FBS vs IG - Fees Review included
Which broker is better FBS or IG? Our expert assessment conducted according to TU’s own methodology showed that FBS is one of the top brokers in the financial market with the TU Overall Score of 7.33 out of 10. IG is one of the top brokers in the financial market with the TU Overall Score of 6.66 out of 10. Find out more about TU Overall Score.
| Feature | FBS | IG |
|---|---|---|
Overall |
4.3 |
4.4 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
|
3.9 |
4.7 |
|
4.1 |
5 |
|
Investment Instruments |
4.7 |
3.9 |
Platforms and Charting Tools |
4.5 |
4.7 |
Deposit and Withdrawal |
4.2 |
4.0 |
Research |
3.9 |
4.5 |
Education |
4.2 |
4.2 |
Support |
3.9 |
4.8 |
Bonuses |
5 |
3.4 |
|
|
FBS vs IG: Pros and Cons
FBS (fbs.com) is an international broker operating in 190 countries. The brokerage company has been on the market for over 10 years, and during this time it has earned about 40 international awards. It is regulated by the CySEC under license number 331/17 and provides flexible conditions for Forex trading. FBS is especially popular in Asian countries such as India, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Forex broker IG Markets is a structural subdivision of the IG Group corporation. Its securities are listed on the London Stock Exchange and are included in the FTSE 250 index. IG Markets is a UK registered company created in 1974, but since its inception, its representative offices have appeared in some other European countries. Since 2014, a retail line of brokerage services has been opened. The international division of the broker is registered in Bermuda and licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority
| FBS | IG | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Pros | A large selection of trading instruments | reliability. IG Markets is part of the IG Group, founded in 1974. Its subsidiaries are also licensed by the British regulator FCA, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and the American regulators CFTC, and NFA |
| Copyt trading platform | 16,000 trading instruments, investments in IPOs and exchange-traded funds | |
| $140 no-deposit bonus (not available for EU clients) | relatively good spreads, from 0.6-1 pips depending on the type of instrument | |
| Crypto account | customer support is 24/7 | |
| Overall Cons | Hihg trading fees | high threshold of entry which discourages private novice traders |
| Slow exacution speed | complicated and unpleasant verification procedure. There are cases of refusal to open an account due to unconfirmed or low income | |
| there are no products for passive investment, no bonus system is provided | ||
| a limited set of options for depositing and withdrawing money, which is not very convenient for global Forex traders |
FBS vs IG: Safety and Regulation
| FBS | IG | |
|---|---|---|
Max. Regulation Level |
Tier-1 |
Tier-1 |
Investor protection |
€20,000 |
£85,000 €100,000 SGD 75,000 |
FCA UK Regulation |
No |
Yes |
FINRA (U.S) |
No |
No |
BaFin (Germany) |
No |
Yes |
ASIC (Australia) |
No |
Yes |
CFTC (U.S) |
No |
Yes |
MAS |
No |
Yes |
FSCA SA |
No |
Yes |
BVI FSC |
No |
No |
VFSC |
No |
No |
FSA (Seychelles) |
No |
No |
FBS vs IG: Trading Conditions
| Trading Conditions | FBS | IG |
|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit |
$1 |
$450 |
Trading Platforms |
MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, FBS Trader |
MT4, IG Trading Platform, L2 dealer |
Max Leverage (Futures) |
401769 |
1-200 |
Supported Markets |
Forex, CFDs on stocks, indices, metals, energies, crypto |
Forex, Crypto, commodities |
Trading assets |
200+ |
16000+ |
Trading Accounts |
Standard, Cent, ECN, Micro, Zero Spread, Copy Trade |
Demo, Standard |
Base Account Currencies |
EUR, USD |
USD |
FBS vs IG: Fees
| FBS | IG | |
|---|---|---|
Standard acc. spread EUR/USD, min pips |
0,7 |
0,6 |
Standard acc. spread EUR/USD, max pips |
1,3 |
1,2 |
ECN Commission |
2,3 |
|
ECN Spread EUR/USD |
0,8 |
|
Deposit fee, % |
No |
No |
Withdrawal fee, % |
No |
No |
Withdrawal fee, USD |
No |
No |
Inactivity fee, $ |
No |
No |
A conversion fee may be applied as withdrawals and deposits are conducted in USD. Any other currency will have to be converted.
