TradeStation vs FXCM

TradeStation vs FXCM Comparison Table 2024
TradeStation	FXCM
Review 3.5	Review 3.5

TradeStation is a popular, SEC-regulated broker offering stock, CFD and futures trading through powerful proprietary trading platforms. Available assets vary by region, with CFD trading available on the global branch. The US-based broker has different pricing methods split to cater for active day traders, or longer term stock holders.	FXCM is a respected forex and CFD broker, established since 1999. The British-headquartered broker has won multiple awards and operates in various jurisdictions, including the UK and Australia. With zero commissions, over 400 assets, and a range of analysis tools, FXCM remains a popular choice for day traders. The broker is also regulated by top-tier authorities including the FCA and ASIC.
Comment by Reviewer
"TradeStation is a secure, tried-and-tested broker for stock traders who want a powerful, flexible platform. The $500 minimum deposit makes this broker a better fit for experienced traders."	"FXCM maintains its position as a top pick for traders deploying automated trading strategies, with four powerful platforms, strategy backtesting and algo trading through APIs. The broker is also great for active traders, with discounted spreads and low to zero commissions on popular assets."
Pros
Reputable brand with oversight from top US regulators Powerful trading platform with desktop, webtrader and mobile app Support for third-party platform add-ons Fast and responsive customer service Quick, straightforward account setup Competitive commissions on US stocks	Alongside the 4 charting platforms, FXCM also offers a market-leading range of specialist software for experienced investors, including QuantConnect, AgenaTrader and Sierra Chart The proprietary Trading Station terminal is a good choice for day traders looking for an all-in-one solution for their short-term and automated trading strategies Traders can utilize several top-tier trading tools including a market scanner, forex signals and third-party research site, eFXPlus FXCM’s global reputation is impressive, with licenses from the FCA, ASIC, CySEC and FSCA and a 20-year business history A range of funding methods are available including bank cards, Apply Pay and PayPal, with instant processing times The broker offers spread discounts and other excellent perks for experienced traders in the Active Trader account FXCM has expanded its range of trading opportunities with 24-hour stock CFDs through MetaTrader 4
Cons
Limited ETF options with no commission-free ETFs Expensive subscription fees for many add-ons Pricing disadvantages less active traders Limited free data and in-depth research	Although FXCM continues to gear their services towards experienced traders, it’s a shame that there are no managed accounts on offer There is no choice of retail accounts for traders, nor any Cent/Micro account options The live chat support can be slow and unreliable compared to the top competitors
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Futures, Commodities	CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Cryptos, Commodities
Demo Account
Yes	Yes
Minimum Deposit
$500	$50
Trading Platforms
MT4	Trading Station MT4 TradingView eSignal
Payment Methods
ACH Transfer	Apple Pay Credit Card Debit Card Google Wallet Klarna PayPal POLi Wire Transfer
Minimum Trade
Min lot size will vary	Variable
Regulator
SEC	FCA, CySEC, ASIC
Margin Trading
No	Yes
STP Account
No	No
ECN Account
No	No
DMA Account
Yes	No
MAM Account
No	Yes
PAMM Account
No	No
LAMM Account
No	No
Demat Account
No	No
AI / Machine Learning
No	No
Robo Advisor
No	No
Negative Balance Protection
No	Yes
Market Maker
No	Yes
P2P Trading
No	No
Spot Trading
No	No
Mobile Apps
iOS, Android and Windows	iOS and Android
Copy Trading
No	Yes
Copy Trading Platform
	FXCM offers social and copy trading on forex, CFDs and cryptos through the hugely popular ZuluTrade platform. The sign-up process is quick and you can track your performance in real-time.
Social Trading
No	Yes
VPS Hosting
No	No
Tournaments
No	No
Demo Competitions
No	Yes
Ethical Investing
No	No
Custodial Account
No	No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No	No
Islamic Account
No	No
Account Currencies
USD EUR GBP CAD AUD JPY CHF	USD EUR GBP CAD AUD ZAR CHF
Stock Exchanges
	Euronext IBEX 35 Russell 2000
Commodities
Soybeans	Cannabis Gold Oil Silver
CFD Trading
Trade CFDs on popular asset classes, including forex and stocks. FX CFD commissions are competitive at 0.6 basis points while for shares it's a minimum of $3 per order.	You can trade a range of CFD instruments across forex, shares, indices and commodities. There’s an excellent selection of platforms for day traders, including TradingView and MT4, plus additional tools for experienced algo traders including API solutions.
Leverage
1:20	1:30
FTSE Spread
N/A	1.18 pts var*
GBPUSD Spread
N/A	0.5 pips*
Oil Spread
0.06 pips	0.05 (var)*
Stocks Spread
0.2% Var	0.2% Var*
Forex Trading
Speculate on 26 currencies including majors. Top-tier liquidity is available from 17 of the biggest forex dealing banks, alongside dynamic order management and low commissions.	FXCM offers an average range of 40+ currency pairs, although there are no commissions and spreads are competitive from 0.78 pips for EUR/USD. The broker also offers 3 forex baskets covering USD, Yen and emerging markets benchmarks.
GBPUSD Spread
Variable	0.5 pips var*
EURUSD Spread
Variable	0.2 pips var*
EURGBP Spread
Variable	0.5 pips var*
Assets
26	40
Currency Indices
	JPY
Cryptocurrency
Crypto trading not offered	You can trade some of world's most popular digital coins with zero commission and leverage up to 1:4. FXCM also stands out for its crypto major basket which offers exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash in one trade.
Spread
	Variable
Coins
	BTC ETH LTC BTC
Crypto Lending
No	No
Crypto Mining
No	No
Crypto Staking
Yes	No
Auto Market Maker
No	No

Review	Review
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