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.
Catering to investors since 1989, CMC Markets stands out as a highly trusted online broker with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99. This UK-based company is publicly traded and holds five Tier-1 licenses, marking it as a safe choice for traders seeking reliability. While it is not a bank, CMC Markets surpasses expectations with its strong regulatory standing, offering clients peace of mind in their trading activities.
In comparison, eToro emerged in 2007 and has built a solid reputation with a Trust Score of 96. Also publicly traded, eToro holds three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, indicating a commitment to providing secure investment opportunities. Although not a bank, eToro has established itself as a trusted platform for traders, combining innovative social trading features with strong regulation.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When comparing CMC Markets and eToro in terms of commissions and fees, CMC Markets stands out as a top choice. In the 2025 Annual Awards, CMC Markets secured the #1 position in the Commissions and Fees category, offering consistently low spreads that cater to all customer segments and account types. CMC Markets provides competitive pricing, with average spreads of 0.61 pips on the EUR/USD pair, bettering the industry average. Its active trader program, Price Plus Scheme, allows traders to enjoy discounts on trading costs, rewarding them with a 20% spread discount at Tier 4 based on their monthly trading volumes.
CMC Markets further enhances its appeal through the FX Active program, which combines commission-based pricing and competitive spreads. Users are charged a commission of $2.50 per side with minimal spreads of zero pips, leading to a 0.5 pip all-in cost when trading the EUR/USD and other selected currency pairs. Historically, CMC Markets' average spreads align closely with their advertised minimums, often resulting in better cost-effectiveness for traders. With a 5-star rating for commissions and fees, CMC Markets maintains the highest rank among 63 brokers in this category.
On the other hand, eToro, holding a 4.5-star rating and ranked #22 out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category, offers a variable spread of 1 pip on the EUR/USD, which is slightly above the industry norm. While not primarily chosen for its spreads, eToro attracts retail traders with its innovative social copy trading platform. eToro also features a VIP club with five membership tiers, offering perks like Trading Central access and discounted transaction fees, catering to traders with balances from $5,000 to $250,000. Despite these benefits, CMC Markets' fee structure provides a more attractive option for traders seeking lower trading costs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50-$10,000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | 1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | 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 and eToro both stand out for their extensive offerings in the online trading world, yet they cater to slightly different needs when it comes to available investments. CMC Markets boasts an impressive selection of 11,925 tradeable symbols compared to eToro's 5,461. This broader spectrum includes 156 tradeable forex pairs, overshadowing eToro’s 55 forex pairs. Both platforms allow users to invest directly in exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international markets, enabling investors to purchase shares from companies like Apple and Vodafone.
While both brokers facilitate forex trading as either CFDs or spot contracts and offer copy trading features, there's a significant divergence in their approach to cryptocurrencies. CMC Markets provides the option to buy cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas eToro extends its crypto portfolio further by allowing the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Both platforms have earned a five-star rating for their range of investments, although CMC Markets edges slightly ahead by being ranked 9th for investment diversity by ForexBrokers.com, while eToro follows closely at 10th place.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 5461 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 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 offer traders a range of features on their proprietary platforms, including the availability of free virtual demo accounts. CMC Markets stands out with its Windows-based desktop platform, while eToro focuses on web-based trading solutions. Both brokers provide copy trading services; however, CMC Markets has the added advantage of offering popular tools like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Despite this, neither platform supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. CMC Markets also enables users to trade directly from stock charts, which adds to its flexibility.
On the charting front, eToro surpasses CMC Markets with 161 drawing tools compared to CMC’s 40, allowing for more detailed analysis. However, CMC Markets offers more fields for watch lists, providing 11 columns as opposed to eToro's six. In terms of ratings, CMC Markets earns a perfect five stars for its trading platforms and tools, while eToro receives 4.5 stars. ForexBrokers.com ranks CMC Markets 4th out of 63 brokers, whereas eToro is ranked 8th, showcasing both platforms as strong but distinct options for trading enthusiasts.
| 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) | 79 | 104 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 161 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| 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.
When comparing the market research offerings of CMC Markets and eToro, both platforms provide daily market commentary and maintain comprehensive economic calendars. A key distinction lies in their news sources; CMC Markets grants access to top-tier forex news from Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, while eToro does not. For trading tools, CMC Markets integrates Autochartist for technical analysis, but lacks Trading Central analytics, which eToro offers. Both brokers provide sentiment-based trading tools, yet eToro enhances its research capabilities with TipRanks, a resource missing from CMC Markets.
Reflecting on their overall research services, CMC Markets earns an impressive 5-star rating, ranking 6th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, primarily due to its rich selection of market analysis tools and premium news sources. In comparison, eToro secures a respectable 4.5-star rating and stands at the 13th position. This rating system indicates CMC Markets' slight superiority in research offerings, especially for traders valuing access to premium news and technical tools like Autochartist.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| 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 |
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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 | 5 | 3 | |
| 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 | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 5461 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 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 | 0.61 | 1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | 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) | 79 | 104 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 161 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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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