Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers 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.
Interactive Brokers and XM Group are both prominent players in the online trading space, each offering unique advantages. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers is a veteran in the industry and is publicly traded, reflecting a high level of transparency and investor confidence. In contrast, XM Group, established in 2009, operates as a private entity. While neither firm is a bank, Interactive Brokers holds an edge in regulatory standing with an impressive nine Tier-1 licenses, signifying a strong foundation of trust and reliability. XM Group, meanwhile, holds four Tier-1 licenses, which is still commendable but trails behind Interactive Brokers.
When considering their overall trustworthiness, ForexBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers at a top-tier Trust Score of 99 out of 99, appealing to those seeking a highly reliable trading partner. XM Group is not far behind with a Trust Score of 93, indicating a solid degree of trustworthiness. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers also holds two Tier-2 licenses, broadening its regulatory scope compared to XM Group's single Tier-2 license. For traders evaluating these brokers, the regulatory credentials and Trust Scores are pivotal in making an informed choice between these two well-regarded institutions.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Interactive Brokers and XM Group take different approaches to pricing. Interactive Brokers uses tight market pricing plus a separate commission, while XM’s Standard account relies on wider spreads and its commission-based XM Zero account doesn’t publish average spreads. Based on available data, Interactive Brokers generally offers lower potential costs for forex, earning 5/5 stars and ranking #2 of 63 for Commissions and Fees. XM Group earns 4/5 stars and ranks #34 of 63.
At Interactive Brokers, forex commissions start at 0.00002 (0.2 basis points) per side with a $2 minimum per order ($4 round turn), comparable to $16–$40 per million round turn ($8–$20 per side). Very active traders can see rates drop to 0.08 basis points, and the minimum can fall from $2 to $1.50 per order above $1 billion in monthly volume, and to $1 at $5 billion. IBKR aggregates prices from 17 major liquidity providers and does not mark up spreads. In Q3 2024, the average EUR/USD spread we obtained was 0.19 pips; after commission, the effective all-in cost was about 0.59 pips. Example: buying then selling $100,000 of EUR/USD at IBKR equates to roughly 0.40 pips in commission plus the prevailing spread. Note: the $2 minimum makes smaller trade sizes proportionally more expensive, and IBKR Lite and Pro are not commission-free for forex.
XM Group’s Standard account spreads are on the higher side, and because average spreads aren’t published for XM Zero, it’s harder to estimate all-in costs there. The upshot: if you prioritize transparent, low-cost forex pricing—especially for larger or more active trading—Interactive Brokers is likely the better value, while XM Group may appeal more if you prefer spread-only pricing but can accept potentially higher average costs.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $5 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers vs XM Group: both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot and both provide access to exchange‑traded stocks on U.S. and international exchanges. Interactive Brokers offers a far wider catalog, with about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 currency pairs, compared with XM Group’s roughly 1,394 symbols and 55 pairs. For crypto, Interactive Brokers supports buying actual coins in addition to crypto derivatives, while XM Group limits crypto to derivatives.
If you value sheer variety, Interactive Brokers stands out; if you want copy trading, XM Group has it while Interactive Brokers does not. Reflecting this breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers, whereas XM Group earns 4.5 stars and ranks #25. Your choice depends on whether a larger instrument list and spot crypto matter more than having built-in copy trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1394 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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.
Interactive Brokers and XM Group both offer free paper trading to practice risk‑free, plus web and Windows desktop platforms with the ability to place trades directly from charts. Interactive Brokers provides a proprietary, in‑house platform, while XM Group relies on third‑party platforms. According to ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, whereas XM Group earns 4 stars and ranks #33.
If you want MetaTrader or copy trading, XM Group stands out: it supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and offers copy trading options. Interactive Brokers does not support MT4/MT5 or copy trading, but it does include a proprietary platform and paper trading. The better fit depends on your priorities—MetaTrader and copy trading with XM Group, or an in‑house platform with top ratings at Interactive Brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and XM Group both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app includes price alerts, synced watchlists that carry over between mobile and web, and the option to build watchlists with real-time quotes—handy for tracking stocks and forex on the go.
For charting, Interactive Brokers stands out with 97 technical studies versus XM Group’s 30. Both apps let you draw trendlines and switch between multiple time frames, though neither auto-saves drawings. Ratings reflect the gap: Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, while XM Group holds 4 stars and ranks #31. Choose Interactive Brokers for deeper charting and top-tier app performance; pick XM Group if you want the essentials in a simpler package.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing market research offerings between Interactive Brokers and XM Group, both platforms provide daily market commentary and offer news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. Both brokers use tools from Trading Central for technical analysis, enabling their clients to make more informed decisions. Additionally, Interactive Brokers stands out by providing exclusive access to sentiment-based trading tools and market research from TipRanks, setting itself apart from XM Group, which does not offer these features. Moreover, Interactive Brokers includes research tools from Acuity Trading, such as the Signal Centre, which XM Group lacks. Both brokers offer an economic calendar to help traders keep abreast of global financial events.
In terms of research quality, both Interactive Brokers and XM Group have earned a solid reputation, each garnering a 5-star rating. However, when ranked by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers has a slight edge, securing the 3rd position out of 63 brokers, while XM Group ranks 8th. This indicates that while both brokers excel, Interactive Brokers has a more comprehensive suite of research tools that could give users an upper hand in their trading strategies.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers and XM Group both deliver beginner-friendly education, with each earning a 5 out of 5 Education rating from ForexBrokers.com. For new traders, both brokers provide at least 10 beginner-focused videos and run client webinars at least once a month. Interactive Brokers holds a higher Education ranking (#3 of 63) compared with XM Group (#7 of 63), which may appeal to learners seeking a slightly higher-rated experience. Whether you prefer watching structured videos or attending live sessions, either broker can help you get started.
Some details aren’t specified here for either broker—namely, whether they each offer 10+ forex/CFD-specific lessons, a searchable archive of recorded webinars, or an investor dictionary with 50+ terms. Both do, however, also offer 10+ advanced videos for when you move beyond the basics. If having a top-ranked education suite is your priority, Interactive Brokers edges ahead; if you want similarly strong beginner videos and regular webinars, XM Group also fits the bill. Check each broker’s website to confirm access to webinar archives, forex/CFD lesson counts, and any glossaries.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than XM Group. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17.
Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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XM Group
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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Interactive Brokers allows users to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrency, as well as cryptocurrency derivatives, while XM Group only provides options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives and does not offer the purchase of actual cryptocurrency.
Interactive Brokers vs XM Group for deposits and withdrawals: Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers but not PayPal or Skrill, while XM Group offers bank wires and Skrill but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability for both 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 | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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) | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1394 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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 | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | |||
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] | |||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | |||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | |||
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | |||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Interactive Brokers Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | XM Group Review |
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