Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs Exness, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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FXCM vs Exness: FXCM launched in 1999 and is publicly traded, while Exness began in 2008 and is not listed. Neither broker is a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM has a Trust Score of 95/99 (highly trusted), and Exness scores 80/99 (trusted). On this scale, 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted.
Regulation differs between these online forex brokers. FXCM holds 4 Tier-1 licenses (the highest level) and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Exness holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses. More Tier-1 approvals typically indicate tighter oversight in major financial centers, which aligns with FXCM’s higher Trust Score in this comparison.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
FXCM has slightly higher-than-average forex pricing overall, but its commission-based accounts can be competitive for active traders. In May 2024, EUR/USD spreads averaged 0.78 pips for its EU, U.K., and Australia accounts, while its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity averaged 1.38 pips. On commission-based pricing, the average spread was 0.28 pips before commissions, with active trader rebates able to lower costs further for eligible clients trading high monthly volumes. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #17 out of 36 brokers.
Exness offers a wider choice of account types, and its pricing depends on which one you choose. Its standard accounts are commission-free but usually have wider spreads, while the Pro account offers lower spreads with either instant or market execution. For traders who want tighter pricing, Exness also has the Zero Spread account, which charges a commission, and the Raw account, which charges up to $7 per round turn lot and also comes with lower spreads. Exness is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #32 out of 36 brokers.
In a direct comparison, FXCM comes out ahead on commissions and fees thanks to its stronger overall rating and higher ranking. Exness can still appeal to traders who want more account choices, especially if they are comparing commission-free and commission-based setups, but its pricing score is lower overall. For traders focused mainly on low trading costs, FXCM has the edge.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
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FXCM and Exness both let clients trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs rather than actual crypto. Neither broker provides exchange-traded U.S. shares or international shares, so you cannot buy stocks like Apple or Vodafone directly through either platform. FXCM also supports copy trading, while Exness does not.
When it comes to the range of investments, FXCM has the edge overall. It offers 440 tradeable symbols and 46 forex pairs, compared with Exness’s 239 symbols and 78 forex pairs. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #21 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #35, making FXCM the wider choice for overall market access.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 78 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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). |
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FXCM and Exness both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, and MetaTrader 4. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make order entry quicker and easier. One key difference is that FXCM offers copy trading, while Exness does not; on the other hand, Exness supports MetaTrader 5, which FXCM does not.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, FXCM has the edge overall. FXCM is rated 5 out of 5 stars in this category and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Exness at 4 out of 5 stars and #15 out of 36. For traders who want a wider mix of platform features and copy trading, FXCM may be the better fit, while Exness may appeal more to those who want MT5 support alongside its other platform options.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
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FXCM and Exness both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock or forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. That means either broker gives traders the basic mobile features most people look for when managing trades on the go. Both apps are designed to keep watchlists and alerts connected across devices, making it easier to stay on top of the market from your phone.
Where they differ is in charting and overall app ratings. Exness offers more technical studies in its mobile app, with 100 compared with FXCM’s 59, which may appeal to traders who want more chart analysis tools. FXCM, however, has a slight edge in user ratings and ranking, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars and placing #16 out of 36 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Exness scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #18. FXCM also auto-saves chart drawings in the app, while Exness does not.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FXCM and Exness both give traders daily market commentary, news from major providers like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar to track global events. They also both include Trading Central tools for technical analysis, but neither offers Autochartist or Acuity Trading research. Where FXCM stands out is in extra research features such as a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning across markets, along with market research from TipRanks, which Exness does not provide.
Overall, FXCM has the stronger market research offering. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #32 out of 36. For traders who want more built-in insight and sentiment data, FXCM has the edge, while Exness still covers the basics well.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing FXCM and Exness for beginner-friendly learning, both brokers give new traders plenty of material to get started. Each offers at least 10 forex or CFD education pieces, monthly educational webinars, and more than 10 beginner videos, along with a strong set of advanced videos for traders who want to keep learning. That means either platform can help a beginner build basic knowledge and move into more detailed trading topics over time.
That said, FXCM comes out ahead on education quality and overall ranking. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 for Education and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #21. For beginners who want the stronger mix of learning support and higher-rated educational content, FXCM has the edge, although Exness still provides a solid range of helpful resources.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FXCM is better than Exness. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
For traders who appreciate advanced trading tools and quality market research, FXCM is a winner, especially for algorithmic trading. Its range of tradeable markets is fairly narrow, however, and the pricing at FXCM is just average.
| Feature |
FXCM
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Exness
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| Trust Score | 95 | 80 |
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Comparing online brokers FXCM vs Exness for cryptocurrency trading: neither offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
FXCM vs Exness: For deposits and withdrawals, FXCM supports ACH/SEPA and PayPal (not available with Exness), while both brokers offer Skrill and bank wire transfers.
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 | FXCM | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Exness | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | 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) | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 78 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FXCM Review | Exness Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Exness Review |
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