Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs Spreadex, 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 Spreadex both entered the online brokerage scene in 1999, offering a range of trading services to customers. While neither operates as a bank, FXCM distinguishes itself as a publicly traded company, providing an added layer of transparency to investors. Spreadex, in contrast, remains privately held. When it comes to regulation, FXCM boasts a solid regulatory foundation with four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, contributing to its impressive Trust Score of 95 from ForexBrokers.com. This score places FXCM in the highly trusted category, indicating a strong level of confidence from both regulators and users alike.
Spreadex, meanwhile, holds a single Tier-1 license and does not have any Tier-2 licenses, which translates into a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 71. This score suggests an average risk for potential investors. Both brokers started their operations in the same year, but their regulatory landscapes and trust ratings vary significantly, making FXCM a more attractive option for those prioritizing comprehensive regulatory oversight and trust.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
When comparing FXCM and Spreadex, both brokers offer competitive pricing, but there are notable differences in their approach to commissions and fees. FXCM's pricing for forex trading is slightly higher than the industry average. Their standard account spreads show an average of 0.78 pips for EUR/USD in regions like the EU, U.K., and Australia, while the St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity has higher spreads averaging 1.38 pips. However, FXCM provides a commission-based account option with lower spreads averaging 0.28 pips, excluding commissions. With FXCM's Active Trader Rebate Program, offered outside of the U.K. and EU, traders who meet specific volume requirements can enjoy significant rebates, although other brokers like Tickmill and FP Markets offer more competitive pricing.
Spreadex, on the other hand, maintains an average spread of 0.81 pips for the EUR/USD pair, as logged in January 2024. They achieve a minimum spread of 0.6 pips 60% of the time, slightly higher against FXCM's rates, yet consistent and reliable for many traders. Despite the lack of a detailed active trader program like FXCM, Spreadex manages to hold its ground with straightforward and transparent pricing which can appeal to traders who prefer simplicity and consistency in their trading costs.
Both FXCM and Spreadex receive a solid rating of 4 out of 5 stars for their commissions and fees, reflecting their competitive positioning in the market. FXCM ranks slightly higher at #24 out of 62 brokers, compared to Spreadex's rank of #27. These ratings indicate that while both brokers are well-regarded, FXCM has a slight edge due to its flexible rebate program and variable spreads tailored to high-volume traders.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.78 | 0.81 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.78 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FXCM and Spreadex both enable forex trading as either CFDs or spot contracts, catering to investors looking for diverse currency options. While FXCM offers 440 tradeable symbols, Spreadex vastly surpasses this with an impressive 10,000. When it comes to forex pairs, FXCM provides access to 43 pairs, whereas Spreadex offers a slightly broader selection with 52 pairs available. Neither broker allows clients to buy exchange-traded securities from U.S. or international exchanges, keeping the focus on derivative products rather than actual stock purchases.
For those interested in cryptocurrency, both FXCM and Spreadex offer trading through derivatives but not the option to buy actual cryptocurrencies. An advantage with FXCM is the availability of copy trading, which Spreadex does not offer. In terms of rating for the range of investments, FXCM garners 3.5 stars and ranks #47 out of 62 brokers, while Spreadex shines with a 5-star rating and a #13 ranking. Such metrics suggest Spreadex provides a more varied and comprehensive trading platform compared to FXCM, particularly for those looking to explore a wide array of tradeable assets.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 43 | 52 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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 online brokers FXCM and Spreadex, both platforms offer free virtual demo accounts and proprietary trading platforms developed in-house, providing traders the opportunity for a trial run with virtual funds. While FXCM delivers a variety of trading platforms including a Windows-based desktop download option and the widely recognized MetaTrader 4 (MT4), Spreadex only provides a web-based platform, lacking both a desktop version and support for MT4. The availability of copy trading and integration with ZuluTrade on FXCM further enhances its appeal, offering more flexibility for traders looking to mirror experienced investors' strategies.
