Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 vs Exness, 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.
Trading 212 and Exness are both well-established online brokers, with Trading 212 founded in 2004 and Exness in 2008. Neither company is publicly traded, nor do they operate as banks. When it comes to regulatory licenses, Trading 212 holds three Tier-1 licenses, considered highly trusted, while Exness holds two. On the other hand, Exness has three Tier-2 licenses, regarded as trusted, whereas Trading 212 holds none.
In terms of safety and reliability, Trading 212 has a Trust Score of 80 from ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the "trusted" category. Exness scores slightly higher with a Trust Score of 81, also falling under the "trusted" category. Both brokers offer solid trading options, but their regulatory standings and trust ratings provide potential investors with important factors to consider when choosing between them.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
Trading 212 offers two account types, the Invest account for trading shares and the CFD account for trading CFDs. The minimum deposits are 1 euro for the Invest account and 10 euros for the CFD account, with this comparison focused on the latter. While Trading 212 promotes zero-commission trading, traders should be aware of the spread that applies to CFDs and forex trades. Notably, Trading 212 has made strides in pricing transparency by publishing its average spread data, yet with an average spread of 2.7 pips for the EUR/USD pair in April 2025, it remains higher than the industry average. With a four-star rating for commissions and fees, Trading 212 is ranked #49 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Exness provides a more varied range of accounts, including two standard and three professional options, along with unique social copy trading accounts for strategy sharing. Each account type features different trading costs, with commission-based accounts offering lower spreads than those without commissions. For instance, Exness’ Zero Spread account charges a commission of $0.05 per trade with market execution and flexible leverage, while the Raw account incurs a $7 fee per round turn lot and boasts lower spreads. With its varied offerings, Exness earns a four-star rating for commissions and fees and is placed at #35 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
Ultimately, both brokers provide distinct advantages depending on trading needs. Trading 212 remains a straightforward option with its commission-free approach but higher than average spreads on CFDs, while Exness delivers greater flexibility through its range of account types and commission structures, catering to traders seeking customizability and lower spreads with professional accounts.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 2.7 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Trading 212 and Exness are popular choices for online trading, but they differ significantly in their range of investments. Trading 212 allows its clients to explore a vast array of 7,868 tradeable symbols, including 146 forex pairs. It offers access to exchange-traded securities, enabling clients to directly buy shares from U.S. and international markets. While Trading 212 doesn't provide copy trading, it does offer forex and cryptocurrency derivatives, appealing to those interested in contract-based investments. Rated five stars for its range of investments, Trading 212 secures the 15th spot out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
Exness, on the other hand, features a total of 227 tradeable symbols with 96 forex pairs. It specializes in derivatives, offering both forex and cryptocurrency trading through CFDs, but lacks direct access to exchange-traded securities. However, Exness offers copy trading, allowing users to mimic the trading strategies of experienced investors, which might be appealing to beginners. With a 3.5-star rating for its range of investments, Exness ranks at 55th place on ForexBrokers.com, indicating a more niche focus compared to Trading 212's broader offerings.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 227 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 96 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Trading 212 and Exness, both brokers provide a solid foundation for various trading needs. Trading 212 and Exness each offer free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice trading without financial risk. Both brokers have developed proprietary platforms, with Trading 212 focusing on a web-based experience and Exness providing additional options, such as a Windows-based desktop download. This variety from Exness extends further with support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, offering more versatility for traders familiar with these popular platforms, unlike Trading 212, which does not offer them. Although neither broker provides copy trading through DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, Exness stands out by offering copy trading on its platform, giving traders opportunities for replication-based strategies.
Charting capabilities and watchlist customization also show distinct differences. Trading 212 offers 20 drawing tools and five columns for watchlists, whereas Exness boasts a broader suite with 87 drawing tools and seven columns, enhancing analyst perspectives on both platforms. Both companies support trading directly from stock charts, which facilitates swift decision-making. Despite these differences, both Trading 212 and Exness share a commendable four-star rating for their trading platforms and tools. However, in the broader industry ranks, Trading 212 takes the edge at position 20 compared to Exness’s 26th placement according to ForexBrokers.com. These insights underline the specific strengths each broker brings to the table, helping traders choose the platform that best aligns with their unique preferences and goals.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 107 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Trading 212 and Exness offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring traders can conveniently access the market on the go. Both apps feature stock and forex price alerts, allowing users to stay informed. However, when it comes to syncing capabilities, Trading 212 holds an edge, enabling watchlist symbol syncing so changes made on the mobile app reflect across a user's online account, a feature Exness lacks. In terms of technical chart analysis, Trading 212 provides 104 technical studies within its app, far surpassing Exness's offering of 35. Furthermore, while both apps allow drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames, only Trading 212 saves such drawings automatically for future reference.
Regarding real-time market tracking, both apps enable users to create a watchlist featuring live quotes. However, Trading 212 has a slight advantage in user ratings and rankings. With a 4-star rating, the same as Exness, Trading 212 is ranked 17th by ForexBrokers.com, outperforming Exness, which is ranked 26th. Whether you prioritize charting features, syncing capabilities, or overall ranking, Trading 212 may provide a more comprehensive mobile trading experience, while Exness remains a strong contender in the mobile trading app space.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Trading 212 and Exness for their market research offerings, both brokers provide forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. This ensures traders stay informed with the latest financial updates. However, Exness sets itself apart by providing daily market commentary, which is absent from Trading 212. Despite this, both platforms equip traders with sentiment-based tools to gauge long or short positions across various instruments. An economic calendar is also available on both platforms, helping traders track global economic events.
In terms of advanced research tools, Exness holds an edge by offering resources from Trading Central, while Trading 212 lacks such features. Neither broker utilizes resources from Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Despite these differences, both Trading 212 and Exness are rated equally at 3.5 stars for research quality. However, Exness outperforms Trading 212 slightly in rankings by ForexBrokers.com, holding a position at #41 compared to Trading 212’s #44 among 63 brokers. This comparison suggests that while both platforms offer solid research resources, Exness may provide a tad more for those seeking comprehensive market insights.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | 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 beginner traders, both Trading 212 and Exness offer a solid foundation in forex and CFDs education. Each provides more than ten educational materials, including articles, videos, and archived webinars, to help newcomers grasp the essentials. Additionally, both platforms host searchable archives of recorded client webinars. However, neither Trading 212 nor Exness offers live monthly webinars, which might limit real-time learning opportunities for users.
For video content aimed at beginners, Trading 212 and Exness both deliver with at least ten beginner-focused videos each. However, when it comes to advanced trading topics, Trading 212 pulls ahead by offering over ten advanced videos, while Exness does not provide similar resources for more experienced traders. Both platforms feature a comprehensive investor dictionary with over 50 terms, ensuring users have access to key definitions. Although both received an education rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, Trading 212 stands out in the rankings, placing 20th out of 63 brokers compared to Exness's 47th position.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Trading 212 is better than Exness. Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #43.
Best known for its mobile trading app, Trading 212 offers an easy-to-use trading platform suite for CFD and share trading, as well as a large variety of forex pairs. However, despite its well-designed platform and wide range of symbols, its lack of advanced trading tools and flat research offerings hamper Trading 212’s bid to be considered a top broker.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 81 |
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Both Trading 212 and Exness do not provide the option to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do offer opportunities to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
Trading 212 offers ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options for deposits and withdrawals, while Exness provides options for Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but does not support ACH, SEPA, or PayPal.
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 | Trading 212 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | Exness | |
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| Regulation | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 227 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 96 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 2.7 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 107 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 87 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trading 212 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 Review | Exness Review |
| Overall | Trading 212 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | Exness Review |
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