Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Eightcap, 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 Eightcap are online brokers with multi-jurisdiction regulation. CMC Markets, founded in 1989, is publicly traded and not a bank. Eightcap, founded in 2009, is privately held and also not a bank. On licensing, CMC Markets holds 6 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 1 Tier-2 license, while Eightcap holds 3 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Trust Score ranges are: 90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted. CMC Markets scores 99/99 (highly trusted), whereas Eightcap scores 87/99 (trusted), reflecting a notable difference in overall regulatory trust.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, CMC Markets has the edge over Eightcap. CMC Markets earns a 5-star rating and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers for this category, thanks to its low average spreads and pricing that stays close to its advertised levels. Its standard accounts offer competitive spread-only pricing, while its FX Active commission plan can bring EUR/USD trading costs down to an all-in 0.5 pips with $2.50 per side commissions.
Eightcap also offers solid pricing, but it is not quite as low-cost as CMC Markets. Eightcap is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #20 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Traders can choose between the spread-only Standard account and the commission-based Raw account, which has an average spread of 0.06 pips plus a $3.50 per-side commission, for an estimated all-in cost of about 0.76 pips on EUR/USD.
In simple terms, CMC Markets is the better pick if keeping trading costs down is your top priority. Eightcap is still competitive, but CMC Markets offers more consistent low spreads across account types and a stronger overall value in the commissions and fees category.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets offers a much wider range of investments than Eightcap, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more variety. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, CMC Markets stands out with 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared with Eightcap’s 803 symbols and 55 forex pairs. CMC Markets also lets clients buy actual shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple and Vodafone, while Eightcap does not offer exchange traded securities on either market.
For investors focused on selection, CMC Markets is rated 5 out of 5 for range of investments and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Eightcap is rated 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #29 out of 36. In short, both brokers cover the basics, but CMC Markets provides far more choice across forex, shares, and overall tradable markets.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 803 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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 and Eightcap both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, desktop downloads for Windows, copy trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each also lets you trade directly from charts, which makes it easier to place orders while watching price movement. For traders who want flexibility across devices and familiar third-party tools, both brokers cover the basics well.
The main difference is that CMC Markets also offers its own in-house trading platform, while Eightcap does not. That extra platform option, along with CMC Markets’ stronger ratings, helps it stand out: CMC Markets is rated 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Eightcap’s 4 stars and #31 ranking. If platform variety and overall tools matter most, CMC Markets has the edge, while Eightcap still offers a solid setup for everyday trading.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and Eightcap both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps available for each broker. Both mobile apps support stock and forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing with the online account, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-saving of chart drawings. This means you can monitor the market and keep your settings in step across devices without much hassle.
Where CMC Markets stands out is in mobile app quality and charting depth. Its app offers 29 technical studies, while Eightcap offers 30, so they are very close on chart tools. However, CMC Markets has a stronger overall mobile trading app rating, earning 5 out of 5 stars and ranking #5 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Eightcap is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #31 out of 36, making CMC Markets the better choice for traders who want a more highly rated mobile experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When comparing CMC Markets vs Eightcap for market research, CMC Markets clearly offers more depth. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, so each gives traders useful day-to-day market updates. However, CMC Markets goes further with forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis. It also earns a perfect 5-star Research rating and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Research category.
Eightcap also covers the basics well, with daily commentary, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, and it adds Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre. Still, it does not offer top-tier forex news or Autochartist, which may matter to traders who want more in-depth market insight. As a result, Eightcap receives a 3.5-star Research rating and ranks #33 out of 36, making CMC Markets the stronger choice overall for market research.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner-friendly education, CMC Markets has the edge over Eightcap. CMC Markets offers forex and CFDs learning material, at least 10 beginner trading videos, and a full set of advanced videos for more experienced traders. It also earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for Education at ForexBrokers.com, making it a strong choice for traders who want access to a wide range of learning content.
Eightcap still gives new traders useful support, including forex and CFDs education, at least 10 beginner videos, and monthly educational webinars, which CMC Markets does not offer. However, Eightcap does not match CMC Markets on advanced video content, and its Education score is lower at 3.5 stars with a #31 ranking out of 36. For beginners, both brokers provide helpful resources, but CMC Markets offers a broader and more complete learning experience overall.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | 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 Eightcap. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Eightcap finished with an overall rank of #30.
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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Eightcap
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 |
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CMC Markets vs Eightcap: these online brokers do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal methods, CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers but not Skrill (Visa/Mastercard availability not specified), whereas Eightcap supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA (Visa/Mastercard availability not specified).
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 | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Eightcap Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 803 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Eightcap Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Eightcap Review |
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