Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XM Group vs Vantage, 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 2009, both XM Group and Vantage provide online brokerage services but differ in their regulatory standings. XM Group holds four Tier-1 licenses, indicating it is highly trusted in the financial sector. Vantage, on the other hand, possesses two Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a solid level of trust as well. Additionally, both brokers maintain one Tier-2 license each, suggesting a recognized level of dependability. Despite their strong licensing, neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank.
According to ForexBrokers.com Trust Score, XM Group scores 88, placing it within the trusted bracket, while Vantage scores 90, reaching the highly trusted range. This distinction highlights Vantage's slightly superior perceived reliability compared to XM Group. Nevertheless, both brokers have built a reputable presence in the market, supported by their compliance with stringent regulatory requirements.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
When examining the commissions and fees of XM Group, it's notable that their standard account spreads are on the higher end. The lack of publicly available average spreads for the commission-based XM Zero account may deter price-conscious traders seeking transparency. Despite these issues, XM Group still garners a respectable four-star rating for commissions and fees from ForexBrokers.com, ranking #33 out of 62 brokers.
Vantage offers a more diversified approach to trading costs, with three types of accounts: the spread-only Standard STP account, and the commission-based RAW ECN and PRO ECN accounts. Their Standard account lists typical EUR/USD spreads at 1.30 pips as of March 2023. The Raw account, aimed at more cost-effective trading, offers average spreads of 0.15 pips with a round-turn commission totaling 0.75 pips. Meanwhile, the PRO ECN account provides competitive pricing with a per-side commission of just $2, or $4 per round turn, though it requires specific qualifications or a minimum account funding of $10,000 depending on the regulatory entity. Rated 4.5 stars for commissions and fees, Vantage ranks #19 out of 62 brokers, reflecting its competitive edge in cost structure.
For active traders, Vantage presents an appealing rebate program on its Standard account, with rebates from $2 to $8 per standard lot, depending on account balance and monthly trading volume. Yet, this rebate scheme is limited to the Standard account, which inherently carries higher spreads than its other account offerings.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 1.30 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.75 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| 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 the range of investments at XM Group and Vantage, both offer CFD and spot contract options for forex trading. XM Group impresses with a larger selection of 1,394 tradeable symbols, surpassing Vantage's offering of 1,000. While Vantage provides a slightly wider array of tradeable forex pairs with 61 compared to XM Group's 55, XM Group holds a distinct advantage by allowing clients to purchase exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets. In contrast, Vantage does not offer exchange-traded securities. Both platforms enable copy trading and provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither supports actual cryptocurrency purchases.
According to ForexBrokers.com, XM Group takes a higher spot for its range of investments, ranking #23 out of 62 brokers and receiving a rating of 4.5 stars. Vantage, while offering solid investment options, ranks lower at #50 with a rating of 3.5 stars. XM Group's inclusion of a wider array of trading instruments and access to international securities contributes significantly to its higher score, making it a preferred choice for those seeking a broader range of investment opportunities. Meanwhile, Vantage remains a competitive option, particularly for traders focused on forex pairs and certain derivatives.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 61 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 of XM Group and Vantage, both brokers come equipped with virtual demo accounts, offering traders the chance to practice without financial risk. While Vantage has developed its own proprietary platform, XM Group relies on established platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which are also available with Vantage. Each broker supports trading on both Windows-based desktop and web browsers, ensuring accessibility across devices. Additionally, both brokers provide copy trading features, enhancing opportunities for traders seeking to mimic successful strategies.
In terms of charting tools, both XM Group and Vantage offer a solid suite with 15 drawing tools, although XM Group trails slightly behind in the overall platform features rating. While neither broker provides ZuluTrade, Vantage does offer DupliTrade. Both brands allow trading directly from stock charts and their watch lists are quite informative with seven columns. However, the platforms and tools from each broker earn a four-star rating. Notably, Vantage edges ahead of XM Group in rankings by ForexBrokers.com, securing the 21st position compared to XM Group's 31st. Despite these differences, both brokers present a comprehensive range of tools to suit various trading needs.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | Yes |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of XM Group and Vantage, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, ensuring accessibility for users across platforms. They also provide crucial features like stock and forex price alerts, as well as the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes. Both apps support drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames on charts, boasting 30 technical studies each. However, while Vantage automatically saves drawings on charts, XM Group does not have this feature. This can be a deciding factor for traders who value convenience in retaining their technical analysis setups.
Notably, XM Group offers seamless watchlist symbol syncing between its mobile app and online account, a feature absent in Vantage's app. Despite this, both brokers receive identical ratings of 4 out of 5 stars for their mobile trading apps. When it comes to rankings by ForexBrokers.com, Vantage edges ahead slightly in the Mobile Trading Apps category, taking the 28th spot out of 62 brokers, while XM Group is placed at number 29. Each app presents a solid choice, but slight differences in features might influence traders based on specific needs in their trading experience.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XM Group and Vantage both excel in delivering essential market insights by offering daily market commentary and updates from top-tier news sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. For traders seeking sentiment analysis, both brokers provide tools showing the ratio of long and short positions across various instruments. Additionally, each broker ensures that traders stay informed of crucial global economic events by providing an economic calendar. However, when comparing research tools, Vantage stands out as it includes offerings from Autochartist, while XM Group does not. Conversely, both brokers feature analysis tools from Trading Central, ensuring that traders receive high-quality technical insights.
While both XM Group and Vantage present a strong foundation for market research, XM Group takes a slight lead, being rated 5 stars for research compared to Vantage's 4 stars. Furthermore, XM Group holds the 8th position in the research category among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas Vantage is ranked at 21. Though both platforms provide valuable tools for market analysis, XM Group’s higher rating suggests a more comprehensive approach to equipping traders with the information necessary for informed decision-making.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| 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 XM Group and Vantage provide a strong foundation for those new to forex and CFDs trading. Each platform offers a minimum of 10 educational pieces such as articles, videos, and webinars with a focus on forex or CFDs. They also host online educational webinars monthly, maintaining a searchable archive of past sessions to enhance learning flexibility. In terms of video content, both brokers deliver at least 10 beginner-level and 10 advanced-level videos, ensuring comprehensive coverage for both novices and seasoned traders alike.
However, there are differences in the educational tools provided by these brokers. While Vantage offers an investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms, XM Group does not provide this resource. This might appeal to traders seeking readily available definitions as part of their learning journey. Despite this, XM Group stands out with a higher education rating of 5 stars and is ranked 7th out of 62 brokers for education by ForexBrokers.com, whereas Vantage receives 4 stars and ranks 24th. These ratings indicate XM Group's slight edge in educational offerings for traders looking to deepen their understanding of the market.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that XM Group is better than Vantage. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17, while Vantage finished with an overall rank of #26.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XM Group
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Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 88 | 90 |
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Both XM Group and Vantage do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they both offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
While both XM Group and Vantage offer Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options for depositing and withdrawing account funds, Vantage provides the added convenience of PayPal, unlike XM Group, and 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 | XM Group | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 88 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XM Group | Vantage | |
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| Regulation | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 88 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | 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) | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 1.30 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.75 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | No | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | Yes | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XM Group Review | Vantage Review |
| Overall | XM Group | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 88 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | Vantage Review |
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