Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Admirals vs XTB
Where Admirals and XTB differ
| Compare |  Admirals |  XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $25 | €0 |
| Stock trade fee | $0.020 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, BondsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Regulators | FCA, CySEC, ASIC | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | XStation 5, XStation Mobile |
Same on both: Inactivity fee (€10), Maximum retail leverage (1:30).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Regulators: only Admirals offers ASIC.
- Regulators: only XTB offers KNF.
- Founded is lower at Admirals: 2001 vs 2002.
- Markets: only Admirals offers Bonds.
Our verdict on each
Admirals
Admirals suits retail investors who want one account across several markets with UK regulation behind it. Costs sit mid pack: a stock trade fee of $0.02 and an inactivity fee of €10 put it ahead of some rivals and behind cheaper ones.
XTB
XTB suits retail traders who want to hold stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto under one Cyprus-based account without a monthly charge. The account fee is €0, deposits cost nothing, and CySEC, FCA and KNF authorisations sit behind a legal entity founded in 2002.
Score breakdown
| Area | Admirals | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8A stock trade fee of $0.02 on a $25 minimum deposit, plus €10 for idling. | 9.1Higher |
| Offer | 9.7Higher | 9.3 |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.6Higher |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | Admirals | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
Licences and countries
| Country | Admirals | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 259400HM2TR4U3LF5D43 | |
| United Kingdom | ||
| Australia | Not confirmed | |
| Poland | Not confirmed |
Sources behind this comparison
Admirals
- beinoptions.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- fxscouts.ng: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- premiumtrading.co: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- fxleaders.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- olxforex.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
XTB
- xtb.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- hello-brokers.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- eupersonalfinance.eu: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- linkedin.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Admirals | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 64 of 471 | 3 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 27 of 147 | 2 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 25 of 145 | 2 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 21 of 122 | 2 of 122 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Admirals | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Commission free, Low fees |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Admirals SC Ltd | XTB Limited |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Cyprus |
| Founded | 2001Lower | 2002 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Chat, Phone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Admirals | XTB | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0at the median | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | €10above the median | €10above the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77%highest quarter | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5%above the median | 0.45% |
Median across 52 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Admirals
Pros
- Regulated by the FCA in the UK, plus CySEC and ASIC, so UK clients sit under a UK watchdog and client asset rules
- Investor protection stated as FSCS up to GBP 85,000
- One account spans stocks, etfs and forex, so forex, CFDs, shares, ETFs, crypto and bonds sit in one place
Cons
- An inactivity fee of €10 applies, and it ranks high at 39 of 56 brands on this measure
- The stock trade fee of $0.02 sits above the site median of €0, and above the commission free model offered by eToro at $0
- The minimum deposit of $25 ranks at 120 of 213, so it is not the cheapest account to open
XTB
Pros
- Account fee of €0 on the standard account, and stock trades cost €0.
- Minimum deposit of €0, so the account opens without a funding floor.
- Regulated by CySEC, the FCA and KNF across Cyprus, the UK and Poland.
Cons
- An inactivity fee of €10 applies, unlike eToro, which has no such charge.
- Forex and CFD trading is not cost free: fx trading costs 0.5%.
- CFDs carry a high proportion of losing retail accounts, and XTB's own figure is 77%.
Who each suits
Admirals
Who it suits
- UK retail investors who want an FCA regulated account covering shares, ETFs, forex, CFDs, crypto and bonds in one place
- Investors who hold across asset classes and want FSCS up to GBP 85,000 behind the balance
- Traders who can start small on a $25 minimum deposit and trade on a $0.02 stock fee
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting a commission free stock deal, where eToro charges $0
- Long term holders who leave a balance untouched, since the inactivity fee runs at €10
- Anyone starting with no money at all, since CFI opens on a minimum deposit of $0 and Vantage on $5
XTB
Who it suits
- Retail traders in the UK and Europe who want stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto in one account
- Beginners who want a demo account and a mobile app before committing money
- Cost conscious traders who will not hold a balance large enough to trigger the inactivity fee
Who should look elsewhere
- Vantage, if a small minimum deposit of $5 suits a smaller starting balance better
- CFI, for traders who want forex and CFDs without paying an fx charge of 0.5%
- Anyone who plans to hold an idle balance for a long period, given the inactivity fee of €10
Questions about each
Admirals
What does Admirals charge to trade a stock?+
A stock trade fee of $0.02 applies on trades. That is above the site median of €0, so a reader who deals in shares often should weigh the cost against a commission free alternative before committing.
How much do I need to open an account?+
The minimum deposit is $25. The site median across tracked brands is €4.64, and Admirals ranks at 120 of 213 on this measure, so the entry point is accessible without being the lowest available.
XTB
What does XTB charge to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is €0, so there is no monthly or annual cost to keeping the account open. A stock trade costs €0 on the same account. The only recurring charge to watch is an inactivity fee of €10 for traders whose balance sits idle.
Is there a minimum deposit at XTB?+
The minimum deposit is €0, which means the account can be opened and funded with a small amount. It is a lower floor than the $5 asked by Vantage, so it suits a trader testing the platform before scaling up.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- XTB vs Afranga
- XTB vs Nectaro
- Admirals vs TradeZero
- Admirals vs Exness
- Admirals vs Interactive Brokers
- Admirals vs Trading 212
- Admirals vs FP Markets
- Admirals vs VT Markets
- Admirals vs TradeStation
- Admirals vs FXOpen
- Admirals vs Libertex
- Admirals vs LYNX
- Admirals vs Tradier
- Admirals vs Lightspeed Financial
- Admirals vs ATC Brokers
- Admirals vs Global Prime
- Admirals vs LiteFinance
- Admirals vs Markets.com
- Admirals vs Saxo
- Admirals vs Ally Bank
- XTB vs ActivTrades
- XTB vs DKB (Deutsche Kreditbank)
- Admirals vs NAGA
- XTB vs UNest
- XTB vs eToro
- Admirals vs Linxea
- XTB vs bunq
- Admirals vs Mintos
- XTB vs Robinhood
- XTB vs Empower Personal Dashboard
- XTB vs Kraken
- Admirals vs EBC Financial Group
- XTB vs BlackBull Markets