Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs eToro, 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 1989) and eToro (founded 2007) are online brokers that are publicly traded and not banks. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets holds a Trust Score of 99/99 and eToro scores 96/99—both fall in the highly trusted 90–99 range.
Looking at regulation, CMC Markets has 6 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, while eToro has 4 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2. Tier-1 licenses are considered highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted by ForexBrokers.com, reinforcing the strong trust ratings for both brokers.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, CMC Markets stands out as the price leader. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2025 Annual Awards, CMC Markets earned 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while eToro received 4.5 stars and ranked #23 out of 63. The gap shows up most in spreads and pricing flexibility.
CMC Markets posts low costs with typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.61 pips (Aug 2023). Its FX Active plan charges a $2.50 per side commission with minimum spreads of 0.0, giving an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD and several other major pairs. FX Active is available on MT4 and Next Generation in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the U.K. High-volume traders can also use the Price Plus Scheme to earn spread discounts via Trading Points (for example, roughly 1,250 standard lots in a month unlocks a 20% spread discount at Tier 4). Notably, CMC’s average spreads tend to stay close to its advertised minimums.
eToro, by contrast, is a market-maker with a typical variable EUR/USD spread of 1 pip, which is slightly higher than the industry average. Traders rarely choose eToro for the tightest spreads; its appeal is the social copy trading platform. For perks, the eToro Club offers five VIP tiers (Silver to Diamond) for balances from $5,000 to $250,000, including benefits such as Trading Central access, discounted deposit and withdrawal fees, and a dedicated account manager.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50-$10,000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 vs eToro: both brokers cover forex trading as CFDs or spot, offer copy trading, and let you buy real stocks on U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple on Nasdaq and Vodafone in London). When it comes to sheer variety, CMC Markets lists 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, while eToro offers 7,441 symbols and 55 forex pairs. That makes CMC Markets the better pick if you want the widest choice of markets under one roof.
Crypto is where they differ most: eToro lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, while CMC Markets limits crypto to derivatives; both support crypto derivatives. According to ForexBrokers.com, each earns 5 stars for Range of Investments, with CMC Markets ranked #9 out of 63 and eToro close behind at #11. Choose eToro if owning real crypto matters; choose CMC Markets if maximum market coverage is your priority.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 7441 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes |
| 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 eToro both make it easy to get started with a free paper (demo) account and each offers its own in-house trading platform. Both also run in your browser and support copy trading, plus you can place trades right from a chart. A key difference is desktop access: CMC Markets offers a downloadable Windows platform, while eToro does not. Platform integrations also set them apart—CMC Markets supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, whereas eToro doesn’t support either. Neither broker connects to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting, indicator counts weren’t specified, but CMC Markets lists 36 drawing tools while eToro offers 73. Watchlists are more customizable at CMC Markets (11 columns) than at eToro (6). In expert evaluations, CMC Markets earned 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; eToro earned 4.5 stars and ranks #8. In short, choose CMC Markets if you want desktop software or need MT4/MT5, and pick eToro if you prefer a web platform with more drawing tools and built-in copy trading.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 106 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 73 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 6 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both CMC Markets and eToro offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android devices, providing users with convenient on-the-go access to the markets. Both apps come equipped with features such as price alerts, watchlist synchronization, and real-time quotes to enhance the trading experience. However, when it comes to technical analysis tools, CMC Markets offers 29 technical studies, while eToro leads with 104 studies. CMC Markets allows traders to draw trend lines and autosave chart drawings on its mobile app, offering greater flexibility in chart analysis. In contrast, eToro does not include these particular features.
For viewing multiple time frames within charts, both CMC Markets and eToro provide this capability. In terms of ratings, CMC Markets has received five stars for its mobile trading app, surpassing eToro, which holds a 4.5-star rating. When ranked by ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets stands at #5 out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps, while eToro comes in at #10. These distinctions highlight CMC Markets as a strong contender with advanced charting capabilities and higher user satisfaction.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing CMC Markets vs eToro for market research, both brokers deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus a sentiment tool and an economic calendar. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets earned 5 stars and ranked #6 out of 63 brokers for Research, while eToro received 4.5 stars and ranked #13. If you want steady news flow and everyday insights, either platform covers the basics well.
The bigger differences show up in research tools. CMC Markets includes Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade ideas, while eToro does not. On the other hand, eToro offers Trading Central tools and TipRanks analyst insights, which CMC Markets lacks. Neither broker provides Acuity Trading tools. In short, choose CMC Markets if you value chart-driven signals from Autochartist, or pick eToro if you prefer Trading Central strategies and TipRanks data alongside its broad social trading experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational offerings of CMC Markets and eToro, both online brokers deliver a strong suite of resources tailored for beginners interested in forex and CFDs. Both platforms provide a substantial range of educational materials, including a minimum of 10 articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFDs. While both companies supply searchable archives of previously recorded webinars and a series of over 10 beginner videos on trading topics, eToro stands out by offering monthly online educational webinars, a feature absent from CMC Markets.
Furthermore, both brokers furnish educational videos for experienced traders and maintain investor dictionaries with over 50 investing terms. Despite these comprehensive offerings, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets slightly higher for education, awarding it a perfect 5-star rating, compared to eToro's 4.5 stars. Interestingly, while eToro ranks higher at #5 in ForexBrokers.com's education category, CMC Markets follows closely at #10. Overall, both platforms provide valuable educational tools, but eToro's commitment to regular webinars might appeal more to users seeking interactive learning opportunities.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 eToro. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while eToro finished with an overall rank of #9.
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
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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While both CMC Markets and eToro provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, only eToro offers the capability to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrency, whereas CMC Markets does not.
Both CMC Markets and eToro support ACH and SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transactions for deposits and withdrawals, but only eToro additionally offers Skrill as a payment option.
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 | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | eToro Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | eToro | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 7441 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50-$10,000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 6 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 106 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 73 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | eToro Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | eToro Review |
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