Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs XM Group, 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.
Founded in 2007, eToro is a trusted online broker with a high Trust Score of 93, reflecting its strong reputation in the industry. Although it is not publicly traded or a bank, eToro boasts significant regulatory credentials with three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. These credentials underline its commitment to providing secure and reliable services to its clients.
On the other hand, XM Group, established in 2009, is also a trusted name in the brokerage world with a slightly lower Trust Score of 88. Like eToro, it is neither publicly traded nor a bank. XM Group outshines eToro in terms of regulatory compliance with four Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, suggesting a robust regulatory foundation that helps ensure investor confidence and security.
| Feature |
eToro
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees between eToro and XM Group, eToro stands out as a market-maker broker with a typical variable spread of 1 pip on the EUR/USD pair, which is slightly above the industry average. Despite this, many retail traders are attracted to eToro due to its robust social copy trading platform. eToro also offers a VIP club with five tiers, ranging from Silver to Diamond, for traders maintaining balances between $5,000 and $250,000. VIP members enjoy benefits like access to Trading Central, discounted withdrawal and deposit fees, and a dedicated account manager.
In contrast, XM Group has pricey spreads for its standard account, and unfortunately, does not publish average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account. This lack of transparency may make it challenging for traders to assess the true cost of trading with XM Group. However, both brokers offer unique advantages that cater to different trading needs and preferences.
In terms of ratings, eToro holds a slight edge with a 4.5-star rating for commissions and fees, while XM Group earns a respectable 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, eToro is ranked at #22 out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees, whereas XM Group occupies the #33 spot. These rankings and ratings offer a clear snapshot of the cost-effectiveness and value each broker may provide to their clients.
| Feature |
eToro
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $5 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing eToro and XM Group for their investment opportunities, both online brokers offer forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. eToro stands out with a significantly larger offering of 5,461 tradeable symbols compared to XM Group's 1,394. Both brokers provide access to 55 tradeable forex pairs, showcasing their comprehensive options in the forex market. Additionally, investors at either platform can purchase exchange-traded securities from both U.S. and international exchanges, which means you have the opportunity to buy shares like Apple and Vodafone. Moreover, both platforms enable copy trading, allowing you to mirror the investments of successful traders.
A key difference between the two brokers is in their cryptocurrency offerings. eToro supports the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency derivatives, while XM Group only offers cryptocurrency derivatives. This gives eToro an edge for those keen on owning digital currencies directly. Consequently, eToro receives a five-star rating for the range of investments, while XM Group garners a respectable 4.5 stars. In the rankings by ForexBrokers.com, eToro holds the 10th position out of 62 brokers in the Range of Investments category, while XM Group is ranked at 23, highlighting eToro's broader investment possibilities.
| Feature |
eToro
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5461 | 1394 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 choosing between eToro and XM Group for their trading platforms and tools, there are several key differences to consider. Both brokers offer free virtual demo accounts to help beginners practice their trading strategies. eToro impresses with its user-friendly proprietary platform, available as a web-based solution but not as a Windows desktop app. On the other hand, XM Group supports the popular MetaTrader 4 and 5 platforms, giving users a Windows desktop option but no proprietary platform. This makes eToro a solid choice for those looking for a modern, in-house web experience, while XM Group caters to traders who prefer the familiarity of MetaTrader installations.
eToro also edges ahead with features like copy trading, helping investors follow and mimic successful traders' strategies directly. While both brokers provide copy trading, eToro's charting tools stand out with 161 drawing tools compared to XM Group's 15. The only drawback for chart enthusiasts might be eToro's lack of direct trading from stock charts, a feature XM Group offers. When it comes to watch lists, eToro allows for six data fields compared to XM Group's seven. With a rating of 4.5 out of five stars for its trading platforms and tools compared to XM Group's four stars, eToro ranks higher at 8th place out of 62 brokerages by ForexBrokers.com, showcasing its platform's appeal to a broad range of traders.
| Feature |
eToro
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 104 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 161 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both eToro and XM Group provide comprehensive options for iPhone and Android users, ensuring seamless access to forex and stock trading on-the-go. Both apps allow users to receive price alerts and manage synchronized watchlists between their mobile app and online accounts. Chart aficionados might notice a significant difference in technical studies availability, with eToro offering 104 chart tools compared to XM Group's 30. While XM Group allows drawing trendlines directly on the charts, eToro lacks this feature, though both apps enable the viewing of multiple time frames including daily, weekly, and intraday options. Unfortunately, neither app autosaves chart drawings.
eToro users benefit from the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes, a feature also available on XM Group's app. However, eToro stands out in overall ratings with a 4.5-star score compared to XM Group's 4-star rating. This difference is reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where eToro holds the 11th position out of 62 brokers, while XM Group is ranked at 27th. These factors make eToro a slightly more favored choice for traders prioritizing extensive charting capabilities and higher-rated experiences in mobile trading.
| Feature |
eToro
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both eToro and XM Group provide daily market commentary, ensuring that traders are consistently updated with the latest insights. However, when it comes to accessing forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, XM Group has the upper hand, offering this feature while eToro does not. Both platforms include technical analysis tools from Trading Central, but eToro leads with additional market research from TipRanks, a feature XM Group lacks. Yet, neither broker provides tools from Autochartist or Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre. For those interested in sentiment-based trading, both platforms offer tools that display the ratio of long or short positions across instruments.
Keeping track of global economic events is crucial for traders, and both eToro and XM Group offer economic calendars to aid in this. In terms of research ratings, XM Group scores slightly higher with 5 stars as opposed to eToro's 4.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, XM Group ranks at #8, whereas eToro is placed at #13 out of 62 brokers in the Research category. This comparison underscores XM Group's emphasis on comprehensive market insights, while eToro provides unique tools such as TipRanks that might attract traders who value specific market research advantages.
| Feature |
eToro
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both eToro and XM Group provide comprehensive educational resources tailored for beginners interested in forex and CFD trading. Each platform offers more than ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and webinars, focused on these financial products. Furthermore, eToro and XM Group host monthly online educational webinars, with a searchable archive of past sessions for users to revisit. For those just starting, each broker provides at least ten beginner-friendly videos, setting a solid foundation for new traders. Advanced traders aren't left out either, as both platforms deliver an equal number of in-depth video resources for experienced users.
In addition to these offerings, eToro includes an investor dictionary featuring definitions of over 50 investing terms, a feature not offered by XM Group. Despite this, XM Group earns a perfect five-star rating for its educational content, compared to eToro’s 4.5 stars. When ranked among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, eToro holds the fifth position in the Education category, slightly ahead of XM Group, which is ranked seventh. Both platforms are robust choices for beginners seeking to enhance their trading knowledge, though their unique strengths may cater to different learning preferences.
| Feature |
eToro
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that eToro is better than XM Group. eToro finished with an overall rank of #9, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17.
eToro is a winner for its easy-to-use copy-trading platform, where traders can copy the trades of experienced investors – or receive exclusive perks for sharing their own trading strategies.
| Feature |
eToro
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 88 |
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eToro allows users to buy both actual delivered cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency derivatives, while XM Group only provides the option to buy cryptocurrency derivatives, not the actual cryptocurrency.
eToro provides a wider range of deposit and withdrawal options, including ACH, SEPA, and PayPal, compared to XM Group, which does not support these methods; both platforms, however, offer Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transfers for financial transactions.
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 | eToro | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | XM Group | |
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| Regulation | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 88 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5461 | 1394 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 104 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 161 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | eToro | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | eToro Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | eToro | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | XM Group Review |
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