Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Pepperstone 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.
Pepperstone, established in 2010, and Xtrade, founded in 2003, are both online brokers known for their reliable services, though their levels of regulation differ significantly. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank. When it comes to trustworthiness, Pepperstone holds a higher ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 95 out of 99, which places it in the highly trusted category. In contrast, Xtrade has a score of 74, indicating an average risk level according to the same source.
In terms of regulatory credentials, Pepperstone stands out by holding three Tier-1 licenses, considered highly trustworthy, and two Tier-2 licenses, which are trusted. On the other hand, Xtrade has one Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license. This difference in regulatory oversight makes Pepperstone a more appealing choice for those prioritizing highly trusted financial regulations.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2003 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Pepperstone stands out as a cost-effective option for high-volume traders, especially with its Razor account. This account utilizes a commission-based pricing model and offers average spreads of 0.10 pips for EUR/USD, which equates to an all-in cost of 0.80 pips including commissions. This is quite competitive compared to the industry average. On the other hand, the Standard account at Pepperstone is commission-free but has a higher average spread of 1.1 pips for EUR/USD, making it a pricier option overall. For those seeking additional savings, Pepperstone offers an Active Trader program, which provides rebates depending on trading volume and location, such as the UK, EU, or Australia.
In contrast, Xtrade's fee structure lacks the transparency seen with Pepperstone. Average spread data for Xtrade is not readily available, making it challenging to gauge the cost effectiveness without more detailed information. Overall, Xtrade lags behind in terms of offering competitive pricing for traders.
Ranking high for cost-value, Pepperstone receives a 4.5-star rating for commissions and fees, coming in at #10 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Xtrade scores a much lower 2.5 stars, placing it at #62. For traders who prioritize clear, competitive pricing and potential fee reductions based on high trading volume, Pepperstone seems to be the more appealing choice, especially when compared to Xtrade.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | 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.
Pepperstone and Xtrade both offer online trading experiences, yet their range of investments differentiates them in key ways. Pepperstone boasts a more extensive array of tradeable symbols, offering 1,726 compared to Xtrade's 482. In the realm of forex trading, Pepperstone again takes the lead with 65 forex pairs available, while Xtrade provides 56 pairs. Both brokers facilitate forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts and offer cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither allows for the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Neither platform supports exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, limiting the option to buy real company stocks.
A unique feature of Pepperstone is the availability of copy trading, which Xtrade does not offer, potentially giving Pepperstone an edge for investors interested in mirroring successful traders' strategies. These distinctions reflect the brokers' rankings and ratings in their range of investments. Pepperstone earns a commendable 4-star rating, ranking #26 out of 62 brokers, whereas Xtrade is rated at 3.5 stars and is positioned at #49 by ForexBrokers.com. For traders prioritizing a wider selection and the option for copy trading, Pepperstone stands out as the broker with more diversified offerings.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 482 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by Pepperstone and Xtrade, both brokers provide strengths tailored to different types of traders. Pepperstone delivers a wide range of options with its proprietary platform along with the popular MetaTrader 4 and 5, offering advanced capabilities for seasoned traders. It also caters to beginners by providing a free virtual demo account for risk-free practice. Additionally, Pepperstone supports copy trading and DupliTrade, enhancing social trading possibilities. With 30 drawing tools, a Windows-based desktop platform, and the ability to trade directly from stock charts, Pepperstone earns a 4-star rating and holds the 22nd rank among 62 brokers for its trading platforms and tools.
Conversely, Xtrade also offers its proprietary platform and a web-based option, but it lags behind in several areas. Although it shares Pepperstone's feature of a virtual demo account for practice and makes trading from stock charts possible, it lacks support for MetaTrader platforms and copy trading. However, Xtrade compensates with an impressive 100 drawing tools available for charting and provides more fields in watch lists with 9 columns. Despite these features, Xtrade is rated at 3.5 stars for trading platforms and tools and is ranked 58th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, suggesting there are areas for improvement compared to Pepperstone's offerings.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | N/A |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 100 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 9 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing mobile trading apps, Pepperstone and Xtrade both offer applications for iPhone and Android users. However, Pepperstone stands out with several additional features that enhance the trading experience. Pepperstone users can receive stock and forex price alerts, while Xtrade users cannot. Another advantage of using Pepperstone's app is the ability to sync watchlist symbols between the mobile app and the online account, ensuring a seamless experience. In contrast, Xtrade lacks this syncing capability. For traders who value technical analysis, Pepperstone's app provides 30 technical studies for charting and the ability to draw trendlines, change time frames, and save drawings automatically, functionalities that Xtrade does not offer. Furthermore, Pepperstone allows users to create a watchlist with real-time quotes, adding to its comprehensive set of tools.
Both Pepperstone and Xtrade received a four-star rating for their mobile trading apps. However, Pepperstone is ranked higher at #21 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, compared to Xtrade's ranking of #53. This suggests that Pepperstone's app may cater better to those who require more advanced features and seamless integration across devices. Ultimately, while both platforms have their merits, Pepperstone provides a richer mobile trading experience with its array of features that cater to active traders and those interested in technical analysis.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | 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.
Pepperstone and Xtrade both provide daily market commentary and access to top-tier forex news sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, Pepperstone stands out by offering tools from Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis, which Xtrade does not. Both brokers lack tools from Trading Central and TipRanks, and neither offers research tools from Acuity Trading. When it comes to trading insights, Pepperstone provides a sentiment-based trading tool for analyzing market positions, whereas Xtrade does not. An economic calendar is available with each broker, aiding in tracking upcoming global news events.
In terms of overall research capabilities, Pepperstone receives a rating of 4.5 stars, compared to Xtrade's 3.5 stars. This difference reflects Pepperstone's broader range of tools and insights. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone is ranked #12 out of 62 brokers for research, significantly higher than Xtrade's position at #52. This ranking highlights Pepperstone's stronger performance in delivering comprehensive market analysis and research tools to its users.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners offered by Pepperstone and Xtrade, Pepperstone stands out as a better option. Both brokers provide a substantial amount of content focused on forex and CFDs, with each offering a minimum of 10 educational pieces in the form of articles, videos, or archived webinars. However, Pepperstone goes a step further by hosting monthly educational webinars for its clients and maintaining a searchable archive of past sessions, a feature Xtrade does not offer. Furthermore, Pepperstone provides an extensive range of beginner-friendly videos, surpassing the 10-video mark specifically designed for novices, a commitment not matched by Xtrade.
Pepperstone doesn't just cater to beginners but also offers resources for more experienced traders, including advanced educational videos. An investor dictionary is available from both brokers, but overall, Pepperstone's offering is more comprehensive, as reflected in its higher education rating of 4.5 stars versus Xtrade's 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone is ranked #17 out of 62 brokers in the Education category, while Xtrade stands at #46. This distinction further highlights Pepperstone's dedication to providing educational support for traders at all levels.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Pepperstone is better than Xtrade. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16, while Xtrade finished with an overall rank of #59.
Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
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Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 74 |
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Both Pepperstone and Xtrade do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Pepperstone provides a more versatile range of deposit and withdrawal options compared to Xtrade, including the acceptance of ACH, SEPA, and PayPal, alongside shared payment methods such as Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 74 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Xtrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
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| Regulation | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 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 | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Pepperstone | 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) | No | No | |
| 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) | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 482 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 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 | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 9 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | N/A | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 100 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | 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 | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Pepperstone | 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 | Pepperstone Review | Xtrade Review |
| Overall | Pepperstone | Xtrade | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 74 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Xtrade Review |
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