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.
AvaTrade and XM Group are both long-established online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. AvaTrade was founded in 2006, while XM Group started in 2009. On ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale, both fall in the highly trusted range: AvaTrade scores 96 out of 99 and XM Group scores 93 out of 99.
When it comes to regulation, both brokers hold 4 Tier-1 licenses, which are viewed as highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com. AvaTrade has the edge on Tier-2 licensing with 4 licenses compared with XM Group’s 3. Overall, both brokers show strong regulatory coverage, with AvaTrade holding a slight lead in trust score and Tier-2 oversight.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
AvaTrade generally offers pricing that is close to the industry average, with spreads at just under 1 pip, around 0.9 pips as of June 2024. That makes it a fairly competitive choice for everyday forex trading, although its entry-level spreads are still a bit higher than what you may find at brokers such as CMC Markets and Tickmill. For qualified professional traders, AvaTrade’s Professional account can be more appealing, with spreads around 0.6 pips, which is competitive with FP Markets. AvaTrade earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers in this category.
XM Group is less attractive on price overall, especially for standard account holders, since its spreads are considered expensive. While XM also offers the commission-based XM Zero account, average spreads for that account are not published, which makes direct comparison harder. In ForexBrokers.com’s commissions and fees review, XM Group receives 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #36 out of 36 brokers.
In simple terms, AvaTrade is the better pick if lower trading costs matter to you more, while XM Group may be less competitive for fees, especially on its standard account. AvaTrade’s stronger rating and much higher ranking suggest better overall value in this category.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $5 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.93 | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.61 | 0.7+ |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
AvaTrade and XM Group both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both support copy trading as well as cryptocurrency CFDs rather than actual crypto ownership. AvaTrade offers 1,260 tradeable symbols and 53 forex pairs, while XM Group lists a wider selection with 1,583 tradeable symbols and 54 forex pairs, giving XM Group a slight edge for traders who want more market choice.
The bigger difference is in share trading. XM Group lets clients buy real shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple and Vodafone, while AvaTrade does not offer exchange-traded securities on either market. As a result, XM Group earns a higher range-of-investments score of 4.5 out of 5 and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with AvaTrade’s 4 stars and #27 ranking.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 1583 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 54 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| 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.
AvaTrade and XM Group both give traders a wide mix of platform choices, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, Windows desktop downloads, copy trading, and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers also let you trade directly from charts, which is useful if you like to place orders while watching price movement in real time. In short, either broker works well for traders who want flexible ways to trade across desktop, browser, and mobile-friendly setups.
The biggest difference is that AvaTrade offers its own in-house platform, while XM Group does not. That can matter if you prefer a broker-built trading experience with features designed around one company’s system. It also helps explain why AvaTrade scores higher in this category, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a #13 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with XM Group’s 4-star rating and #29 ranking.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 100 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
AvaTrade and XM Group both make it easy to trade on the go, since each offers iPhone and Android apps, stock and forex price alerts, and watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts, but neither app auto-saves those drawings. For everyday mobile use, both platforms cover the basics well, so the choice may come down to the trading tools and overall app experience you prefer.
When it comes to charting, XM Group has an edge with 100 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 73 at AvaTrade. Even so, AvaTrade scores higher overall for mobile trading apps, with a 4.5-star rating and a #13 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while XM Group holds a 4-star rating and a #26 ranking. If you want a slightly better-rated app, AvaTrade stands out; if you want more chart indicators, XM Group has the advantage.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
AvaTrade and XM Group both give traders access to forex news from major sources, Trading Central tools, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, so each broker offers a helpful set of market research features. Neither broker includes daily market commentary from AvaTrade’s side, Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre. The main difference is that XM Group adds daily market commentary, which may be useful for traders who want regular short-term updates and analysis.
When it comes to research quality, XM Group comes out ahead overall. It is rated 5 stars for Research and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade is rated 4 stars and ranks #30. In simple terms, both brokers cover the basics well, but XM Group offers a deeper research experience and a stronger track record in this category.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn the basics, both AvaTrade and XM Group offer a wide range of forex and CFD education, with at least 10 learning pieces each that focus on these trading topics. Each broker also runs online educational webinars at least once a month, and both provide 10 or more beginner videos as well as 10 or more advanced videos for traders who want to keep learning over time. This means either platform gives new traders plenty of material to start with and room to build their skills.
When comparing overall education quality, XM Group has the edge in ratings, earning 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranking #5 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. AvaTrade is still a strong choice, with 4 out of 5 stars and a higher category ranking of #2 out of 36. In simple terms, AvaTrade and XM Group both give beginners plenty of useful learning tools, but XM Group scores better on overall education quality, while AvaTrade stands out in its category ranking.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 AvaTrade is better than XM Group. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #16.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, along with strong educational resources and copy trading support.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
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XM Group
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 93 |
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In the AvaTrade vs XM Group comparison, neither broker allows buying real (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
Online brokers AvaTrade and XM Group both support Skrill and bank wire transfers and do not support ACH or SEPA for deposits or withdrawals, but only AvaTrade offers PayPal, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | 96 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 93 | |
| 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 | 4 | 3 | |
| 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 (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 1583 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 54 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.93 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.61 | 0.7+ | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 100 | |
| 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 Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | AvaTrade Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | AvaTrade | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | XM Group Review |
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