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 long-standing online brokers with strong trust marks from ForexBrokers.com. FXCM, founded in 1999, is publicly traded, while AvaTrade, founded in 2006, is privately held. Neither broker is a bank. Both score in the “highly trusted” range, with FXCM at 95/99 and AvaTrade at 96/99 (ForexBrokers.com considers 90–99 to be highly trusted).
On regulation, each broker holds 4 Tier-1 licenses, the most respected category tracked by ForexBrokers.com. FXCM has 2 Tier-2 licenses and AvaTrade has 3 Tier-2 licenses. In short, both are widely regulated and considered safe choices, with AvaTrade edging FXCM slightly on Trust Score and Tier-2 coverage, and FXCM standing out for being publicly listed.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
FXCM and AvaTrade both earn 4.5/5 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2024 rankings, AvaTrade places #14 of 63, while FXCM comes in at #17 of 63. The main difference is pricing style: AvaTrade’s headline spreads tend to be straightforward and near the industry average, whereas FXCM offers multiple pricing routes, including standard spreads, commission-based pricing, and volume-based rebates that can lower costs if you qualify.
FXCM’s standard EUR/USD spread averaged 0.78 pips in May 2024 for its EU, U.K., and Australia entities, and 1.38 pips for its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity—slightly higher than industry norms. Its commission-based accounts averaged a 0.28-pip core spread (May 2024); after adding the typical commission, the effective cost is roughly 0.74 pips per round turn. FXCM’s Active Trader Rebate Program (not available in the U.K. or EU) pays $5–$25 per million traded, which can offset costs for high-volume traders. Example: in the U.K., a $25,000 balance and at least $50 million in monthly volume can reduce commissions to $2.50 per side ($5 round turn), producing an effective EUR/USD cost around 0.78 pips based on a 0.28-pip core. As with most forex brokers, spreads can widen during rollover or abnormal market conditions.
AvaTrade’s spreads are close to the industry average, with the EUR/USD around 0.9 pips as of June 2024—slightly higher than the entry-level pricing at some rivals like CMC Markets and Tickmill. Traders who qualify for AvaTrade’s Professional account see tighter pricing at about 0.6 pips, comparable to FP Markets. Summary: casual traders may appreciate AvaTrade’s simple, predictable spreads (#14/63, 4.5/5 stars), while active, high-volume traders who qualify for FXCM’s rebates may find better value through FXCM’s commission-based route (#17/63, 4.5/5 stars), depending on location and monthly volume.
| 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.
Comparing FXCM and AvaTrade on range of investments, AvaTrade lists more markets overall with 1,260 tradeable symbols versus FXCM’s 440. AvaTrade also offers slightly more forex pairs (53 vs. 46). Both brokers let you trade forex via CFDs or spot-style contracts, and both support crypto CFDs while not offering actual, delivered cryptocurrencies. Neither broker provides access to buy real, exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international exchanges, though both do support copy trading.
For ratings, FXCM scores 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #21 out of 63 brokers, while AvaTrade earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26. If sheer market count matters most, AvaTrade has the edge; if you prefer a higher category score, FXCM stands out. Both are solid picks for forex, crypto CFDs, and copy trading.
| 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 check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, an in-house proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, a web-based platform, copy trading, MetaTrader 4 (MT4), and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The main difference is MetaTrader 5 (MT5): AvaTrade supports MT5, while FXCM does not—useful if you prefer MT5’s newer features. Specific counts for built-in technical indicators and watch list fields were not provided.
For overall platform and tool quality, FXCM earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade scores 4.5 stars and ranks #13. If top-tier platform and tool ratings are your priority, FXCM has the edge. If MT5 access matters most, AvaTrade is the better fit, while both remain beginner-friendly thanks to their free virtual demo accounts.
| 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 full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and keeps your watchlists synced between mobile and the web, so changes carry over wherever you log in. Charting is strong on both, with trendline drawing available. One key difference: FXCM auto-saves your chart drawings, while AvaTrade does not, which may matter if you annotate charts often.
For technical studies, AvaTrade offers 73 indicators compared with FXCM’s 59. Despite that gap, both apps earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps rankings out of 63 brokers, AvaTrade sits at #13 and FXCM at #16. If you value a larger set of indicators, AvaTrade has the edge; if auto-saving chart work is important, FXCM may suit you better.
| 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 vs AvaTrade: for market research, FXCM has the edge. FXCM delivers daily market commentary and adds TipRanks insights, while AvaTrade does not offer either of those. Both brokers provide forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, include Trading Central tools, offer a sentiment gauge showing long/short ratios, and feature an economic calendar. Neither broker supports Autochartist or Acuity Trading tools.
In independent reviews, FXCM earns 4.5 stars for Research and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade scores 4 stars and ranks #28. If you want daily commentary and TipRanks, choose FXCM; if you mainly need headline news, Trading Central analysis, sentiment data, and a calendar, both platforms will cover those needs.
| 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 deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education with well over 10 pieces of content, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each broker runs live client webinars at least once a month, and both offer 10+ beginner videos as well as 10+ advanced videos, giving new traders a clear path from basics to more in‑depth strategies.
For quality markers, ForexBrokers.com rates FXCM at 4.5 stars for Education and AvaTrade at 4 stars. In the Education category rankings out of 63 brokers, FXCM is #13 while AvaTrade is #2. If you want one of the highest-ranked education hubs, AvaTrade stands out; if you prefer a higher star score, FXCM edges ahead. Either way, beginners will find plenty of helpful videos and regular webinars to get started.
| 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 | 3 | |
| 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) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA 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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