FBS vs IG: Trading Assets
| Asset Name | FBS | IG |
|---|---|---|
Overall |
200+ |
16000+ |
Forex |
Yes |
Yes |
Stocks |
Yes (CFD) |
No |
Metals |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Cryptocurrencies |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Energy |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Indices |
Yes (CFD) |
No |
ETFs |
No |
Yes |
Bonds |
No |
No |
Mutual funds |
No |
No |
Stock options |
No |
No |
Futures Trading |
No |
No |
Binary Options |
No |
No |
FBS or IG: Investment Programs
| Asset Name | FBS | IG |
|---|---|---|
Copy Trading |
Yes |
No |
MAM/PAMM |
Yes |
No |
Managed Accounts |
No |
No |
Other |
No |
Investing in IPOs |
Trading Platforms: IG or FBS
| FBS | IG | |
|---|---|---|
MT4 |
Yes |
Yes |
MT5 |
Yes |
No |
cTrader |
No |
No |
Appropriate platform |
FBSTrader |
IG Trading Platform |
Others |
No |
L2 dealer |
|
|
FBS vs IG: Deposit and Withdrawal Methods
| FBS | IG | |
|---|---|---|
Bank Wire |
Yes |
Yes |
Bank Card |
Yes |
Yes |
Neteller |
Yes |
Yes |
BTC |
No |
No |
Wise |
No |
No |
Payoneer |
No |
No |
USDT |
No |
No |
FBS vs IG: Research
| Research Type | FBS | IG |
|---|---|---|
News Feed |
Yes |
Yes |
Fundamental Data |
Yes |
Yes |
Chart Analysis |
Yes |
Yes |
Trading Ideas |
Yes |
No |
E-Mail Reports |
Yes |
No |
FBS vs IG: Education
| Education Type | FBS | IG |
|---|---|---|
Demo-account/Paper Trading |
Yes |
Yes |
Webinars |
Yes |
Yes |
Articles |
Yes |
Yes |
Videos |
Yes |
Yes |
Cent account |
Yes |
No |
IG vs FBS: Support
| Support Features | FBS | IG |
|---|---|---|
Working Days |
24/5 |
24/7 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Phone |
Yes |
Yes |
Online chat |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
FB Messenger |
No |
FBS vs IG: Forex Bonuses and Promo
| Promo | FBS | IG |
|---|---|---|
Forex Bonus |
$140 no deposit bonus, up to 100% deposit bonus (Bonuses are not available for EU and UK clients) |
No |
Affiliate Program |
"Invite a friend". The partner receives $100 for each attracted referral who must carry out 5 transactions of the corresponding volume (possibly, 5 lots are implied) within 6 months. |
|
Other Promos |
By activating the option in the personal account, a trader can receive a cashback of up to $15 per lot |
No |
|
|
Top 5 Reviews on IG
-
Comment
The absence of a minimum deposit limit when opening an account with IG Markets is an undoubted plus. This makes trading accessible for beginners who do not want to risk large sums. However, the impossibility to use e-wallets is a disadvantage. IG Markets does not accept funds through payment systems, including cryptocurrencies. This can be inconvenient for those traders who prefer to use these payment methods. Overall, IG Markets is a reliable broker with a number of advantages, but some traders should pay attention to the limitations related to account opening and payment methods.
-
Comment
Right from the start, IG Markets inspired confidence in me. It is clear that the broker has money and this is not a bucket shop with two employees. The level of the service is high here. Plus, having a dedicated manager to help with everything is a big advantage. Overall, there are just so many benefits that make trading with them enjoyable. In my opinion, choosing a broker with a large client base is a smart move. This suggests that people trust the broker.
-
Comment
It’s a decent company, I do most of my trading here, but I have an account with another company. There are no particular complaints. If you know how to trade, I can confidently recommend IG Markets.
