Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs Admirals, 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.
FXCM, established in 1999, and Admirals, founded in 2001, are both prominent players in the online brokerage industry. While FXCM is publicly traded, Admirals remains private. Neither company operates as a bank, and both have garnered significant trust in the financial world. FXCM and Admirals each possess four Tier-1 licenses, affirming their high level of reliability. Furthermore, FXCM holds two Tier-2 licenses, while Admirals boasts three, indicating their recognized status among trusted brokers.
Both companies achieve excellent trust ratings from ForexBrokers.com. FXCM holds a Trust Score of 95 out of 99, classifying it as highly trusted, whereas Admirals has a Trust Score of 93, also reflecting high trustworthiness. These scores signify that both FXCM and Admirals have established themselves as reliable options for traders seeking secure online brokerage services.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Admirals generally edges out FXCM on commissions and fees. Admirals earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #18 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com, while FXCM holds 4/5 stars and ranks #25. Admirals’ typical EUR/USD spread is about 0.8 pips on the Trade account (with similar pricing on the Zero account), whereas FXCM’s forex pricing is slightly higher than the industry average overall.
FXCM’s May 2024 data shows average EUR/USD spreads of 0.78 pips for its EU, U.K., and Australia entities, and 1.38 pips via its St. Vincent & the Grenadines entity. Its commission-based plan averaged a 0.28‑pip core spread, which comes out to roughly 0.74 pips once you add the commission (about 0.50 pips per round turn). FXCM offers volume-based discounts that vary by region: the Active Trader Rebate Program (five tiers paying $5–$25 per million) isn’t available in the U.K. or EU, but U.K. accounts may access alternative volume pricing that can lower commissions to about $2.50 per side with sufficient balance and monthly volume. As with most brokers, spreads can widen during rollover or volatile markets.
Admirals keeps pricing simple and competitive, with typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.8 pips on the Trade account and comparable costs on the Zero account. For many traders—especially those not trading very high volumes—Admirals’ everyday pricing will often be a touch cheaper than FXCM’s, while both deliver solid overall value for forex spreads and commissions.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FXCM and Admirals both support forex trading via CFDs and/or spot contracts, but Admirals offers a much broader range overall. FXCM lists 440 total tradeable symbols with 46 forex pairs, while Admirals offers 8,702 symbols and 82 forex pairs. Both brokers provide copy trading and let you speculate on digital assets through cryptocurrency CFDs, though neither lets you buy actual crypto.
When it comes to real shares, the difference is clear: FXCM does not offer exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, while Admirals lets clients buy listed stocks in both regions (for example, Apple on NASDAQ and Vodafone in London). Reflecting this breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates FXCM 3.5/5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked 48th of 63) and Admirals 4.5/5 stars (ranked 20th of 63).
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 8702 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 82 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
FXCM vs Admirals: both brokers check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, their own in-house platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Copy trading is available at both, and you can place trades directly from a chart. They also support MetaTrader 4 (MT4). The standout difference is MetaTrader 5 (MT5): Admirals offers MT5, while FXCM does not.
For overall platform quality, FXCM earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #19. If MT5 access matters to you, Admirals is the choice. If you want higher-rated platform tools and experience, FXCM has the edge.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FXCM and Admirals both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts and key charting tools. On both apps you can draw trendlines and your drawings auto-save, making it easy to revisit your analysis across sessions.
The biggest differences show up in charting depth and convenience features. FXCM includes 59 technical studies compared with Admirals’ 30, and FXCM syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Admirals does not. Based on ForexBrokers.com, FXCM’s mobile app earns 4.5 stars and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers, whereas Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #23. If you want more studies and synced watchlists, FXCM has the edge; if you only need the essentials, Admirals still covers the bases.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both FXCM and Admirals provide traders with daily market commentary, offering valuable insights into current market trends. Both brokers also deliver forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring their clients stay informed with reliable information. Traders interested in technical analysis will find Trading Central's tools available with both brokers. Additionally, both offer sentiment-based trading tools to help users gauge market dynamics. While FXCM and Admirals both incorporate market research from TipRanks, only Admirals includes tools from Acuity Trading, like Signal Centre, enhancing their research variety.
FXCM and Admirals each feature an economic calendar, helping traders track important global economic events. FXCM, with a 4.5-star rating, slightly exceeds Admirals' 4-star rating in research offerings. Ranked 11th in research by ForexBrokers.com, FXCM stands a notch above Admirals, which holds the 15th position. Despite these differences, both brokers deliver comprehensive tools for their users, although Admirals offers a slight edge with additional tools from Acuity Trading.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
FXCM and Admirals are both solid choices for beginners looking for forex and CFD education. Each broker offers plenty of learning materials focused on forex/CFDs, runs client webinars at least once a month, and provides video libraries with 10+ beginner lessons and 10+ advanced lessons. If you prefer step-by-step videos and live sessions, either platform will suit your learning style.
How do they compare? FXCM earns a 4.5/5 Education rating, while Admirals is rated 4/5. However, Admirals ranks slightly higher in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, placing 12th out of 63 brokers, compared with FXCM at 14th. In short, choose FXCM if the higher star rating matters most, or Admirals if the category rank tips the scale. Either way, beginners get ample lessons, videos, and ongoing webinars.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FXCM is better than Admirals. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #15, while Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18.
For traders who appreciate advanced trading tools and quality market research, FXCM is a winner, especially for algorithmic trading. Its range of tradeable markets is fairly narrow, however, and the pricing at FXCM is just average.
| Feature |
FXCM
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Admirals
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| Trust Score | 95 | 93 |
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In the FXCM vs Admirals comparison, neither broker allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
FXCM offers ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposit and withdrawal options, while Admirals confirms only ACH/SEPA; availability of PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires for Admirals—and Visa/Mastercard for FXCM—is not specified.
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 | FXCM | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Admirals Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Admirals | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 8702 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 82 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FXCM Review | Admirals Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Admirals Review |
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