XM Account Types Comparison — Standard vs Micro vs Ultra Low vs Shares — Full Specification Comparison

Full XM Account Types Comparison Table — Every Specification Side by Side

Every account shares the same NDD execution system, negative balance protection, and access to MT4/MT5 platforms. The differences below are what actually distinguish them from each other.

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Rather than working through specs row by row, the cleaner approach is to start with your situation. Three variables drive the decision for most traders: how much you plan to deposit, whether you want low spreads or small lot sizes, and whether you need stock trading.

How Lot Size Affects Your Real Dollar Risk Per Pip — Standard vs Micro

The lot size difference between Standard and Micro accounts is not cosmetic. It changes the dollar value of every pip move by a factor of 100. For a trader starting with a $200 deposit, this difference determines whether a 10-pip move costs them $2 or $200 — the kind of gap that separates a manageable learning loss from a blown account.

Pip value comparison — EURUSD at 0.1 lot trade size

The practical consequence: a Standard Account trader running 0.1 lots risks roughly $1 per pip. A Micro Account trader at the same 0.1 lot volume risks $0.01 per pip. If you are testing a strategy that might hit a 30-pip stop-loss, the Standard account loses $30 on that trade while the Micro account loses $0.30. At $200 balance, that distinction is the difference between a manageable drawdown and a serious account impact.

This is why experienced traders often recommend starting on Micro when moving from demo to live. The emotional experience of losing real money — even small amounts — is different from demo trading, and the Micro Account keeps the financial cost of that adjustment period low.

Standard vs Ultra Low — Understanding the Spread Difference and When It Matters

The spread is the gap between the buy price and the sell price of an instrument. Every trade you open starts at a loss equal to the spread — you need the market to move at least that far in your direction before you are in profit. A narrower spread means a smaller hurdle to clear on every trade.

How XM's Ultra Low spreads compare to Standard spreads

XM does not publish a fixed spread list because spreads are variable and change with market conditions. However, the Ultra Low accounts consistently offer tighter spreads than Standard accounts across most major pairs. The difference is most pronounced on the major forex pairs — EURUSD, USDJPY, GBPUSD — where liquidity is highest and spreads are already at their narrowest.

When the spread difference actually matters

For a trader who places five or fewer trades per week with wide stop-losses, the spread difference between Standard and Ultra Low is unlikely to change their bottom line meaningfully. Over a month of low-frequency trading, the cumulative spread cost difference might be a few dollars.

For a trader who places twenty or more trades per day with tight stops — scalping, day trading, or high-frequency manual trading — the spread difference compounds into a real number. At high volume, even a 0.1-pip wider spread per trade adds up to a meaningful cost over time. This is the trader the Ultra Low account was designed for.

XM Shares Account — When It Makes Sense and When Other Options Are Better

The Shares Account stands entirely apart from the other four. It is not a CFD account and it does not offer leverage. You are buying actual shares in individual companies — Apple, HSBC, Volkswagen — at full market price, with a commission charged per transaction.

What the Shares Account offers

• Access to individual company stocks from US markets, UK markets, and German markets
• Approximately 100 stock issues available — not the full range of listed companies
• MT5 only — the Shares Account is not available on MT4
• Commission: US shares $0.04 per share (minimum $1 per transaction); UK shares 0.10% (minimum $9); German shares 0.10% (minimum $5)
• USD base currency only
• $10,000 minimum deposit

When the Shares Account does not make sense

If your interest is in trading stock price movements rather than long-term equity ownership, XM's Standard, Micro, and Ultra Low accounts already provide access to equity index CFDs (US500, GER40, UK100, and others) and stock CFDs on MT5. These instrument categories do not require the $10,000 minimum deposit and offer leverage — meaning you can participate in stock market movements without committing $10,000 upfront. The Shares Account is specifically for clients who want actual share exposure without CFD structure.

XM Account Base Currency Options — Full List by Account Type

Your base currency is the denomination of your account balance. Deposits and withdrawals convert to and from this currency, and margin requirements are calculated in it. Choosing a base currency that matches your local banking currency avoids conversion fees on deposits and withdrawals.

For traders in markets where JPY, CHF, HUF, or PLN are the local currency, the Standard and Micro accounts offer an option that Ultra Low does not. This is one of the less obvious reasons some active traders in Japan and Eastern Europe continue using the Standard Account despite Ultra Low's tighter spreads.

Summary Cards — All Five XM Accounts at a Glance

Quick reference for each account type with recommended trader profile and direct registration link.

Frequently Asked Questions — XM Account Types Comparison

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