IG investment platform review: Fees and features for individuals

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for reference purposes only. Wise does not offer to buy or sell stocks, and all information on this page should not be considered financial advice. All investment decisions should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. Remember that investments, even in low-risk funds, are never guaranteed and your capital is at risk.

Considering investing using the IG investment platform? Part of the global IG Group, the financial services company has won multiple awards including being named the best share dealing platform in the 2024 YourMoney.co.uk Investment Awards.¹

IG is a popular choice in the UK, but is it right for you?

Find out everything you need to know here in our comprehensive IG investment platform review. We’ll look at how to invest with IG, how its platform works, features, fees, eligibility and much more.

How does the IG investment platform work?

IG is an online platform for investing in shares, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and other investment products.

You can use the platform in a couple of different ways:²

• Use the IG Invest app
• Choose one of the platform’s ‘Smart Portfolios’ - these are broadly diversified, global portfolios managed by IG’s investment experts
• Choose and manage individual investments yourself on IG’s web-based shared dealing platform.

You can start investing with IG once you’ve signed up for either a general investment account (GIA), Stocks and Shares ISA or a Self-invested personal pension (SIPP).²

Then you’ll be able to invest and manage your portfolio online, or via the IG Invest mobile app.

Who is the IG investment platform best for?

The IG investment platform is suitable for both new and experienced investors.

If you’ve invested before, you can simply choose your investments and manage your own portfolio via IG’s web-based share dealing platform.

For beginners, there are a choice of fully managed Starter Portfolios. Plus, IG says its IG Invest app is user-friendly and great for new investors.²

Who can open an account?

To open a trading account with IG, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:³

• You’re a UK tax resident (you can also be a resident of Ireland for spread betting accounts)
• You’re at least 18 years old.

You must also pass the company’s ‘appropriateness assessment’. This involves completing an application form, and IG will assess whether your chosen investment method is appropriate for you.³

You’ll need to provide proof of identity in order to open an account. You can provide a passport or a driving licence, along with a recent bank statement, utility bill or credit card bill as proof of address.³

What currencies are supported?

IG supports international trading, as well as forex trading, but your account is likely to be denominated in Sterling (GBP).

This means that if you buy international investments, the currency will need to be converted. An FX fee will apply for this, which we’ll look at shortly.

IG investment platform features

Now, let’s take a quick look at the features on offer with the bank’s investment platform:²

• Choice of Starter Portfolios or DIY investment on the web-based share dealing platform
• Manage investments on the move with the IG Invest app
• Choose from 11,000+ shares and ETFs across 15,000+ markets
• Range of stop and limit orders
• Variable interest on cash balances
• 24/7 customer support

IG investment platform fees

Before you start investing with any kind of platform or account, you’ll need to know exactly how much it’s going to cost you.

Here are the main fees you need to know about for IG’s investment platform:⁴

Fee type	IG fees
Account fee	None
Custody fees	£24 per quarter, free if you make 3+ trades within the quarter
Fund management fee	Varies by fund
Trading commission fees	None
Foreign exchange fees	0.7%

Does the IG investment platform have an account fee?

There is no account fee to sign up with IG, but there are custody fees of £24 per quarter.

If you make more than 3 trades within that quarter or you invest over £15,000 in an IG Smart Portfolio account, this fee is waived.⁴

Trading fees with the IG investment platform

There are no trading fees when buying and selling shares with the IG investment platform.

Crucially though, it’s only fee-free if you carry out the trade online.

If you do it by phone, some rather hefty fees apply. These are:⁴

• £50 for US shares
• £40 for UK shares
• £50 for European shares
• $50 AUD for Australian shares

How much does the IG investment platform charge for UK stocks or funds?

When you buy or sell UK stocks using the IG investment platform, you won’t pay any trading fees if you do it online. If you carry out the transaction by phone, a fee of £40 will apply.⁴

IG investment platform withdrawal fees

IG doesn’t charge a fee for standard withdrawals to your bank account from its investment accounts, although there is a fee of £15 for same-day bank transfers of less than £100.⁴

IG investment platform commission fees

IG generally doesn’t charge commission fees for trading online, but fees will apply for share dealing carried out over the phone.⁴

How to invest or buy stock with the IG investment platform

Ready to start investing? Here’s how to buy stock with IG:⁵

1. Sign into your IG share dealing account online or via the IG Invest app
2. Deposit funds using a bank account or debit/credit card - the minimum deposit for cards is £500
3. Search for the stock you want to buy. Enter the company code or stock company name (for example, you might want to search for MSFT if you’re interested in buying shares in Microsoft)
4. Enter either the number of shares you want to buy or the amount of money you want to invest
5. Place the order - choose either to deal ‘at quote’ or ‘on exchange’. The first option gives you the best available price and you can confirm the order there and then, while the second involves selecting an order type and price You can set the price you’d like to buy or sell at, and this will be entered into the exchange’s order book for other market participants to see and hopefully accept

Read more about how to buy shares, and how to sell them too.

