Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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.
Founded in 2002, XTB stands as a publicly traded online broker, a significant factor contributing to its high transparency. It holds two Tier-1 licenses, regarded as highly trusted, and two Tier-2 licenses, which signals a solid regulatory standing in the industry. With a Trust Score of 96, XTB is considered highly trusted according to ForexBrokers.com, showcasing its commitment to providing a secure trading environment.
Admirals, established in 2001, is not publicly traded but demonstrates its reliability with four Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, placing it among well-regulated brokers. Admirals holds a Trust Score of 93, indicating a strong level of trustworthiness. Both XTB and Admirals do not operate as banks, focusing solely on brokerage services, but their strong regulatory portfolios ensure trader confidence and safety.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of XTB and Admirals, both brokers offer competitive pricing tailored for different types of traders. XTB provides two types of accounts: a spread-only Standard account and a commission-based Professional account, though the latter is largely being phased out. With average forex spreads for EUR/USD at 1 pip as of Q4 2023, XTB's pricing aligns with the industry average but does not lead the pack in this category. Minimum deposits start at 250 base currency units, and active traders can benefit from a rebate of up to 30% as part of XTB's Lower Spread Group program. Admirals, on the other hand, offers typical spreads of 0.8 on their Trade account and similar pricing on the Zero account, providing a competitive edge.
Both XTB and Admirals have distinct features that cater to various trading styles and needs. XTB's Standard account is generally more cost-effective for retail forex traders, especially with the Professional account being limited to certain legacy clients. Meanwhile, Admirals maintains an appealing price structure across its account types, making it suitable for traders who prioritize low spreads over other factors. Additionally, experienced traders with high trading volumes might find value in XTB’s active trader discounts, which offer significant rebates at substantial trading volumes.
In terms of user satisfaction, both XTB and Admirals have earned a commendable rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 for their commissions and fees. However, when ranked among 63 brokers, XTB takes the #11 spot while Admirals is ranked #17, according to ForexBrokers.com. This distinction highlights XTB's slight advantage in the competitive landscape, although both brokers offer solid options for traders focusing on competitive fees and commissions.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | 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 considering online brokers for investment opportunities, both XTB and Admirals provide impressive options, but with slight differences in their offerings. XTB offers a strong selection of 7,184 tradable symbols, while Admirals surpasses this with 8,702 symbols. In the realm of forex trading, XTB provides 71 forex pairs compared to Admirals’ broader choice of 82 pairs. Both brokers allow trading on U.S. and international stock exchanges, enabling investors to purchase significant stocks like Apple and Vodafone. However, only Admirals supports copy trading, a feature unavailable with XTB. For cryptocurrency enthusiasts, both brokers offer cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither provides the option to buy actual cryptocurrencies directly.
Despite having fewer tradable symbols and forex pairs, XTB earns a 5-star rating for its range of investments, slightly edging out Admirals, which receives a 4.5-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com, XTB is ranked #14 out of 63 brokers in the Range of Investments category, placing it ahead of Admirals, which holds the #19 spot. This comparison highlights that while both brokers offer diverse investment choices, XTB repeatedly scores higher, particularly in overall range and quality of investment offerings.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 8702 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 82 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 XTB and Admirals, both brokers offer free virtual demo accounts, making it easy for beginners to explore paper trading. Each provides a proprietary platform, with options for both Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based platforms accessible via your browser. Admirals stands out with copy trading capabilities and support for popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while XTB does not offer these features. However, both brokers do not support DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting enthusiasts, Admirals provides a wider array of drawing tools, boasting 106 options compared to XTB's 32, although detailed information about technical indicators is not specified. Both allow users to trade directly from a stock chart, simplifying order placements. In terms of watch lists, XTB offers more customization with eight columns compared to Admirals' seven. In overall ratings, XTB achieves an impressive 4.5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, ranking 9th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks 19th. Whether you prioritize platform accessibility, copy trading, or charting tools can guide your choice between these brokers.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 32 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both XTB and Admirals offer user-friendly mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android devices, allowing traders to stay connected on the go. While both platforms provide essential features such as stock and forex price alerts, drawing trendlines, and viewing multiple time frames on charts, they differ in certain aspects. XTB stands out by offering 39 technical studies for charting compared to Admirals' 30. Both apps enable the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, though neither offers watchlist symbol syncing with online accounts. Additionally, both platforms ensure that chart drawings are auto-saved for user convenience.
In terms of reviews and rankings, XTB’s mobile app is rated at 4.5 stars out of five, placing it at the 8th position among 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Admirals’ app, while also commendable, has a slightly lower rating of 4 stars, ranking it at the 23rd spot. For traders seeking a highly rated mobile trading experience with a higher number of technical studies, XTB presents a compelling option. Meanwhile, Admirals continues to offer a strong and reliable app for managing trades effectively.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB and Admirals both provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from premium sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed with top-tier information. Both platforms also boast sentiment-based trading tools which reveal the distribution of long and short positions across various instruments. Furthermore, both XTB and Admirals offer economic calendars that present upcoming global news events, helping traders anticipate market movements.
Where Admirals distinguishes itself is by offering research tools from Trading Central and Acuity Trading, as well as market insights from TipRanks. However, XTB, despite lacking these tools, receives a higher research rating of 5 stars compared to Admirals’ 4 stars, reflecting its strength in other areas. With its impressive rank of 7th out of 63 brokers for research by ForexBrokers.com, XTB edges ahead of Admirals, which holds the 15th spot. This suggests that while both brokers are equipped with valuable research features, XTB slightly outperforms Admirals based on expert evaluations.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both XTB and Admirals stand out as top contenders in the online trading sphere. If you are just starting, you will find that both platforms provide comprehensive educational materials on forex and CFDs, with over 10 articles, videos, or webinars dedicated to these subjects. Additionally, both brokers conduct regular monthly webinars for clients and maintain a searchable archive of past sessions, making it easy for users to learn at their own pace. For those new to trading, each broker offers a significant collection of beginner-friendly videos, more than ten in number, ensuring a solid foundation in trading concepts. Advanced traders are not left out either, as both XTB and Admirals provide more than ten advanced educational videos tailored for experienced traders looking to deepen their knowledge.
Although both platforms are similar in many ways, one notable difference is that Admirals offers an investor dictionary containing definitions for over 50 investing terms, which can be particularly helpful for newcomers seeking to understand complex financial jargon. However, XTB slightly edges out Admirals in overall education ratings, receiving five stars for its educational offerings compared to Admirals’ four stars. When ranked by ForexBrokers.com among 63 brokers, XTB takes the 11th spot, just ahead of Admirals at 12th place, reflecting its slightly superior educational resources for traders.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that XTB is better than Admirals. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18.
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB’s offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 93 |
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Both XTB and Admirals do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but they do provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
In the comparison of online brokers, Admirals stands out by offering ACH or SEPA transfers for funding and withdrawing account funds, a feature not available with XTB; both brokers provide options for PayPal, Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, ensuring multiple convenient methods for managing finances.
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 | XTB | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Admirals Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Admirals | |
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| Regulation | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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) | 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) | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 8702 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 82 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 32 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB Review | Admirals Review |
| Overall | XTB | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Admirals Review |
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