Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
When comparing online brokers FOREX.com and XM Group, regulatory information is a key factor to consider. FOREX.com was founded in 1999 and is publicly traded, while XM Group was established in 2009 and is not listed on a stock exchange. Both companies are not banks, but they differ significantly in their regulatory standing and reputation. FOREX.com holds an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, which are considered the most trusted regulatory approvals, while XM Group holds four. Each also holds one Tier-2 license, regarded as trusted by ForexBrokers.com.
The Trust Score provides further insight into their credibility, with FOREX.com achieving the highest possible score of 99, signifying a highly trusted status. In comparison, XM Group has a Trust Score of 88, placing it in the trusted category. These scores are vital indicators for traders assessing safety and reliability, with FOREX.com leading in terms of trust and regulatory oversight. Both brokers offer a secure trading environment, but FOREX.com's higher trust score and regulatory coverage may appeal more to those seeking an established and well-regulated broker.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing FOREX.com and XM Group in terms of commissions and fees, FOREX.com stands out for its variety of account types and transparent execution statistics. It is particularly appealing with its RAW Spread account, which offers low spreads with added commission and is available in Canada, the U.S., and the EU. FOREX.com's typical spreads for the EUR/USD can be as low as 0.13 pips plus a commission of $7 per Standard lot. While FOREX.com’s pricing can be a bit on the higher side for Standard accounts, it rewards high-volume traders with volume-based rebates and competitive spreads. FOREX.com holds a rating of 4.5 stars and is ranked #13 out of 62 brokers for its commissions and fees.
In contrast, XM Group’s Standard account also comes with higher spreads, which can be costly for traders. Unfortunately, XM Group does not publish average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account, making it less transparent for potential clients comparing costs. This lack of transparency might deter some traders from choosing XM Group. XM Group is rated 4 stars for its commissions and fees and holds a position of #33 out of 62 brokers in this category.
Overall, FOREX.com tends to provide a more flexible and transparent fee structure, especially for those trading in higher volumes or seeking market maker execution. On the other hand, XM Group offers a generally less transparent overview, which might not appeal to all traders, especially those who heavily weigh transparency in decision-making.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $5 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the range of investments, FOREX.com and XM Group both offer competitive options, especially for those interested in forex trading. FOREX.com provides clients with an extensive selection, boasting 5,500 tradeable symbols and 91 forex pairs, making it a standout choice. In contrast, XM Group offers 1,394 tradeable symbols, including 55 forex pairs. Both platforms support forex trading through CFDs and spot contracts, but FOREX.com takes the lead with more options, earning it a 5-star rating in this category compared to XM Group's 4.5 stars.
While neither broker allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies, both provide the opportunity to trade cryptocurrency derivatives. However, XM Group sets itself apart by offering exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing clients to purchase shares like Apple or Vodafone. Additionally, XM Group supports copy trading, providing more flexibility for investors looking to mirror the trades of experienced traders. Overall, FOREX.com ranks higher at #7 for range of investments compared to XM Group, which ranks #23, but XM Group's broader investment options in securities may appeal to those seeking varied opportunities.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1394 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 91 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | 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 comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by FOREX.com and XM Group, both brokers provide a wealth of resources for traders, but distinct differences set them apart. FOREX.com stands out with a proprietary platform, allowing users a unique trading experience crafted in-house, while XM Group does not offer a custom platform. Both brokers support the widely-used MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms, available in desktop and web versions, ensuring traders have flexibility in how they engage with the markets. For those interested in testing strategies without financial risk, both brokers offer free virtual demo accounts. A notable difference is that XM Group supports copy trading, enabling traders to replicate the trades of experienced investors, a feature absent from FOREX.com.
In terms of charting capabilities, FOREX.com offers an impressive suite with 239 drawing tools, far surpassing the 15 available from XM Group. This allows for more detailed technical analysis, complemented by FOREX.com's ability to trade directly from a stock chart, a functionality also available through XM Group. When it comes to creating watch lists, FOREX.com provides 20 columns for customization, compared to XM Group's 7, giving users more flexibility in tracking preferred assets. These comprehensive tools and customization options contribute to FOREX.com being rated 5 stars for trading platforms and tools, ranking 7th out of 62 brokers. Meanwhile, XM Group earns a 4-star rating, placing 31st, highlighting the strengths and differences each broker brings to the table.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both FOREX.com and XM Group offer iPhone and Android apps, providing traders with easy access to mobile trading. These apps support essential features such as stock or forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts, making them user-friendly for on-the-go trading. Users can set up watchlists with real-time quotes that sync with their online accounts, ensuring seamless transitions between devices. While both brokerage platforms allow viewing of multiple time frames on charts, FOREX.com excels with an impressive lineup of 88 technical studies, compared to just 30 offered by XM Group. Additionally, FOREX.com's app automatically saves chart drawings, a feature not available in XM Group's app.
When it comes to overall mobile trading app ratings, FOREX.com stands out with a 5-star rating, ranking #3 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, XM Group, with a 4-star rating, is positioned at #29. These distinctions underscore the advanced capabilities and ease of use of FOREX.com's mobile app, making it a preferred choice for traders seeking an efficient, feature-rich mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 | 88 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, both FOREX.com and XM Group stand out by offering daily market commentary and forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. They each provide technical analysis tools, particularly through Trading Central, and offer sentiment-based trading tools that indicate the ratio of long to short positions across various currency pairs. Additionally, both brokers present an economic calendar that shows upcoming global news, assisting traders in staying informed. However, neither of the brokers offers tools from Autochartist, Acuity Trading, or market research from TipRanks.
In terms of ratings, XM Group slightly edges out FOREX.com, receiving a 5-star rating for research compared to FOREX.com's 4.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, out of 62 brokers, XM Group is ranked 8th under the Research category, whereas FOREX.com follows closely at 9th. Both brokers offer comprehensive resources that can be invaluable for traders looking to delve into market research, yet XM Group's slightly higher rating suggests a broader or more user-satisfactory array of research offerings.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both FOREX.com and XM Group stand out as reliable online brokers. Each platform offers over 10 educational materials like articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFDs, ensuring a solid foundation for new traders. Moreover, both brokers provide online webinars at least once a month, along with searchable archives of these sessions, making it easy for beginners to learn at their own pace. In terms of video content, both platforms feature a range of beginner videos designed to introduce newcomers to trading concepts.
FOREX.com distinguishes itself by offering an investor dictionary with over 50 investing term definitions, which XM Group lacks. While FOREX.com is rated 4.5 stars for education and ranks fourth among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, XM Group receives a higher educational rating at 5 stars but ranks seventh. This makes XM Group particularly appealing for its educational excellence, whereas FOREX.com stands out for its comprehensive learning tools, including a handy investor dictionary for those starting out.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 FOREX.com is better than XM Group. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
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XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 88 |
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Both FOREX.com and XM Group do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing FOREX.com to XM Group, FOREX.com supports ACH/SEPA transfers and PayPal for account funding, both of which XM Group does not offer, while XM Group supports Skrill, which FOREX.com does not provide; both brokers accept Visa/Mastercard and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals.
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 | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 88 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1394 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 91 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | 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 | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | 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 | 88 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | 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 | FOREX.com | 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 | FOREX.com Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | XM Group Review |
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