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.
Caring about transparency and trustworthiness, CMC Markets and ActivTrades differ significantly. Established in 1989, CMC Markets is a publicly traded company and boasts a formidable Trust Score of 99, placing it in the highly trusted category according to ForexBrokers.com. The broker holds an impressive five Tier-1 licenses, affirming its credibility within the financial markets. While it is not a bank, CMC Markets exhibits a strong regulatory foundation with an additional Tier-2 license, which bolsters its reliability in the eyes of potential investors.
In contrast, ActivTrades, which began operations in 2001, is not publicly traded but is also recognized for its trustworthiness with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 81. This score indicates the broker is trusted, although not to the extent of CMC Markets. With two Tier-1 licenses, ActivTrades demonstrates a significant level of compliance and security, and it supports this with one Tier-2 license. Both brokers are not banks, but they present distinct levels of assurance and regulatory compliance for online trading enthusiasts.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing CMC Markets and ActivTrades in terms of commissions and fees, CMC Markets stands out for its consistently low spreads, earning it a #1 ranking in the Commissions and Fees category in our 2025 Annual Awards. With an impressive 5-star rating, CMC Markets offers competitive average spreads of 0.61 pips on the EUR/USD as of August 2023. The broker further enhances trading cost efficiency with its Price Plus Scheme, offering discounts based on trading volume. CMC Markets' FX Active pricing includes a commission of $2.50 per side, resulting in a 0.5 pip all-in cost on major currency pairs like the EUR/USD, bolstering its reputation as a pricing leader.
On the other hand, ActivTrades, with a 4-star rating, holds the 28th position out of 63 brokers in the same category. While its spreads are slightly better than the industry average, they don't match the lowest fee offerings in the market. ActivTrades offers various account types, including Professional and Islamic accounts, but lacks a specific active trader pricing plan. Spreads remain consistent across account types, with the average spread for the EUR/USD reported at 0.98 pips in May 2024. While ActivTrades provides detailed target spreads, actual figures may vary during trading sessions, especially during the rollover period.
In conclusion, CMC Markets excels in providing low-cost pricing suitable for all traders, maintaining spreads close to their advertised minimums and offering tailored discounts through its active trader program. Conversely, ActivTrades, while competitive, lacks specialized options for high-volume traders, showing wider spreads compared to the industry-leading brokers. This comparison places CMC Markets as the preferred choice for cost-conscious traders.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets and ActivTrades both offer a range of investment options that cater to different trading preferences. When it comes to forex trading, both brokers provide CFDs, allowing traders to navigate the forex market with ease. However, CMC Markets stands out with an extensive offering of 11,925 tradeable symbols compared to ActivTrades' 1,267. For those interested in forex specifically, CMC Markets offers a significantly larger suite of 156 forex pairs, whereas ActivTrades offers 49 pairs. Additionally, CMC Markets allows clients to invest in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, enabling traders to buy shares of companies like Apple and Vodafone. ActivTrades, on the other hand, offers exchange-traded securities only on international exchanges.
Both CMC Markets and ActivTrades accommodate traders interested in cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Copy trading options are available on both platforms, appealing to those looking to mirror more experienced traders. Overall, CMC Markets receives a higher rating of five stars for its range of investments, ranking 9th out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades earns four stars, ranking 31st. These rankings highlight CMC Markets as a more versatile choice for traders seeking a wider array of investment opportunities.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by CMC Markets and ActivTrades, both brokers provide a range of options for traders of various levels. They each offer a proprietary platform, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, as well as Windows-based and web-based platforms, capturing a broad user base. Both CMC Markets and ActivTrades support copy trading and allow trading directly from stock charts, making them versatile choices for those wanting flexibility in their trading approaches. Additionally, each broker provides a practice environment with free virtual demo accounts, enabling traders to hone their strategies without financial risk.
Despite the similarities, CMC Markets slightly edges out ActivTrades with a 5-star rating for their trading platforms and tools, compared to ActivTrades' 4-star rating. Moreover, CMC Markets ranks higher at #4 among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com in this category, whereas ActivTrades is ranked #30. In terms of charting capabilities, CMC Markets offers more drawing tools with 40 available, compared to 15 provided by ActivTrades. Both brokers offer 11 fields for watch lists, providing ample options for traders to customize their overview. However, when it comes to certain advanced trading features, such as DupliTrade and ZuluTrade, neither broker includes these in their offerings.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and ActivTrades both provide compelling mobile trading experiences with apps available for iPhone and Android. Each app supports essential features like price alerts for stock and forex, the ability to draw trendlines, and the flexibility of viewing charts across multiple time frames. Both platforms also enable users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, although CMC Markets goes a step further by offering watchlist symbol syncing. This feature keeps watchlists updated seamlessly across devices, while ActivTrades doesn't currently support this functionality.
When it comes to technical studies, ActivTrades edges out slightly with 30 available options in its mobile app, compared to 29 offered by CMC Markets. Nonetheless, CMC Markets holds a higher rating of 5 stars for its mobile trading app, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars. This distinction is further reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where CMC Markets secures the #5 spot among 63 brokers, while ActivTrades is ranked at #19. Both platforms offer strong options, but CMC Markets appears to have a slight advantage in user satisfaction and ranking.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets and ActivTrades both excel in delivering essential market research resources, including daily market commentary and forex news from prestigious outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters. They each provide traders with a sentiment-based trading tool, displaying long and short positions across various instruments, as well as a comprehensive economic calendar showcasing significant global events. Despite these shared features, CMC Markets holds a distinct advantage with its inclusion of Autochartist analytical tools. ActivTrades, meanwhile, lacks this feature, potentially limiting the depth of technical analysis available to its users.
When it comes to overall research ratings, CMC Markets stands out with a perfect 5-star rating compared to ActivTrades' 4-star score. This superior rating is reflected in its higher ranking by ForexBrokers.com, placing CMC Markets at an impressive 6th out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades trails at 30th. Whether prioritizing comprehensive tools or a higher industry rating, traders seeking advanced market insights might find CMC Markets to be a more appealing choice between the two.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both CMC Markets and ActivTrades ensure they meet the essential needs by providing a minimum of 10 educational pieces focused on forex and CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, a noteworthy difference between the two is their approach to webinars. ActivTrades offers monthly online educational client webinars, making it easy for users to engage and learn in real-time, while CMC Markets does not provide this feature. Nevertheless, both platforms offer a searchable archive of recorded client webinars, allowing users to access valuable learning materials at their convenience.
Further enhancing the educational experience, both CMC Markets and ActivTrades provide more than 10 beginner-specific educational videos, and they also offer an equal number of advanced videos aimed at experienced traders. CMC Markets takes things up a notch with an investor dictionary that includes over 50 investing terms, a feature that isn't available with ActivTrades. This comprehensive educational service earns CMC Markets a higher rating of 5 stars for education resources, compared to ActivTrades' 4 stars. Additionally, CMC Markets boasts a more favorable ranking, placed at #10 by ForexBrokers.com in the Education category, while ActivTrades ranks at #38 out of 63 brokers. These distinctions underscore CMC Markets as a more recognized choice for educational offerings in the trading field.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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Both CMC Markets and ActivTrades do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, making them viable choices for traders interested in speculative cryptocurrency investment without owning the actual asset.
When comparing online brokers CMC Markets and ActivTrades, CMC Markets offers more flexibility with ACH and SEPA transfers, as well as PayPal, while both brokers support Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options, but ActivTrades provides additional accessibility with Skrill.
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 | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 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 | 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | 0.61 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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