-
Comment
Personally, what attracts me the most is the access to options with a low deposit at IG Markets broker. However, everything comes with a price: commissions and premiums are higher compared to companies with higher margin requirements. By the way, with a minimum deposit of $200 for options, you won't get much leverage. So, to feel more comfortable, you need to deposit at least 10 times more money into your account.
-
Comment
I can briefly share my experience. Overall, if you don't dwell on withdrawal issues, everything is fine. I withdraw funds to my card or in USDT almost every month. Initially, I had doubts about IG Markets, but after several consistent withdrawals to my card, I started to trust them more. Although the profit is not that great because the amount constantly circulates in the balance: I deposit, trade, withdraw profit. But I enjoy the trading process itself, so I have no complaints about IG Markets broker.
Top 5 Reviews on FBS
-
Comment
Broker FBS provides access to trading on more than 150 markets, including forex, indices, metals, and futures contracts. The minimum deposit is $5, making FBS accessible for beginner traders. Leverage goes up to 1:3000, and the minimum spread on major currency pairs starts from 0.7 pips. Trading platforms available include MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and FBS Trader, with a minimum trade size of 0.01 lots.
-
Comment
I've been working with FBS for over six months. Withdrawals to a card usually take up to 48 hours, and fees depend on the chosen method. On the Pro account, spreads start from 0.5 pips but can widen during news releases. The company is regulated by the IFSC — not the strictest regulator, but it's something.
-
Comment
I occasionally use copy trading from FBS. It’s convenient that you can start with just $1. However, when choosing a trader, it’s important to carefully analyze their statistics — not all of them trade consistently. On the plus side, there’s automation; on the downside, the search filters are limited.
-
Comment
I started working with FBS because of the wide variety of account types. The conditions vary: for example, the Cent account requires just a $1 minimum deposit, while the ECN account starts at $1000. Each account suits a different trading strategy. The key is to carefully review the spreads and commissions before opening an account.
-
Comment
I did not get the answer I was seeking or I might have read a different thing online, I really can’t say because when I contacted the FBS support team. After trying the live chat option to no avail, I decided to try the Telegram channel. Initially, it was supposed to be a bot but I got a message that an agent would join. When I asked for the accounts available and features and the ideal one for Forex I got a long message which I did not understand (I was expecting a list of accounts and their features). Later the agent said they only offer standard accounts.
FAQs
What should I start Forex trading with?
It is desirable for novice traders to explore trading using a demo account to learn the market and how to work on the trading platform without the risk of suffering losses. At the same time, it is advisable to review the educational materials of the broker, learn trading basics. Then you can deposit the minimum required amount to perform a small number of transactions. If you manage to close several months in a row in the black, without substantial drawdowns on the account, then you can try increasing your deposit. Also trying to copy trades automatically is a good option for a start.
What amount should I start trading with?
The minimum deposit of $10 may be enough to trade on the cent account. However, for trading on Standard/ECT accounts, experts recommend starting with at least $200-500. With this amount, you can use not a very big leverage. Remember, getting carried away with the margin is the main cause of losses among beginners.
What should I take into consideration when choosing a broker?
Experts recommend looking at the broker’s reliability first and foremost. The other important features include basic trading conditions, commissions and fees, customer reviews. If brokers are approximately the same in terms of basic criteria, you need to choose based on your experience and tasks. One broker may be good for professionals and another – for novice traders.
Is it possible to be scammed by a broker with a license from a reputable regulator?
In theory, yes. But in practice, it takes so much time and money to comply with the requirements of reputable regulators that it is not worth it for scammers to bother obtaining a legitimate license.
Team that worked on the article
Mikhail Vnuchkov joined Traders Union as an author in 2020. He began his professional career as a journalist-observer at a small online financial publication, where he covered global economic events and discussed their impact on the segment of financial investment, including investor income. With five years of experience in finance, Mikhail joined Traders Union team, where he is in charge of forming the pool of latest news for traders, who trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, Forex instruments and fixed income.