Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Alpari, 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.
CMC Markets and Alpari are both established names in the world of online trading, but their approach to regulations and credibility differ significantly. Founded in 1989 and publicly traded, CMC Markets has a stellar reputation with a perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. It boasts six Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a high level of trust and oversight from major global financial authorities. Furthermore, CMC Markets also holds one Tier-2 license, adding another layer of regulatory compliance and assurance for traders.
On the other hand, Alpari, established in 1998, is not publicly traded and operates under a less rigorous regulatory framework. With a Trust Score of 68, Alpari is considered high risk by ForexBrokers.com. Unlike CMC Markets, Alpari holds no Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, which might suggest limited regulatory oversight. While both brokers are non-banking entities, potential traders may feel more assured by CMC Markets' stronger regulatory standing and proven trustworthiness.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
CMC Markets stands out as a leader in terms of commissions and fees, earning the top spot in our 2025 Annual Awards for this category. With a star rating of 5 out of 5 and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets offers consistently low spreads, especially for the EUR/USD pair, where the typical spread is only 0.61 pips. The broker's new Price Plus Scheme provides active traders with additional savings opportunities through Trading Points, granting a 20% spread discount at its most beneficial tier. Moreover, CMC Markets has implemented FX Active, a commission-based pricing model with minimal spreads and competitive all-in costs, further enhancing its appeal for forex traders.
On the other hand, Alpari, with a rating of 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #41 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for commissions and fees, offers a different proposition. Unfortunately, detailed average spread data for Alpari is not available, which may pose a challenge for traders focused on evaluating trading costs. While Alpari remains a reputable broker, the lack of specific pricing data and a lower overall ranking indicates that it may not match the cost-effectiveness offered by top-tier brokers like CMC Markets.
Ultimately, traders looking to optimize their trading costs may find CMC Markets more appealing due to its transparent pricing and top-tier ranking. With innovative programs like FX Active and the extensive support for active traders, CMC Markets cements its position as a preferred choice for those seeking low commissions and fees. In contrast, Alpari might still be suitable for traders with different priorities, despite its comparatively lower ranking and lack of specific pricing details.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
When comparing CMC Markets and Alpari on their investment offerings, there is a notable difference in the variety available to traders. CMC Markets boasts an impressive portfolio of 12,029 tradeable symbols, significantly outpacing Alpari's 105 options. Forex enthusiasts will find more choices with CMC Markets, which provides 141 tradeable forex pairs compared to Alpari's 46. Additionally, CMC Markets stands out by offering clients the ability to invest in exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, enabling the purchase of stocks like Apple directly, a feature Alpari does not provide. Both platforms, however, enable trading in international exchange-traded securities and offer copy trading features.
In terms of cryptocurrency, neither broker supports buying actual cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency derivatives for trading. On the investment variety leaderboard, CMC Markets earns a full five-star rating and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Alpari is rated three stars and holds the 63rd position. This comparison highlights CMC Markets as a more diverse and flexible choice, while Alpari may suit traders with specific, more limited needs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 46 |
| 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 of CMC Markets and Alpari, both brokers provide a range of offerings suitable for traders. Each offers a free virtual demo account, allowing users to practice trading without financial risk. Both brokers have developed in-house proprietary platforms and support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). They also offer the convenience of platform access through Windows-based desktop applications and web browsers. Although neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, they both offer copy trading capabilities. One notable difference is in the charting tools they provide; CMC Markets offers 36 drawing tools, whereas Alpari provides 15. Furthermore, both allow trading directly from a stock chart.
CMC Markets offers a slightly more comprehensive platform compared to Alpari, with 11 watchlist fields against Alpari's 7. This difference is reflected in their ratings, with CMC Markets scoring a perfect 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Alpari receives a respectable 4 stars. The brokers' rankings also highlight this disparity; CMC Markets holds an impressive 4th place out of 63 brokers in a ForexBrokers.com ranking, whereas Alpari is positioned at 55th. In summary, while both platforms cater to various trading needs, CMC Markets stands out for its enriched features and stronger user feedback.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 73 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of CMC Markets and Alpari, both brokers provide apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of traders. They also support stock and forex price alerts, which keeps users informed of market moves. However, a key difference lies in the synchronization of watchlists; CMC Markets offers seamless syncing between the mobile app and the client’s online account, whereas Alpari lacks this feature. CMC Markets also stands out with the ability to auto-save drawings on stock or forex charts, enhancing the user experience by preserving valuable chart analysis.
For traders seeking technical insights, Alpari boasts a slight edge with 30 technical studies compared to CMC Markets’ 29. Both brokers allow trendline drawing and viewing of multiple time frames on charts in their mobile apps. Additionally, each broker supports watchlists with real-time quotes. In terms of rankings, CMC Markets is highly regarded, earning a 5-star rating and securing the 5th spot out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps, according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Alpari, with its 4-star rating, is positioned at 56th, highlighting CMC Markets as a favorite for users prioritizing advanced app capabilities and user-friendly features.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of CMC Markets and Alpari, CMC Markets stands out with daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources, just like Alpari. However, CMC Markets further enhances its research suite with a sentiment-based trading tool that provides insight into the ratio of long and short positions across various instruments, a feature Alpari does not offer. Both brokers utilize Autochartist for technical and fundamental research tools, but neither includes resources from Trading Central. In terms of additional insights, CMC Markets offers a comprehensive economic calendar for global news events, a feature also available with Alpari.
In terms of recognition, CMC Markets is highly rated with a 5-star research score, ranking 6th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Alpari holds a 3-star rating, placing it much lower at 57th. While both brokers offer strong foundations with their forex news offerings, the added value in daily commentary and sentiment analysis gives CMC Markets a clear edge for traders seeking in-depth market insights.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, CMC Markets and Alpari both offer a wealth of materials to help new traders get started with confidence. Both platforms provide a minimum of ten educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, which include articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, while both brokers refrain from offering monthly live educational webinars, CMC Markets stands out by offering a searchable archive of previously recorded sessions, ensuring that learners can access valuable material on their schedule. Moreover, both platforms cater to different expertise levels, delivering at least ten beginner-friendly educational videos.
CMC Markets goes a step further by providing content for advanced learners, offering at least ten videos for experienced traders, whereas Alpari does not meet this advanced education criterion. Both brokers have robust investor dictionaries with definitions of over fifty investing terms, which is vital for building foundational knowledge. CMC Markets' commitment to education is reflected in its 5-star rating and a commendable 10th place ranking out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Alpari holds a 3-star rating and ranks 48th in the same educational category, highlighting CMC Markets as the more comprehensive choice for those starting their trading journey.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 Alpari. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #58.
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
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 68 |
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Both CMC Markets and Alpari do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers CMC Markets and Alpari, CMC Markets provides greater flexibility with payment options by supporting ACH, SEPA, and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, whereas Alpari does not support these methods but offers Skrill instead; both brokers accept Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transfers.
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 | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 46 | |
| 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 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 | |
| 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 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review |
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