Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of OANDA 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.
OANDA and XM Group are both reputable online brokers who have built solid trust within the trading community. Founded in 1996, OANDA is slightly older than XM Group, which was established in 2009. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank. Both have earned a commendable Trust Score of 93 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, categorizing them as highly trusted brokers. OANDA stands out with its possession of seven Tier-1 licenses, reflecting strong regulatory oversight, while XM Group holds four Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, highlighting its commitment to maintaining a trustworthy trading environment.
These brokers provide traders with secure platforms that come under the watchful eye of multiple financial authorities. OANDA's notable collection of Tier-1 licenses underscores its extensive regulatory reach, though it does lack any Tier-2 licenses. XM Group, while having fewer Tier-1 licenses than OANDA, supplements its regulatory standing with one Tier-2 license, indicating its desire to ensure client trust and security through additional layers of regulation. Both OANDA and XM Group offer sturdy foundations for individuals seeking reliable options in the competitive landscape of online trading.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
OANDA and XM Group earn the same commissions-and-fees rating — 4 stars each — but XM is ranked slightly higher (#34 of 63) than OANDA (#35 of 63). OANDA’s forex costs tend to be on the high side on its standard, commission-free pricing. XM’s Standard account spreads are also pricey, and the broker does not publish average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account, which makes direct cost comparisons harder.
At OANDA, spreads (the gap between buy and sell price) are comparable to FOREX.com and FxPro. For example, the average EUR/USD spread on OANDA’s non-core pricing was 1.61 pips in July 2024. OANDA’s “core pricing” lowers the spread but adds a commission of $5 per side per $100,000 traded ($10 per round turn) and requires a $10,000 minimum deposit. Using EUR/USD as an example: a 1.6-pip default spread versus 0.4 pips on core plus the 1.0-pip commission equivalent works out to 1.4 pips all-in — slightly cheaper than default. OANDA also lets you trade in very small sizes (down to 1 unit), and active traders may qualify for rebates of $5–$17 per million with extra perks like TradingView subscription reimbursements. OANDA publishes trailing average spreads for transparency, though it doesn’t post fixed-period averages, which limits apples-to-apples comparisons.
XM Group’s Standard account spreads are expensive, and the firm does not publish average spreads for the XM Zero commission account — a drawback for price transparency. By contrast, OANDA shares trailing averages and offers granular trade sizes and volume-based rebates. Bottom line: both brokers score 4 stars on costs, with XM ranked #34/63 and OANDA #35/63; OANDA can be marginally cheaper on its core plan in some cases, while XM’s lack of published XM Zero averages makes it tougher to gauge whether its commission plan delivers lower all-in pricing.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $5 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.69 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
OANDA and XM Group both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts. OANDA stands out for sheer variety, with 4,172 tradeable symbols and 69 forex pairs, compared with XM Group’s 1,394 symbols and 55 pairs. Both brokers also offer exchange-traded U.S. and international stocks (not CFDs) and support copy trading. For crypto, OANDA gives you the option to buy actual coins as well as crypto CFDs, while XM Group limits crypto to CFDs only.
Independent ratings tilt slightly toward XM Group for overall range of investments: XM Group earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #25 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while OANDA scores 4 stars and ranks #28. In short, choose OANDA if you want more total symbols and direct crypto access; choose XM Group if you prioritize a higher third-party rating and are comfortable trading crypto via CFDs.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 1394 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
Comparing OANDA and XM Group for trading platforms and tools, both brokers offer a free demo account, web-based platforms, Windows desktop apps, copy trading, and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). The key difference is that OANDA also provides its own proprietary platform, while XM Group focuses on the MetaTrader suite.
Both brokers let you trade directly from charts. While specific counts for built-in indicators and watchlist columns aren’t provided, each delivers the core features most traders need. For Trading Platforms and Tools, both earn 4 stars; however, according to ForexBrokers.com rankings, OANDA sits at #15 out of 63 brokers, whereas XM Group is #33, suggesting OANDA holds a slight edge for platform breadth and overall tooling.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
OANDA and XM Group both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts to help you track forex and market moves on the go. Each app includes 30 technical studies for charting and lets you draw trendlines. Key differences show up in everyday use: OANDA’s app auto-saves your chart drawings, while XM Group’s does not. On the other hand, XM Group syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, whereas OANDA does not.
In overall quality, OANDA leads with a 5-star mobile app rating and a #7 ranking out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with XM Group’s 4 stars and #31 ranking. Choose OANDA if you want higher-rated charting with saved annotations; pick XM Group if synced watchlists across devices matter more to you.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
OANDA and XM Group both deliver strong market research for forex traders. Each provides daily market commentary, an economic calendar for upcoming events, and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Both also include sentiment tools that display the ratio of long vs. short positions. While neither offers TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools, both earned 5 stars for Research from ForexBrokers.com; OANDA ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Research, while XM Group ranks #8.
The key difference lies in the add-on research suites. OANDA integrates Autochartist, which automatically scans charts to spot patterns and potential trade setups. XM Group, on the other hand, offers Trading Central, known for analyst-driven insights and technical/fundamental reports. If you prefer automated chart pattern detection, OANDA is a great fit; if you want Trading Central’s research and signals, XM Group stands out. Either way, you get daily commentary, premium news coverage, and a helpful economic calendar.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
OANDA and XM Group both make it easy for new traders to learn about forex and CFD trading. Each broker runs client webinars at least once a month and offers at least 10 beginner videos that explain trading basics, plus at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. That mix of on-demand videos and live sessions helps beginners grasp core concepts, practice strategies, and ask questions in real time.
According to ForexBrokers.com, both brands earn a 5-star Education rating; however, XM Group ranks higher in the Education category (#7 of 63) than OANDA (#19 of 63). If you want frequent webinars and a large video library, you’ll find them at both brokers, with XM Group holding a slight edge in overall standing.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
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 OANDA is better than XM Group. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #12, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17.
A trusted global brand, OANDA stands out for its reputation and quality market research. Its regulatory track record is strong, and its support for third-party features bolsters its overall offering.
| Feature |
OANDA
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XM Group
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 93 |
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OANDA vs XM Group: OANDA lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, while XM Group offers crypto exposure only through CFDs and does not support purchasing real, delivered crypto.
Among online brokers, OANDA supports ACH/SEPA and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals—options XM Group doesn’t offer—while both OANDA and XM Group provide Skrill and bank wire transfers.
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 | OANDA | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | OANDA | XM Group | |
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| Regulation | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 1394 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.69 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | OANDA | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | OANDA | 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 | OANDA Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | OANDA | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | XM Group Review |
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