menuclose
ForexBrokers.com is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn How We Make Money

XM Group vs Alpari 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of XM Group vs Alpari, 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
Alpari
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $20
  • Trust Score: 68
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 105

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

When comparing online brokers XM Group and Alpari, it’s important to consider their regulatory credentials and trust scores. XM Group, which was established in 2009, holds four Tier-1 licenses, categorizing it as highly trusted, alongside a Trust Score of 93 from ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, Alpari, founded in 1998, doesn’t possess any Tier-1 licenses and holds a Trust Score of 68, indicating a higher risk. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank.

These regulatory differences are significant for traders looking for a trustworthy platform. XM Group’s commitment to compliance with top-tier regulators reflects a stronger level of reassurance for potential investors. Meanwhile, Alpari, with no Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, indicates a comparatively lower level of assurance regarding its regulatory compliance and trustworthiness. For those prioritizing security, XM Group presents a more favorable option.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
Alpari logoAlpari
Year Founded info 2009 1998
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 4 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1

Fees

If you’re comparing commissions and fees at XM Group and Alpari, both earn 4 out of 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com. XM Group ranks #34 out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category, while Alpari ranks #42 out of 63, giving XM a slight edge despite the same star rating.

XM Group: Standard account spreads are described as expensive, and the broker does not publish average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account. Without average spread data, it’s harder to estimate typical trading costs in advance, which can matter if you trade frequently or are spread-sensitive.

Alpari: Average spread data is not available, which limits transparency for everyday pricing and makes direct cost comparisons difficult. With a 4-star score but a lower #42 ranking, Alpari trails XM Group on commissions and fees even though both share the same overall rating.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
Alpari logoAlpari
Minimum Deposit info $5 $20
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.6 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.8 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info No Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info No No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

XM Group vs Alpari: For range of investments, XM Group clearly offers more markets. XM lists 1,394 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs, compared with Alpari’s 105 symbols and 46 pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex via CFDs or spot, support copy trading, and allow cryptocurrency derivatives (but not actual coins). Based on coverage, XM Group earns 4.5 stars for Range of Investments, while Alpari is rated 3 stars.

Access to exchange-traded shares also differs. XM Group lets clients buy real stocks on U.S. exchanges (such as Apple on NASDAQ) and on international exchanges, whereas Alpari offers exchange-traded securities on international markets only—not U.S. stocks. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments rankings, XM Group is #25 out of 63 brokers, while Alpari sits at #64. If you want a wider market selection including U.S. shares, XM Group has the edge; if you only need a smaller lineup with forex and some international shares, Alpari may suffice.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
Alpari logoAlpari
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1394 105
Forex Pairs (Total) info 55 46
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 Alpari for trading platforms and tools: both brokers provide a free demo account for paper trading, plus desktop (Windows) and web-based platforms. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and offers copy trading. Neither integrates DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. A key difference is that Alpari also offers an in-house proprietary platform, while XM Group does not.

On charting and trade management, both let you place orders directly from charts, include 15 drawing tools, and allow 7 watchlist columns. In Trading Platforms and Tools, both earn 4 stars; however, XM Group ranks higher overall (#33 of 63) than Alpari (#56 of 63) on ForexBrokers.com. If you want a broker with a proprietary platform in addition to MetaTrader, Alpari fits. If you prefer a MetaTrader-focused setup with a stronger category ranking, XM Group is the better pick.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
Alpari logoAlpari
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 15 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 7 7

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

Forex trading apps

XM Group and Alpari both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts and real-time quote watchlists. The standout difference is watchlist syncing: XM Group syncs your watchlists between the app and your online account, while Alpari does not—handy if you switch between phone and desktop.

For charting, the two are neck and neck: each app includes 30 technical studies, lets you draw trendlines, and switch among intraday, daily, and weekly time frames. Neither app auto-saves drawings. Both received 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps; however, in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings of 63 brokers, XM Group placed #31 while Alpari ranked #57. If watchlist syncing and a higher category ranking matter to you, XM Group has the edge; otherwise, their mobile toolsets are quite similar.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
Alpari logoAlpari
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No No
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Comparing XM Group vs Alpari for market research, XM Group comes out ahead for everyday insights. XM Group provides daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg/Reuters-class providers), Trading Central research, a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning, and an economic calendar. Alpari skips daily commentary but does include premium news and an economic calendar, plus Autochartist for technical ideas; however, it lacks Trading Central and a sentiment tool. Availability of TipRanks and Acuity Trading tools at Alpari is not specified.

