Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs Exness, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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FXCM vs Exness: FXCM launched in 1999 and is publicly traded, while Exness began in 2008 and is not listed. Neither broker is a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM has a Trust Score of 95/99 (highly trusted), and Exness scores 80/99 (trusted). On this scale, 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted.
Regulation differs between these online forex brokers. FXCM holds 4 Tier-1 licenses (the highest level) and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Exness holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses. More Tier-1 approvals typically indicate tighter oversight in major financial centers, which aligns with FXCM’s higher Trust Score in this comparison.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
When comparing FXCM and Exness on commissions and fees, FXCM comes out a bit better overall for most traders. FXCM’s forex pricing is slightly above the industry average, with EUR/USD spreads on its standard accounts averaging 0.78 pips for its EU, U.K., and Australia offerings in May 2024. Its commission-based accounts can be cheaper, with average spreads of 0.28 pips before commissions, though the final cost rises once commissions are added. FXCM also offers active trader rebates in some regions, which can lower costs further for high-volume traders, but the best discounts are not available everywhere. FXCM is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #17 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees by ForexBrokers.com.
Exness also gives traders several account choices, and the cost depends on which one you pick. Its standard accounts do not charge commission, but the spreads are generally wider than on its commission-based accounts. For traders who want tighter pricing, Exness offers the Zero Spread account, which charges a small commission, and the Raw account, which charges up to $7 per round turn lot. These accounts can be more cost-effective for active traders, while the standard options may suit beginners who prefer simpler pricing. Exness is rated 4 stars and ranked #31 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
In short, FXCM has the edge for overall commissions and fees, especially if you can qualify for its active trader discounts or use its commission-based pricing. Exness offers more account types and flexible pricing, but its higher ranking and star rating suggest FXCM is the cheaper pick on balance for most forex traders.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, FXCM and Exness both let clients trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both also offer cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker provides access to real, exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and neither supports buying delivered cryptocurrency. That said, FXCM stands out for copy trading, while Exness does not offer this feature.
FXCM also gives traders a wider overall list of instruments, with 440 tradeable symbols compared with Exness’s 239. Exness, however, offers more forex pairs, with 78 versus FXCM’s 46. Based on this category, FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #21 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #34.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 78 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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 Exness both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, and MetaTrader 4. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make order entry quicker and easier. One key difference is that FXCM offers copy trading, while Exness does not; on the other hand, Exness supports MetaTrader 5, which FXCM does not.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, FXCM has the edge overall. FXCM is rated 5 out of 5 stars in this category and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Exness at 4 out of 5 stars and #15 out of 36. For traders who want a wider mix of platform features and copy trading, FXCM may be the better fit, while Exness may appeal more to those who want MT5 support alongside its other platform options.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FXCM and Exness both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock or forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. That means either broker gives traders the basic mobile features most people look for when managing trades on the go. Both apps are designed to keep watchlists and alerts connected across devices, making it easier to stay on top of the market from your phone.
Where they differ is in charting and overall app ratings. Exness offers more technical studies in its mobile app, with 100 compared with FXCM’s 59, which may appeal to traders who want more chart analysis tools. FXCM, however, has a slight edge in user ratings and ranking, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars and placing #16 out of 36 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Exness scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #18. FXCM also auto-saves chart drawings in the app, while Exness does not.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FXCM and Exness both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Both also include Trading Central research tools, while neither broker offers Autochartist or Acuity Trading tools. In this area, the two platforms cover many of the same basics for staying on top of market updates.
Where FXCM pulls ahead is in extra research features. FXCM offers sentiment tools that show whether traders are mostly long or short on a pair, and it also includes TipRanks market research, which Exness does not. That edge shows up in the ratings too: FXCM scores 4.5 out of 5 for Research and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers, while Exness scores 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #31.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing FXCM and Exness for beginner-friendly learning, both brokers give new traders plenty of material to get started. Each offers at least 10 forex or CFD education pieces, monthly educational webinars, and more than 10 beginner videos, along with a strong set of advanced videos for traders who want to keep learning. That means either platform can help a beginner build basic knowledge and move into more detailed trading topics over time.
That said, FXCM comes out ahead on education quality and overall ranking. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 for Education and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #21. For beginners who want the stronger mix of learning support and higher-rated educational content, FXCM has the edge, although Exness still provides a solid range of helpful resources.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Exness. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
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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Exness
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 80 |
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Comparing online brokers FXCM vs Exness for cryptocurrency trading: neither offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
FXCM vs Exness: For deposits and withdrawals, FXCM supports ACH/SEPA and PayPal (not available with Exness), while both brokers offer Skrill and bank wire transfers.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Exness | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 78 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Exness Review |
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