XM vs InstaForex - Fees Review included
Which broker is better XM or InstaForex? Our expert assessment conducted according to TU’s own methodology showed that XM is one of the top brokers in the financial market with the TU Overall Score of 9 out of 10. InstaForex is one of the top brokers in the financial market with the TU Overall Score of 7.22 out of 10. Find out more about TU Overall Score.
| Feature | XM | InstaForex |
|---|---|---|
Overall |
4.5 |
4.5 |
4.9 |
4.5 |
|
4.3 |
3.5 |
|
4.4 |
4.6 |
|
Investment Instruments |
4.4 |
4.8 |
Platforms and Charting Tools |
4.6 |
4.4 |
Deposit and Withdrawal |
4.7 |
5 |
Research |
5 |
4.6 |
Education |
5 |
4.8 |
Support |
4.6 |
4.7 |
Bonuses |
5 |
5 |
|
|
|
XM vs InstaForex: Pros and Cons
XM Broker was founded in 2009. Initially, the company covered a narrow niche of the trader market, specializing exclusively in intermediary services at the foreign exchange market. It has since experienced considerable success and growth. XM is reliable and safe. It has diversified and is now an international broker operating in almost 190 countries around the world. For over a decade XM Broker has attracted 3,5 million traders, offering unique technological solutions. The company is now being recognised as the Fastest Growing Broker, the Best Forex Service Provider and various other contributing achievements. The team at XM Broker is committed to continually working hard to improve the quality of the services provided every year as they are committed to continually providing the best service to their traders.
InstaForex is an international company that has been providing services in the Forex currency market since 2007. Today, more than 7 million traders worldwide use the services of this broker. InstaForex offers its clients access to 300 trading instruments, such as PAMM Investment and ForexCopy system to copy trading of successful traders. The company’s activity is regulated by the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (FSC) in accordance with the Securities and Investment Business Act. InstaForex has a reputation for responsible and professional trading practices. In 2016, the company received the UK Forex Best Social Broker Award, in 2018 was named the Best Forex Platform for Trading Cryptocurrency, and in 2019 Best Asian Broker and the Best Eastern European broker.
| XM | InstaForex | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Pros | Well-Regulated broker | Regulated Forex Broker |
| Strong research tools | 2500+ trading assets | |
| Strong education | Individual online training | |
| Big Forex bonuses | Advances news and analytitc platforms | |
| Free deposit and withdrawal | Free VPS service | |
| Instant withdrawal | High exacution speed | |
| 1000+ trading assets | No deposit and withdrawal fees | |
| Deposits in crypto | ||
| $1000 No deposit bonus (Only for international entety) | ||
| Overall Cons | High spreads | High spreads and trading fees |
| Low exacution speed |
XM vs InstaForex: Safety and Regulation
| XM | InstaForex | |
|---|---|---|
Max. Regulation Level |
Tier-1 |
Tier-1 |
Investor protection |
£85,000 €20,000 |
No |
FCA UK Regulation |
No |
No |
FINRA (U.S) |
No |
No |
BaFin (Germany) |
No |
No |
ASIC (Australia) |
No |
No |
CFTC (U.S) |
No |
No |
MAS |
No |
No |
FSCA SA |
Yes |
No |
BVI FSC |
No |
Yes |
VFSC |
No |
No |
FSA (Seychelles) |
Yes |
No |
XM vs InstaForex: Trading Conditions
| Trading Conditions | XM | InstaForex |
|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit |
$5 |
$1 |
Trading Platforms |
MT4, MT5 |
MT4, MT5, InstaForex MultiTerminal |
Max Leverage (Futures) |
1:888, 1:30 (for EU, UK clients) |
1:1000, 1:30 (for EU clients) |
Supported Markets |
Forex, CFDs on indices, commodities, crypto, metals, stocks |
Forex, CFDs on indices, commodities, crypto, metals, stocks |
Trading assets |
1300+ |
2500+ |
Trading Accounts |
Micro, Standard, Ultra Low, Zero |
Insta.Standard, Insta.Eurica, Cent.Standard, Cent.Eurica for international entity, ECN, ECN PRO, ECN VIP - For EU entity. |
Base Account Currencies |
USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF, AUD, HUF, PLN, RUB, SGD, ZAR |
EUR, USD |
XM vs InstaForex: Fees
| XM | InstaForex | |
|---|---|---|
Standard acc. spread EUR/USD, min pips |
0,7 |
3 |
Standard acc. spread EUR/USD, max pips |
1,2 |
7 |
ECN Commission |
3,5 |
3 |
ECN Spread EUR/USD |
0,2 |
0,2 |
Deposit fee, % |
No |
No |
Withdrawal fee, % |
No |
0,5-2 |
Withdrawal fee, USD |
No |
20-100 |
Inactivity fee, $ |
10 |
No |
A conversion fee may be applied as withdrawals and deposits are conducted in USD. Any other currency will have to be converted.
