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.
Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is a well-established online broker with a solid reputation reflected in its perfect Trust Score of 99, making it highly trusted according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded company, CMC Markets holds 6 Tier-1 licenses, known for being highly reliable. Additionally, it has 1 Tier-2 license, which further strengthens its credibility among traders. Despite not being a bank, CMC Markets offers a secure platform backed by stringent regulatory approvals.
In comparison, ActivTrades, established in 2001, is a privately held broker with a Trust Score of 81, placing it in the trusted category. It holds 2 Tier-1 licenses, offering a reliable level of trustworthiness, and 1 Tier-2 license. Like CMC Markets, ActivTrades is not a bank, but it provides a dependable trading environment for its users. While newer and not publicly listed, ActivTrades still ensures a secure trading experience through its regulatory framework.
| 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 |
Comparing commissions and fees, CMC Markets stands out as the lower-cost choice. It earns 5/5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees (ForexBrokers.com 2025), thanks to consistently tight spreads available to all clients. ActivTrades is solid but pricier by comparison: it receives 4/5 stars and ranks #29 out of 63, with costs that are slightly better than the industry average but not among the very lowest.
CMC Markets lists typical EUR/USD spreads of 0.61 pips (August 2023) and offers two clear ways to save. Its FX Active plan charges a $2.50-per-side commission with minimum spreads from 0.0, giving an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD (and several other pairs), available on MT4 and Next Generation in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the U.K. High-volume traders can also use the Price Plus Scheme: you earn two Trading Points per standard lot (100,000 units); reaching Tier 4 requires 1,250 lots in a month and unlocks a 20% spread discount. Importantly, CMC’s average spreads historically track close to its minimums, supporting its low-cost reputation.
ActivTrades keeps things simple with one main Individual account (plus Professional and Islamic options), but it doesn’t offer an active trader tier or special pricing for high-volume clients; spreads are the same across account types. Actual costs vary by asset and platform, and spreads can widen at rollover. For reference, ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. Bottom line: for the leanest spreads and discount paths, CMC Markets is the value leader, while ActivTrades delivers straightforward, slightly-better-than-average pricing without commission-based tiers.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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 far more choice than ActivTrades. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, but CMC Markets lists 12,029 tradeable instruments compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267. Forex traders also get a wider selection at CMC Markets with 141 currency pairs versus 49 at ActivTrades. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 for range of investments, while ActivTrades scores 4 stars and ranks #32.
For stock investing, CMC Markets supports real (non-CFD) shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, whereas ActivTrades offers real shares only on international exchanges, not U.S. markets. Both brokers provide copy trading and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs, but neither offers delivered crypto. Overall, CMC Markets is the stronger pick for breadth, while ActivTrades covers the essentials with a smaller lineup.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
Comparing online brokers CMC Markets vs ActivTrades for trading platforms and tools: both offer a free demo (paper trading) account, a proprietary platform built in-house, and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on a Windows desktop download or in a web browser, and both support copy trading and placing orders directly from a chart. This setup makes it simple to test strategies, switch devices, and use third‑party tools without losing key features.
Where they differ is recognition for platform quality. For Trading Platforms and Tools, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets at 5 stars and ranks it #4 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32. Counts for technical indicators and watch‑list fields weren’t specified, but based on these scores, CMC Markets edges ahead for overall platform experience, while ActivTrades remains a solid choice if you want MT4/MT5 plus a broker’s own platform and a free demo.
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and ActivTrades both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saving your chart annotations. For charting tools, CMC Markets includes 29 technical indicators while ActivTrades offers 30, so both cover popular signals traders rely on.
A key difference is watchlist syncing: CMC Markets syncs watchlists across mobile and web, while ActivTrades does not. In independent evaluations, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and #19. If seamless watchlists and a top-rated app matter most, CMC Markets stands out; if you just need a capable app with plenty of indicators, ActivTrades remains a solid choice.
| 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 | 29 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets and ActivTrades both deliver strong market research basics: daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing the ratio of long vs. short positions, and an economic calendar covering global events. These features help traders follow market drivers and gauge crowd positioning with ease.
The key difference is that CMC Markets offers Autochartist tools for pattern and setup ideas, while ActivTrades does not. Neither broker currently integrates Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets holds a 5-star Research rating and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers, whereas ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #31. In short, both cover the essentials, but CMC Markets provides extra analysis tools and a higher third-party research rating.
| 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.
For beginner traders comparing CMC Markets and ActivTrades, both brokers offer plenty of forex and CFD education. Each provides at least 10 beginner-focused videos and 10+ advanced videos, giving you a clear path from basics to more complex strategies. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks #38.
One key difference is live learning: ActivTrades hosts monthly educational webinars, which is helpful if you prefer interactive sessions. CMC Markets does not run monthly webinars, but its on-demand library is extensive. If you want more live guidance, ActivTrades may suit you; if you value a top-rated set of self-paced lessons, CMC Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | 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 #4, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its excellent pricing and selection of over 12,000 tradeable instruments.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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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 | 81 | |
| 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 | 81 | |
| 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 (SFC 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 SCA 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) | 12029 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A | |
| 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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) | 73 | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
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