How to withdraw from the IG investment platform?

You can withdraw money from your IG dealing account or Stocks and Shares ISA at any time simply by logging in to your online account (or using the IG Invest mobile banking app).

Both methods offer a ‘Withdraw funds’ option in the account menu.

Withdrawals to a bank account can arrive the same working day, or up to 3 working days later - depending on when you initiate the request and the amount you’re withdrawing (amounts less than £100 tend to take longer).⁶

Remember that if the money is tied up in an investment, you’ll need to sell it first.

Buying stock in another currency?

Buying or selling a stock or shares that aren’t traded in your local currency? Don’t let the currency conversion trip you up. Convert your stocks or shares into any currency with our handy tool, and you’ll always know what you’re getting.

Check out our international stock ticker tool.

Explore international stocks 🌍

Disclaimer: Wise's international stock ticker provides information for reference purposes only. This tool and platform does not offer to buy or sell stocks, and the data displayed here should not be considered financial advice. All investment decisions should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and users should exercise caution and seek professional guidance when making investment choices.

How is the IG investment platform mobile app?

You can use the IG Invest mobile app for managing all of your investments.

It’s available for both Android and iOS devices, and lets you check and manage your portfolio at any time.

IG investment platform customer service

If you need help with your account or the platform in general, you can contact IG customer services through the following methods:

• Live chat through the IG Invest app
• Whatsapp message - go to the IG contact page to scan a QR code
• Email helpdesk.uk@ig.com for non-urgent enquiries.

To talk to IG about opening an account, you can call 0800 195 3100.

Alternatives to the IG investment platform

Of course, IG isn’t the only bank or other provider offering an online investment platform. There are plenty of others available in the UK, such as:

• XTB
• Hargreaves Lansdown
• Santander Investment Hub
• HSBC
• eToro
• Trading 212
• AJ Bell

Save money when investing in international stocks

Considering buying or selling international stocks and funds listed abroad? You might be hit with extra costs for cross border money transfers.

But if you use Wise for international transfers, you can avoid hidden currency exchange markups.

Open a Wise account online and you’ll be able to conveniently manage your money in up to 40+ currencies. This means you can convert your money into other currencies when the time is right for you at the mid-market rate for only a small, transparent conversion fee*.

Open a Wise account 🌍

In the app or online simply select your chosen currency then under ‘Options’, select ‘Earn’ and choose ‘Stocks’ or ‘Interest’.

If you select the ‘Stocks’ option, we’ll invest some or all of your money (you can choose to allocate all or part of your chosen currency) in the index tracking fund we’ve chosen. Please note that past performance of this index doesn't guarantee future growth. Your capital will be at risk when you invest in Stocks and the Growth is not guaranteed.

And if you opt for Wise Interest you can choose to give us permission to invest all or some of your money in the interest-earning fund we’ve chosen, this will depend on the currency.

Wise Interest can help grow your international money and start earning a return on the pounds, euros and dollars in your account from as little as £1, €1 or $1.

When you use Wise Interest, you can send and spend your money whenever you want, including your gains and you can transfer up to 10,000 GBP (or equivalent) each day from Interest currencies. Anything above will add a processing time of up to 2 working days.

To protect your account, we may occasionally need to temporarily limit the amount of money you can withdraw, send, or spend daily. In this case you’d still get full access to your money within 2 working days.

We invest your money in government-backed asset funds. This means that when the central bank rates change, your return does too. You can check the 7 day past performance on the Wise Interest page. Past performance doesn't guarantee future growth. Capital at risk. Growth not guaranteed.

Consider turning on Wise Interest, which could help to grow your money.

Learn more about Wise Interest

Capital at risk. Growth not guaranteed. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority with registration number 839689. When facilitating access to Wise investment products, Wise Payments Ltd acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Wise Assets UK Ltd. Please be aware that we do not offer investment advice, and you may be liable for taxes on any earnings. If you’re uncertain, we urge you to seek professional advice. To find out more about the Funds, visit our website.

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Sources used for this article:

1. IG - about IG
2. IG - ways to invest and account types
3. IG - creating a trading account
4. IG - charges and fees
5. IG - buying shares
6. IG - withdrawing funds from an IG account
7. IG - IG contact information

Sources checked on 22-Jul-2025