IG Demo Account Review 2026: Expiry by Platform

Verdict: IG's UK demo is a useful way to practise placing orders, comparing platform layouts and tracking a strategy without risking a cash deposit. The important condition is that demo expiry depends on the platform. IG's UK guidance gives its MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) demos a 60-day inactivity limit. That is not the same as saying every IG demo closes after 30 or 60 calendar days.

The standard UK web-platform demo starts with £10,000 of virtual funds. It is suited to learning the dealing ticket, testing position sizing and reviewing trades. It is less useful as proof of live execution quality, because simulated fills and account controls differ from the real market. Traders assessing a live account should treat their demo results as training data, not as a performance forecast.

How Long Does an IG Demo Account Last?

For UK users, the published expiry condition is clearest for MetaTrader. Both IG's MT4 demo instructions and IG's MT5 demo instructions specify expiry after 60 consecutive days of inactivity. This is an inactivity rule, not a fixed 60-day trial beginning at signup.

Why the distinction matters: A demo created three months ago is not necessarily expired simply because it is more than 60 days old. The MetaTrader wording concerns consecutive inactivity. IG's help material does not specify in these instructions exactly which actions interrupt the inactivity period, so a particular login or open position should not be treated as a guaranteed extension.

The older claim that all IG demo accounts expire after 30 days should not be used. Nor is there enough platform-specific evidence here to promise that a web demo never expires. If a demo displays an end date or a different condition, verify it with IG for the relevant platform and country.

What Do You Get With an IG Demo Account?

IG's UK demo account offer provides an online simulated dealing environment and a starting balance of £10,000 in virtual funds. These funds cannot be withdrawn or spent, and there is no live deposit at risk when placing simulated trades. IG's separate UK MT4 demo page also advertises £10,000 in virtual funds. Do not assume every MetaTrader configuration or non-UK IG entity uses the same amount.

Practice is most valuable when the account balance and order sizes reflect the real amounts you would use. For example, a strategy tested with £10,000 of virtual capital does not automatically show the risk profile of a much smaller live account. Compare the margin requirement, spreads, stop placement and the maximum loss implied by each trade, then record the results independently of the demo platform.

IG Web Demo Versus MetaTrader Demo

The web demo is the more direct route for someone learning IG's own dealing interface. MT4 and MT5 make more sense for traders who specifically want to practise in those applications. They are separate demo environments with separate setup instructions, so an existing web-demo login should not be assumed to work on a MetaTrader server.

• Web demo: Access the UK demo registration page, enter the requested details and use the online platform. IG also explains how eligible existing users can access a demo from the IG account dashboard.
• MT4 demo: Install MT4, open File > Open an Account, select IG-DEMO and create a new demo. IG supplies a separate MetaTrader login and password.
• MT5 demo: Install MT5, use File > Open an Account, choose IG-Demo and then New Demo Account. IG says an MT5 demo must be created in MT5 itself, not through the IG account dashboard.

Availability, available instruments and account types can differ between IG platforms, legal entities and countries. Check the instruments and demo terms actually shown in your chosen application before relying on a strategy that requires particular assets or order types.

How to Open and Log In to an IG Demo

IG Web-Platform Demo

1. Visit IG's UK demo account page.
2. Complete the registration details requested for your country and accept the applicable account terms.
3. Open the simulated platform and locate the virtual account balance, watchlist and dealing ticket.
4. Place a small practice order, add a stop where supported and review the simulated result before increasing the position size.

IG's UK help centre says clients who already have a live account can find or add a demo from the the IG account dashboard dashboard, with account access also described in the mobile-app account area. That does not mean every version of IG's newer app supports demos: its new-app guidance says demo functionality is not yet available there. Confirm the particular app or desktop interface instead of assuming all IG logins work identically.

