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XM Group vs ActivTrades 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025
  Fact Checked

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): 1429
ActivTrades
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 80
  • 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 vs ActivTrades: XM Group launched in 2009, while ActivTrades began in 2001. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank. Using ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale—90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted—XM Group scores 93 (highly trusted) and ActivTrades scores 80 (trusted).

On regulation, XM Group holds 4 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted regulators) and 3 Tier-2 licenses (trusted regulators). ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license. In simple terms, XM Group carries a broader top-tier regulatory footprint, while ActivTrades remains well-regulated but with fewer high-tier licenses.

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 3 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2

Fees

When comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades comes out ahead of XM Group. ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #21 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, with spreads that are generally a bit better than the industry average, though not as low as the cheapest forex brokers. Its pricing depends on the asset traded, and while it offers several account types, including Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts, there is no special pricing for high-volume traders.

XM Group is less competitive on this front, with a 3.5-star rating and a #34 out of 36 ranking for commissions and fees. Standard account spreads are considered expensive, and average spread data for the commission-based XM Zero account is not published, which makes it harder for traders to compare true trading costs.

Overall, ActivTrades is the better choice for lower trading costs, while XM Group trails behind in this category. If commissions and fees are a top priority, ActivTrades has the stronger pricing profile and a better overall score.

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 offers a wider range of investments than ActivTrades, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more variety. XM Group provides 1,429 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency for delivery.

One key difference is that XM Group offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, while ActivTrades only offers these on international exchanges. In other words, XM Group gives clients access to more stock market choices, including U.S. shares such as Apple. This broader selection helps explain XM Group’s higher range of investments rating of 4.5 out of 5 and its stronger ForexBrokers.com ranking of #19, compared with ActivTrades’ 4 out of 5 rating and #25 ranking.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1429 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

XM Group and ActivTrades both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, desktop downloads for Windows, browser-based trading, copy trading, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets you place trades directly from a price chart, which is helpful for active traders who want quick order entry. In short, both firms cover the core platform needs most traders look for.

The main difference is that ActivTrades also offers its own proprietary trading platform, while XM Group does not. That may give ActivTrades an edge for traders who want something built in-house, but both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, ActivTrades places slightly higher at #26 out of 36, compared with XM Group at #27 out of 36.

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 make it easy to trade from a phone or tablet, with iPhone and Android apps available on each platform. Both apps also offer price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, and the ability to draw trendlines on stock or forex charts. Each broker earns a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, so in basic app features, they are closely matched.

The main difference is in watchlist syncing and chart drawing storage. XM Group lets watchlists sync with the online account, so changes made on mobile or desktop stay updated across both, while ActivTrades does not offer this feature. On the other hand, ActivTrades auto-saves chart drawings in the mobile app, while XM Group does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, ActivTrades places higher at #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with XM Group at #26.

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 and ActivTrades both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Reuters and Bloomberg, a sentiment tool showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools, so their research suites are similar in several core areas.

The main difference is that XM Group includes Trading Central, giving it an extra edge for technical and fundamental analysis, while ActivTrades does not. This helps explain why XM Group earns a 5-star Research rating and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with ActivTrades’ 4-star rating and #26 ranking.

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

When comparing XM Group and ActivTrades for beginner-friendly education, both brokers give new traders a lot to work with. Each offers forex and CFD learning content, regular online educational webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos as well as 10 advanced videos, so learners at different skill levels can find useful material. That said, XM Group stands out with a 5-star Education rating and a #5 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #30.

For beginners, the key difference is not whether the two brokers provide education, since both do, but how strong that offering appears overall. XM Group seems to have the edge in depth and quality of learning resources, making it the better fit for traders who want more guidance and a wider range of educational support. ActivTrades still covers the basics well, but XM Group is the clearer leader for education.

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 80
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 3.5/5 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 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 3.5/5 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 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 93 80
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 80
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 3 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 Yes No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info Yes No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA 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 1429 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 3.5/5 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 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 93 80
Winner check_circle
Review XM Group Review ActivTrades Review
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