Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XM Group vs Tickmill, 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.
XM Group and Tickmill are online brokers with different levels of regulatory strength. XM Group, founded in 2009, has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 93/99, which is “highly trusted” (90–99). Tickmill, founded in 2014, scores 85/99, which is “trusted” (80–89). Neither broker is publicly traded or a bank.
XM Group holds 4 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 3 Tier-2 licenses (trusted), while Tickmill holds 2 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses. In plain terms, more Tier-1 approvals usually signal tighter oversight in major financial centers, which can give everyday traders added confidence when comparing safety and regulation.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
XM Group earns a 3.5-star rating and ranks #36 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees at ForexBrokers.com. Its standard account spreads are considered expensive, and XM does not publish average spread data for its commission-based XM Zero account, which makes it harder for traders to compare true trading costs upfront. For cost-conscious traders, this lack of clear pricing detail may be a drawback.
Tickmill performs much better in this category, with a 4.5-star rating and a #10 rank out of 36 brokers. It offers a commission-free Classic account, but its spreads are much higher than the Raw account. The Raw account charges $3 per side per 100,000 units, or $6 per standard lot, after a recent increase from $2 per side. Even with this higher commission, Tickmill still delivers low all-in trading costs thanks to its tight spreads, which is why it remains a strong pick for active traders.
Overall, Tickmill offers better value for commissions and fees than XM Group, especially for frequent traders who care about lower total trading costs. XM Group may still suit some traders, but its higher spreads and limited published pricing make it less competitive in this comparison.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.1 | 1.70 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.7+ | 0.70 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
XM Group offers a wider range of investments than Tickmill, making it a stronger choice for traders who want more variety. XM Group provides 1,583 tradeable symbols and 54 forex pairs, while Tickmill offers 637 symbols and 62 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency.
Where XM Group stands out most is in access to exchange-traded securities. XM Group lets clients buy real shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple and Vodafone, while Tickmill does not offer exchange-traded securities. Based on ForexBrokers.com ratings, XM Group scores 4.5 out of 5 for Range of Investments and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers, compared with Tickmill’s 3.5 out of 5 and #32 ranking.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1583 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 54 | 62 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
XM Group and Tickmill are closely matched when it comes to trading platforms and tools, and both brokers cover the basics well. Each one offers a free demo account for paper trading, desktop software for Windows, a web-based platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading. Traders can also place trades directly from charts with either broker. Neither XM Group nor Tickmill has its own in-house platform, so if you prefer a broker-made system, neither stands out in that area.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, showing a solid overall experience for everyday trading needs. On ForexBrokers.com, Tickmill places slightly higher at #24 out of 36 brokers, compared with XM Group at #29. If you want a simple comparison, the main difference is that Tickmill edges ahead in the category ranking, while the platform lineup itself is very similar between the two.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 100 | 97 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XM Group and Tickmill both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so either broker gives traders a way to manage accounts and place trades from a phone or tablet. Both apps also let users sync watchlists with their online accounts, draw trendlines on charts, and each is rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile app rankings, Tickmill is placed slightly higher at #25 out of 36 brokers, while XM Group is ranked #26.
When it comes to app features, XM Group has a small edge. Its mobile app includes stock and forex price alerts, which Tickmill does not offer. XM Group also provides 100 technical studies in its charting tools, compared with 97 for Tickmill. Neither app automatically saves chart drawings, so users will need to reapply them if they switch devices or refresh their charts.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 100 | 97 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XM Group and Tickmill both provide daily market commentary and an economic calendar, so each gives traders a basic way to follow news and upcoming events. XM Group goes further with forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Trading Central tools and a sentiment indicator that shows whether traders are leaning long or short. Tickmill does not offer those same extras, but it does include research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre.
Overall, XM Group has the stronger market research offering. It earns 5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers in this category, while Tickmill is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #19. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks research, or that set of tools, but XM Group gives traders more in-house research and third-party analysis choices.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn forex or CFD trading, both XM Group and Tickmill provide a wide range of educational material. Each broker offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 learning pieces, plus monthly online webinars, so new traders can keep learning through articles, videos, and live sessions. Both also offer at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, which makes it easier for users to start with the basics and move on to more detailed topics over time.
That said, XM Group has the edge in education overall. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and is ranked #5 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #14. In simple terms, both brokers give beginners plenty of learning support, but XM Group stands out as the stronger choice for educational resources.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 XM Group is better than Tickmill. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #16, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23.
XM Group is a multi-regulated forex and CFD broker offering 1,583 tradeable symbols across MetaTrader 4 and 5 and a new proprietary web and mobile platform. Its live trading rooms and integrated Trading Central research are among the best in the industry. Standard account spreads are expensive, though the Ultra Low and Zero accounts are competitive.
| Feature |
XM Group
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Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 |
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XM Group vs Tickmill: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency trading via CFDs.
Comparing online brokers XM Group vs Tickmill for deposits and withdrawals: both do not support ACH or SEPA, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, Tickmill supports PayPal while XM Group does not, and 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 | XM Group | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XM Group | Tickmill | |
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| Regulation | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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 | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1583 | 637 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 54 | 62 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.1 | 1.70 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.7+ | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 100 | 97 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 100 | 97 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | XM Group Review | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | XM Group | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | Tickmill Review |
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