XM vs InstaForex: Trading Assets
| Asset Name | XM | InstaForex |
|---|---|---|
Overall |
1300+ |
2500+ |
Forex |
Yes |
Yes |
Stocks |
Yes |
Yes (CFD) |
Metals |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Cryptocurrencies |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Energy |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Indices |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
ETFs |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Bonds |
No |
No |
Mutual funds |
No |
No |
Stock options |
No |
No |
Futures Trading |
No |
No |
Binary Options |
No |
No |
XM or InstaForex: Investment Programs
| Asset Name | XM | InstaForex |
|---|---|---|
Copy Trading |
Yes |
Yes |
MAM/PAMM |
No |
Yes |
Managed Accounts |
No |
No |
Other |
No |
No |
Trading Platforms: InstaForex or XM
| XM | InstaForex | |
|---|---|---|
MT4 |
Yes |
Yes |
MT5 |
Yes |
Yes |
cTrader |
No |
No |
Appropriate platform |
No |
InstaForex |
Others |
No |
No |
|
|
|
XM vs InstaForex: Deposit and Withdrawal Methods
| XM | InstaForex | |
|---|---|---|
Bank Wire |
Yes |
Yes |
Bank Card |
Yes |
Yes |
Neteller |
Yes |
Yes |
BTC |
Yes |
Yes |
Wise |
No |
No |
Payoneer |
No |
No |
USDT |
Yes |
Yes |
XM vs InstaForex: Research
| Research Type | XM | InstaForex |
|---|---|---|
News Feed |
Yes |
Yes |
Fundamental Data |
Yes |
Yes |
Chart Analysis |
Yes |
Yes |
Trading Ideas |
Yes |
Yes |
E-Mail Reports |
Yes |
Yes |
XM vs InstaForex: Education
| Education Type | XM | InstaForex |
|---|---|---|
Demo-account/Paper Trading |
Yes |
Yes |
Webinars |
Yes |
Yes |
Articles |
Yes |
Yes |
Videos |
Yes |
Yes |
Cent account |
Yes |
Yes |
InstaForex vs XM: Support
| Support Features | XM | InstaForex |
|---|---|---|
Working Days |
24/5 |
24/5 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Phone |
Yes |
Yes |
Online chat |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
No |
Messendgers |
XM vs InstaForex: Forex Bonuses and Promo
| Promo | XM | InstaForex |
|---|---|---|
Forex Bonus |
up to $5000 forex bonus, up to 100% forex deposit bonus |
$1000 no deposit bonus |
Affiliate Program |
Multi tier affiliate program |
Yes |
Other Promos |
||
|
|
|
Top 5 Reviews on InstaForex
-
Comment
InstaForex offers over 2,500 trading instruments, including InstaSpot and InstaFutures—for those looking for unconventional assets. Over years of working with them, I haven’t encountered any critical outages, but it’s important to note that some products, like OYS accounts, are only available with a minimum investment of $1,000. Support is available within the terminal and responds quickly, though it can be quiet during nighttime hours.
-
Comment
For the first time, I came across a non-standard instrument called InstaFutures with a broker. So far, I’ve tested it on a demo account using MT5. I chose the Insta.Standard account — the spread is floating, around 1.2 pips. The minimum trade size is 0.01 lots. The partnership program is straightforward — commissions are paid out regularly, with transparent terms, especially for CPL and CPA. However, withdrawals via crypto wallets aren’t always fast.
-
Comment
I’ve been using the option to invest through the OYS portfolio under CySEC. The minimum is from $2000, with allocations across crypto, stocks, and indices. So far, everything is transparent, and the fees are clear. Trading is available via WebTrader, MT4, and MT5, which is convenient. No issues with withdrawals or verification. However, the dealing delay in copy trading—up to 15 seconds—is something to keep in mind.
