Four XM account types: which one should you pick?

If you are not yet clear on how trading account types differ in general, read the background article first: forex trading account types.

XM has 4 account types, and the biggest difference between them is not the name but the spread, which decides how much you pay on every trade. Spread is the gap between the buy and the sell price, in other words the fee you pay.

The quick answer: beginners with small capital pick Micro or Standard, anyone who trades often should consider Ultra Low, and Shares is only for people trading stocks with large capital.

Picking the wrong account type can make you pay double the cost without ever noticing.

The 4 XM account types compared

Updated 27/07/2026. Terms can change with the legal entity, meaning the specific company that signs the contract with you, and with policy at any given time, so always check again in the client area.

The key point: XM charges no commission, the whole cost sits in the spread

This is what sets XM apart from ECN brokers (which pass orders straight to the market rather than through the broker’s own desk). At many other brokers you see “0.0 spread” but pay a separate commission. At XM (except the Shares account), the whole cost is wrapped in the spread, with no separate commission line.

The upside: it is simple, with no two charges to add up, which suits beginners. The downside: once you trade a lot, the wide spread on Micro/Standard adds up faster than you expect. That is exactly why Ultra Low exists.

The calculation that shows the real difference

On EUR/USD, 1 pip on 1 standard lot ≈ 10 USD. A pip is the smallest price step, usually the fourth decimal place; a lot is the unit of order size, and 1 standard lot is 100,000 units. Suppose Ultra Low is exactly 1 pip tighter than Standard; the gap grows with volume:

The 1-pip gap is an assumption for illustration, used to show how the cost is calculated, not a measured gap between the two XM accounts; the real spread changes constantly with liquidity (how easily you can buy or sell without the price jumping) and with timing.

The last row makes it plain: a 1-pip gap sounds small, but for someone who trades regularly the cost over a year can differ by thousands of USD. Ultra Low also starts from 5 USD like Standard, so a regular trader pays nothing extra at the door for the tighter spread.

How do Micro and Standard differ?

This question comes up a lot, because the two types have the same minimum deposit and the same spread. The difference lies in the contract size:

• Micro: 1 lot = 1,000 units of the base currency. Each pip is worth far less, so you can open trades at very low risk, which suits getting used to the controls with real money without it hurting.
• Standard: 1 lot = 100,000 units (the international standard lot). At the same number of lots, the risk is 100 times that of Micro.

An important warning: this is where beginners make a dangerous mistake. They get used to trading 1 lot on Micro, then move to Standard and still trade 1 lot, without realising the risk has just been multiplied by 100. Before changing account type, recalculate your volume using the money management rules.

How does the XM model differ from an ECN broker, and when should you switch?

Understanding this tells you where XM’s limits lie, instead of blind loyalty or blanket criticism:

When to consider switching: if you have reached tens of lots a month in a scalping style, entering and exiting constantly during the day, the fixed-commission model of an ECN broker is usually cheaper, because you are not hit when the spread widens as news comes out.

If you trade with the trend, hold positions for a few days and place a few trades a week, XM’s Ultra Low is more than enough and more convenient. See the Exness vs XM comparison for a concrete side-by-side of the two brokers.

How to choose for your situation

• Capital under 50 USD, just starting: Micro. The risk per trade is tiny, enough to learn the controls and the psychology with real money.
• Capital 50–500 USD, trading occasionally: Standard or Ultra Low. If you place a few trades a month, the spread gap is not yet significant; but if you plan to trade regularly, pick Ultra Low from the start.
• Trading often or in large volume: Ultra Low, with hardly any need to hesitate; the calculation above makes the case for you.
• Want to trade real stocks: Shares, but the 10,000 USD threshold puts it out of reach for small accounts.

Three notes before you commit

1. You can open several accounts. XM allows multiple trading accounts under one profile. You can keep Micro for testing and add Ultra Low once you have more practice, without registering again from scratch. See the guide to opening an XM account.
2. Do not choose by bonus. Some promotions only apply to certain account types. Choose an account by the trading cost that fits your style, and do not let a short-term offer decide for you.
3. Check again before you deposit. The terms for each type can change with the legal entity and over time; the figures here are reference levels, so compare them in the client area. If you are still torn between XM and another broker, see Exness vs XM and the detailed XM review.

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