Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs BlackBull Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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When comparing online brokers XTB and BlackBull Markets on regulation and trust, a few differences stand out. XTB, founded in 2002, is publicly traded, while BlackBull Markets, founded in 2014, is not; neither firm is a bank. XTB holds two Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, whereas BlackBull Markets holds one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses—designations that ForexBrokers.com considers highly trusted and trusted, respectively.
According to ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score, XTB scores 96/99 and BlackBull Markets scores 77/99. On this scale, 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted—placing XTB in the highly trusted category and BlackBull Markets in the average risk range.
| Feature |
XTB
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
XTB and BlackBull Markets both score well for commissions and fees, with each broker rated 4.5 out of 5 stars. In the ForexBrokers.com Commissions and Fees category, XTB ranks #13 out of 36 brokers, while BlackBull Markets ranks higher at #9 out of 36. Both sit around the industry average overall, but BlackBull Markets has the edge on pricing for active and lower-spread trading.
At XTB, costs depend on the account type. The Standard account is spread-only, while the Professional account is commission-based but is limited to certain eligible clients in the U.K. and Europe and is being phased out in many regions. Using Q4 2023 data, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was 1 pip. For most retail traders, the Standard account is usually the better fit, especially since it is generally cheaper for smaller trade sizes. XTB also offers the Lower Spread Group, which gives active traders spread rebates of 5% to 30% once monthly trading volume reaches set targets.
BlackBull Markets also offers different pricing depending on the account you choose. Its Standard account has no minimum deposit and no commission, but the spreads are wider. The Prime account is often the best value, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.16 and an all-in cost of about 0.76 after commission, though it requires a $2,000 minimum deposit and charges $3 per side. For larger traders, the ECN Institutional account offers even lower commissions, but it requires at least $20,000 to open.
| Feature |
XTB
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.06 | 1.16 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
XTB and BlackBull Markets both give traders access to forex, U.S. and international exchange-traded shares, and cryptocurrency CFDs, so each broker covers the core markets many investors look for. XTB offers 10,521 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, while BlackBull Markets lists a larger overall selection with 26,000 symbols and 72 forex pairs. That makes BlackBull Markets the better pick for traders who want a wider menu of markets to choose from.
There are also a few key differences in what you can trade. XTB lets clients buy actual cryptocurrencies as well as crypto CFDs, while BlackBull Markets offers crypto CFDs only. On the other hand, BlackBull Markets supports copy trading, which XTB does not. Both brokers receive 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments, but BlackBull Markets is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com in this category, placing #7 out of 36 brokers versus XTB’s #15 rank.
| Feature |
XTB
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10521 | 26000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 72 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
XTB and BlackBull Markets both give traders access to a free demo account and a web-based platform, so you can try out strategies and trade from a browser with either broker. Both also let you trade directly from a price chart, which can make order entry quicker and easier for active traders.
The bigger differences come down to platform choice. XTB offers its own in-house platform but does not support desktop download software, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, or copy trading. BlackBull Markets, by contrast, supports a Windows desktop platform, MT4, MT5, and copy trading, though it does not have a proprietary platform. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, XTB scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers, while BlackBull Markets earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26.
| Feature |
XTB
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 92 | 109 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and BlackBull Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock or forex price alerts and watchlist syncing, so you can keep track of your trades across devices. Each app also lets you draw trendlines on charts and saves those drawings automatically, which is helpful if you like to study price moves while trading on the go.
Where XTB pulls ahead is in charting and overall app quality. Its mobile app includes 104 technical studies, compared with 30 at BlackBull Markets, and it also earns a higher mobile trading apps rating at 4.5 out of 5 stars versus 4 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, XTB places #8 for mobile trading apps, while BlackBull Markets sits at #29, making XTB the stronger choice for traders who want more tools in a mobile app.
| Feature |
XTB
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB and BlackBull Markets both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows the balance of long and short positions, and an economic calendar for tracking major global events. Neither broker offers forex news from top-tier outlets such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and neither provides research from TipRanks, Trading Central, or Acuity Trading.
Where they differ is in extra research support and overall ratings. BlackBull Markets includes Autochartist, which can help spot trading patterns, while XTB does not. Even so, XTB comes out ahead for market research overall, with a 5-star rating and a #9 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with BlackBull Markets’ 4.5-star rating and #17 ranking.
| Feature |
XTB
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
XTB and BlackBull Markets both give beginners plenty of learning tools, including forex and CFD education, monthly client webinars, and a large library of videos for both new and experienced traders. Each broker offers at least 10 beginner-focused videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so either platform can help users build skills at different stages. For new traders, this means access to step-by-step content, market basics, and live learning sessions that can make getting started feel easier.
That said, XTB has the edge for education overall. It earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while BlackBull Markets holds a 4.5-star Education rating and ranks #25. If you want the stronger choice for beginner-friendly learning resources, XTB is the better pick, though BlackBull Markets still offers a solid set of educational materials for traders who want to keep learning.
| Feature |
XTB
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 XTB is better than BlackBull Markets. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #22.
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
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BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 77 |
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XTB stands out over BlackBull Markets for crypto traders who want flexibility, as XTB allows both the purchase of actual delivered cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency CFDs, while BlackBull Markets offers cryptocurrency CFDs but does not provide access to buying actual cryptocurrency.
For deposits and withdrawals, XTB supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA, while BlackBull Markets supports ACH/SEPA, Skrill, and bank wire transfers but not PayPal (Visa/Mastercard availability 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 | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 77 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Regulation | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 77 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10521 | 26000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 72 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.06 | 1.16 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 92 | 109 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | XTB Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Overall | XTB | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 77 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
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