Written by ForexBrokers.com
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.
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, XM Group offers a significant degree of assurance for online traders through its regulatory credentials. With four Tier-1 licenses, XM Group is considered highly trusted and achieves a Trust Score of 88 out of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, placing it comfortably in the trusted category. While XM Group is not a bank and is not publicly traded, its blend of regulatory backing and trust score makes it a compelling choice for those seeking reliability.
Established in 2001, ActivTrades is another feasible option for traders interested in diving into the online trading world. Holding two Tier-1 licenses, ActivTrades also garners a respectable Trust Score of 81 out of 99, marking it as trusted according to ForexBrokers.com. Like XM Group, ActivTrades is not listed on any stock exchange and does not operate as a bank, but its regulatory framework assures a fair amount of trust and security.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | ||
| Bank | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers XM Group and ActivTrades, both receive a strong rating of 4 out of 5 stars. However, there are differences in how these two brokers structure their fees. XM Group's standard account features expensive spreads, and it does not publish the average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account. In contrast, ActivTrades provides a more transparent approach by listing target spreads for each asset, although actual spreads may fluctuate during trading sessions.
ActivTrades offers an "Individual Account" as its primary account type, accompanied by Professional and Islamic account options. Notably, there isn’t a dedicated account type for high-volume traders, and there are no special prices for frequent traders. Unlike XM Group, which ranks at #33 for commissions and fees according to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades secures a better position at #28 out of 63 brokers. This is largely because ActivTrades' spreads, while not the lowest, are better than the industry average.
Traders should also note that ActivTrades' fees depend on the specific assets being traded and the choice of trading platform, an important consideration for managing costs. Additionally, the broker offers a demo account to help users familiarize themselves with their trading process without financial risks. For clients requiring Sharia compliance, the Islamic Account option meets religious requirements while maintaining consistent spreads across all account types.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | ||
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | ||
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | ||
| 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 offered by XM Group and ActivTrades, both brokers provide ample opportunities for traders, yet differences do stand out. XM Group offers a broader selection with 1,394 tradeable symbols, including 55 forex pairs. This larger array gives investors more choices in their trading activities. On the other hand, ActivTrades presents 1,267 tradeable symbols with 49 forex pairs available, slightly trailing behind XM Group. Both brokers deliver forex trading as a CFD or spot contract and provide access to international exchange-traded securities, such as Vodafone shares from the London Stock Exchange. However, when it comes to U.S. exchange-traded securities like Apple shares, XM Group has an advantage, providing direct access, which ActivTrades does not.
For those interested in newer financial products, both brokers support cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither allows for purchasing actual cryptocurrencies. Notably, both platforms cater to investors interested in copy trading, enhancing their offerings for traders favoring this approach. When rated on their investment range, XM Group scores a slightly higher 4.5 stars compared to ActivTrades’ 4 stars. This slight edge also reflects in their rankings, with XM Group ranked 24th out of 63 brokers for their range of investments, ahead of ActivTrades, which sits at the 31st position. These distinctions can guide potential investors in choosing the broker that aligns best with their trading preferences.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | ||
| 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 online brokers XM Group and ActivTrades, both offer a variety of trading platforms and tools to suit traders' needs. Both brokers provide free virtual demo accounts for simulated trading, allowing beginners to practice risk-free. While XM Group relies on popular third-party platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, ActivTrades goes a step further by offering its own in-house developed platform, providing a unique experience for its users. Both brokers offer desktop and web-based trading platforms, along with copy trading capabilities. However, proprietary platforms can be a decisive factor for traders who value a customized trading environment.
Charting tools are essential in trading, and both XM Group and ActivTrades provide 15 drawing tools, facilitating effective analysis and strategy development. The ability to trade directly from a stock chart is a feature shared by both brokers, enhancing the trading experience. While their trading platforms receive a solid rating of four stars, ActivTrades slightly outperforms XM Group by offering 11 columns for watch lists, compared to XM Group's seven, and ranks just one position higher in the ForexBrokers.com ranking for trading platforms and tools. These subtle differences might make ActivTrades a more appealing choice for traders who require extensive customization options in their trading tools.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | 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 | ||
| ZuluTrade | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of XM Group and ActivTrades, both cater to iPhone and Android users, ensuring a seamless trading experience across devices. Both platforms offer essential features like stock and forex price alerts and allow users to draw trendlines on charts. Additionally, each app provides users the ability to view different time frames such as daily, weekly, or intraday. Traders looking to monitor the market on the go will appreciate the real-time watchlist creation available on both apps. However, ActivTrades takes the lead with an auto-save feature for chart drawings, while XM Group lacks this specific functionality.
Chart enthusiasts will find similar capabilities with both XM Group and ActivTrades, each presenting 30 technical studies to inform trading decisions. While XM Group offers watchlist symbol syncing across platforms for seamless portfolio management, this feature is not confirmed for ActivTrades. Despite similar features and both earning a solid four-star rating for their mobile trading apps, ActivTrades edges ahead in industry rankings, securing the 19th spot out of 63 brokers as evaluated by ForexBrokers.com, compared to XM Group's 29th position. This closer evaluation suggests ActivTrades might offer a slightly more refined mobile trading experience for its users.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of XM Group and ActivTrades, both brokers provide insightful daily market commentary to keep traders informed. Additionally, they each deliver significant forex news sourced from leading providers like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, ensuring traders have access to top-quality information. Both brokers also offer sentiment-based trading tools that highlight long and short positions to help strategize trades. Users can benefit from comprehensive economic calendars from both XM Group and ActivTrades, showcasing current and upcoming global economic events. While XM Group provides technical analysis tools from Trading Central, this offering is not listed for ActivTrades.
In terms of research ratings, XM Group comes out ahead with a 5-star rating while ActivTrades follows with a commendable 4-star rating. This superior rating likely contributes to XM Group's higher ranking of #8 compared to ActivTrades' #30 position in the Research category, as rated by ForexBrokers.com. This detailed comparison highlights XM Group's edges in market research tools and higher user ratings, making it a preferred choice for traders who prioritize comprehensive market analysis and insights.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | ||
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | ||
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | ||
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing educational resources for beginners, XM Group offers a comprehensive selection of materials that are accessible and easy to navigate. Both XM Group and ActivTrades provide over 10 educational pieces focused primarily on forex or CFDs, which include articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each broker hosts monthly webinars and maintains a searchable archive of recorded sessions to aid continual learning. Both brokers cater to all levels of expertise, offering at least 10 beginner-friendly videos and an equal number for more advanced traders. However, XM Group edges out with a five-star rating for its educational offerings, while ActivTrades holds a four-star rating.
Despite both brokers delivering a similar range of educational resources, XM Group's extensive and clearly organized educational support places it higher in rankings, earning the 7th spot out of 63 brokers in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, ActivTrades is ranked 38th. While both brokers have solid educational frameworks for beginners and seasoned traders alike, XM Group’s superior organization and depth of content make it a standout choice for those prioritizing educational resources in their trading journey.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
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 #17, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 88 | 81 |
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Both XM Group and ActivTrades offer the ability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives rather than actual delivered cryptocurrency, providing traders with opportunities to engage in the crypto market without owning the actual coins.
While XM Group and ActivTrades both provide comprehensive deposit and withdrawal options including Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transfers, they do not offer ACH or SEPA transfers, and only ActivTrades supports PayPal transactions.
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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| Trust Score | 88 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XM Group | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
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