IG Trading Platform Guide

Platform Overview

IG's proprietary platform is their flagship product, and it's one of the best broker-built platforms in the industry. Unlike brokers that rely entirely on MetaTrader or cTrader, IG invested heavily in building their own technology — and it shows. The platform covers web, mobile, and tablet with a consistent design language and shared functionality across devices.

You get access to over 17,000 markets through the platform: forex pairs, indices, shares, commodities, crypto, and more. Everything runs through a single account — no need to switch between platforms for different asset classes. The platform also supports spread betting (for UK/Ireland clients) and CFD trading through the same interface.

IG also offers MT4 for traders who prefer it, and has integrated ProRealTime for advanced charting. But the proprietary platform is where the majority of IG's clients trade, and for good reason — it's more feature-rich and better integrated with IG's tools than any third-party option.

Web Platform

The web platform loads in any modern browser, no download needed. The layout is clean and well-organized: a market finder on the left, charts in the center, and a deal ticket/position panel on the right. You can customize the workspace by resizing, hiding, or rearranging panels.

Charting is strong. IG includes over 30 technical indicators and a full set of drawing tools. Charts support multiple timeframes from tick to monthly, and you can set alerts directly on chart levels. The chart trading mode lets you place trades by clicking on the chart — your entry, stop loss, and take profit appear as draggable lines.

The deal ticket is detailed without being overwhelming. It shows real-time pricing, margin requirements, estimated costs, and position size calculations. There's a built-in news feed, an economic calendar, and IG's own market analysis — all accessible without leaving the platform. For research, IG provides analyst picks, technical analysis reports, and trading signals.

Mobile & Tablet Apps

IG's mobile app (iOS and Android) is consistently ranked among the best trading apps available. It mirrors most of the web platform's functionality: full charting with indicators, all order types, position management, alerts, news, and account summary. The interface adapts well to smaller screens without losing critical information.

The tablet app takes advantage of the larger screen to offer a layout closer to the web experience. You can view charts and deal tickets side by side, which makes the iPad version particularly practical for traders who travel or prefer a tablet setup. Touch interactions are smooth — zooming, scrolling, and drawing on charts all work naturally.

Push notifications for price alerts and order fills work reliably. You can set alerts from the mobile app and receive them even when the app is closed. For traders who need to monitor positions throughout the day, the mobile app is genuinely usable as a primary tool — not just an emergency backup.

ProRealTime Integration

For traders who need advanced charting beyond what the native platform offers, IG integrates ProRealTime — a professional-grade charting package. ProRealTime adds over 100 indicators, advanced screening tools, and automated trading through ProOrder (ProRealTime's strategy builder).

ProRealTime is free for IG clients who place at least 4 trades per month. Otherwise, there's a monthly subscription fee (~€30/month). If you're an active trader, the free access makes this one of the best charting deals in the market — ProRealTime on its own costs significantly more through independent subscriptions.

The ProOrder automated trading system uses a straightforward scripting language (similar to but simpler than Pine Script). You can build, backtest, and deploy strategies directly from ProRealTime, with execution handled by IG. It's a solid option for traders who want automation without the complexity of MQL4 or C#.

Direct Market Access (DMA)

IG offers Direct Market Access for share CFDs and forex. DMA lets you see the full order book and place orders at specific price levels, similar to trading on an exchange. For forex DMA, you get access to IG's liquidity pool with transparent pricing — you see the available volume at each price level and can place orders within the spread.

DMA is aimed at experienced traders who want full price transparency and the ability to interact with the order book. It's available through the web platform (not mobile) and requires a higher minimum deposit. For most retail traders, IG's standard execution is perfectly fine — DMA is a feature for those who specifically need it.

Key Features

• Alerts — Price, indicator, and economic event alerts with push, email, and SMS delivery.
• Watchlists — Multiple custom watchlists with real-time streaming prices and quick-trade buttons.
• Risk management tools — Guaranteed stops (for a premium), trailing stops, and IG's margin calculator.
• Client sentiment — Shows the percentage of IG clients long vs short on each market. A useful contrarian indicator.
• News & analysis — Integrated Reuters news feed, IG's editorial team analysis, and third-party research.
• Demo account — £10,000 virtual balance with full platform access. No time limit.

Who It's Best For

IG's platform works well across experience levels, but it particularly shines for intermediate to advanced traders who want a single platform covering multiple asset classes. If you trade forex, indices, and shares — and you don't want to switch between platforms — IG's all-in-one approach is hard to beat.

Beginners will find the interface clean and the educational resources helpful. The demo account has no time restrictions, so you can practice as long as you need. The IG Academy (built into the platform) offers structured courses that walk you through the basics.

The platform is less ideal for traders committed to the MetaTrader ecosystem (though IG does offer MT4) or those who want the absolute lowest spreads — pure ECN brokers like IC Markets edge IG out on raw trading costs. But for the overall package — platform quality, instrument range, research tools, and regulatory standing — IG's proprietary platform is among the best in the industry.