Getting a demo running in about ten minutes
An XM demo is a MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 account loaded with virtual money, priced from XM's demo feed. You open it from XM's site (the account-types page links to it as a way to "test your trading strategies risk-free"). You then log in to MT4, MT5 or the XM app with the login and server name XM gives you. It is free and you don't need to deposit.
Step 1 — Register the demo
- On xm.com, choose the demo option (from the account-types page or the "Get Started" flow).
- Enter your country, name, email and phone. XM uses your country to pick the entity and the server list, so use your real one.
- Choose platform (MT4 or MT5), account type, base currency, leverage and virtual balance. These settings are worth thinking about (see Step 2).
- Create a password. Write down the login number and server name XM shows you. They are also emailed to you.
Step 2 — Choose settings that match your future live account
A demo is only useful if it behaves like the account you'll fund later. If you set it up differently, your demo results won't tell you much.
| Setting | Bad demo habit | Better choice |
|---|---|---|
| Balance | $100,000 because it's offered | The amount you'll actually deposit, e.g. $200 |
| Leverage | The maximum on offer | The leverage your live entity allows and you intend to use |
| Account type | Whatever is default | Same as live: Standard or Ultra Low |
| Platform | MT4 "because tutorials use it" | The platform you'll keep (an MT4 login can't be used on MT5) |
Leverage is the setting people most often get wrong. If you're onboarded by XM's EU entity, retail leverage is capped at 1:30 on major pairs. Practising at 1:1000 builds habits that will cause margin calls once you're live. Our XM leverage guide lists the limits by entity.
Step 3 — Install the platform and log in
- Desktop MT5: File → Login to Trade Account. Enter the login number and password, and choose the demo server exactly as written in your email.
- MT4: File → Login to Trade Account, same idea. MT4 accounts only work on MT4.
- Mobile: In the MT5 app, search for XM in the broker list, pick the demo server and log in. The XM app can also manage the account.
If login fails, it is almost always the wrong server or an MT4/MT5 mix-up. Our XM MT5 login and server guide covers the fixes.
How long an XM demo lasts
XM's listing for its own app in Apple's App Store describes the demo as having virtual funds and no time limit (checked October 2026). Older third-party reviews say demos opened on MT4/MT5 can be archived after a long spell of inactivity, with DailyForex citing 30 inactive days. The two statements may simply describe different set-ups, and XM's main website doesn't spell the rule out. The practical answer: log in every couple of weeks and keep a backup of anything you'd hate to lose, such as templates and EAs. Those live in your terminal's data folder, not on the account, so they survive even if the demo login is closed.
You can usually hold several demo accounts at once (reviews mention up to five). That is useful for testing Standard against Ultra Low pricing side by side.