Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs Pepperstone, 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.
When comparing online brokers XTB and Pepperstone, both companies boast strong regulatory credentials, providing high levels of trust for their users. XTB, founded in 2002, holds two Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses. It is publicly traded, enhancing its transparency for investors, and has achieved a high Trust Score of 96 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. Despite being younger than its counterpart, having been founded in 2010, Pepperstone is not publicly traded but impressively holds three Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, earning it a Trust Score of 95 out of 99.
Both XTB and Pepperstone are non-bank brokers, ensuring dedicated services specifically for trading. The fact that neither institution holds banking status might appeal to investors looking for firms that concentrate solely on brokerage services. With their impressive legal credentials and high Trust Scores, XTB and Pepperstone stand out as reliable choices for traders in the online brokerage space.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, both XTB and Pepperstone earn 4.5/5 stars. Pepperstone ranks #11 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, while XTB ranks #12. For typical forex trades, Pepperstone’s Razor account has the edge on EUR/USD with an all-in cost of about 0.80 pips (0.10-pip average spread plus roughly 0.70 pips in commission, as of July 2024). XTB’s Standard account averaged 1.0 pip on EUR/USD (Q4 2023), which is around the industry average. Pepperstone’s Standard account is pricier at a 1.1-pip average spread (July 2024).
XTB offers a spread-only Standard account and a commission-based Professional account, though the Pro option is being phased out and is generally unavailable to new retail clients in most regions. For smaller trade sizes, the Standard account tends to be the cheaper route, with a minimum deposit of 250 in your base currency. Active traders can join XTB’s Lower Spread Group to get spread rebates of 5% to 30% once monthly volume milestones are hit (from 20 up to 1000 lots).
Pepperstone’s Razor account (available on MetaTrader, cTrader, and TradingView) uses a commission model and delivers competitive pricing for frequent traders, especially when paired with its Active Trader program. In the U.K. and EU, eligible Professional clients can earn spread rebates starting around 15% per lot at £20 million in monthly forex volume, rising to 25% above £200 million. In Australia, Professional clients start at a 10% discount from 100 lots (over three months), rising to 30% beyond 3001 lots. Bottom line: high-volume traders may find Pepperstone’s Razor plus rebates more cost-effective, while lower-volume traders may prefer the simplicity of XTB’s Standard pricing.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 0.70 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
XTB vs Pepperstone: for range of investments, XTB offers a wider lineup. XTB lists 7,184 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, while Pepperstone provides 1,726 symbols and 65 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. Neither lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, but both offer crypto derivatives.
If you want exchange-traded shares, XTB allows direct stock dealing on both U.S. and international exchanges; Pepperstone does not offer exchange-traded securities. For social features, Pepperstone supports copy trading, while XTB does not. Reflecting these differences, XTB earns 5 stars and ranks #15 of 63 for Range of Investments, whereas Pepperstone earns 4 stars and ranks #27.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 1726 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 65 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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.
XTB and Pepperstone both check key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary platform built in-house, and both Windows desktop and web-based platforms. You can also trade directly from charts with either broker, which is handy for quick entries and exits.
The big split comes down to MetaTrader and copy trading. Pepperstone supports MT4 and MT5 and offers copy trading, while XTB does not. Independent ratings reflect the difference in focus: XTB earns 4.5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while Pepperstone scores 4 stars and ranks #22. If you want MetaTrader or copy trading, Pepperstone is the better fit; if you prefer a highly rated, in-house platform experience, XTB stands out.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and Pepperstone both offer iPhone and Android trading apps. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, XTB’s mobile app earned 4.5 stars and ranked #8 out of 63 brokers, while Pepperstone’s app earned 4 stars and ranked #21. Both apps include price alerts and let you build real-time quote watchlists.
For charting, XTB provides 39 technical studies compared with Pepperstone’s 30. Both apps let you draw trendlines and automatically save your chart drawings. Pepperstone stands out for watchlist symbol syncing between mobile and the web platform; XTB does not sync watchlists across devices. Details about viewing multiple time frames on mobile weren’t provided for either broker. If you prioritize a larger set of indicators and a higher-rated app, XTB is appealing; if syncing watchlists across devices matters most, Pepperstone may suit you better.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
In comparing XTB and Pepperstone for their market research offerings, both brokers provide daily commentary and forex news sourced from top-tier providers like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders receive timely and reliable updates. While both brokers excel in offering sentiment-based tools that highlight trader positions across different markets, Pepperstone stands out by incorporating the Autochartist tool, whereas XTB does not integrate this technical analysis toolset.
Both XTB and Pepperstone provide an economic calendar to monitor global financial events, yet neither utilizes research tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Ultimately, XTB is rated higher for research, earning 5 stars compared to Pepperstone's 4.5 stars according to ForexBrokers.com. Furthermore, XTB holds a stronger research rank at 7th place out of 63 brokers, while Pepperstone is ranked 12th, making XTB a slightly more attractive option for those prioritizing comprehensive market research.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | 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.
Comparing XTB vs Pepperstone for beginner education: both brokers run online client webinars at least once a month and each offers 10+ beginner videos plus 10+ advanced videos on trading. For overall education quality, XTB earns 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Pepperstone holds 4.5 stars and ranks #17. New traders can expect a clear path to learn through videos and regular webinars at either broker, with XTB holding a slight edge in third‑party ratings.
Some items weren’t confirmed in our notes: whether either broker meets a minimum library of 10+ forex/CFD education pieces overall, whether they provide a searchable archive of recorded webinars, or whether they host an investor dictionary with 50+ terms. If these resources are important to you, check each broker’s education hub for forex and CFD lessons, past webinar recordings, and glossaries. In practical terms, beginners will find steady webinar schedules and plentiful video learning at both XTB and Pepperstone.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 XTB is better than Pepperstone. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16.
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB’s offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 95 |
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Both XTB and Pepperstone do not offer the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies, but they do provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
XTB vs Pepperstone: XTB supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals but not ACH/SEPA, whereas Pepperstone offers ACH/SEPA plus PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | XTB | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Pepperstone | |
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| Regulation | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 95 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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) | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 1726 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XTB Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | XTB | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Pepperstone Review |
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