Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ThinkMarkets 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.
ThinkMarkets and Xtrade are both well-established online brokers, but they differ significantly in trust and regulation. ThinkMarkets was founded in 2010 and boasts a higher Trust Score of 92 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating a highly trusted status. This is supported by its five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, these licenses suggest a high level of security and regulatory compliance for users.
In contrast, Xtrade was founded earlier in 2003 but holds a Trust Score of 74, seen as average risk. While Xtrade also is not publicly traded or a bank, it holds just one Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license, which may still be appealing to some traders but does not match the level of trust signified by ThinkMarkets. Choosing between these brokers depends on one's comfort level with their respective trust ratings and licenses.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2003 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
If you’re comparing ThinkMarkets vs Xtrade on commissions and fees, the headline is clear: ThinkMarkets earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #48 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com, while Xtrade scores 2.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #64 out of 63. Average spread data isn’t available for either broker, so these ratings and rankings provide the best snapshot of expected pricing.
In plain terms, ThinkMarkets’ higher score points to generally more favorable trading costs than Xtrade. That said, your actual costs will still depend on what you trade, your account type, and your platform. Since average spreads aren’t provided here, it’s wise to check each broker’s posted fee schedule, financing (swap) rates, and any non-trading charges like deposits, withdrawals, or inactivity fees.
Bottom line: For commissions and fees, ThinkMarkets (4/5 stars; #48/63) stands ahead of Xtrade (2.5/5 stars; #64/63). Verify the latest pricing details directly with each broker before opening an account.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $250 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ThinkMarkets vs Xtrade: Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs (but not delivered crypto). The key difference is market depth. ThinkMarkets lists about 4,000 tradeable symbols, while Xtrade offers around 482. Xtrade has a slight edge in currency variety with 56 forex pairs versus 46 at ThinkMarkets. Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares directly, but ThinkMarkets does provide access to certain international exchange-traded shares, which Xtrade does not.
Feature-wise, ThinkMarkets adds copy trading, while Xtrade does not. That broader access helps explain the ratings: ThinkMarkets earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #24 of 63 for Range of Investments, whereas Xtrade scores 3.5/5 stars and ranks #50. Choose ThinkMarkets if you want more markets, international shares, and copy trading; pick Xtrade if your focus is primarily on forex pairs.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 482 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 56 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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 ThinkMarkets vs Xtrade on trading platforms and tools: both brokers provide a free demo account, a proprietary platform, a web-based trading platform, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The key differences show up in platform choice. ThinkMarkets also offers a Windows desktop platform, copy trading, and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Xtrade does not offer a Windows desktop app, copy trading, or MT4/MT5.
Ratings reflect these gaps. ThinkMarkets earns 4 stars and ranks #28 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while Xtrade holds 3.5 stars and ranks #59. If you want MT4/MT5, copy trading, or a downloadable Windows platform, ThinkMarkets is the better fit. If you prefer trading in a web browser on a proprietary platform and don’t need those extras, Xtrade can cover the basics.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | N/A |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ThinkMarkets and Xtrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android and each holds a 4-star rating for Mobile Trading Apps. However, ThinkMarkets is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com (#20 out of 63) compared with Xtrade (#54 out of 63), signaling stronger overall app performance in industry comparisons.
Feature-wise, ThinkMarkets pulls ahead. It supports price alerts for stocks and forex, offers 94 technical studies (indicators) for charts, allows drawing trendlines, and automatically saves those drawings. Xtrade does not provide price alerts, trendline tools, or autosave for chart drawings, and the number of technical studies is not available. Neither broker syncs watchlists between the app and the online account. For traders who value alerts and deeper charting on mobile, ThinkMarkets is the more capable choice, while Xtrade may suit those with simpler needs.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
ThinkMarkets and Xtrade both check key boxes for market research. Each provides daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources (such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones), and an economic calendar. Neither broker includes tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, and neither offers TipRanks. In ForexBrokers.com’s Research category, both earn 3.5 out of 5 stars; ThinkMarkets is ranked 51st out of 63 brokers, while Xtrade sits at 53rd.
The main differences come down to extra tools. ThinkMarkets offers a sentiment-based trading tool that shows long/short positioning and also includes research from Acuity Trading (e.g., Signal Centre). Xtrade does not provide these additions. If you just want news and commentary, both are similar; if you value built-in sentiment and extra trade ideas, ThinkMarkets has a slight edge.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing forex and CFD education, ThinkMarkets stands out. It provides a steady schedule of client webinars (at least one each month) and offers 10-plus beginner videos as well as 10-plus advanced videos—easily meeting the “minimum of 10 pieces” threshold for forex/CFD education. By contrast, Xtrade does not run monthly educational webinars and does not provide at least 10 beginner or 10 advanced videos, so it does not meet that minimum threshold.
Both brokers earn 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education from ForexBrokers.com; however, Xtrade ranks slightly higher at #46 out of 63 brokers, compared to ThinkMarkets at #52. If you’re a new trader who values live webinars and a deeper video library tailored to beginners, ThinkMarkets is the more education-focused pick. If rankings are your priority, Xtrade edges ahead overall, but expect fewer beginner-friendly learning resources.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ThinkMarkets is better than Xtrade. ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27, while Xtrade finished with an overall rank of #60.
ThinkMarkets has multiple regulatory license and offers a proprietary trading platform, as well as the entire MetaTrader suite. The broker has made progress in key areas, such as research and education, and the range of markets available, although trails behind the best brokers in these categories.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
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Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 74 |
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ThinkMarkets vs Xtrade: neither online broker supports buying actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In a head-to-head comparison of funding methods, both ThinkMarkets and Xtrade do not offer ACH or SEPA transfers for deposits or withdrawals, while availability for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire is not specified—so confirm current payment options directly with each broker.
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 | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 74 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Xtrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 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 | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 482 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 56 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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 | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $250 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | |||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | |||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | |||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | N/A | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Xtrade Review |
| Overall | ThinkMarkets | Xtrade | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 74 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Xtrade Review |
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