Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs AvaTrade, 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 and AvaTrade are both well-known online brokers with strong regulatory profiles. FXCM was founded in 1999, is publicly traded, and is not a bank. It holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, giving it a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 95 out of 99, which falls in the highly trusted range.
AvaTrade was founded in 2006, is not publicly traded, and is also not a bank. It matches FXCM with 4 Tier-1 licenses, but it holds 4 Tier-2 licenses, one area where it has more oversight coverage. AvaTrade’s ForexBrokers.com Trust Score is 96 out of 99, placing it just above FXCM and also in the highly trusted range.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
FXCM and AvaTrade both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but their pricing setups differ. FXCM is a bit above the industry average overall, with EUR/USD spreads averaging 0.78 pips for its EU, U.K., and Australia entities in May 2024, while its commission-based accounts averaged 0.28 pips before commissions. FXCM can become cheaper for high-volume traders through its Active Trader Rebate Program, although the best discounts are not available in every region. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, FXCM ranks #17 out of 36 brokers.
AvaTrade’s pricing is also close to the market average, with typical spreads of 0.9 pips as of June 2024. That makes it a little pricier than some low-cost brokers on standard accounts, but its Professional account can offer tighter spreads of 0.6 pips for eligible traders. AvaTrade is ranked #14 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees, putting it slightly ahead of FXCM in this category.
In simple terms, both brokers are fairly competitive, but AvaTrade has the better ranking while FXCM may appeal more to active traders who can qualify for rebates. If you trade often and can access FXCM’s volume discounts, your costs may fall further. If you want straightforward pricing that sits near the industry average, AvaTrade is also a solid choice.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 0.93 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.61 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing FXCM and AvaTrade for range of investments, both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, plus copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker lets clients buy actual shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and neither offers delivered cryptocurrency purchases. For forex traders, AvaTrade lists more currency pairs than FXCM, with 53 pairs compared with 46 at FXCM.
AvaTrade also offers a wider overall selection of tradable instruments, with 1,260 symbols versus 440 at FXCM. Even so, FXCM holds a slight edge in third-party ratings for range of investments, scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranking #21 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #27. In short, AvaTrade has the larger product lineup, while FXCM receives the stronger category rating.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 1260 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 53 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| 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 and AvaTrade both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, Windows desktop software, web-based trading, copy trading, and MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Both brokers also let users place trades directly from charts, which can make it easier to react quickly while watching the market. For traders who want to practice first or use more than one device, each broker offers a flexible setup that works well for everyday trading needs.
The main difference is that AvaTrade also supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while FXCM does not. That may matter for traders who want the newer MT5 platform for its added features. Overall, FXCM has the edge in this category, with a 5-star Trading Platforms and Tools rating and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with AvaTrade’s 4.5-star rating and #13 ranking.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 80 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FXCM and AvaTrade both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts and watchlist syncing so changes carry over between the app and the online account. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts, which is helpful for tracking market moves on the go. In overall Mobile Trading Apps ratings, both brokers earn 4.5 out of 5 stars, so each offers a solid experience for everyday mobile traders.
When it comes to charting tools, AvaTrade has the edge with 73 technical studies in its mobile app compared with FXCM’s 59. FXCM, however, stands out for automatically saving chart drawings, while AvaTrade does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps ranking, AvaTrade places higher at #13 out of 36 brokers, while FXCM ranks #16, making AvaTrade the slightly stronger pick for mobile charting depth, though FXCM still offers a very competitive app.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 73 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FXCM and AvaTrade both give traders useful market research tools, including forex news from major sources, Trading Central analysis, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for global events. Neither broker offers Autochartist or Acuity Trading tools. FXCM stands out a bit more thanks to daily market commentary and TipRanks research, which AvaTrade does not provide.
When it comes to overall research quality, FXCM comes out ahead. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers for Research on ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade is rated 4 stars and ranks #29. For traders who want more built-in market insights and commentary, FXCM has the edge, though AvaTrade still covers the basics well.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
FXCM and AvaTrade both give beginners plenty of learning material, including forex and CFDs education, monthly educational webinars, and at least 10 beginner and 10 advanced videos. That means both brokers offer a wide mix of content for people just starting out, as well as for traders who want to build on the basics. FXCM stands out with a 4.5-star Education rating, while AvaTrade is close behind at 4 stars.
When it comes to overall education rankings from ForexBrokers.com, AvaTrade comes in at #2 out of 36 brokers, which shows it is one of the strongest choices for learning support. FXCM is also highly rated, ranking #13 out of 36. For beginners, the main difference is that AvaTrade has the stronger overall education score, while FXCM still offers a broad set of helpful learning tools and a slightly higher star rating.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 AvaTrade. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10, while AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15.
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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AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 96 |
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FXCM vs AvaTrade: neither broker allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading for exposure without owning the underlying asset.
FXCM vs AvaTrade: FXCM supports ACH/SEPA transfers and offers PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals, while AvaTrade lacks ACH/SEPA but also supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires.
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 | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2006 | |
| 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 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 1260 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 0.93 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.61 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 80 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 73 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade Review |
| Overall | FXCM | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | AvaTrade Review |
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