Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IronFX vs Xtrade, 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.
IronFX and Xtrade are two well-known online brokers that offer a variety of trading services. Established in 2010, IronFX holds three top-tier licenses, which places it in the "trusted" category with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score rating of 83. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, IronFX has gained a reputation for reliability in the trading world. In comparison, Xtrade, founded in 2003, holds one Tier-1 and one Tier-2 license, resulting in an overall Trust Score of 74, signaling an average risk level.
Both IronFX and Xtrade are privately held companies and not affiliated with any banking institution, which is an important factor for traders to consider when evaluating their options. While IronFX benefits from a higher trust rating due to its multiple high-level licenses, Xtrade, with its longer history, offers a different set of regulatory assurances. Considering these aspects can help investors choose a platform that aligns best with their trading priorities and risk appetite.
| Feature |
IronFX
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2003 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, IronFX stands out for clearer pricing details, though its costs can be higher than average, while Xtrade provides limited data. IronFX is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #47 of 63 for Commissions and Fees by ForexBrokers.com. Xtrade is rated 2.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #64 of 63.
IronFX lists a typical spread of 1.8 pips on its Standard variable spread account (no date range provided), and pricing varies by account type. Its zero fixed-spread account can start at 0.0 pips but charges an $18 per lot commission, with spreads widened to 3 pips overnight. Overall, IronFX spreads appeared higher than the industry average, so actual trading costs may be above what some competitors charge.
For Xtrade, average spread data is not available, making it hard to gauge total trading costs or compare typical spreads side by side. Traders comparing fees may find IronFX more transparent, while Xtrade’s lack of published averages limits cost analysis.
| Feature |
IronFX
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $250 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IronFX and Xtrade both let you trade forex through CFDs/spot, but their catalogs differ. Xtrade lists more total instruments (482 tradeable symbols) than IronFX (340), while IronFX offers more currency pairs (83 vs. 56). Neither broker lets you buy real, exchange-traded shares in the U.S. or abroad; stock exposure is via CFDs rather than owning the shares outright.
For extra features, IronFX supports copy trading, while Xtrade does not. Both brokers let you trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither offers direct, delivered crypto. In independent reviews of range of investments, both earn 3.5 out of 5 stars; Xtrade ranks #50 of 63 and IronFX ranks #52. In short, pick IronFX if you want more forex pairs and copy trading, or choose Xtrade if a larger overall list of instruments matters more.
| Feature |
IronFX
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 340 | 482 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 83 | 56 |
| 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.
IronFX and Xtrade both provide free demo accounts for paper trading and web-based platforms that let you place orders directly from charts. The key differences are in platform choice: IronFX uses third‑party software and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) plus a Windows desktop download, while Xtrade runs its own proprietary web platform and does not offer a Windows desktop app or MT4. Neither broker supports MT5. Copy trading is available at IronFX, but not at Xtrade.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates both brokers 3.5 out of 5 stars, with Xtrade ranked #59 of 63 and IronFX at #62. If you want MT4, a traditional Windows desktop platform, and copy trading, IronFX is the better fit. If you prefer an in-house, browser-based platform and don’t need MT4 or copy trading, Xtrade may suit you. In either case, you can test-drive features with a free demo account.
| Feature |
IronFX
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | N/A |
| 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.
IronFX and Xtrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. IronFX stands out for traders who rely on charts: its app includes 30 technical studies, lets you draw trendlines, switch among multiple time frames (intraday, daily, weekly), and automatically saves your drawings. It also supports price alerts and creating a watchlist with real-time quotes. Xtrade covers the basics but lacks many of these tools: no price alerts, no trendline drawing, no multiple time frames, no auto-save for drawings, and no real-time watchlist; the number of technical studies is not provided. Neither broker syncs mobile watchlists with the online account.
Ratings tell a different story. ForexBrokers.com rates IronFX’s mobile app 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks it 63rd out of 63 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category, while Xtrade earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 54th. In short, choose IronFX if in-app charting tools and alerts matter most; choose Xtrade if the higher expert rating is your priority.
| Feature |
IronFX
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IronFX and Xtrade both cover the essentials for forex research: daily market commentary, top-tier news feeds (such as Reuters, Bloomberg, or similar), and an economic calendar with upcoming events. Neither broker includes Autochartist or a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions. A key difference is Trading Central: IronFX offers Trading Central research tools, while Xtrade does not. Availability of TipRanks and Acuity Trading tools at IronFX isn’t specified; Xtrade does not provide them.
In independent ratings, IronFX earns 4 stars for Research and ranks #29 out of 63 brokers, whereas Xtrade scores 3.5 stars and ranks #53. If you want Trading Central’s technical and fundamental insights alongside daily commentary and news, IronFX has the edge. If your needs are limited to standard market updates and a calendar, Xtrade provides the basics.
| Feature |
IronFX
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner traders comparing IronFX and Xtrade, IronFX offers more entry-level learning. It provides at least 10 beginner-focused trading videos, while Xtrade does not meet that benchmark. Neither broker runs monthly educational webinars, and both fall short of offering large sets of advanced videos for seasoned traders.
These gaps and strengths show up in the scores: IronFX earns 4 stars for Education and ranks 44th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas Xtrade holds 3.5 stars and ranks 46th. If you want a broker with more beginner video content to start learning forex and CFDs, IronFX is the stronger choice; if you don’t need a big video library, Xtrade may still suit your needs.
| Feature |
IronFX
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No |
| 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 IronFX is better than Xtrade. IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48, while Xtrade finished with an overall rank of #60.
IronFX has come a long way to rebuild its brand, acquiring multiple regulatory licenses to improve its Trust Score, and creating balanced educational material. That said, pricing is an area where IronFX has room to further improve as spreads appeared higher than the industry average.
| Feature |
IronFX
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 74 |
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Both IronFX and Xtrade do not provide the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both IronFX and Xtrade do not support ACH or SEPA transfers or PayPal for depositing or withdrawing funds, but they do offer Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options for these transactions.
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 | IronFX | Xtrade | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 74 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Xtrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 83 | 74 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2003 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 340 | 482 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 83 | 56 | |
| 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 | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | |||
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $250 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 [DELETED] | |||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] |
| Trading Tools | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | N/A | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | |||
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | |||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
| Major Forex Pairs | IronFX | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Xtrade Review |
| Overall | IronFX | Xtrade | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 74 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Xtrade Review |
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