Axi and XTB aren’t so much competitors as they are compliments. One broker offers spread betting, copy trading and low fees. The other offers ISA investing and an easy to use platform. Here’s our verdict.
Which is the Better Broker for UK Traders: XTB vs Axi?
Our research found XTB to be better than Axi overall for UK traders. XTB offers a wider range of assets, a better proprietary platform and more investing options such as ISA investing for UK residents, but Axi is better than XTB for trading fees & offers both spread betting options and copy trading for UK traders.
Ultimately, if you are looking for low fees, copy trading & spread betting options, then choose Axi. If you are looking for ISA investing, a larger range of tradable assets and a better platform experience, choose XTB.
1. Key Features Comparison
| IG VS City Index | 
First | 
Second | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation | FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia) | FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia) | |
| Trading Platforms | Proprietary Platform (xStation5) | Proprietary Platform & MT4 / MT5 | |
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Spreads | Starting from 0.8 pips on forex | Starting from 0.6 pips on forex | |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes | |
| Range of Assets | 11,000+ | c. 200+ | |
| Education Resources | Articles, Market Analysis & eBooks | Articles, Market Analysis & eBooks | |
| Customer Support | 24/5 via live chat, phone, and email | 24/5 via phone, chat, and email | |
| Funding Options | Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, Bank Transfer | Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, Bank Transfer | |
| Inactivity Fee | £10/month after 1 year of no activity | £10/month after 1 year of no activity | |
| Visit XTB | Visit Axi |
2. Fees and Spreads
Axi Fees
Axis’ forex spreads start from 0.6 pips on major pairs like EUR/USD and it proves itself to be an excellent broker for keeping fees low for everyday traders. Their fees are as competitive as CMC and IG without really bragging about it. They are some of the tightest spreads on a standard account for forex traders – and apart from Pepperstone or Vantage’s Razor & Raw accounts, these are some of the best spreads offered to any UK trader.
Axi does charge an inactivity fee (or in their language they ‘reserve the right to charge’) based on a 12 month period of £10, which is reasonable, but inactivity fees have really gone the way of the dodo since IG abolished theirs this year – for more information on that see our IG review.
XTB Fees
XTB has higher fees than Axi, with an average of 0.8 pips for forex CFDs which normally would be OK but compared to Axi, it isn’t competitive at all.
XTB also charges an inactivity fee of £10 on trading accounts after 1 year but this doesn’t apply to ISA accounts.
Verdict
Axi is cheaper than XTB for active traders. Both have an inactivity fee of £10.
3. Trading Platforms
Axi Trading Platforms
Axi is a huge fan of MetaTrader. We covered this in our Axi review, where we stated how inconvenient this was. However, they also offer a proprietary app on mobile alongside their proprietary copy trading app. Both are decent options as using MT4/ MT5 in the browser is not the best experience – especially for beginners.
However, for more advanced traders, this option might fit the bill, as you can download MT$ (if you haven’t already) and plug it straight in – getting tight spreads instantly.
XTB Trading Platforms
XTB is different by design. They have built, and promote only on platform – their xStation 5 platform. This is frankly one of the best platforms available for beginners. You get news, trending topics, thematic trading, and everything you could possible need, all in one place.
However,, for advanced traders this is terrible, just as Axi is better for advanced traders using MT4, MT5, XTB is more beginner-focused with their own platform. However, xStation 5 is simple one of the best platforms around – check our full review of it on our XTB review.
Verdict
If you are an advanced or intermediate trader, choose Axi for MT4 & MT5 integration. If you are a beginner, choose XTB’s xStation 5. Ultimately XTB offers a better proprietary platform experience.
4. Range of Tradable Instruments
Axi’s Asset Range
Axi offers what seems to be a fairly limited range of tradable assets – around 200+. Like some other forex-specific brokers this is generally the trend. A limited but focused asset range with great spreads.
As of June 2026, they seem to claim 400+ markets in their hero image on their homepage (see image above) but beneath that claim 140+ – so it’s safe to say there are quite a few but nowhere near the size of XTB.
XTB Asset Range
XTB on the other hand boasts a range of 11,000+ assets to trade and invest. This is actually one of the largest asset ranges around, and rivals Trading 212’s range – see our full breakdown of Trading 212 alternatives – which is remarkably impressive for a broker not many people know about in the UK.
Verdict
XTB is clearly better – they offer a much wider range of tradable assets (11,000+) vs Axi (200+).
5. Regulation and Security
Axi Regulation
Axi is well-regulated, fully FCA-regulated broker here in the UK and in Australia. Good overall regulation for UK traders.
XTB Regulation
XTB is also regulated by the FCA and is a well-respected and trusted broker both for ISAs, investing and trading.
Verdict
Both brokers are solid in terms of security & FCA-regulated.
6. Customer Support
Axi Support
Axi offers 24/7 support via live chat, phone, and email. crucially though, they also offer a massive help centre / knowledge base – this isn’t superficial either, it contains detailed and comprehensive coverage of all possible issues – a very useful thing to have to hand.
