Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AvaTrade vs XM Group, 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.
When comparing AvaTrade and XM Group, both brokers offer a solid foundation in terms of trustworthiness and regulation. AvaTrade, established in 2006, holds an impressive Trust Score of 94 out of 99, indicating a high level of trust. In contrast, XM Group, founded in 2009, has a Trust Score of 88, which still falls within the "trusted" category. Both brokers are privately held and do not operate as banks, ensuring a dedicated focus on online trading. Additionally, each broker boasts four Tier-1 licenses, viewed as highly reliable by ForexBrokers.com.
Despite both AvaTrade and XM Group having equal Tier-1 licenses, AvaTrade stands out with three Tier-2 licenses compared to XM Group's single Tier-2 license, further underscoring its established status. These licenses reflect the brokers' regulatory alignment and commitment to providing a secure trading environment. Thus, while both AvaTrade and XM Group exhibit solid credentials, AvaTrade's higher Trust Score and greater regulatory coverage may appeal more to traders prioritizing security and trust.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
AvaTrade offers a competitive fee structure with spreads hovering around the industry average, primarily just under one pip at 0.9 pips as of June 2024. This is slightly higher than the starting accounts at CMC Markets and Tickmill, though it stands out for professional traders. As a qualified professional trader, you can benefit from lower spreads at AvaTrade's Professional account, which are set at 0.6 pips, putting it in line with FP Markets. AvaTrade's pricing approach earned it a high rating of 4.5 stars and a respectable 12th position out of 62 in ForexBrokers.com's Commissions and Fees category.
In contrast, XM Group's pricing scheme, particularly for its Standard account, can be perceived as more costly, with no published average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account. Despite this, XM Group maintains an overall commendable reputation but falls slightly behind AvaTrade with a 4-star rating for commissions and fees. It is ranked 33rd in the same ForexBrokers.com category, reflecting its position as a solid yet more premium choice for traders concerned about fee transparency and overall cost.
In summary, if you are a professional trader seeking competitive pricing, AvaTrade might be a more attractive option with its lower spreads for advanced accounts. On the other hand, XM Group appeals to traders who might prioritize other features over slightly higher fees, although AvaTrade holds a higher rank and rating when it comes to commissions and fees.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $5 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.93 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| 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.
When comparing AvaTrade and XM Group, both online brokers offer a strong selection of investment options, but there are key differences. AvaTrade provides clients with the opportunity to trade 1260 symbols, including 53 forex pairs, through CFDs and spot contracts. While their offering includes copy trading and cryptocurrency derivatives, they do not allow the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies or exchange-traded securities on any market, meaning retail traders cannot directly buy and hold shares like Apple or Vodafone through AvaTrade.
In contrast, XM Group presents a broader range with 1394 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs, also via CFDs and spot contracts. Besides offering copy trading and cryptocurrency derivatives like AvaTrade, XM Group stands out by allowing investors to purchase actual exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets. This added capability likely contributes to its higher rating of 4.5 stars for the range of investments, compared to AvaTrade's 4 stars. In ForexBrokers.com's rankings of 62 brokers, XM Group also outperforms AvaTrade, holding the 23rd spot while AvaTrade sits at 32nd in the range of investments category.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 1394 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| 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.
Both AvaTrade and XM Group provide a variety of trading platforms that cater to different needs, including MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, alongside offering free virtual demo accounts for simulated trading. While XM Group provides solid options such as Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based platforms, AvaTrade takes it a step further by offering its own proprietary platform, along with access to unique services like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade for those interested in copy trading. This distinction potentially makes AvaTrade more appealing for traders looking for proprietary solutions supported by additional social trading features not available with XM Group.
In the realm of charting tools, both brokers enable trading directly from stock charts with AvaTrade offering 13 drawing tools compared to XM Group's 15. Both offer seven watchlist columns for customization. However, AvaTrade shines with a higher rating of 4.5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools compared to XM Group’s 4 stars. This difference is mirrored in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where AvaTrade secures the 13th position out of 62 brokers, significantly ahead of XM Group’s 31st position. Such evaluations underscore AvaTrade's stronger reputation for trading platforms and tools amongst its peers.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | 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 | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 13 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both AvaTrade and XM Group provide users with iPhone and Android apps, ensuring convenience for traders on the go. These apps include features such as price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing, and multiple time frame views for stock and forex charting. However, AvaTrade stands out with 73 technical studies available for its charting tools, compared to XM Group's 30. Despite this difference, both apps allow users to draw trendlines on charts and create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, it's important to note that neither app auto-saves these drawings.
In terms of user ratings and industry rankings, AvaTrade's mobile trading app is rated 4.5 stars and holds the 13th spot out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, XM Group is rated slightly lower with 4 stars and is ranked at 29th in the same category. This indicates that while both platforms provide comprehensive mobile trading solutions, AvaTrade might offer a slight edge in features and user satisfaction.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing AvaTrade and XM Group in terms of market research offerings, it's clear that both brokers provide a range of tools for their users, albeit with some differences. XM Group distinguishes itself by providing daily market commentary, which AvaTrade does not offer. Both brokers supply forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring that traders have access to reliable information. Additionally, both AvaTrade and XM Group have integrated Trading Central’s tools to support technical analysis, and they each provide sentiment-based trading tools that help traders gauge market movements.
In terms of economic insight, both brokers feature economic calendars to keep traders informed of global events. However, neither offers tools or research from Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Despite these similarities, XM Group’s market research capabilities are rated higher, garnering 5 stars as opposed to AvaTrade’s 4 stars. Moreover, XM Group ranks significantly higher at #8 in the research category on ForexBrokers.com, compared to AvaTrade’s #34 ranking, reflecting XM Group's stronger positioning in the market research domain.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| 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, both AvaTrade and XM Group provide a wide variety of materials to help newcomers understand the complexities of forex and CFDs. AvaTrade offers over ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on these trading subjects. Similarly, XM Group matches this offering with over ten educational pieces in the same categories. For those who prefer learning through live interaction, both brokers conduct online educational webinars at least once a month. These sessions are complemented by searchable archives of past webinars, offering flexibility for learning at any pace.
In terms of video content, AvaTrade and XM Group both present over ten beginner-friendly videos. They also cater to more seasoned traders with advanced video content. AvaTrade distinguishes itself by providing an investor dictionary featuring definitions of over 50 investing terms, a resource XM Group currently does not offer. While AvaTrade receives a solid 4-star rating in education and ranks #2 among 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, XM Group, rated with 5-stars in education, holds the #7 ranking. This indicates a slight variation in focus and satisfaction levels, allowing traders to choose based on personal preferences and specific educational needs.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that AvaTrade is better than XM Group. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #13, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, as well as exceptional educational content that helped it nab Best in Class honors for Beginners in the ForexBrokers.com 2025 Annual Awards.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 88 |
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Both AvaTrade and XM Group do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but do provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers AvaTrade and XM Group, both do not support ACH or SEPA transfers for deposits or withdrawals, while AvaTrade uniquely offers PayPal alongside shared options like Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, which are also available with XM Group.
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 | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 94 | 88 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2009 | |
| 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 | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 1394 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.93 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $5 | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | 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 | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 13 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | XM Group Review |
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