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XS vs Robinhood for US stocks
Robinhood gives you the actual share; XS gives leveraged exposure to the price without ownership. That is not a preference — it is a different product, with different tax, dividend and risk treatment.
Pick XS if non-US residents who want a wide US share-CFD list on MetaTrader 4 or 5. Pick Robinhood if mobile-first US investors.
CFD — no ownershipA multi-asset CFD broker, not a US stockbroker. It is on this site because it gives non-US traders leveraged exposure to several hundred US share prices with no minimum deposit.
Visit XSThe simplest US app for buying a first share; the trade-off is depth of tools and research.
Visit RobinhoodSide by side
| XS | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|
| What you hold | A CFD on the price | The share |
| US stock access | 550+ US share CFDs | US listed stocks and ETFs |
| Minimum deposit | None | None |
| Fractional shares | n/a | Yes |
| Published pricing | US share CFDs on the Standard account trade on a floating spread with no separate commission; swaps apply to positions held overnight and are tripled on Fridays. | $0 commission on US stock and ETF trades; payment for order flow is disclosed in its SEC filings. |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, XS Trading App | Robinhood mobile, Robinhood web |
| Extended hours | Regular US session only, per its published trading hours | Extended sessions available, longest on paid tiers |
| Regulation | ASIC 374409, CySEC 412/22, FSCA 53199, CMA 20200000339, FSA SD089, LFSA MB/21/0081, FSC GB25204786 | SEC SIPC member |
| Founded | 2010 | 2013 |
Where each one wins
XS
- Non-US residents who want a wide US share-CFD list on MetaTrader 4 or 5
- Starting with no minimum deposit on the Standard account
- Traders who want an entity licensed in the UAE, South Africa or Labuan
- CFDs are leveraged: you do not own the share, get no shareholder rights, and can lose all your capital
- XS says its website is not directed at residents of the United States, the European Union, Australia or Japan
- Which XS entity holds your account depends on where you live, and investor protection differs by entity — confirm it before depositing
- Dividends arrive as cash adjustments on open CFD positions, not as shareholder dividends
Robinhood
- Mobile-first US investors
- Small dollar-amount buys
- Simplicity over depth
- Thin research tooling
- Limited to a small set of countries
Frequently asked questions
XS or Robinhood — which is better for US stocks?
Robinhood gives you the actual share; XS gives leveraged exposure to the price without ownership. That is not a preference — it is a different product, with different tax, dividend and risk treatment. XS: non-US residents who want a wide US share-CFD list on MetaTrader 4 or 5. Robinhood: mobile-first US investors.
Which is cheaper?
XS: US share CFDs on the Standard account trade on a floating spread with no separate commission; swaps apply to positions held overnight and are tripled on Fridays. Robinhood: $0 commission on US stock and ETF trades; payment for order flow is disclosed in its SEC filings. Both figures are restated from each broker's own pricing page; for small non-USD accounts, currency conversion usually costs more than commission does.
Which is better regulated?
XS is authorised by ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, CMA, FSA, LFSA, FSC; Robinhood by SEC. What matters is which entity holds your account, since that determines your compensation scheme and leverage limits.
Reviewed October 2026. Figures restated from each broker's published pages.