They also offer a WhatsApp number, option to request a callback and much more. During our testing we tried all three options – the help centre was detailed and easy to use, the whatsapp number was friendly and offered great support (even during the weekend) and the callback option happened on a Tuesday (we submitted a request on Friday), so it was really easy and fast.
XTB Support
XTB provides 24/5 support, they also have a help centre which is great, but it’s definitely not as comprehensive as Axi. Having availability only during business hours is actually pretty inconvenient and they don’t even have a chatbot option like IG, or WhatsApp number like Axi, which make XTB feel a bit like it’s living in 2005.
Verdict:
Axi offers better customer support options and better overall support.
7. Educational Resources
Axi Education
Axi’s educational offering features a Blog, Academy, MT4 videos, glossary and e-books – this is a huge number of things to offer – the offering is extremely comprehensive and their range is even wider than IGs (given they have an e-book and IG doesn’t). However, Axi seem to have gone wide not deep and their offering can feel thin at times. Their blog seems more focused on general topics, not up-to-date market information, which would be a huge benefit for more intermediate to advanced traders.
XTB Education
XTB has a great range of articles, but similar to Axi, they offer more ‘opinion-led’ pieces in a random order, not market commentary. They offer great commentary through their xStation5 platform though, and the in-built videos, webinars, articles in that platform really brings it all together – so their blog / learning section on their site is more optional than compulsory, and I would still highly rate XTB given their xStation5 education.
Verdict:
Both offer fairly generic educational content compared to larger providers, but XTB offers in-built education and market analysis in xStation5.
FAQ’s
1. Is XTB better than Axi for Forex trading?
XTB offers a wider range of instruments to trade (11,000) vs Axi (200+), however, Axi has substantially lower fees, making it better than XTB for regular / more active traders. If you are an active forex trader looking for a cheap broker, that also offers spread betting and copy trading then choose Axi. If you are looking for investing options and trade less frequently but across a wider range of instruments, then XTB is a better option.
2. Does XTB offer spread betting?
No, XTB does not offer spread betting in the UK. Axi offers spread betting though,and a you can see our full list of the best spread betting brokers in the UK for our top-rated spread betting options. Choose Axi if you are looking for spread betting or copy trading options.
3. Is XTB better than Axi for Beginners?
Yes, XTB offers a better range of educational materials and a better platform (xStation5) for beginners. Axi offers MT4, MT5 and a proprietary web app – similar to XTB – but they lean more into MetaTrader which can be more difficult for beginners. However, one clear benefit for beginners on Axi is their copy trading app. This is a great addition and an easy way for beginners to get started.
4. Why chose XTB over Axi in the UK?
XTB is a more comprehensive broker. They offer a wider range of instruments, an easier setup process for their platform, and larger range of educational materials including up-to-date market commentary. They also offer ISA investing. Axi is a great broker for copy-trading, spread betting and has lower fees overall so if you are more of an investor / trader and trade less frequently then XTB is a good option. If you are an active trader, then Axi offers lower fees.
5. Is XTB better than Axi for trading platforms?
XTB offer one platform, xStation5. Axi offers 4 platforms – MT4, MT5, Copy Trader and Mobile app. This makes Axi a better platform provider by range of options offered. However, xStation5 is one of the best beginner platforms so it is much easier to get started.
Final Verdict
| Criteria | Winner |
|---|---|
| Fees and Spreads | Axi |
| Platforms | XTB |
| Asset Range | XTB |
| Regulation and Security | Tie |
| Customer Support | Axi |
| Educational Resources | XTB |
Axi beats XTB for fees & customer support. XTB wins on educational resources, platform offering and their instrument range.
However, some might argue that the platform offering is a tie given that Axi offers MT4 / MT5, which XTB doesn’t offer. So it’s a very marginal win for XTB and I really think there are specific instances where each broker shines.
No Minimum Deposit
Best for Investing
XTB offers a proprietary platform with incredible trading resources & educational material in an easy-to-use, low cost trading environment. Perfect for currency traders.
73% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with XTB Limited. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Who Should You Choose?
Choose XTB if you want the following:
- ISA options
- An easy-to-use platform
- A large range of instruments to trade
Choose Axi if you want:
- Spread betting options
- Copy trading options
- Lower fees
- An option to trade on other platforms (MetaTrader)
For UK traders, the advantages that Axi provides are unique: low fees, spread betting & copy trading.
This is a rare combination. However, they lack the instrument range of larger brokers, and this is ultimately a deciding factor for a lot of traders.
XTB, by contrast, is a bit more of an investing and trading hybrid option.
They offer ISAs but their fees for trading forex CFDs are higher than Axi. Their platform is easier to use and their education is great. It’s really a great beginner alternative to something like Trading 212.
- XTB vs Axi: Broker Comparison - June 12, 2026
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