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.
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Interactive Brokers vs XM Group: Interactive Brokers (founded 1977) is publicly traded and not a bank; XM Group (founded 2009) is privately held and also not a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, a Trust Score of 90–99 is highly trusted—Interactive Brokers scores 99 and XM Group scores 93—placing both firms in the highly trusted range.
On regulation, Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, while XM Group holds 4 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses. Tier-1 regulators are viewed as highly trusted and Tier-2 as trusted, so both brands are well covered, with Interactive Brokers holding more top-tier licenses.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Interactive Brokers stands out for low commissions and generally competitive forex pricing, especially for active traders. While it does not publish average forex spreads, EUR/USD averaged 0.19 pips in Q3 2024, with an estimated all-in spread of 0.59 pips after commission. IBKR charges a per-trade commission instead of marking up spreads, with forex commissions starting at 0.00002, or 0.2 basis points, of U.S. dollar trade value and a $2 minimum per order. That makes it very cost-effective for larger trades, though smaller forex trades can feel expensive because of the minimum fee. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
XM Group, by comparison, is less attractive on pricing for most traders. Its standard account spreads are considered expensive, and it does not publish average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account, which makes direct comparison harder. Even so, its overall commissions and fees score is weaker than Interactive Brokers. XM Group is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #34 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is the better choice if keeping trading costs low is a top priority, especially for forex traders who trade larger volumes. XM Group may still suit some traders, but on commissions and fees alone, it lags well behind IBKR.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $5 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a much wider range of investments than XM Group, making it a stronger choice for traders who want more variety. It lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols compared with XM Group’s 1,429, and it also provides access to more forex pairs, with 90 available versus 55 at XM Group. Both brokers let clients trade forex and buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so you can invest in shares like Apple or Vodafone through either platform.
There are some clear differences in the products each broker supports beyond stocks and forex. Interactive Brokers lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, while XM Group does not. XM Group, on the other hand, offers crypto CFDs and copy trading, which Interactive Brokers does not. Overall, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while XM Group scores 4.5 stars and ranks #19.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1429 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 give traders a choice of platform formats, including desktop software for Windows, a web-based platform, and free simulated paper trading accounts. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make order placement faster and more convenient. Where the two differ is in platform style and trading extras: Interactive Brokers offers its own in-house platform, while XM Group does not. XM Group also stands out for copy trading support and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, features that Interactive Brokers does not offer.
For trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers gets a 5-star rating and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers, while XM Group earns 4 stars and ranks #27. In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick if you want a more advanced proprietary platform and top-tier tools, while XM Group may be better suited to traders who prefer MetaTrader or want copy trading built into the experience.
| 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 |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and XM Group both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock or forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between the app and online account. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts, making it easier to track market moves on the go. Neither app auto-saves chart drawings, so traders may need to reapply them when needed.
The biggest difference is in charting depth and overall app ratings. Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical studies in its mobile charting tools, while XM Group provides 30. That wider set of indicators helps give Interactive Brokers an edge for active traders who want more chart options. Reflecting this, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers for mobile trading apps on ForexBrokers.com, while XM Group is rated 4 stars and ranks #26.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
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 | 155 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and XM Group both offer solid market research tools for traders who want regular updates and trading ideas. Each broker provides daily market commentary, forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Trading Central tools, sentiment data, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, so traders looking for that specific service will not find it at either firm.
Where Interactive Brokers stands out is in the extra research it adds from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, which XM Group does not offer. Both brokers are rated 5 stars for research, but Interactive Brokers is ranked higher overall by ForexBrokers.com, placing #3 out of 36 brokers compared with XM Group’s #8 ranking. For traders who want a wider range of market research resources, Interactive Brokers has the edge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
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 | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers and XM Group both give beginners plenty of learning material, including forex and CFD education with at least 10 pieces of content, monthly online webinars, and plenty of videos for both new and experienced traders. Each broker also earns a 5-star Education rating, so either choice can work well for someone who wants to learn before placing trades. In simple terms, both platforms make education a clear priority and offer a wide range of useful resources for people just getting started.
The main difference is in overall education ranking. Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for Education, while XM Group is ranked #5. That gives Interactive Brokers a slight edge for learners who want the highest-rated educational support, but XM Group still stands out as a strong option with many of the same beginner-friendly tools.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
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 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 #16.
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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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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Interactive Brokers vs XM Group: Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies (not CFDs) and does not offer crypto CFDs, whereas XM Group does not offer delivered coins and instead provides cryptocurrency trading only via CFDs.
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 | 8 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| 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 (FSA 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) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA 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 | 1429 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 account | 0.226 | 2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 | |
| 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 [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | 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 | 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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