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XM Group vs ActivTrades 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of XM Group vs ActivTrades, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

XM Group
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $5
  • Trust Score: 93
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1394
ActivTrades
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 81
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1267

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.

Regulation

XM Group and ActivTrades are both well-established online brokers, with XM Group being founded in 2009 and ActivTrades dating back to 2001. Neither company is publicly traded or holds banking status. However, they demonstrate a commitment to regulatory compliance through their licenses. XM Group holds four Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, reflecting a strong level of trust in the industry. ActivTrades, on the other hand, holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, indicating a solid trust foundation as well.

When it comes to the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score, XM Group earns a high rating of 93 out of 99, showcasing it as a highly trusted broker. Meanwhile, ActivTrades has a Trust Score of 81, which places it in the trusted category. This comparison highlights XM Group's edge in regulatory trust and compliance, though both brokers maintain a respectable presence in the market.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Year Founded info 2009 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 4 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2

Fees

If you’re comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades generally has an edge on spreads while XM Group can be pricier on its Standard account. Both earn 4/5 stars for costs, but ActivTrades ranks higher at #21 of 63 versus XM Group at #34 of 63 (ForexBrokers.com). ActivTrades’ pricing is slightly better than the industry average, whereas XM’s Standard spreads are expensive and the broker doesn’t publish average spread data for its commission-based XM Zero account, making direct comparisons harder.

ActivTrades offers an Individual Account (plus Professional and Islamic options), with the same spreads across account types. There’s no dedicated high‑volume tier and no active trader pricing. Costs vary by asset and platform, and spreads can widen during rollover. As a reference point, ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024, which supports its slightly-better-than-average standing.

XM Group’s value depends heavily on the account: the Standard account’s spreads are costly, and the commission-based XM Zero account lacks published average spread data. That limits transparency around typical all‑in costs. Bottom line: both brokers score 4/5 for commissions and fees, but ActivTrades’ higher rank and slightly leaner spreads may appeal more to cost‑focused traders, while XM Group’s offer is harder to evaluate without average spread figures for XM Zero.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info $5 $0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 2 info 1.08 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info N/A info 0.92 info
Non-wire bank transfer info No No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

XM Group and ActivTrades both support forex trading (CFDs/spot), copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs; neither broker lets you buy actual crypto. XM Group lists 1,394 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs, while ActivTrades offers 1,267 symbols and 49 pairs. If you want more choices across markets and currency pairs, XM Group has the edge.

For exchange-traded securities, XM Group lets clients buy shares on U.S. and international exchanges, whereas ActivTrades offers exchange-traded shares on international markets only (no U.S.-listed stocks). Reflecting this range of investments, XM Group is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #19 of 63, while ActivTrades scores 4 stars and ranks #25.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1394 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 55 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

Comparing XM Group vs ActivTrades for trading platforms and tools, both brokers cover the essentials. Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, copy trading, and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on Windows desktop and via a web-based platform at either broker, and both support placing trades directly from charts. One key difference: ActivTrades also provides a proprietary, in-house platform, while XM Group does not.

For ratings, both XM Group and ActivTrades earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In the ForexBrokers.com rankings out of 63 brokers, ActivTrades sits at #26 and XM Group at #27. If you want an additional, broker-built platform alongside MT4/MT5, ActivTrades has the edge; if you’re focused on the MetaTrader experience with broad access to copy trading and demos, XM Group fits the bill.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

XM Group and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, and the ability to draw trendlines. Each app earned 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, ActivTrades ranks #21 out of 63 brokers, while XM Group ranks #26.

The key differences come down to workflow. XM Group syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry over across devices. ActivTrades does not sync watchlists, but it does auto-save your chart drawings—XM Group does not. If cross-device watchlist syncing matters most, XM Group may fit better; if keeping your chart annotations saved is the priority, ActivTrades has the edge.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info No Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

XM Group vs ActivTrades: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources, a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, and an economic calendar. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. The key difference is that XM Group includes Trading Central research tools, while ActivTrades does not.

For market research, ForexBrokers.com rates XM Group at 5 stars and ranks it #8 out of 63 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and #26. If you want Trading Central alongside daily commentary, premium news, and sentiment data, XM Group is the better fit; if you only need the core research features, ActivTrades has you covered.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

Both XM Group and ActivTrades provide beginner-friendly forex and CFD education with well over ten learning pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each broker runs ongoing client webinars at least once a month and offers extensive video libraries covering both beginner and advanced trading topics, so newcomers can start with the basics and progress to more complex strategies at their own pace.

Where they differ is in quality scores and industry rankings. According to ForexBrokers.com, XM Group earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades holds 4 stars and ranks #30. For beginners seeking top-rated lessons and frequent live sessions, XM Group has the edge, though ActivTrades remains a solid option with plenty of webinars and video content to learn from.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that XM Group is better than ActivTrades. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #16, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.

XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 93 81
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with XM Group or ActivTrades?

XM Group vs ActivTrades: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Online brokers XM Group and ActivTrades both do not support ACH or SEPA transfers or PayPal, but they do offer Skrill and bank wire deposits and withdrawals; availability of Visa or Mastercard is not specified.

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Overall Rating XM Group ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 93 81
Winner check_circle
Review XM Group Review ActivTrades Review
Broker Screenshots XM Group ActivTrades
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
XM MetaTrader 5 mobile trading app XM MetaTrader 5 desktop trading platform. XM research articles market news and analysis XM educational content forex course chapters.
ActivTrades ActivTrader mobile app watchlist light mode. ActivTrader platform web. ActivTrader research weekly outlook articles. ActivTrades educational articles macro analysis.
Regulation XM Group ActivTrades
Trust Score info 93 81
Year Founded info 2009 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes
Tier-1 Licenses info 4 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) XM Group ActivTrades
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info No Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) XM Group ActivTrades
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info Yes No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info No
Investments XM Group ActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1394 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 55 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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 ActivTrades
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 2 info 1.08 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info N/A info 0.92 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes Yes
Order execution: Agency info No No
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding XM Group ActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info $5 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info No No
Trading Platforms XM Group ActivTrades
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools XM Group ActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading XM Group ActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info No Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research XM Group ActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education XM Group ActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs XM Group ActivTrades
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review XM Group Review ActivTrades Review
Overall XM Group ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 93 81
Winner check_circle
Review XM Group Review ActivTrades Review
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