect 5 stars for its mobile trading app, earning the top ranking among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Axi receives a 3.5-star rating, placing it at #59 in the same category. This highlights IG's stronger appeal to traders who value a comprehensive and smooth mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of online brokers IG and Axi, several key differences stand out. IG excels in providing daily market commentary, a valuable feature not available with Axi. Both brokers do offer forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring you stay informed with credible information. Additionally, each platform incorporates tools from Autochartist for in-depth technical and fundamental analysis, although neither offers Trading Central analytics tools. Notably, IG extends its research capabilities further with TipRanks data, a service absent in Axi’s offerings. Furthermore, IG provides additional insights via Acuity Trading's Signal Centre, another advantage over Axi.
Both IG and Axi include sentiment-based trading tools to help traders understand market trends and include comprehensive economic calendars to track important global news events. However, IG's extensive research tools earn it a perfect 5-star rating for research and position it as the second-best among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Axi receives a modest 3-star rating and ranks 55th, indicating room for improvement in its research features.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners seeking to enhance their trading knowledge, both IG and Axi make solid educational offerings. IG stands out with a comprehensive suite of resources, including forex and CFDs educational materials, a monthly schedule of online webinars, and a searchable archive of past webinars. Beginner traders will appreciate IG's selection of over 10 educational videos tailored specifically for newcomers, along with a range of advanced videos for more seasoned traders. In addition, IG offers an expansive investor dictionary featuring over 50 key terms, which contributes to its top-rated education rating of 5 stars and number one ranking by ForexBrokers.com out of 63 brokers.
Axi also caters to beginners by offering over 10 educational pieces dedicated to forex and CFDs, and conducts monthly online webinars to aid client learning. While Axi provides more than 10 beginner educational videos, it falls short in advanced trading videos and does not have a searchable archive of recorded webinars, which might limit its appeal to those looking to deepen their knowledge beyond the basics. Axi does, however, offer an investor dictionary similar to IG's. Given these offerings, Axi receives a 3-star rating for its educational resources and is ranked 27th in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IG is better than Axi. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Axi finished with an overall rank of #49.
IG offers the ultimate comprehensive trading package, featuring excellent trading and research tools, industry-leading education, and an extensive range of tradeable markets.
| Feature |
IG
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 |
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IG allows users to buy both actual delivered cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Axi only offers the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing the online brokers IG and Axi, IG offers ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, while Axi does not; however, Axi supports Skrill, which IG does not, and both brokers offer Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Axi | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Axi | |
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| Regulation | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 175 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250.00 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | IG Review |
| Overall | IG | Axi | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review |
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