Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Earn, 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, founded in 1989, is a well-established online broker that holds a high trust level with an impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99. As a publicly traded company with 5 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, it is considered highly trusted and reliable. While not a bank, its presence on the stock exchange speaks to its credibility and transparency in the industry.
Founded in 1994, Earn operates as a private entity in the world of online brokerage. It holds 1 Tier-1 license, reflecting a moderate level of trust, and a Trust Score of 71 indicates it carries an average risk. Like CMC Markets, Earn is not a bank, but unlike its peer, it is not publicly traded. The distinctions in their trust ratings and regulatory oversight highlight the varying degrees of assurance they offer to investors.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1994 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
In the 2025 Annual Awards, CMC Markets clinched the top spot for commissions and fees due to its consistently low spread offerings accessible to all customers. It boasts competitive average spreads at 0.61 pips on the EUR/USD as per August 2023 data. Notably, CMC Markets features an active trader program, the Price Plus Scheme, which provides discounts on trading costs based on accrued Trading Points. With this program, traders can earn rewards by trading standard lots, reaching up to a 20% spread discount at the highest tier. Moreover, the introduction of FX Active in regions including Southeast Asia and the U.K. offers commission-based pricing with $2.50 per side, enabling a 0.5 pip all-in cost on the EUR/USD.
On the other hand, Earn, rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, does not provide specific average spread data, making direct pricing comparison challenging. While Earn holds the 45th rank among 63 brokers in the same category, CMC Markets leads with a solid 5-star rating, further highlighting its attractiveness in terms of pricing. CMC’s commitment to low costs and transparency in spread offerings places it significantly ahead of Earn within the brokerage landscape.
Choosing the right broker often comes down to understanding spreads and trading costs. CMC Markets impresses with its minimal deviation between average and minimum spreads, reinforcing its status as a pricing leader. Meanwhile, the absence of average spread data for Earn can pose potential uncertainties for traders looking to minimize costs. For those prioritizing competitive trading terms, CMC Markets remains a standout choice with its premium offerings and top industry ranking.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | 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 to Earn for their available range of investments, notable differences in their offerings become evident. CMC Markets provides an extensive array of tradeable options, boasting 11,925 tradeable symbols and 156 forex pairs, far surpassing Earn's 500 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs. Additionally, CMC Markets allows clients to invest in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, broadening investment opportunities significantly, whereas Earn does not offer this feature.
Both platforms accommodate clients interested in forex trading and cryptocurrency derivatives, yet neither supports the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Investors seeking to leverage copy trading will find options available on both CMC Markets and Earn. Given these features, CMC Markets is rated five stars for the range of investments and ranked 9th by ForexBrokers.com out of 63 brokers, while Earn holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 45th. This discrepancy highlights CMC Markets as the more versatile choice for investors looking for a wider spectrum of investment options.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 61 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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.
CMC Markets and Earn both provide vibrant trading platforms, catering to their users’ needs by offering free virtual demo accounts for simulated trading. While both platforms support web-based and Windows desktop trading, CMC Markets stands out with its proprietary platform, enhancing the user experience with unique, in-house developed features. Both companies embrace popular trading software like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, but Earn diversifies its offerings with the inclusion of ZuluTrade, allowing users to access a wider variety of copy trading options. For traders who appreciate variety in charting tools, CMC Markets offers a significant advantage with 40 drawing tools, compared to Earn’s 15, allowing for more detailed technical analysis.
In terms of organization, CMC Markets provides more flexibility with 11 columns for watch lists compared to Earn’s 7, simplifying the tracking of preferred stocks. Both platforms allow for direct trading from a stock chart, facilitating seamless transitions from analysis to action. The differences in their functionalities have been recognized in their ratings; CMC Markets achieved an impressive five-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools from ForexBrokers.com, ranking 4th out of 63 brokers. Meanwhile, Earn received a four-star rating, placing it at the 51st position. These distinctions reflect the level of support and additional features provided by CMC Markets, making it a preferred choice for more discerning traders.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 35 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 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 Earn, both brokers offer solid options for iPhone and Android users, ensuring seamless access to markets from anywhere. Each app provides valuable functions such as stock and forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts. However, CMC Markets stands out by offering watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring that changes made on the mobile app are consistently updated with the client's online account, while Earn does not support this feature. In terms of charting tools, Earn provides 35 technical studies, slightly edging out CMC Markets, which offers 29 studies but still delivers comprehensive technical analysis options.
Both mobile apps support real-time quote watchlists and auto-save chart drawings, enhancing user convenience. Despite these similarities, CMC Markets is rated superior, earning a perfect 5-star rating for its mobile trading app compared to Earn's 4 stars. This is reflected in rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where CMC Markets is placed at an impressive 5th out of 63 brokers, while Earn ranks at 27th. Overall, while both platforms offer useful features for traders on the go, CMC Markets appears to have a slight edge in delivering a more integrated and highly-rated mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 35 |
| 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 Earn both provide traders with daily market commentary and access to important forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. This ensures that users of both platforms receive timely and relevant updates. However, CMC Markets excels by offering additional technical and fundamental research tools from Autochartist, whereas Earn does not. Furthermore, CMC Markets also provides a sentiment-based trading tool that displays a ratio of long or short positions, a feature not available with Earn. Both brokers give users an economic calendar to track global events impacting economies worldwide, but neither offers research tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
When it comes to research tools and support, CMC Markets stands out with a research rating of 5 stars and a commendable ranking of #6 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Earn, on the other hand, has a 3.5-star research rating and is ranked #38 in the same category. These ratings highlight CMC Markets' stronger emphasis on equipping traders with a broader range of research tools compared to Earn, making it a preferred choice for those prioritizing detailed trading insights.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners keen on diving into the world of forex and CFDs, CMC Markets stands out with its extensive educational materials. Offering more than 10 educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars, CMC Markets provides a comprehensive learning experience. Beginners can also benefit from at least 10 educational videos tailored specifically for those new to trading. Additionally, CMC Markets offers a searchable archive of previously recorded webinars and an investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms. This dedication to education is reflected in their 5-star rating for education and #10 rank out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Earn, on the other hand, trails in comparison when it comes to educational resources. While it has some offerings, it lacks the minimum number of educational materials that CMC Markets provides. The absence of a searchable webinar archive and a comprehensive investor dictionary further limits the learning options for beginners. Advanced educational resources and webinars are also missing from Earn's offerings. Consequently, Earn receives a lower education rating of 3.5 stars and is ranked #62 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. For beginners looking for a rich educational experience, CMC Markets might be the preferable choice.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 Earn. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while Earn finished with an overall rank of #50.
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
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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Both CMC Markets and Earn do not offer the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies, but they do provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
CMC Markets provides a broader range of deposit and withdrawal options compared to Earn, offering ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires, while Earn supports Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wires, lacking ACH/SEPA and PayPal options.
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 | Earn | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Earn | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1994 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 35 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 35 | |
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Earn | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review |
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