IG MT4 or MT5 Demo

1. Download the desktop version of the MetaTrader platform that you intend to practise on.
2. Choose File > Open an Account and find the appropriate IG-Demo server.
3. Select a new demo account, enter the requested contact information and choose the offered account settings.
4. Save the account number and password from the confirmation screen. IG says the details also appear in the MetaTrader Mailbox.
5. Sign in to the correct demo server and confirm that you can view instruments and place simulated orders.

Important: The MetaTrader demo and live servers differ. Do not confuse an IG-Demo login with an IG-Live account. Use IG's specific MT4 or MT5 instructions for the platform and legal entity available to you.

Can You Reset an IG Demo Account?

It is important to separate virtual-funds top-ups from password resets and expiry. IG's demo trading guidance describes adding virtual funds when the practice balance runs low. That does not establish a universal facility to erase trade history, restore an expired MetaTrader account or change the expiry policy.

IG specifically says it cannot reset MT4 or MT5 demo passwords. If you lose a MetaTrader demo password, its published guidance is to create a new demo account. Save login information securely, and export the history you want to retain before a possible inactivity expiry. For web-demo access or account-closure requests, check the controls in your account and contact IG support if no clear option is shown.

What an IG Demo Does Not Reproduce From Live Trading

Demo trading removes the risk of losing actual funds on simulated orders, but it does not reproduce every live cost or execution outcome. IG's UK demo-versus-live explanation identifies several material differences for its web and mobile demo environment:

• Slippage: Demo trades are not subject to the adverse or favourable price changes that can occur between placing and filling a live order.
• Rejections: A demo trade can be rejected for insufficient funds, but IG says it is not rejected because of size or price in the same way as a live order.
• Running costs: The demo does not apply interest and dividend adjustments or chart-package charges in the same way as a live account.
• Margin closeouts: IG says demo positions are not closed for insufficient funds covering margin and running losses as they can be in a live account.

Those differences can flatter backtested or practised results, particularly for large orders, volatile announcements and heavily leveraged positions. IG's MT5 guidance separately warns that its controlled demo environment does not show the slippage you may face in live markets. Do not treat an error-free sequence of demo fills as evidence that a comparable live order would execute at the displayed price.

IG UK Entity, Account Types and Restrictions

This review focuses on IG's UK demo guidance, not a promise that every IG-branded entity offers the same platform, virtual balance, account duration or live-product access. IG identifies IG Markets Ltd as the UK CFD provider and IG Index Ltd as the UK spread betting provider. Both are authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, as confirmed in IG's UK legal and protection information.

A simulated account does not establish approval for a live account, eligibility for spread betting or a particular retail leverage level. Country of residence, the contracting entity and the product matter. Users outside the UK should consult their own regional IG pages rather than importing the UK MetaTrader expiry rule or £10,000 balance into another jurisdiction.

Who Should Use the IG Demo?

Good fit: UK users learning the IG web platform, traders practising execution workflows in MT4 or MT5, and anyone building a trade journal before considering real-money trading. The MetaTrader inactivity term is workable for regular practice, provided that you understand it is not a guaranteed permanent account.

Less suitable: Traders who require a verified indefinite demo lifespan, an exact simulation of slippage and live margin liquidation, or a guarantee that an old test account and all its records can be recovered. If uninterrupted records matter, store strategy settings, screenshots and order history outside the platform and verify the specific expiry condition before starting.

Bottom line: The principal correction is simple: do not describe an IG demo as expiring automatically after 30 days. IG UK's published MT4 and MT5 rule is 60 consecutive days of inactivity, while the web-demo expiry needs platform-specific confirmation. The virtual environment is useful for learning controls and recording decisions, not for predicting live fills or profits.

Risk warning: Demo balances are virtual, but live spread betting and CFDs expose capital to substantial loss through leverage, market movements and execution differences. IG UK's published disclosure states that 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with the provider. Consider whether you understand the products and can afford the risk of losing money. Demo profits do not establish live profitability; account protections and eligibility depend on the legal entity and client classification.