Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XM Group vs ATFX, 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.
XM Group and ATFX are two online brokers that offer trading services without being publicly traded or functioning as banks. Founded in 2009, XM Group holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, which contributes to its Trust Score rating of 88 out of 99 on ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the trusted category. Similarly, ATFX, which started in 2017, also holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses. However, its Trust Score is slightly lower at 85, though it still falls within the trusted range. Both companies are well-regulated, but XM Group has a marginally higher trust rating.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When it comes to evaluating online brokers based on commissions and fees, XM Group and ATFX present distinct profiles. XM Group offers a standard account with spreads that tend to be on the expensive side, and while they have a commission-based Zero account, the average spread data for this option is not disclosed. In comparison, ATFX does not provide average spread data, which can make it difficult for traders to gauge potential costs.
Both brokers have been rated on a scale of five stars to highlight their performance in this area. XM Group receives a commendable 4 stars for its commissions and fees, demonstrating a relatively strong offering despite some pricing transparency issues. In contrast, ATFX earns 3 stars, indicating more room for improvement in providing cost-efficient trading options.
Ranking wise, XM Group is positioned at #33 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com for its overall performance in the Commissions and Fees category. Meanwhile, ATFX holds the #60 slot, suggesting there are several brokers ahead that may offer more competitive or transparent fee structures for traders.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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.
When comparing the range of investments offered by XM Group and ATFX, XM Group stands out with its extensive selection compared to ATFX's more limited offerings. XM Group provides traders access to 1,394 tradeable symbols, including 55 forex pairs, while ATFX offers 150 symbols with 44 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, but XM Group also allows clients to invest in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges. In contrast, ATFX does not provide opportunities to buy shares of companies like Apple or Vodafone directly.
In terms of cryptocurrency offerings, both XM Group and ATFX allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives but not the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Additionally, both brokers feature copy trading services to support client strategies. When evaluated for their range of investments, XM Group receives a rating of 4.5 stars and holds the 23rd position in ForexBrokers.com's ranking of 63 brokers, while ATFX earns 3.5 stars and ranks 57th, underscoring XM Group's broader array of investment options.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 44 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 XM Group with ATFX in terms of trading platforms and tools, both brokers offer a comprehensive array of features suited for traders of all levels. Both XM Group and ATFX provide free virtual demo accounts for simulated trading, ensuring users can practice without risk before committing real funds. They also support trading on popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), offering both Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based versions for accessibility. While neither broker has a proprietary platform, copy trading is available, making them a good fit for those interested in mirroring strategies from other trades.
Features such as the ability to trade directly from a stock chart and a generous set of drawing tools are equally available from both brokers. However, XM Group slightly edges out ATFX with a higher rating of 4 stars for its trading platforms and tools and is ranked #31 by ForexBrokers.com among 63 brokers, compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars and ranking of #62. Both brokers offer seven fields for watch lists, providing organized and efficient tracking of selected assets.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing mobile trading apps from XM Group and ATFX, both offer iPhone and Android apps, stock or forex price alerts, and the ability to draw trendlines and view different time frames on charts. However, XM Group shines with its advanced features, offering 30 technical studies for charting compared to ATFX's 7, and providing symbol syncing for watchlists across its mobile app and online account. This means any changes made in one location are seamlessly reflected in the other, a feature not available with ATFX.
Both platforms allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, ATFX's mobile app auto-saves chart drawings, which is an edge over XM Group that lacks this feature. In terms of ratings, XM Group performs slightly better, scoring 4 out of 5 stars compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars. Moreover, XM Group is placed 29th out of 63 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category by ForexBrokers.com, while ATFX ranks 63rd, highlighting XM Group's stronger position in this comparison.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of online brokers XM Group and ATFX, XM Group stands out for its comprehensive resources. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, ensuring their traders are up-to-date with the latest financial insights. However, XM Group has a distinct advantage by offering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature ATFX lacks. Regarding technical analysis tools, both companies provide resources from Trading Central, yet only ATFX supports tools from Autochartist. On the sentiment analysis front, XM Group offers unique tools to gauge market psychology, showing ratios of long or short positions across various currency pairs—an insight not available with ATFX.
XM Group also excels with its highly rated economic calendar highlighting global events while securing an impressive 5-star rating for research, compared to ATFX's 3-star rating. Furthermore, XM Group is ranked 8th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for its research offerings, making it a preferred choice for traders seeking in-depth market insights. In contrast, ATFX is ranked 54th, indicating room for improvement in its research capabilities. Both brokers do not provide market research from companies like TipRanks or Acuity Trading, but XM Group's broader range of tools contributes to a richer trading experience.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, XM Group stands out compared to ATFX. Both provide a wealth of content with more than 10 pieces like articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing on forex and CFDs education. However, XM Group goes a step further by offering monthly live webinars, which ATFX does not provide. This additional touch gives beginners the chance to engage in real-time learning experiences. Furthermore, both brokers present a searchable archive of recorded webinars, allowing users to learn at their own pace.
For video content, XM Group excels with over 10 educational videos tailored for both beginners and advanced traders, while ATFX matches this number for beginner videos but falls short on advanced content. Although ATFX offers an investor dictionary featuring more than 50 investing terms, XM Group’s broader array of educational offerings likely contributes to its higher ratings. XM Group receives 5 out of 5 stars for education and ranks 7th among 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas ATFX is rated 3 stars and holds the 28th position. These distinctions highlight XM Group as a more comprehensive resource for those new to trading.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 XM Group is better than ATFX. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 88 | 85 |
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Both XM Group and ATFX do not provide the option to purchase actual cryptocurrencies, but they both offer cryptocurrency derivatives for trading.
Both XM Group and ATFX facilitate account fund transactions through Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers or PayPal for deposits or withdrawals.
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 | XM Group | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 88 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XM Group | ATFX | |
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| Regulation | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 88 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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 | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XM Group Review |
| Overall | XM Group | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 88 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review |
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