Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs Alpari, 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 is a well-established online broker known for its high level of trust and transparency, underlined by a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 96 out of 99. XTB is publicly traded and although it is not a bank, it stands out by holding two top-tier licenses and two second-tier licenses, reinforcing its solid reputation in the financial industry.
In contrast, Alpari, established in 1998, has a Trust Score of 68, which places it in the high-risk category according to ForexBrokers.com. Alpari is not publicly traded and holds no Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, which may raise concerns for potential investors seeking assurance and security in their trading activities. Both XTB and Alpari are established brokers, but their regulatory standings significantly differ, making XTB a notably more trusted choice.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
XTB edges out Alpari on commissions and fees in our scoring: XTB earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 of 63, while Alpari earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #42 of 63. Both cater to cost‑conscious traders, but XTB’s higher rating and ranking indicate stronger overall pricing and incentives.
XTB offers a spread‑only Standard account and a commission‑based Professional account that’s limited to elected professionals in the U.K. and EU (and is being phased out). For most retail traders, the Standard account is the better fit, especially for smaller trade sizes. In Q4 2023, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was 1.0 pip—around the industry average. Minimum deposits start at 250 in your base currency. Active traders can qualify for XTB’s Lower Spread Group, which rebates 5% to 30% of the spread once monthly volumes hit set tiers (from 20 up to 1000 lots).
Alpari’s average spread data isn’t available, making an apples‑to‑apples cost comparison harder. Based on our assessment, Alpari’s 4 out of 5 stars and #42 ranking for commissions and fees suggest it’s competitive but trails XTB on overall pricing clarity and value.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
XTB vs Alpari: For range of investments, XTB provides 7,184 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, while Alpari lists 105 symbols and 46 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading (CFDs/spot) and offer cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither lets you buy actual crypto. XTB also lets clients buy exchange-traded shares directly on U.S. and international exchanges, whereas Alpari offers direct share dealing only on international markets (no U.S. stocks). Copy trading is available at Alpari but not at XTB.
Independent ratings reflect this breadth: XTB earns 5 stars and ranks #15 for Range of Investments at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Alpari’s 3 stars and rank #64. In short, choose XTB if you want the widest symbol count and access to U.S. and global shares, or consider Alpari if copy trading matters more and a leaner lineup works for you.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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.
Comparing XTB vs Alpari for trading platforms and tools, both brokers provide free demo accounts, their own proprietary platforms, and Windows desktop and web-based trading. You can place trades directly from charts with either. XTB offers 32 drawing tools and eight watchlist columns, while Alpari includes 15 drawing tools and seven watchlist columns—useful differences if you value chart markup and market organization.
The bigger split is in third‑party platforms and automation. XTB does not support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) or MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and does not offer copy trading, whereas Alpari supports MT4 and MT5 and includes copy trading. Neither connects to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. According to ForexBrokers.com’s 2024 testing, XTB earned 4.5 stars and ranked 9th out of 63 brokers for Platforms and Tools; Alpari earned 4 stars and ranked 56th. Pick XTB if you want a higher-rated in-house platform with more drawing tools, or Alpari if MetaTrader and copy trading are priorities.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and Alpari both deliver iPhone and Android apps for forex and CFD trading, with real-time watchlists and price alerts. Each app lets you draw trendlines and switch among multiple time frames. However, neither XTB nor Alpari supports watchlist symbol syncing with your online account. One key difference: the XTB mobile app auto-saves your chart drawings, while the Alpari app does not.
For charting depth, the XTB mobile app offers 39 technical studies versus 30 on Alpari. In overall quality, XTB earns 4.5 stars and is ranked #8 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps by ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari holds 4 stars and ranks #57. If you want more indicators and saved annotations on the go, XTB is the stronger pick; if you only need core tools with alerts on iPhone or Android, Alpari still covers the essentials.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB vs. Alpari for market research: XTB delivers daily market commentary, a sentiment tool showing the ratio of long and short positions, an economic calendar, and forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Alpari also provides an economic calendar and top-tier forex news, and it adds Autochartist for technical pattern ideas; however, it does not offer daily commentary or a sentiment tool. Neither broker includes Trading Central.
Independent ratings highlight the gap: ForexBrokers.com scores XTB 5 stars for Research (ranked #7 of 63), while Alpari earns 3 stars (ranked #58). XTB does not list tools from TipRanks or Acuity Trading, and these providers aren’t indicated for Alpari either. Choose XTB if you want frequent insights and crowd sentiment; pick Alpari if Autochartist’s automated chart analysis is a priority.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing educational offerings for beginners from online brokers XTB and Alpari, both brokers provide a foundational collection of educational content, including at least ten pieces focused on forex or CFDs. However, XTB stands out with additional benefits, such as offering monthly online webinars and maintaining a searchable archive of these recorded sessions. In contrast, Alpari does not provide these features, potentially limiting ongoing learning opportunities for beginners. Furthermore, XTB provides over ten videos specifically designed for both beginner and advanced traders, whereas Alpari only offers videos tailored for beginners.
For those looking to broaden their understanding of investment terminology, Alpari offers an investor dictionary with definitions of over fifty terms, unlike XTB, which lacks this resource. Despite this, XTB's comprehensive educational resources earn it a 5-star rating and an impressive 11th place among 63 brokers in the Education category on ForexBrokers.com. Alpari, with its more limited resources, holds a 3-star rating and ranks 48th. Overall, for beginners focused on continuous and advanced learning, XTB appears to offer more extensive resources and a higher level of educational support than Alpari.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 Alpari. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #58.
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
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 96 | 68 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both XTB and Alpari do not offer the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but they do provide the opportunity to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers XTB and Alpari in terms of deposit and withdrawal options, both do not support ACH or SEPA transfers but they allow transactions via Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires; however, XTB stands out by offering PayPal, unlike Alpari, while both brokers provide Skrill as a payment method.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 96 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | XTB | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 96 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill