Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 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.
Plus500, established in 2008, stands out with its status as a publicly traded company, contributing to its high visibility and trust in the financial markets. It holds an impressive 99 Trust Score rating from ForexBrokers.com, marking it as a highly trusted online broker. Plus500 is well-regulated with 6 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses, ensuring a secure trading environment for its users. Despite not being a bank, its strong licensing positions it favorably among investors seeking a reliable brokerage platform.
XM Group, founded in 2009, is also a reputable player in the online brokerage space, although it operates as a private company. It boasts an 88 Trust Score, categorizing it as a trusted broker according to ForexBrokers.com. While not as high as Plus500, XM Group's regulatory framework includes 4 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, providing a solid foundation for its credibility. Like Plus500, XM Group is not a bank but remains a viable choice for traders valuing trust and moderate risk investments.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing Plus500 and XM Group on commissions and fees, Plus500 slightly exceeds the industry average in pricing, especially for active traders, without offering retail client discounts. However, cash rebates are available for those qualifying as Professional clients. In terms of spreads, Plus500's EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is higher than the industry benchmark. Ranked #25 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, Plus500 receives a solid 4.0-star rating in this category.
XM Group exhibits a different pricing scheme with its Standard account spreads being considered expensive. Furthermore, average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account remain unpublished, adding a layer of uncertainty for traders evaluating long-term costs. Despite these factors, XM Group also achieves a 4-star rating for commissions and fees. However, it is positioned at #33 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, both Plus500 and XM Group receive similar 4-star ratings for their commissions and fees. Still, Plus500 edges out XM Group in terms of ranking, placing #25 compared to XM Group's #33 ranking by ForexBrokers.com. This suggests Plus500 may offer a slightly more favorable fee structure for certain trader profiles.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $5 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | 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 it comes to selecting an online broker with a wide range of investments, both Plus500 and XM Group offer compelling options for traders. Plus500 boasts a larger selection with 5,500 tradeable symbols, including 65 forex pairs, while XM Group provides 1,394 symbols with 55 forex pairs. Both brokers allow trading forex as CFDs and offer exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, enabling clients to buy popular stocks like Apple and Vodafone. However, an important distinction is that Plus500 does not provide copy trading services, whereas XM Group does support this feature.
In terms of cryptocurrency offerings, neither broker allows the purchase of actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both enable trading cryptocurrency derivatives. Interestingly, despite their differences, Plus500 and XM Group are both rated 4.5 stars for their range of investments. Their rankings are quite close, with XM Group slightly ahead at #23 and Plus500 at #24 out of 62 brokers evaluated by ForexBrokers.com. This makes both platforms worthy contenders depending on the specific features and number of available investments a trader might prioritize.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1394 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. | 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 trading platforms and tools, Plus500 and XM Group both provide options suited to various trading needs. Plus500 features a proprietary platform that is developed in-house, emphasizing its customized approach, while offering traders a web-based platform with a user-friendly interface. Both brokers offer simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, making them accessible for beginners wanting to practice without risking real money. However, Plus500 lacks a desktop trading platform for Windows users, which XM Group compensates for by providing such an option alongside popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms. Additionally, XM Group supports copy trading, allowing users to mimic trades from successful investors, an option Plus500 does not offer.
Charting tools also present a mixed bag; Plus500 outshines XM Group by offering more drawing tools, but XM Group allows users to trade directly from stock charts, enhancing trading efficiency. While Plus500's watch lists come with a broader set of 10 fields for monitoring markets compared to XM Group's 7, this small difference could cater to traders requiring detailed market analysis. Plus500 is highly rated with 4.5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, ranking #14 among 62 brokers. XM Group follows closely with a 4-star rating but stands at #30 in the same category, suggesting that Plus500 holds an edge in terms of platform functionality and user satisfaction.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 114 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 22 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Plus500 and XM Group, both platforms are accessible on iPhone and Android devices. Each app offers crucial features like stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and view multiple time frames. One standout difference is in the charting options; Plus500 provides 110 technical studies in its app, compared to XM Group's 30. However, neither app auto-saves drawings made on charts, which might require users to manually manage their annotations over time.
Another area where Plus500 edges out XM Group is the overall app rating and industry ranking. Plus500 boasts a 4.5-star rating for its mobile app performance, ranking 14th out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, XM Group has a 4-star rating, securing the 27th spot. Both apps allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes and support watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring a seamless experience across devices. Whether your priority is a higher number of technical studies or a slightly higher user rating and ranking, both apps offer a reliable trading experience on mobile.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
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 | 110 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | 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 Plus500 and XM Group provide traders with essential market research tools to enhance their trading strategies. Each broker offers daily market commentary and a sentiment-based trading tool that displays the ratio of long or short positions across various financial instruments, keeping traders informed and strategic. While both platforms include economic calendars to track global news events, XM Group leads in providing forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, adding depth to their offerings. Furthermore, both brokers supply advanced technical analytics from Trading Central, a compelling resource for traders focused on technical analysis.
Despite offering similar market commentaries and tools, XM Group surpasses Plus500 in ForexBrokers.com rankings, holding the 8th position compared to Plus500’s 19th. This distinction is reflected in their research ratings, with XM Group achieving a full 5 stars compared to Plus500’s 4 stars. While neither broker offers tools from Autochartist, Acuity Trading, or market research from TipRanks, XM's access to elite news sources and overall ranking makes it a preferred choice for those prioritizing comprehensive research tools in their trading ventures.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
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 | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Online trading can be quite complex for beginners, making educational resources a crucial element when choosing a broker. Both Plus500 and XM Group offer impressive educational materials geared towards helping new traders get started. Each platform provides at least 10 pieces of educational content focused on forex or CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Available monthly, live webinars further support client learning, while the searchable archives of recorded sessions serve as a handy research tool for traders. Plus500 and XM Group both offer a series of beginner videos to help newcomers develop their trading skills. For those with more experience, there are videos covering advanced topics to expand knowledge further. However, neither broker provides an investor dictionary that defines investing terms.
While both brokers prioritize education, some differences exist in the user experience they offer. Plus500 scores a notable 4.0 stars out of 5 for its educational offerings, which ranks it 31st out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, XM Group shines brighter with a 5-star rating, placing it 7th in the same list. This superior ranking attests to XM Group's commitment to delivering valuable educational content that effectively supports its clients worldwide. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced trader, you can expect a comprehensive educational experience from either broker, though XM Group stands out for its excellent delivery and support.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
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) | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Plus500 is better than XM Group. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17.
Plus500 is a trusted global brand that offers an easy-to-use trading platform for online traders, alongside access to a thorough selection of CFDs. Share trading is available, but only via its Plus500 Invest product offering.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 88 |
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Both Plus500 and XM Group do not provide the option to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency but do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
While both Plus500 and XM Group support Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire transactions for depositing or withdrawing funds, Plus500 uniquely offers PayPal, whereas neither broker supports ACH or SEPA transfers.
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 | Plus500 | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | XM Group Review |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 88 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | 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) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1394 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. | 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 | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $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 | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 114 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 22 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | 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 | 110 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Plus500 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | 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) | No | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | 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 | Plus500 Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | Plus500 | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | XM Group Review |
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