CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets 2026
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets, 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 boasts a long history in the financial trading industry, and is a publicly traded entity. It holds an impressive 6 Tier-1 licenses and an additional Tier-2 license, earning it the highest Trust Score rating of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. This score categorizes CMC Markets as a highly trusted broker. Although it is not a bank, its comprehensive regulatory backing provides strong assurance for traders seeking security and credibility in an online broker.
In comparison, BlackBull Markets was established more recently in 2014 and is not publicly traded. It offers a singular Tier-1 license, without Tier-2 credentials, which reflects its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score rating of 78 out of 99. This places BlackBull Markets within the average risk category. Though it is not considered high risk, traders might find greater peace of mind with brokers that possess more extensive regulatory oversight.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, CMC Markets generally comes out cheaper than BlackBull Markets. CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #4 of 63 for Commissions and Fees, and it won #1 in our 2025 Annual Awards for this category. BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #9 of 63. Both brokers offer tight spreads and multiple pricing options, but CMC Markets’ mix of low average spreads and commission plans tends to deliver lower all-in costs for many traders.
CMC Markets posts typical EUR/USD spreads of 0.61 pips (August 2023) and has a commission plan called FX Active: $2.50 per side with minimum spreads of 0.0, producing an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD (and five other pairs). Its averages have historically stayed close to advertised minimums. Active traders can also reduce costs via the Price Plus Scheme, which awards Trading Points based on volume (for example, two points per standard lot; Tier 4’s 20% spread discount kicks in at 1,250 lots per month). FX Active is available on both MT4 and Next Generation.
BlackBull Markets’ pricing is about average overall and depends on account type. The Standard account is commission-free with higher spreads and no minimum deposit. The Prime account requires $2,000, charges $3 per side ($6 round turn) and showed a 0.16‑pip average spread on EUR/USD in March 2024, for an all‑in cost near 0.76 pips—making it the better value versus Standard. The ECN Institutional account is aimed at higher balances ($20,000+), with $2 per side ($4 round turn). In short, BlackBull’s Prime account can be competitive, but CMC Markets typically delivers lower all‑in costs, especially under FX Active or with Price Plus discounts.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.16 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.76 |
| 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.
Comparing the range of investments, BlackBull Markets lists about 26,000 tradeable symbols, while CMC Markets offers around 12,029. For currency traders, CMC Markets provides 141 forex pairs versus 72 at BlackBull. Both brokers offer forex trading, whether via CFDs or spot contracts, giving flexibility in how you trade.
Outside of forex, both CMC Markets and BlackBull Markets let you buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges, support copy trading, and offer crypto exposure through CFDs (neither supports buying delivered crypto). Each earns 5 stars for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com; among 63 brokers, BlackBull Markets ranks #7 and CMC Markets ranks #9.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 26000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 72 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets: both brokers make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading and support web-based and Windows desktop platforms. Each offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The key difference is platform choice: CMC Markets adds a proprietary, in-house platform alongside MetaTrader, while BlackBull Markets focuses on the MetaTrader suite without its own branded platform.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while BlackBull Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #25. If you want an in-house platform plus MetaTrader, CMC Markets is the stronger pick; if you prefer sticking with MetaTrader across web and desktop and still want copy trading and a demo account, BlackBull Markets fits the bill.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | 109 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both the CMC Markets mobile app and the BlackBull Markets mobile app are available for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts, syncs watchlists with your online account, and lets you draw trendlines on charts. Drawings auto-save on both platforms, so your annotations stick when you return to a chart.
For charting tools, BlackBull Markets offers 30 technical studies while CMC Markets provides 29. Despite that slight edge, CMC Markets earns stronger industry marks: ForexBrokers.com rates it 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, compared with BlackBull’s 4 stars and #27 ranking. If you want the extra built-in study, BlackBull may appeal; if overall app quality and polish matter more, CMC Markets is the safer bet.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both CMC Markets and BlackBull Markets cover the basics of market research. Each provides daily market commentary, Autochartist-powered technical ideas, a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions, and an economic calendar. Neither broker adds research from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
Where they differ is news. CMC Markets includes forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while BlackBull Markets does not. That extra stream of professional headlines helps CMC deliver deeper context without leaving the platform. Reflecting this edge, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 stars for research and ranks it 6th out of 63 brokers, whereas BlackBull Markets earns 4 stars and ranks 16th. If premium news and higher-rated research matter to you, CMC Markets is the better choice; if you only need the core tools, BlackBull Markets remains a capable option.
| Feature |
|
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|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| 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 beginners, CMC Markets delivers a wide range of forex and CFD education. It includes at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos to guide new traders from basics to more complex topics. CMC doesn’t run monthly educational webinars, but its library earned a 5-star Education rating and a #10 of 63 ranking from ForexBrokers.com.
BlackBull Markets also offers forex and CFD education suitable for newcomers, with at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos. It adds live learning through monthly webinars, which can help beginners ask questions in real time. BlackBull’s Education rating is 4 stars with a #24 of 63 ranking. If you prefer on-demand videos and structured lessons, CMC Markets is compelling; if live webinars are important, BlackBull Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 BlackBull Markets. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #22.
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 |
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 78 |
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In the CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets comparison, neither broker offers the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide access to trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
For deposit and withdrawal options, CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, while BlackBull Markets offers Skrill and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is 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 | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 78 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 78 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 26000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 72 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.16 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 109 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 78 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | BlackBull Markets Review |