In terms of charting tools, FXCM boasts 10 drawing tools, while Spreadex has a slight edge with 11. Both brokers allow users to trade directly from stock charts. The watch list offerings differ, with FXCM providing 13 customizable columns compared to Spreadex's 8, allowing for a more detailed market overview. With FXCM gaining a 5-star rating for its trading platforms and tools and a rank of #6 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, it’s clear that it generally outpaces Spreadex, which holds a 4-star rating and a rank of #46. This comparison highlights FXCM as a more versatile option for those seeking comprehensive trading platform features.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 58 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 10 | 11 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 13 | 8 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both FXCM and Spreadex provide solid options for traders using iPhone or Android devices. They both offer price alerts and the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes. While FXCM allows for syncing watchlists between the mobile app and the client's online account, Spreadex does not offer this feature. This could be a key consideration for traders who need seamless usability across devices.
FXCM stands out with its rich charting features, offering 59 technical studies, allowing traders to draw trendlines, and enabling autosave for drawing on charts. While Spreadex allows for trendlines and viewing multiple time frames, it lacks chart autosave functionality. Overall, FXCM receives a slightly higher rating of 4.5 stars compared to Spreadex's 4 stars, and it ranks #16 out of 62 brokers for mobile apps, whereas Spreadex ranks #46. This distinction highlights FXCM's strong appeal for those prioritizing advanced charting and integrated usability in their mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | N/A |
| 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 it comes to daily market insights, both FXCM and Spreadex provide daily market commentary along with access to key forex news from premier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. FXCM goes a step further by offering research from TipRanks and Trading Central's technical analytics, enhancing its analytical capabilities. Meanwhile, Spreadex does not feature resources from TipRanks but leans on Autochartist for its technical analysis, catering to traders focused on price patterns and technical signals.
FXCM further solidifies its research advantage with a sentiment-based trading tool, showcasing market positions across various currency pairs, which matches Spreadex's sentiment tool offerings. Both platforms present an economic calendar, keeping traders informed about significant global events. According to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM stands out with a 4.5-star research rating, securing the 11th spot out of 62 brokers, while Spreadex holds a 4-star rating, positioned at number 31. This makes FXCM slightly more compelling for those prioritizing comprehensive market research tools.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both FXCM and Spreadex provide educational resources for beginner traders looking to learn about forex and CFDs. Each offers at least ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars, making them suitable for newcomers looking to get acquainted with the basics of trading. However, FXCM stands out with its monthly online educational webinars, offering regular live learning opportunities—a feature not available with Spreadex. Additionally, FXCM provides a searchable archive of these webinars, allowing learners to revisit valuable sessions at their convenience, which Spreadex lacks.
When it comes to beginner trading videos, both brokers offer comprehensive content, meeting the requirement of at least ten videos targeted specifically at new traders. FXCM goes a step further by also offering advanced educational videos for experienced traders, a resource not mirrored by Spreadex. Both platforms feature an investor dictionary with over fifty investing terms, aiding in the understanding of trading jargon. FXCM’s educational offerings have earned it a rating of 4.5 stars and a 14th place ranking in education by ForexBrokers.com, while Spreadex is slightly behind with a 4-star rating and a 45th place ranking, reflecting the more extensive educational support FXCM provides.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FXCM is better than Spreadex. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #15, while Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #39.
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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Spreadex
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| Trust Score | 95 | 71 |
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While both FXCM and Spreadex do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, they both provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
In comparing online brokers FXCM and Spreadex, FXCM offers a wider variety of options for depositing and withdrawing account funds, including ACH, SEPA, PayPal, and Skrill, in addition to Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas Spreadex supports only Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, lacking ACH, SEPA, PayPal, and Skrill options.
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 | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Spreadex Review |
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| Regulation | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1999 | |
| 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 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 43 | 52 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.78 | 0.81 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.78 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 13 | 8 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 58 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 10 | 11 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 59 | N/A | |
| 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 | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FXCM Review | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Spreadex Review |
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