Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs Trading 212, 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.
XTB and Trading 212 are both established online brokers with XTB founded in 2002 and Trading 212 in 2004. While neither XTB nor Trading 212 operates as a bank, XTB holds the distinction of being publicly traded, a factor that may influence investor confidence. Additionally, XTB holds two Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly trusted, and has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 96, placing it in the bracket of brokers deemed highly trusted.
On the other hand, Trading 212, although not publicly traded, holds an impressive three Tier-1 licenses, attesting to its credibility in the trading community. Despite holding more Tier-1 licenses, Trading 212 does not possess any Tier-2 licenses and has a Trust Score of 80, suggesting it is a trusted broker but not as highly rated as XTB in terms of trust. Both companies offer their unique strengths and considerations for potential investors.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
XTB and Trading 212 take different routes on commissions and fees. XTB’s Standard account is spread-only with a minimum deposit of 250 in your base currency (GBP/EUR/USD), while its commission-based Professional account is reserved for elected professionals in the U.K. and EU and is being phased out. Using Q4 2023 data, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was 1.0 pip. Trading 212 advertises zero-commission CFD trading, but spreads still apply; for April 2025, its average EUR/USD spread was 2.7 pips, which is well above the industry average. Trading 212 offers two accounts: Invest (minimum 1 euro) and CFD (minimum 10 euros), with the CFD account being the one relevant to spread-based trading.
For higher volumes, XTB’s Standard and Pro pricing can be similar, but for smaller trade sizes the Standard account tends to be cheaper—especially since the Pro option isn’t widely available anymore. XTB also runs an active trader program called the Lower Spread Group that rebates 5% to 30% of the spread once you hit monthly volume thresholds (from 20 to 1000 lots), helping cut costs further. Overall, XTB’s pricing sits around the industry average but typically comes in tighter than Trading 212 on key forex pairs like EUR/USD.
Verdict on value: XTB earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #12 of 63 at ForexBrokers.com. Trading 212 earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #50 of 63. If you care most about lower forex spreads and potential volume rebates, XTB has the edge; if you want tiny minimum deposits with simple, spread-only pricing, Trading 212’s CFD account is easy to start with—but expect wider spreads.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 2.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
XTB and Trading 212 both offer a wide range of investments, earning 5 stars for Range of Investments. Trading 212 lists more tradeable symbols overall (7,868 vs. XTB’s 7,184) and more forex pairs (146 vs. 71). Both platforms support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, depending on your region and account.
When it comes to shares, both let you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international markets (think Apple and Vodafone). Neither platform offers copy trading. Neither sells actual cryptocurrency, but both provide crypto derivatives for trading. According to ForexBrokers.com, XTB ranks #15 and Trading 212 ranks #16 for Range of Investments—so while Trading 212 leads on sheer instrument count, XTB gets a slight edge in the category ranking.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 7868 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 146 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | 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.
XTB vs Trading 212 for trading platforms and tools: both brokers offer free demo (paper) accounts and run their own in-house platforms. Each provides a web-based platform and lets you place trades directly from charts. XTB also offers a downloadable Windows desktop platform, while Trading 212 does not provide a Windows desktop download. Neither broker supports copy trading, and neither offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) or MetaTrader 5 (MT5).
Based on ForexBrokers.com testing, XTB earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers for platforms and tools, whereas Trading 212 scores 4/5 stars and ranks 20th. If you value a native Windows app and a higher-rated toolkit, XTB has the edge; if you’re happy trading in your browser with a simple setup and a free demo, Trading 212 is a solid choice.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 54 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and Trading 212 both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps on iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, real-time watchlists, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saving your chart drawings—handy for picking up where you left off. If you want straightforward alerts and chart tools on the go, either app can cover the basics.
The differences show up in charting depth and account syncing. Trading 212 offers many more built-in technical studies (104 vs. 39 on XTB) and syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while XTB does not. However, XTB earns the stronger overall marks: it’s rated 4.5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Trading 212’s 4 stars and #17 ranking. Choose XTB if higher third-party ratings matter most; pick Trading 212 if you want a larger set of indicators and watchlist syncing.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB vs Trading 212 for market research: XTB delivers daily market commentary, while Trading 212 does not. Both brokers stream forex news from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and both include a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning along with an economic calendar tracking global events. Neither platform offers research tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, and neither provides research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
Ratings and rankings underline the gap: XTB earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, whereas Trading 212 scores 3.5 stars and ranks #45. If you value frequent insights and broader in-house coverage, XTB is the stronger choice; if you mainly want news, sentiment, and a calendar without extra third‑party tool suites, Trading 212 can still do the job.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner traders comparing education at XTB and Trading 212, both brokers deliver plenty of on‑demand learning with at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos. XTB adds live learning with client webinars held at least monthly, while Trading 212 does not offer regular educational webinars. It’s not confirmed whether either broker provides a 10+ piece library focused specifically on forex and CFDs, a searchable archive of past webinars, or an investor dictionary with 50+ terms—check each site for the latest resources.
On quality and recognition, XTB earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 earns 3.5 stars and ranks #21. If you want live sessions to support your video learning, XTB is the stronger choice; if you’re happy with on‑demand videos alone, both platforms cover the basics for beginners.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 Trading 212. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
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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Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 80 |
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Both XTB and Trading 212 allow users to buy cryptocurrency derivatives but do not offer the ability to purchase actual cryptocurrencies directly.
Comparing funding methods, XTB supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA, while Trading 212 offers ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wires but not Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability for both 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 | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | 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) | |||
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 7868 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | 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 | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 54 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XTB Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | XTB | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Trading 212 Review |
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