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 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 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers stands out as a lower-cost choice for many forex traders. Its pricing is commission-based rather than spread-marked up, and during Q3 2024 the EUR/USD showed an average spread of 0.19 pips, with an effective all-in spread of about 0.59 pips after commission. For a $100,000 EUR/USD trade, the commission-equivalent is roughly 0.40 pips, and discounts are available for very active traders. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
XM Group is less competitive in this category. Its standard account spreads are considered expensive, and while it also offers a commission-based XM Zero account, average spreads are not published, which makes side-by-side comparison harder. Even so, XM Group is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #35 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
Overall, Interactive Brokers is the better pick for traders focused on keeping costs down, especially those who trade forex often or in larger sizes. XM Group may still suit some traders, but based on commissions and fees alone, it trails well behind Interactive Brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $5 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 0.7+ |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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.
When it comes to range of investments, Interactive Brokers offers a much wider selection than XM Group. Interactive Brokers gives clients access to about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 100 forex pairs, while XM Group offers around 1,583 tradeable symbols and 54 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as either a CFD or spot contract, and both also provide access to exchange traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone.
The main differences show up in a few key areas. Interactive Brokers lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, but it does not offer cryptocurrency CFDs, while XM Group offers crypto CFDs but not delivered crypto. XM Group also includes copy trading, which Interactive Brokers does not. Overall, Interactive Brokers scores higher for investment choice, earning 5 out of 5 stars and ranking #1 out of 36 brokers for range of investments, compared with XM Group’s 4.5 stars and #19 ranking.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1583 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 54 |
| 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 a free demo account, a Windows desktop platform, and a web-based platform, and both let users place trades directly from a chart. The biggest difference is that Interactive Brokers also offers its own in-house platform, while XM Group focuses more on third-party tools, including MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, plus copy trading. In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is a stronger fit for traders who want a built-in platform and a more advanced trading setup, while XM Group may appeal more to those who prefer MetaTrader and social-style trading features.
That difference shows up in ratings, too: Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while XM Group receives 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28. If your priority is platform quality and a wider range of built-in tools, Interactive Brokers has the edge; if you want MetaTrader support and copy trading, XM Group may be the better match.
| 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 | 100 |
| 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, making it easy to trade and track markets on the go. Each app includes stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing between mobile and online accounts, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. One key difference is charting depth: Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical studies in its mobile app, while XM Group offers 100, which may matter more to active traders who rely on technical analysis.
In overall mobile app quality, Interactive Brokers stands out with a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with XM Group’s 4-star rating and #26 ranking. Neither app auto-saves chart drawings, so users will need to re-add them if they are not saved manually. For traders who want more charting tools and a higher-rated mobile trading experience, Interactive Brokers has the edge, while XM Group still covers the basics well.
| 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 | 100 |
| 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 | 1583 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 54 | |
| 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) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 0.7+ | |
| 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 | 100 | |
| 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 | 100 | |
| 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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