Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs Spreadex, 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.
FXCM and Spreadex are online brokers founded in 1999. FXCM is publicly traded, while Spreadex is privately held, and neither company is a bank.
Regulation and trust: FXCM holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, compared to Spreadex with 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. On ForexBrokers.com’s 99-point Trust Score, FXCM scores 95 (highly trusted), while Spreadex scores 70 (average risk). For context, ForexBrokers.com rates 90–99 as highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
FXCM’s commissions and fees are a bit above the industry average overall, but the broker does offer competitive pricing in some of its account types. On its standard accounts, the EUR/USD spread averaged 0.78 pips for its EU, U.K., and Australia entities in May 2024, while its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity averaged 1.38 pips. Its commission-based accounts were cheaper on raw spread, averaging 0.28 pips before commissions, though the all-in cost rises once commission is added. FXCM also offers active trader rebates in some regions, which can lower trading costs further for high-volume clients. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #17 out of 36 brokers.
Spreadex is simpler in its pricing, with EUR/USD average spreads of 0.81 pips in January 2024 and a minimum spread of 0.6 pips available 60% of the time during that month. While that keeps it fairly close to FXCM’s standard pricing, Spreadex does not offer the same kind of tiered rebate structure for high-volume forex traders, so there is less room for cost savings if you trade often. Spreadex is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #25 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, FXCM comes out ahead on commissions and fees thanks to its stronger pricing options for active traders and better ranking, even though its standard spreads can still be a little higher than average. Spreadex remains a reasonable choice for traders who want straightforward spread-based pricing, but FXCM offers more ways to cut costs if you qualify for its discount programs.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 0.81 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FXCM and Spreadex both let traders access forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both also offer cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker provides direct access to exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency. Where they differ is in the size of their markets: FXCM offers 440 tradeable symbols and 46 forex pairs, while Spreadex gives access to a much larger selection with 10,000 tradeable symbols and 52 forex pairs.
For extra features, FXCM supports copy trading, while Spreadex does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments category, Spreadex comes out ahead with a 5-star rating and a #13 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with FXCM’s 4.5-star rating and #21 ranking. For traders who want the broader overall choice, Spreadex has the edge, while FXCM still offers a solid range with the added benefit of copy trading.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 52 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
FXCM has the edge over Spreadex for trading platforms and tools, especially for traders who want more choice and flexibility. FXCM offers a free demo account, its own in-house platform, a Windows desktop app, web trading, copy trading, and MetaTrader 4, while Spreadex also provides a demo account, a proprietary platform, web trading, and chart-based trading but does not offer a Windows download platform, copy trading, or MT4. Both brokers let you place trades straight from a chart, which can make trading quicker and easier.
Overall, FXCM scores higher in this category, earning 5 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #4 out of 36, compared with Spreadex at 4 out of 5 stars and #34 out of 36. For traders who want more platform options and stronger tool support, FXCM is the better fit, while Spreadex may suit those looking for a simpler setup with key online trading features.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 58 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FXCM and Spreadex both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, and both include price alerts plus the ability to draw trendlines on charts. That said, FXCM has a clear edge for mobile charting and account sync. Its app offers 59 technical studies, auto-saves chart drawings, and keeps watchlists synced with the client’s online account, so updates made in one place show up in the other. Spreadex also supports chart drawing, but it does not offer watchlist syncing and does not list technical studies for its mobile charts.
In terms of user feedback and industry ranking, FXCM leads here as well. ForexBrokers.com gives FXCM 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranks it #16 out of 36 brokers, while Spreadex earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #33. For traders who want a more polished mobile experience with stronger chart tools and smoother watchlist management, FXCM appears to be the better choice.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FXCM and Spreadex both give traders useful market research features, including daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking upcoming events. In these core areas, the two brokers are closely matched and both cover the basics well for traders who want to stay informed.
The main differences come from their extra research tools. FXCM stands out with Trading Central research and TipRanks, while Spreadex offers Autochartist instead. FXCM also has the higher research rating at 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers, compared with Spreadex at 4 stars and #27, making FXCM the stronger choice overall for market research.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn the basics, FXCM comes out ahead of Spreadex in education. FXCM offers forex and CFDs learning content, monthly online educational webinars, and a strong library of beginner and advanced trading videos. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks 13th out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, which points to a well-rounded learning area for new and more experienced traders alike.
Spreadex also gives beginners useful support, including at least 10 beginner trading videos, but it falls behind FXCM in several key areas. It does not offer monthly educational webinars, does not meet the minimum for forex or CFDs education content, and lacks at least 10 advanced educational videos. With a 4-star Education rating and a 33rd-place ranking out of 36, Spreadex may suit casual learners, but FXCM is the stronger choice for traders who want more guidance and depth.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FXCM is better than Spreadex. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10, while Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #32.
For traders who appreciate advanced trading tools and quality market research, FXCM is a winner, especially for algorithmic trading. Its range of tradeable markets is fairly narrow, however, and the pricing at FXCM is just average.
| Feature |
FXCM
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Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 70 |
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FXCM vs Spreadex: these online brokers do not allow buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
FXCM vs Spreadex: FXCM supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, whereas Spreadex supports bank wires but not ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | FXCM | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Spreadex | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 70 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 52 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 0.81 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 58 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FXCM Review | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Spreadex Review |
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