Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs FP Markets, 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.
FXCM, established in 1999, and FP Markets, founded in 2005, are both well-regarded online brokers catering to forex traders. One major distinction between the two is that FXCM is publicly traded, providing an added layer of transparency, while FP Markets is privately held. Neither broker is a bank, ensuring they focus on trading services. In terms of regulatory oversight, FXCM holds four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, which contribute to its impressive Trust Score of 95, indicating it's highly trusted.
FP Markets, on the other hand, holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, earning it a still respectable Trust Score of 89, marking it as trusted. This comparison highlights that both brokers are reliable choices, with FXCM having the edge due to its higher trust rating and public company status.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2005 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing FXCM and FP Markets based on commissions and fees, there are notable distinctions in their offerings. FXCM primarily offers forex trading and its pricing tends to be higher than the industry average. The standard account spreads for the EUR/USD pair, for instance, averaged 0.78 pips across various regions in May 2024, while spreads in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity were even higher at 1.38 pips. FXCM does, however, offer commission-based accounts with lower core spreads of 0.28 pips, not including commissions. Active traders at FXCM might benefit from a rebate program that provides a discount depending on trading volume, although it is not as competitive as some other brokers. FXCM has received a 4-star rating for commissions and fees and holds the 25th position out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
FP Markets is known for its highly competitive pricing, particularly for its commission-based ECN account options, which have garnered it the Best in Class accolades for Commissions and Fees in 2024. Its Raw ECN account boasts spreads averaging 0.1 pips as of October 2023, with an all-in cost of 0.8 pips including commissions. The broker also provides an Iress platform suite for share CFD trading, although the Iress ViewPoint accounts require a high balance or significant monthly commissions to avoid fees. For those preferring a more affordable option with less robust features, the Iress Investor account could be an alternative. FP Markets is highly rated with a 5-star review for commissions and fees, ranking 6th out of 63 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, while FXCM offers some rebates and discount programs, its overall pricing remains on the higher side. Meanwhile, FP Markets stands out for its cost-effectiveness and wide range of options tailored to active traders and those who can maintain higher account balances. Traders seeking lower fees and flexibility might gravitate towards FP Markets, which not only offers better pricing structures but also enjoys a higher ranking among industry peers.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 AUD |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FP Markets offers a wider selection of markets, with 10,000 tradeable symbols compared to FXCM’s 440. In forex, FP Markets lists 71 currency pairs versus FXCM’s 46. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both provide copy trading. Neither broker offers exchange-traded U.S. or international shares (non-CFDs). For crypto, neither lets you buy actual coins, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs.
For range of investments, FXCM earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 48th out of 63 brokers, while FP Markets scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 19th. In short, FP Markets suits traders seeking more instruments, whereas FXCM covers the essentials with fewer choices.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 71 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
Comparing FXCM and FP Markets for trading platforms and tools, both brokers check the key boxes: free demo (paper) accounts, proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, web-based platforms, and copy trading. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and lets you place trades directly from charts. The notable difference is MetaTrader 5 (MT5): FP Markets offers MT5, while FXCM does not.
For quality scores, FXCM earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets holds 4 stars and ranks #23. If you want the higher-rated platform experience, FXCM stands out. If MT5 access is a priority alongside MT4, FP Markets is the better fit.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both the FXCM mobile app and the FP Markets mobile app are available on iPhone and Android, and each supports price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto‑saving chart annotations. FXCM stands out for charting depth with 59 technical studies built in, while FP Markets relies on the standard MetaTrader indicator set. A key difference is watchlists: FXCM syncs watchlists between mobile and your online account, but FP Markets does not offer watchlist syncing.
For overall quality, FXCM’s mobile trading app is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #18. Choose FXCM if you want more built‑in indicators and seamless watchlist syncing across devices; pick FP Markets if you prefer trading in the familiar MetaTrader environment with core mobile features.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | MetaTrader (Default) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research offerings for online brokers, both FXCM and FP Markets deliver daily market commentary and access to forex news from respected sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, FXCM stands out with its inclusion of market research from the company TipRanks, adding an extra layer of insights not found with FP Markets. On the other hand, FP Markets provides access to Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental research, which FXCM does not offer. Both brokers supply resources from Trading Central and offer tools to gauge market sentiment through position ratios. They also provide economic calendars to keep traders informed of global news events.
Review scores and rankings further distinguish these platforms; FXCM earns a 4.5-star rating for market research, securing the 11th spot out of 63 brokers as ranked by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, FP Markets receives a respectable 4-star rating, landing the 25th position in the same category. These factors make FXCM a slightly more favored choice for those emphasizing comprehensive research tools and insights, while FP Markets may appeal to traders interested in the unique offerings from Autochartist.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
FXCM and FP Markets both make it easy for beginners to learn forex and CFD trading. Each broker provides a sizable education library with at least 10 beginner-friendly videos, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. You can also join live online webinars at least once per month to ask questions and build skills over time.
If ratings matter, FXCM holds the edge for education with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a 14th-place ranking out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. FP Markets also scores well, earning 4 out of 5 stars and ranking 23rd. Bottom line: both brokers cover the essentials for new traders, but FXCM ranks higher for overall quality.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
FP 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 FXCM is better than FP Markets. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #15, while FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19.
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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FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 89 |
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Online brokers FXCM and FP Markets do not allow buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing online brokers FXCM vs FP Markets: both support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, only FXCM offers ACH/SEPA deposits and withdrawals, and Visa/Mastercard availability for either broker 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 | FXCM | FP Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 89 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | FP Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | FP Markets | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 89 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2005 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC 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 | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 AUD | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | MetaTrader (Default) | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | FXCM | FP Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 89 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | FP Markets Review |
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