Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
FOREX.com, established in 1999, and XM Group, founded in 2009, are well-regarded online brokers known for their comprehensive service offerings. When examining their trust and regulatory standing, FOREX.com holds a distinct edge. As a publicly traded company, FOREX.com boasts a stellar Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, classifying it as highly trusted. This is backed by its possession of seven Tier-1 licenses, recognized for high trustworthiness, and one Tier-2 license. In contrast, XM Group, although not publicly traded, maintains a strong position with a Trust Score of 93, supported by four Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, indicating it is a trusted platform. Neither broker operates as a bank, highlighting their focus on providing dedicated trading services.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
For commissions and fees, FOREX.com earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks 14th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while XM Group earns 4/5 stars and ranks 34th out of 63. In short, FOREX.com can be cost-competitive for active traders on its commission-based Raw pricing, whereas XM’s Standard spreads are pricey and the broker does not publish average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account, making apples-to-apples comparisons harder.
FOREX.com offers a Standard account and a commission-based Raw account. In the U.S., the Standard account’s typical EUR/USD spread was about 1.4 pips (July 2023), and it’s the only option for MetaTrader users. Outside the U.S., the EUR/USD averaged about 0.74 pips (July 2023). The Raw account (available in the U.S., Canada, and the EU) posted typical EUR/USD spreads of 0.13 pips (Feb 2024) plus a $7 commission per standard lot ($3.50 per side), which adds roughly 0.7 pips—putting the all-in around 0.83 pips before any rebates. Active traders can get volume rebates of $2 to $9 per million; only very high turnover (roughly $50M+ per month, and especially $2B+) materially improves pricing, otherwise U.S. clients may find the all-in costs similar to the Standard account.
XM Group’s Standard account spreads are expensive, and it does not publish average spreads for the commission-based XM Zero account, reducing fee transparency. That means cost-focused traders can easily benchmark FOREX.com’s pricing—especially the Raw account with published typical spreads and clear commissions—while an exact line-by-line comparison to XM Zero isn’t possible without XM’s average spread data.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $5 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| 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.
Comparing the range of investments, FOREX.com offers a larger overall catalog with about 5,500 tradable symbols and 80 forex pairs, while XM Group lists roughly 1,394 symbols and 55 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot, and both provide cryptocurrency trading via CFDs (neither offers direct, delivered crypto).
Where XM Group stands out is access to exchange-traded stocks: you can buy and sell actual shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, something FOREX.com does not offer. XM Group also supports copy trading; FOREX.com does not. Based on ForexBrokers.com ratings for Range of Investments, FOREX.com scores 5 stars and ranks 7th out of 63 brokers, while XM Group earns 4.5 stars and ranks 25th.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1394 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
FOREX.com and XM Group both make it easy to get started with a free demo account and offer trading on Windows desktop and in your web browser. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and both let you place trades directly from charts. The key difference is platform choice: FOREX.com also provides its own in-house platform, while XM Group focuses on MetaTrader. For social features, XM Group offers copy trading, whereas FOREX.com does not.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com at 5 stars and ranks it #7 out of 63 brokers, while XM Group earns 4 stars and ranks #33. Pick FOREX.com if you want an in-house platform alongside MT4/MT5 and top-tier ratings; choose XM Group if copy trading within the MetaTrader ecosystem is a priority.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FOREX.com and XM Group both check the core boxes for mobile trading: each offers an iPhone app and an Android app, price alerts, synced watchlists across mobile and web, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. These shared features make it easy to monitor markets, keep your symbols organized, and act on opportunities from your phone or tablet.
Where they differ is charting depth and convenience. FOREX.com supplies 88 technical studies in its mobile app compared with XM Group’s 30, and it automatically saves your chart drawings, while XM Group does not. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com’s mobile app 5 stars and ranks it #3 out of 63 brokers, while XM Group earns 4 stars and ranks #31. Traders who want a wider range of indicators and autosaved annotations may prefer FOREX.com, while XM Group covers essential mobile trading needs.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 | 88 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both FOREX.com and XM Group deliver daily market commentary and forex news sourced from leading platforms like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders have access to the latest insights. Both brokers provide technical analysis tools from Trading Central, assisting users in making informed trading decisions. Additionally, both offer sentiment-based trading tools that display the ratio of long to short positions across various instruments, as well as economic calendars highlighting significant global events. However, neither broker provides tools from Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
When it comes to ranking, XM Group edges slightly ahead with a perfect 5-star research rating, compared to FOREX.com's commendable 4.5-star rating. Among 63 brokers reviewed on ForexBrokers.com, XM Group stands at position 8, narrowly surpassing FOREX.com, which ranks 9th. The subtle distinctions in their research offerings could make XM Group a more appealing choice for those emphasizing top-rated market analysis as part of their trading toolkit.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | 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.
FOREX.com and XM Group both deliver strong forex and CFD education for beginners. Each broker provides at least 10 educational pieces and hosts client webinars online at least once per month. If you learn best by watching, both stand out: they offer 10+ beginner videos that explain core trading topics in plain language, plus 10+ advanced videos to help you grow beyond the basics. That mix makes either brand a practical starting point for building confidence in the markets.
When it comes to quality scores, XM Group earns a 5-star Education rating, while FOREX.com posts a 4.5-star rating. Rankings tell a slightly different story: on ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com sits at #4 out of 63 brokers for Education, with XM Group at #7. In short, beginners can’t go wrong with either. If a perfect education rating matters most, XM Group has the edge; if you prefer a provider with a higher category ranking and similarly deep learning options, FOREX.com is a smart pick.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 FOREX.com is better than XM Group. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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FOREX.com vs XM Group: neither broker lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Compared with XM Group, FOREX.com supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, while XM Group offers Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability for both brokers is not specified.
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 | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | 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) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1394 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 88 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | 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 | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | XM Group Review |
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