Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XM Group vs Markets.com, 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.
XM Group and Markets.com are both established online brokers offering a safe trading environment. Founded in 2009, XM Group holds a Trust Score of 93 out of 99, as rated by ForexBrokers.com, indicating a high level of trust. Similarly, Markets.com, which began operations in 1999, also enjoys a Trust Score of 93, reflecting its strong reputation in the market. Neither broker is a publicly traded company nor functions as a bank, focusing solely on providing trading services.
In terms of regulatory oversight, XM Group holds four Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly reliable by ForexBrokers.com, and one Tier-2 license, deemed trustworthy. Markets.com isn't far behind, with three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, establishing their commitment to compliance and client safety. Both brokers have demonstrated a commitment to maintaining a secure and regulated trading platform for their clients.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, XM Group comes out ahead of Markets.com in our ratings. XM Group earns 4 out of 5 stars and is ranked 34th out of 63 brokers for the Commissions and Fees category by ForexBrokers.com, while Markets.com earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 51st out of 63.
For XM Group, standard account spreads are expensive, and the broker does not publish average spread data for its commission-based XM Zero account. That lack of average spread figures can make it harder to estimate trading costs, even though XM Group still scores higher overall than Markets.com in this category.
For Markets.com, average spread data is not available. Without published averages, pricing transparency is limited, which makes it tough to compare total costs against other brokers—reflected in its lower ranking and slightly lower star rating than XM Group.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
XM Group vs Markets.com: Both brokers support forex trading (CFDs/spot), offer copy trading, and let you trade cryptocurrency via derivatives, but neither lets you buy actual crypto. Markets.com lists more investable instruments overall—2,179 symbols versus 1,394 at XM—and slightly more forex pairs (57 vs 55).
For stock investing, XM Group has the edge: it offers exchange-traded shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Markets.com does not (stock access there is via CFDs only). For Range of Investments, ForexBrokers.com rates XM Group 4.5/5 (ranked 25th of 63) and Markets.com 4/5 (30th of 63). Choose Markets.com if you want the widest selection of CFD markets; pick XM if buying actual U.S. and global shares matters to you alongside a broad CFD lineup.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 2179 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 57 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | 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.
XM Group and Markets.com both provide a free demo (paper) account, plus web-based and Windows desktop platforms. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and offers copy trading. The key platform difference: Markets.com also delivers a proprietary, in-house platform, while XM Group sticks to third-party options. For charting, XM Group lets you place trades directly from charts, whereas Markets.com does not.
Both brokers earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, Markets.com places higher at #27, compared with XM Group at #33. If you want an in-house platform experience, Markets.com may appeal more; if trading directly from charts within MetaTrader is a priority, XM Group is a solid fit.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 89 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XM Group and Markets.com both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, making it easy to manage trades on the go. Each app supports real-time watchlists, price alerts for stocks and forex, and watchlist syncing so changes carry across devices and the web platform. This core feature set helps you stay on top of markets without being tied to a desktop.
For charting, XM Group offers 30 technical studies in its mobile app. Markets.com’s own app does not include built-in studies, but you can access the standard indicator set by using MT4. Both apps let you draw trendlines; however, drawings don’t auto-save. According to ForexBrokers.com, both earn 4-star ratings for Mobile Trading Apps, with XM Group ranked 31st out of 63 brokers and Markets.com ranked 34th.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XM Group and Markets.com both provide comprehensive market research tools that cater to traders looking for insightful market updates. Both platforms deliver daily market commentary and forex news from prestigious sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They also feature sentiment-based trading tools, allowing traders to view the proportion of long or short positions in currency pairs, aiding in market sentiment analysis. Additionally, both access economic calendars that outline key global news events, helping traders stay informed about market movements.
However, XM Group distinguishes itself by offering technical analysis tools from Trading Central, enhancing its appeal to traders needing detailed analytics. Despite Markets.com not offering Trading Central tools, it remains an effective platform with a solid research offering. Expert reviews rate XM Group with a stellar five stars for research, ranking it 8th among 63 brokers, whereas Markets.com receives four stars, placing it at 17th. These ratings reflect the heightened research capabilities of XM Group, positioning it as a better choice for detailed market analysis.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
XM Group and Markets.com both support beginner traders with at least 10 beginner-focused video lessons and host client webinars at least once a month. Each also offers 10+ advanced videos, which can help you grow past the basics. This comparison did not confirm whether either broker meets the 10-piece threshold for broader forex/CFD education, provides a searchable archive of past webinars, or includes an investor dictionary with 50+ terms.
For education quality, XM Group stands out with a 5-star rating and a #7 rank out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Markets.com earns 4 stars and ranks #34. If top-rated learning resources are a priority, XM Group is the stronger pick, though Markets.com still covers key needs for newcomers with beginner videos and recurring webinars.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 XM Group is better than Markets.com. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17, while Markets.com finished with an overall rank of #23.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 93 | 93 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both XM Group and Markets.com do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but they do provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal methods, XM Group and Markets.com both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, do not offer ACH/SEPA or PayPal, and have unspecified availability for Visa or Mastercard.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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) | No | 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) | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 2179 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 57 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | 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 | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 89 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | ||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | XM Group | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill