Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs Swissquote, 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.
Comparing the regulatory frameworks of XTB and Swissquote reveals significant differences. Founded in 2002, XTB is a publicly traded company but not a bank. It holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, achieving a Trust Score of 96 out of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, indicating high trust. In contrast, Swissquote, established in 1996, is both publicly traded and a licensed bank. It boasts 5 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, earning a near-perfect Trust Score of 99, showing its exceptional trustworthiness.
Both XTB and Swissquote are listed on stock exchanges, underscoring their transparency and reliability in the financial sector. However, Swissquote's status as a bank, combined with its greater number of Tier-1 licenses, gives it a notable edge in regulatory trustworthiness. While XTB is highly trusted, Swissquote's almost perfect trust rating and banking status may offer potential clients an additional layer of security.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
XTB offers simple pricing that is easy for most retail traders to understand. It has a spread-only Standard account and, for eligible professional clients in the U.K. and Europe, a commission-based Professional account that is being phased out in many regions. Based on Q4 2023 data, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was 1 pip, which is around the industry average, though not among the cheapest options. For active traders, XTB’s Lower Spread Group can rebate 5% to 30% of spreads once monthly trading volume reaches set levels. XTB is rated 4.5/5 for commissions and fees and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers.
Swissquote tends to cost a bit more, mainly because it is a Swiss banking brand and charges a premium for that name and service. Its pricing depends on the entity you open with, and the U.K. branch is generally the cheapest. At Swissquote U.K., the Elite account is best for active traders who can deposit at least $10,000, with lower spreads plus a $5 round-turn commission per trade. More basic accounts are pricier, with EUR/USD spreads starting from 1.3 pips on the Standard account and 0.6 pips minimum on the Prime account. Swissquote is rated 3.5/5 for commissions and fees and ranks #35 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, XTB is the better choice if low trading costs are your main goal, while Swissquote may appeal more to traders who value banking-group backing and are willing to pay extra for it. For most cost-conscious forex traders, XTB’s pricing is more competitive, especially on its standard account and active trader discounts.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A |
| 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 and Swissquote both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, plus the chance to buy real shares on U.S. and international exchanges. They also both offer cryptocurrency CFDs. Where XTB stands out is its much larger product list, with 10,900 tradeable symbols compared with Swissquote’s 472, which may appeal to investors who want a wider choice of markets and instruments.
Swissquote, however, offers more tradeable forex pairs, with 80 versus XTB’s 71, and it also lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, which XTB does not. In addition, Swissquote supports copy trading, while XTB does not. Both brokers earn 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments, but ForexBrokers.com ranks Swissquote higher overall in this category at #2 out of 36 brokers, compared with XTB at #14.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10900 | 472 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 80 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| 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.
XTB and Swissquote both give traders a choice of helpful platform options, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Each broker also lets users place trades directly from a chart, which can make it easier to act quickly while reviewing price movements. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both are rated 4.5 out of 5 stars, though XTB is ranked higher overall at #9 out of 36 brokers, compared with Swissquote at #12.
The main difference is that Swissquote offers more platform variety for active traders. It supports copy trading and also includes both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while XTB does not offer these features. For traders who want a simple, easy-to-use setup with strong built-in tools, XTB is a solid choice. For those who want access to MT4, MT5, or copy trading, Swissquote may be the better fit.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 86 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and Swissquote both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each one includes price alerts for stocks or forex, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Both apps are also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading, and neither one offers watchlist syncing between the app and the online account, so changes do not carry over from one place to the other.
Where XTB stands out is in charting depth and ranking. Its mobile app includes 39 technical studies, compared with 30 at Swissquote, and ForexBrokers.com ranks XTB #8 out of 36 brokers for mobile trading apps, ahead of Swissquote at #12. For traders who want a slightly wider set of chart tools on the go, XTB has the edge, while Swissquote still delivers a very solid mobile experience.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB and Swissquote both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, and an economic calendar to track key global events. That means each broker covers the basics well for staying on top of market moves and upcoming news.
Where they differ is in extra research tools. Swissquote offers Autochartist, while XTB does not, but XTB provides a sentiment tool that shows the share of long and short positions, which Swissquote lacks. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. Overall, XTB scores higher for research with 5 stars and a #9 ranking out of 36 brokers, while Swissquote earns 4.5 stars and ranks #15.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner-friendly learning, both XTB and Swissquote give new traders plenty of support. Each broker offers more than 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, along with monthly live webinars and at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos covering trading topics. That means both platforms give users a solid mix of written lessons, videos, and live teaching to help them build knowledge at their own pace.
XTB has the edge for education overall. It earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category, while Swissquote scores 4.5 stars and ranks #19. For beginners looking for a broker with slightly stronger educational support, XTB comes out ahead, though Swissquote still offers a good range of learning tools.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Swissquote. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11.
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
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Swissquote
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 99 |
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Comparing online brokers, Swissquote lets you buy both real (delivered) cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency CFDs, while XTB supports only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not offer the purchase of actual coins.
When comparing online brokers XTB and Swissquote, both support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, but only Swissquote offers ACH/SEPA transfers, while 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 | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Swissquote Review |
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| Regulation | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10900 | 472 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 80 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1000 | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 86 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XTB Review | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | XTB | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Swissquote Review |
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