Independent ratings back up the gap: XM Group earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers for Research on ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari holds 3 stars and ranks #58. If you want frequent commentary and a wider mix of research tools, XM Group is the stronger pick; if you mainly need Autochartist and standard news with an economic calendar, Alpari may suffice.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
Alpari logoAlpari
Daily Market Commentary info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes No
TipRanks info No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

When comparing the educational resources available for beginners between XM Group and Alpari, there are several key differences. XM Group provides more comprehensive educational support, offering a variety of materials including over 10 pieces on forex or CFDs through articles, videos, and archived webinars. Beginners have access to online webinars hosted at least once a month, with an archive of previously recorded sessions available for review, a feature not offered by Alpari. Both brokers provide over 10 beginner-focused educational videos; however, XM Group stands out with an extensive range of over 10 advanced videos designed for experienced traders.

In contrast, Alpari offers an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, an advantage for those new to trading concepts, a resource that XM Group does not provide. Despite this, the overall educational experience at XM Group is rated higher, with a five-star rating compared to Alpari's three stars. When ranked by ForexBrokers.com among 63 brokers for educational resources, XM Group claims the #7 spot, significantly higher than Alpari's rank at #48. This ranking reflects XM Group's commitment to providing traders, especially beginners, with a rich set of learning tools to enhance their trading knowledge.

Feature XM Group logoXM Group
Alpari logoAlpari
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info No 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 Alpari. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #58.

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
Alpari logoAlpari
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 93 68
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3/5 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 Alpari?

XM Group and Alpari both do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Both XM Group and Alpari offer Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires for depositing and withdrawing account funds, but neither supports ACH, SEPA transfers, nor PayPal as payment options.




announcementPlease 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.

Select Brokers

×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxActivTrades
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxACY Securities
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAdmirals
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAlpari
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxATFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAvaTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAxi
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBDSwiss
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlackBull Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCharles Schwab
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCity Index
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCMC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxDooPrime
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEarn
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeasyMarkets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEightcap
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxExness
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFineco
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFOREX.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFP Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXCM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXGT.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXOpen
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXPrimus
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFxPro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxGBE brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHFM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHYCM (Henyep Capital Markets)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIFC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxiFOREX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIG
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIronFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIUX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxLegacyFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxLibertex (Forex Club)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMarkets.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMarkets4you
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMoneta Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMultiBank
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOANDA
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOcta
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPepperstone
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPlus500
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxQuestrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxRoboForex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSaxo
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSpreadex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSwissquote
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxThinkMarkets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTickmill
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTMGM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTopFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrade Nation
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrading 212
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVantage
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVT Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXM Group
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXTB
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXtrade

Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating XM Group Alpari
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 93 68
Winner check_circle
Review XM Group Review
Broker Screenshots XM Group Alpari
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
Regulation XM Group Alpari
Trust Score info 93 68
Year Founded info 2009 1998
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes No info
Tier-1 Licenses info 4 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) XM Group Alpari
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info No No
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 No info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) XM Group Alpari
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info Yes No
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments XM Group Alpari
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1394 105
Forex Pairs (Total) info 55 46
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 Alpari
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.6 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.8 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info No Yes
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Execution: Agency Broker info No Yes
Execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding XM Group Alpari
Minimum Deposit info $5 $20
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info No No
Trading Platforms XM Group Alpari
Proprietary Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info No No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Trading Tools XM Group Alpari
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 7 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 15 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading XM Group Alpari
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No No
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research XM Group Alpari
Daily Market Commentary info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
TipRanks info No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education XM Group Alpari
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info No Yes
Major Forex Pairs XM Group Alpari
GBP/USD info Yes Yes
USD/JPY info Yes Yes
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF info Yes Yes
USD/CAD info Yes Yes
NZD/USD info Yes Yes
AUD/USD info Yes Yes
Review XM Group Review
Overall XM Group Alpari
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 93 68
Winner check_circle
Review XM Group Review
arrow_upward

close