-
Comment
Instaforex offers two main registration options — under FSC or CySEC. This choice affects both leverage (up to 1:1000 vs. 1:30) and spreads. There’s also a wide range of account types, from demo and standard to ECN and VIP. Support responds quickly, especially with straightforward inquiries. However, this broker may not suit those looking for fixed-income investments — there are no passive investment tools available.
-
Comment
I prefer to deal with InstaForex. Their web trader platforms are awesome, and I can trade in browsers with many advanced functions, which has brought me $750 in profit so far. I am satisfied with InstaForexso far. I am happy to make profitable orders, so I will continue trading with InstaForex.
Top 5 Reviews on XM
-
Comment
It’s a cool broker and it works really well especially because the support are helpful, professional and available 24/7.
-
Comment
I discovered XM Group through the Traders Union rankings — the company ranked among the top brokers. I was impressed by the range of instruments: over 1,000 tradable assets, including 55+ currency pairs, stocks, indices, commodities, and even palladium and platinum. Spreads are very tight, with no markup on most pairs. I especially appreciated the execution speed: 99.35% of orders are filled in less than a second, and I can confirm that personally — I haven’t experienced any delays or requotes. Over the past four months, I’ve made around $700 trading currencies and commodities.
-
Comment
I've been trading with XM Group for just over a year. I chose this broker based on reviews and the fact that it holds multiple licenses — ASIC, CySEC, FSC, and DFSA. I really liked the low minimum deposit of just $5, which meant I didn’t have to risk a large amount. I started with a micro account where 1 lot equals 1,000 units — perfect for beginners. I’m satisfied with the spreads: on EUR/USD they start from 0.8 pips, and there are no fees for deposits or withdrawals, which is quite rare. Over the year, I’ve withdrawn about $900 in profit — the funds arrived quickly, with a maximum wait of 2 days.
-
Comment
XM Group is a great choice for active trading thanks to its transparent commission policy and no requotes. Over 5 million traders have chosen this broker — an impressive number. I made about 70 trades in a month, all executed in under a second with no requotes. MQL5 trading signals can be integrated directly into the terminal, making it easy to test ideas from other traders. A $5 minimum deposit and a wide range of assets make XM Group a versatile option for both beginners and professionals.
-
Comment
I liked that XM Group operates under licenses from four regulators at once: ASIC, CySEC, FSC, and DFSA. This inspires confidence. Fast execution was important to me — the broker claims 100% order execution, and in practice trades close at the prices I see in the terminal. Spreads are minimal — for major pairs they stay around 0.8–1 pip. Support is always available on weekends and helped me with account verification questions.
FAQs
What should I start Forex trading with?
It is desirable for novice traders to explore trading using a demo account to learn the market and how to work on the trading platform without the risk of suffering losses. At the same time, it is advisable to review the educational materials of the broker, learn trading basics. Then you can deposit the minimum required amount to perform a small number of transactions. If you manage to close several months in a row in the black, without substantial drawdowns on the account, then you can try increasing your deposit. Also trying to copy trades automatically is a good option for a start.
What amount should I start trading with?
The minimum deposit of $10 may be enough to trade on the cent account. However, for trading on Standard/ECT accounts, experts recommend starting with at least $200-500. With this amount, you can use not a very big leverage. Remember, getting carried away with the margin is the main cause of losses among beginners.
What should I take into consideration when choosing a broker?
Experts recommend looking at the broker’s reliability first and foremost. The other important features include basic trading conditions, commissions and fees, customer reviews. If brokers are approximately the same in terms of basic criteria, you need to choose based on your experience and tasks. One broker may be good for professionals and another – for novice traders.
Is it possible to be scammed by a broker with a license from a reputable regulator?
In theory, yes. But in practice, it takes so much time and money to comply with the requirements of reputable regulators that it is not worth it for scammers to bother obtaining a legitimate license.
Team that worked on the article
Mikhail Vnuchkov joined Traders Union as an author in 2020. He began his professional career as a journalist-observer at a small online financial publication, where he covered global economic events and discussed their impact on the segment of financial investment, including investor income. With five years of experience in finance, Mikhail joined Traders Union team, where he is in charge of forming the pool of latest news for traders, who trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, Forex instruments and fixed income.