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.
Comparing FOREX.com vs XM Group: FOREX.com (founded 1999) is publicly traded, while XM Group (founded 2009) is private; neither is a bank. On ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale (90–99 = highly trusted, 80–89 = trusted, 70–79 = average risk, 60–69 = high risk, under 59 = do not trust), both fall in the highly trusted range: FOREX.com scores 99/99 and XM Group scores 93/99.
In terms of regulation, FOREX.com holds 7 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 1 Tier-2 license (trusted). XM Group holds 4 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses. Both are well regulated for online trading, with FOREX.com offering wider Tier-1 coverage, while XM Group pairs strong Tier-1 oversight with additional Tier-2 authorizations.
| 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 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing commissions and fees, FOREX.com scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 of 63 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s category, while XM Group scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #34 of 63. Both offer multiple account types, but FOREX.com tends to be a bit pricier than the industry average in the U.S., whereas XM’s Standard account spreads are also considered expensive and its commission account lacks published average spread data.
FOREX.com’s Standard account (the only MetaTrader option in the U.S.) carries wider spreads, with the EUR/USD around 1.4 pips in July 2023. Outside the U.S., EUR/USD spreads averaged about 0.74 pips in July 2023. The discontinued DMA has been replaced by the commission-based RAW account, which posted typical EUR/USD spreads near 0.13 pips in February 2024 plus a $7 commission per standard lot ($3.50 per side). The RAW account offers six volume tiers with rebates from $2 to $9 per million, is available in the U.S., EU, and Canada (including MetaTrader 5), and can bring effective costs down for very high-volume traders. For most U.S. traders who don’t exceed about $50 million in monthly volume, the all-in costs of the RAW plan tend to be similar to the Standard account.
XM Group’s fee picture is simpler but less transparent: its Standard account spreads are generally high, and it does not publish average spread data for the commission-based XM Zero account, making apples-to-apples comparisons harder. In short, FOREX.com provides clearer pricing details and potential discounts for heavy trading, while XM’s higher Standard spreads and limited data on XM Zero place it behind on commissions and fees (3.5/5 stars, #34) compared with FOREX.com (4.5/5 stars, #15).
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $5 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 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.
FOREX.com offers a wider range of investments than XM Group, with 5,500 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs versus XM Group’s 1,429 symbols and 55 pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both provide access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges. If you’re interested in digital assets, each broker supports cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy the actual underlying coins.
Feature-wise, XM Group includes copy trading, while FOREX.com does not. For overall breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com at 5 stars (ranked #6 out of 63 for Range of Investments) and XM Group at 4.5 stars (ranked #19 out of 63).
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1429 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 let you practice with a free demo account. For live trading, each offers a web-based platform and a Windows desktop download, and both let you place orders directly from charts. FOREX.com adds its own in-house platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). XM Group sticks with MT4 and MT5, but it also supports copy trading, which FOREX.com does not.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com at 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers, while XM Group earns 4 stars and ranks #27. Choose FOREX.com if you want a proprietary platform and don’t need copy trading; pick XM Group if copy trading within MT4/MT5 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) | 90 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FOREX.com and XM Group both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts and watchlists that sync across devices and the web. Each app lets you draw trendlines on charts. The big difference is in charting depth: FOREX.com includes 90 technical studies, while XM Group offers 30. FOREX.com also auto-saves your chart drawings so annotations persist, whereas XM Group does not.
Third-party ratings back up this gap. FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while XM Group holds 4 stars and ranks #26. If you want richer charting tools and saved drawings on mobile, FOREX.com is the stronger pick. If you need a simpler setup with core features like alerts and synced watchlists, XM Group can still meet everyday 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 | 90 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing market research at FOREX.com and XM Group shows a close match. Both brokers publish daily market commentary and stream forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each integrates Trading Central tools for technical and fundamental insights, provides sentiment indicators that display long/short positioning, and includes an economic calendar for upcoming events. Neither broker currently features Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading (Signal Centre) tools.
In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, both FOREX.com and XM Group earned a 5 out of 5 star Research rating. FOREX.com ranks slightly higher at #7 out of 63 brokers, with XM Group close behind at #8. For most traders, their research lineups will feel similarly comprehensive, so the decision may come down to platform preferences or other factors beyond research.
| 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.
Comparing FOREX.com vs XM Group for beginner education: both online brokers deliver a large library of forex and CFD learning materials that easily clears the “10+ pieces” bar. You’ll find articles, videos, and archived sessions focused on getting started. Each broker also runs client webinars at least once a month and offers 10 or more beginner-focused trading videos, making it simple for new traders to follow along and build skills step by step.
As you advance, both brokers keep pace with 10+ videos for experienced traders. In independent reviews, each earns a 5-star Education rating from ForexBrokers.com. FOREX.com holds a slight edge in the Education category, ranking #4 out of 63 brokers, while XM Group ranks #5 out of 63. In short, beginners get excellent education with either choice—pick FOREX.com if you want the marginally higher-ranked program, or XM Group for equally strong depth and frequent live learning.
| 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 #4, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #16.
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 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 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 (FSA 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 | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA 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 | 1429 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 | 1.00 | 2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | N/A | |
| 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) | 90 | 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 | 90 | 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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