Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs PU Prime, 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 and PU Prime differ clearly when it comes to trust and regulation. FXCM was founded in 1999, is publicly traded, and is not a bank. It holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, giving it a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 95 out of 99, which falls in the highly trusted range. PU Prime, founded in 2015, is not publicly traded and is also not a bank. It holds 1 Tier-1 license and 2 Tier-2 licenses.
Based on ForexBrokers.com’s rating scale, PU Prime’s Trust Score of 79 out of 99 places it in the average-risk category, while FXCM sits in the highly trusted group. For traders comparing online brokers, FXCM appears to have the stronger regulatory profile and longer track record, while PU Prime offers a newer setup with fewer top-tier licenses.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2015 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
FXCM and PU Prime both offer a mix of spread-only and commission-based pricing, but their fee structures suit different types of traders. FXCM’s forex pricing is a little above the industry average overall, with May 2024 EUR/USD spreads averaging 0.78 pips on its EU, U.K., and Australia accounts, and 1.38 pips for its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity. Its commission-based accounts averaged 0.28 pips before commissions, though the total cost can rise once fees are added. FXCM also offers Active Trader rebates for high-volume clients, which can lower costs, but these discounts are not available in every region. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #17 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
PU Prime gives traders more account choices, with simple spread-only options and lower-cost commission accounts. The Standard and Cent accounts do not charge a separate commission, with spreads starting at 1.3 pips. The Prime account starts at 0.0 pips and charges $3.50 per side, while the ECN account has the lowest commission at $1 per side, though it requires a much higher minimum deposit. This makes PU Prime a flexible choice for beginners and more active traders alike, depending on how much they want to pay upfront versus through the spread. PU Prime is rated 4.0 out of 5 stars and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, FXCM may appeal more to traders who qualify for its higher-volume discounts, while PU Prime may be better for those who want to choose between low-deposit, spread-based accounts and tighter commission-based pricing. If keeping trading costs as low as possible is your main goal, it is worth comparing the specific account type and pair you plan to trade at each broker.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $50.00 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.9 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing FXCM and PU Prime for range of investments, both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrencies or exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges. The main difference is choice: FXCM offers 440 tradeable symbols and 46 forex pairs, while PU Prime provides a larger selection with 1,000 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs, which may appeal to traders looking for more markets to explore.
Even with PU Prime’s wider list of instruments, FXCM scores higher for range of investments, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars compared with PU Prime’s 4.0. ForexBrokers.com also ranks FXCM better in this category, placing it 21st out of 36 brokers versus PU Prime at 29th, so FXCM may be the stronger pick for investors who want a more highly rated selection, while PU Prime offers the broader product lineup.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 55 |
| 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.
FXCM and PU Prime both give traders access to the key platform features most people look for, including free demo accounts, desktop downloads for Windows, web-based trading, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The main difference is that FXCM also offers its own in-house platform, while PU Prime does not. PU Prime does, however, support MetaTrader 5, which FXCM does not provide.
When it comes to platform and tools quality, FXCM has the edge. ForexBrokers.com rates FXCM 5 stars and ranks it #4 out of 36 brokers in this category, compared with PU Prime’s 4.0 stars and #25 ranking. For traders who want a wider platform choice and a higher-rated trading tools setup, FXCM stands out; for those who want MT5 support along with the core platform options, PU Prime remains a solid choice.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FXCM and PU Prime both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts, and both apps automatically save those drawings. For traders who want basic mobile features that work on both major phone types, either broker covers the essentials well.
FXCM has the edge in mobile trading tools and overall app quality. Its app supports watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made on mobile or online stay updated across both, while PU Prime does not offer this feature. FXCM also provides 59 technical studies in its mobile charting tools, compared with 14 at PU Prime. That wider charting selection helps explain why FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranked #16 out of 36 brokers, while PU Prime is rated 4.0 stars and ranked #27.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 14 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FXCM and PU Prime both give traders daily market commentary and an economic calendar, so each platform covers the basics for staying on top of key news and events. Both also offer Trading Central tools, which can help with technical and fundamental analysis. Beyond that, FXCM has a clear edge in research depth, as it also provides forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and market research from TipRanks.
PU Prime offers some useful research features too, including Autochartist and Trading Central, but it does not include top-tier news coverage, sentiment tools, or TipRanks. That means FXCM is the stronger pick for market research overall, which is reflected in its 4.5-star Research rating and #11 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with PU Prime’s 3.5-star Research rating.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| 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.
FXCM and PU Prime both give beginners plenty of learning support, with each broker offering forex or CFDs education, regular online webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. That means a new trader can find lessons on trading basics as well as more detailed topics with either platform. For someone just starting out, both brokers appear to cover the core learning needs well.
Where FXCM stands out is in its overall education quality and ranking. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while PU Prime is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #29. In simple terms, both brokers offer a lot of beginner-friendly material, but FXCM seems to provide a stronger and better-rated learning experience overall.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 PU Prime. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10, while PU Prime finished with an overall rank of #34.
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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PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 95 | 79 |
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When comparing FXCM vs PU Prime, neither online broker offers the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both FXCM and PU Prime do provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs.
FXCM and PU Prime both support ACH or SEPA transfers, Skrill, and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing account funds, but FXCM stands out by also offering PayPal, while PU Prime does not; Visa or Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | PU Prime | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | PU Prime Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | PU Prime | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 79 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2015 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| 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) | No |
| Investments | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 55 | |
| 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 | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.9 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.8 | 0.9 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | ||
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $50.00 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 87 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 14 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | PU Prime Review |
| Overall | FXCM | PU Prime | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | PU Prime Review |
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