Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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.
Founded in 2002, XTB stands out with its strong presence as a publicly traded entity. Despite not being a bank, XTB manages to inspire confidence with its two Tier-1 and two Tier-2 regulatory licenses, providing substantial security for traders. With a high Trust Score of 96 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, XTB is positioned as a highly trusted choice for those involved in the markets.
On the other hand, Tickmill, which began operations in 2014, is not publicly listed but also garners trust through its regulatory framework. Like XTB, Tickmill holds two Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses, affirming its commitment to safely conducting business. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, Tickmill is a trusted broker, although slightly behind XTB in terms of perceived safety and reliability in the eyes of industry experts.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Tickmill earns 5/5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while XTB earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #12. On EUR/USD, Tickmill’s Raw account posts a typical spread of 0.11 pips plus a $6 round‑turn commission per standard lot, putting the all‑in cost near 0.71 pips. XTB’s Standard account averaged 1.0 pip in Q4 2023. That means Tickmill tends to be cheaper for active traders, though XTB’s volume-based rebates can help narrow the gap.
XTB offers a spread-only Standard account for most retail traders and a commission-based Professional account that’s being phased out and is generally limited to elected professionals in the U.K. and Europe. Pricing is around the industry average and not the lowest. Minimum deposit is 250 base currency, and active traders can qualify for XTB’s Lower Spread Group rebates (about 5% to 30% of the spread) once monthly volume crosses 20 lots, with the highest discount at 1,000 lots.
Tickmill provides a Classic (spread-only) account and a low-cost Raw account. The Raw account replaced Pro and charges $3 per side ($6 round turn) per 100,000 units; typical EUR/USD pricing works out to roughly 0.71 pips all-in, while the Classic account’s average spread was much higher at 1.76 pips (Aug 2023). With a minimum deposit of just $100 for the Raw account, Tickmill remains one of the strongest choices for cost-conscious and high-volume traders.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | 1.70 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 0.70 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing XTB vs Tickmill for range of investments, XTB delivers far more variety with 7,184 tradeable symbols vs 637 at Tickmill. Both brokers offer forex trading (CFD or spot), with XTB listing 71 forex pairs and Tickmill offering 63. A key difference is stock access: XTB lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges (such as Apple and Vodafone), while Tickmill does not. For crypto, both brokers provide cryptocurrency CFDs but neither offers actual, delivered coins.
Feature extras also differ: Tickmill supports copy trading, while XTB does not. For Range of Investments, XTB earns 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; Tickmill earns 3.5 stars and ranks #43. In short, choose XTB if you want a wider selection and access to real shares, or pick Tickmill if copy trading is a priority and a leaner lineup suits your needs.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 63 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
XTB and Tickmill both provide free demo accounts for paper trading, plus Windows desktop and web-based platforms that let you place trades straight from the chart. XTB offers an in-house proprietary platform, while Tickmill focuses on third-party options. Another key difference is social features: XTB does not support copy trading, whereas Tickmill does. Platform choice also matters—XTB does not support MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, while Tickmill supports both MT4 and MT5.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates XTB 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks it #9 of 63 brokers, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #30. In simple terms, choose XTB if you want a broker-built platform and don’t need MT4/MT5 or copy trading; pick Tickmill if you want MT4/MT5 and copy trading alongside familiar desktop and web experiences.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | 91 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and Tickmill both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-saving of your drawings. Neither broker syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the web platform, so changes you make in one won’t appear in the other. For charting tools, XTB includes 39 technical studies, while Tickmill offers 30, giving XTB a slight edge for traders who like more built-in indicators.
In overall quality, XTB scores 4.5 out of 5 stars for its mobile trading apps and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category on ForexBrokers.com. Tickmill earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #30 out of 63. If you want a fuller set of indicators and higher-rated mobile experience, XTB stands out. If you only need core charting and alerts on both iPhone and Android, Tickmill covers the essentials.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both XTB and Tickmill provide daily market commentary and offer forex news updates from top-tier sources, ensuring traders have access to important financial developments. They both feature sentiment-based tools that highlight trading positions across various currency pairs. Additionally, you will find economic calendars on both platforms, which display global news events that might impact the markets. This can be extremely useful for traders who wish to plan their strategies around major economic releases.
However, there are some key differences in the research tools offered by each broker. While neither XTB nor Tickmill uses tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, it's important to note that Tickmill does provide research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, unlike XTB. Despite this, XTB is rated higher for research, with a perfect five stars and a top-ranked position of #7 across 63 brokers. In contrast, Tickmill has a commendable four-star rating, landing at #21. These distinctions make XTB a slightly more highly regarded choice for traders valuing robust research tools and insights.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
XTB and Tickmill both provide comprehensive forex and CFD education for beginners. Each broker meets the “10+ pieces” standard with a mix of articles, videos, and archived webinars. New traders get at least 10 beginner-focused videos at both brokers, plus live client webinars at least once per month to help explain market basics and platform how-tos.
Where they differ: XTB earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill holds 4 stars and ranks #15. Tickmill still offers plenty of quality learning, and both brands include 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to progress. If you want the higher-rated beginner pathway, XTB has the edge.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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 XTB is better than Tickmill. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #22.
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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Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 86 |
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XTB vs Tickmill: Neither online broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading.
XTB vs Tickmill: both online brokers allow deposits and withdrawals via PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire, neither supports ACH or SEPA, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Tickmill | |
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| Regulation | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | 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) | 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 637 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 63 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | 1.70 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 91 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | XTB | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Tickmill Review |
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