Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs ActivTrades, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Compare CMC Markets vs ActivTrades on regulation and trust. CMC Markets (founded 1989) and ActivTrades (founded 2001) are both online brokers and neither is a bank. CMC Markets is publicly traded, while ActivTrades is privately held. As defined by ForexBrokers.com, Trust Scores of 90–99 are highly trusted and 80–89 are trusted; CMC Markets scores 99 (highly trusted), and ActivTrades scores 80 (trusted).
Regulatory coverage differs: CMC Markets holds six Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license; ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 and one Tier-2. Tier-1 licenses are considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com, and Tier-2 are considered trusted. In plain terms, CMC Markets offers wider top-tier oversight and the highest possible Trust Score, while ActivTrades provides a trusted setup with fewer top-tier approvals.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
CMC Markets scores higher on commissions and fees than ActivTrades, mainly because its pricing can be very competitive if you use the right account type. On the standard spread-only account, CMC’s average EUR/USD spread was 1.3 pips, which is wider than the advertised 0.8 pip minimum. Its FX Active pricing is cheaper, with an average EUR/USD cost of 0.65 pips plus commission, or about 1.15 pips all-in on a standard lot. CMC Markets earns 5 stars and is ranked #3 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
ActivTrades is still reasonably priced, but it does not match the lowest-cost brokers. Its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024, which is slightly better than average but not as low as the best pricing leaders. Unlike CMC Markets, ActivTrades does not offer active trader pricing, and spreads are generally the same across account types. ActivTrades earns 4 stars and is ranked #23 out of 36 for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, CMC Markets is the stronger choice for traders focused on lower trading costs, especially if they qualify for FX Active or other volume-based discounts. ActivTrades is a solid option with fair pricing, but it is less competitive overall on commissions and fees. If keeping costs down is your top priority, CMC Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, CMC Markets offers a much wider selection than ActivTrades. CMC Markets lists 21,710 tradeable symbols and 303 forex pairs, compared with 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs at ActivTrades. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both let you trade international exchange-traded securities and crypto CFDs. CMC Markets also stands out for offering U.S.-listed exchange-traded securities, such as Apple shares, which ActivTrades does not.
ActivTrades does have one key extra feature: copy trading, while CMC Markets does not. Even so, CMC Markets scores higher overall for investment choice, with a 5-star Range of Investments rating and a ForexBrokers.com rank of #9 out of 36 brokers, versus ActivTrades’ 4 stars and #26 ranking. Neither broker offers the ability to buy actual cryptocurrency.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
CMC Markets and ActivTrades both give traders plenty of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary in-house platform, Windows desktop software, and a web-based platform. Each broker also supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and both let you place trades straight from a chart, which is helpful for active traders who want quick order entry. In this area, the two brokers cover the basics well and offer tools that suit both beginners testing the waters and more experienced traders looking for flexibility.
The biggest difference is copy trading: ActivTrades offers it, while CMC Markets does not. CMC Markets, however, comes out ahead overall for trading platforms and tools, earning 5 stars and a stronger ForexBrokers.com ranking of #6 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades’ 4 stars and #28 ranking. If copy trading matters to you, ActivTrades has the edge there, but CMC Markets appears to be the stronger all-around choice for platform quality and trading tools.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts, so traders can stay connected while on the move. Each app also includes 30 technical studies, plus the ability to draw trendlines and have those drawings auto-save on charts, making chart analysis easy from a phone or tablet.
The main difference is watchlist syncing: CMC Markets lets watchlists sync between the mobile app and the online account, while ActivTrades does not. This gives CMC Markets an edge for traders who want their lists to stay updated across devices. That advantage is reflected in its 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and #5 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and #21.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing CMC Markets vs ActivTrades for market research, both online brokers give traders useful everyday tools. Each offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking global events. Both also include similar core research support, but neither provides Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research.
The main difference is that CMC Markets goes further with Autochartist, giving it an edge for traders who want extra technical and fundamental analysis help. This stronger research lineup is reflected in its higher score of 5 out of 5 stars for Research and its #6 ranking out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28. For traders who place a high value on market research, CMC Markets stands out as the better choice.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner learning support, CMC Markets and ActivTrades both give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers more than 10 forex or CFD education pieces, runs at least one educational webinar per month, and provides at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. That means both platforms give learners access to articles, videos, and live sessions that can help explain trading basics and more detailed topics in simple terms.
Even so, CMC Markets stands out as the stronger choice for education overall. It earns a 5-star education rating and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for the Education category, while ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks #32. For beginners comparing the two, both offer useful learning tools, but CMC Markets appears to give a more complete and highly rated education experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that CMC Markets is better than ActivTrades. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its 21,710 tradeable instruments and 303 forex pairs, the largest currency lineup in the industry.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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CMC Markets vs ActivTrades: both online brokers do not offer buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but each provides cryptocurrency CFD trading to speculate on price movements without owning the underlying asset.
Comparing online brokers CMC Markets and ActivTrades for deposit and withdrawal options: CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, whereas ActivTrades does not support ACH/SEPA or PayPal but does support Skrill and bank wire transfers (card availability not specified for either broker).
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | CMC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
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