Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XM Group 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.
XM Group (founded 2009) and Trading 212 (founded 2004) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. According to ForexBrokers.com, XM Group holds a Trust Score of 93/99 (highly trusted), while Trading 212 scores 82/99 (trusted).
Regulation-wise, XM Group has 4 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 3 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Trading 212 has 3 Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. In this XM Group vs Trading 212 comparison, XM Group shows a stronger regulatory profile, while Trading 212 still meets a solid trusted standard.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, XM Group and Trading 212 take different approaches, but neither is a clear winner on pricing. XM Group earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #35 out of 36 brokers for this category. Its standard account spreads are expensive, and it does not publish average spreads for the commission-based XM Zero account, which makes it harder to compare costs clearly.
Trading 212 rates a bit better at 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28 out of 36. It advertises zero-commission trading, but traders still pay the spread on CFDs and forex. The broker has started sharing average spread data, which improves price transparency, but its April 2025 EUR/USD average spread of 2.7 pips is still well above the industry average and may cost more than many competing CFD and forex brokers.
Overall, Trading 212 appears slightly more favorable on commissions and fees thanks to its higher rating and better ranking, but both brokers have pricing drawbacks. XM Group may be less transparent about its costs, while Trading 212 is more open about spreads yet still looks expensive for CFD and forex trading.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | €1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 2.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
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When it comes to range of investments, both XM Group and Trading 212 let you trade forex as a CFD or spot contract, and both also give access to exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international markets. XM Group offers 1,429 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs, while Trading 212 gives investors a much wider selection with 13,000 tradeable symbols and 180 forex pairs. Trading 212 also stands out for offering actual cryptocurrency purchases, whereas XM Group does not.
Both brokers support cryptocurrency CFDs and copy trading is available with XM Group, but not with Trading 212. Based on ForexBrokers.com, XM Group is rated 4.5 out of 5 for range of investments and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers, while Trading 212 earns 5 out of 5 and ranks #15. For traders who want more choice across markets and instruments, Trading 212 has the edge overall.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1429 | 13000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 180 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| 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 Trading 212 both give traders a free demo account for simulated trading, plus web-based platforms and the ability to trade directly from a chart. Neither broker offers a proprietary in-house platform, but XM Group has a wider platform range overall thanks to its Windows desktop download option, while Trading 212 is more web-focused. Both brokers also earn 4 out of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools.
For traders who want more platform choice, XM Group stands out with MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading, features Trading 212 does not offer. Trading 212, however, still scores higher in ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for this category, placing #19 out of 36 brokers compared with XM Group at #28. In simple terms, XM Group may appeal more to traders looking for MetaTrader and copy trading, while Trading 212 may suit those who prefer a clean browser-based setup.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| 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 | 102 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XM Group and Trading 212 both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between the app and the client’s online account. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts, so both platforms cover the basic tools many mobile traders look for. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, showing that each provides a solid mobile trading experience.
Where Trading 212 stands out is charting depth and convenience. Its mobile app includes 104 technical studies, compared with 30 for XM Group, and it can also auto-save chart drawings, which XM Group does not. That extra charting support likely helps explain why Trading 212 ranks higher for mobile trading apps at #17 out of 36 brokers, while XM Group ranks #26 out of 36. For traders who want more chart tools on the go, Trading 212 has the edge, while XM Group still offers the core mobile features most users need.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing XM Group vs Trading 212 for market research, XM Group comes out ahead overall. XM Group offers daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, Trading Central tools, a sentiment indicator showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar with key global events. Trading 212 also provides forex news from major sources, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, but it does not offer daily market commentary or Trading Central research tools.
Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools. Still, XM Group has a clear edge in research quality, with a 5-star Research rating and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #8 out of 36 brokers, compared with Trading 212’s 3.5-star rating and #33 ranking. For traders who want more built-in market analysis and regular commentary, XM Group is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, XM Group has a clear edge over Trading 212. XM Group offers forex and CFDs education with well over the minimum number of learning materials, and it also holds online educational client webinars at least once a month. It provides at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, making it a strong choice for new traders who want to learn step by step and for more experienced users who want to keep building their skills. Trading 212 also offers at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, but it does not run monthly educational webinars, which may matter for learners who prefer live guidance.
Overall, XM Group is the better pick for education based on both ratings and ranking. It earns 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category. Trading 212 is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #20 out of 36. If you want more learning options, especially live webinars and forex or CFDs-focused education, XM Group stands out as the stronger choice for beginners.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
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 XM Group is better than Trading 212. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #16, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #25.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XM Group
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Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 82 |
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In XM Group vs Trading 212, both online brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but only Trading 212 lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, whereas XM Group does not.
Comparing online brokers XM Group and Trading 212 for deposits and withdrawals: XM Group does not support ACH/SEPA or PayPal but allows Skrill and bank wire transfers, while Trading 212 supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers but not PayPal or Skrill.
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 | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 82 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1429 | 13000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 180 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| 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 | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 102 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XM Group Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | XM Group | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | Trading 212 Review |
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