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 in 1989) and eToro (founded in 2007) are well-known online brokers. Both are publicly traded companies and neither is a bank. In terms of regulation, CMC Markets holds 6 Tier-1 licenses—considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com—plus 1 Tier-2 license. eToro holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license.
ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score rates brokers on a 0–99 scale: 90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted. CMC Markets earns a 99/99 Trust Score, while eToro scores 97/99—placing both firms in the highly trusted category.
| 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 |
In our 2025 Annual Awards, CMC Markets stands out for commissions and fees, earning 5 stars and ranking #4 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Commissions and Fees category. It is known for consistently low spreads across account types, with typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.61 pips based on its August 2023 pricing data. CMC also offers active trader discounts through its Price Plus Scheme, and its FX Active pricing can lower all-in trading costs to about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD by adding a small commission on top of near-zero spreads.
eToro earns 4 stars and ranks #23 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. As a market-maker broker, eToro typically shows a variable EUR/USD spread of about 1 pip, which is a bit higher than the industry average. While that means it is usually less attractive on raw trading costs than CMC Markets, many traders choose eToro for its social copy trading features rather than for low spreads alone.
Overall, CMC Markets is the lower-cost choice for most active forex traders, especially those who want tight spreads and extra savings through volume-based pricing. eToro’s pricing is less competitive by comparison, but its VIP Club can help with perks like lower fees and account support for eligible customers. For pure commissions and fees, CMC Markets has the edge over eToro.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50-$10,000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 and eToro both give traders a wide choice of investments, but CMC Markets has the edge on overall selection. It offers 21,710 tradeable symbols and 303 forex pairs, compared with eToro’s 7,441 symbols and 65 forex pairs. Both brokers let clients trade forex as either CFDs or spot contracts, and both also provide access to exchange traded securities on U.S. and international markets, so you can buy shares such as Apple or Vodafone directly.
The main differences come down to extra features and crypto access. eToro supports copy trading and lets users buy actual cryptocurrency, while CMC Markets does not offer either of those options. However, both brokers do offer cryptocurrency CFDs. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments category, both CMC Markets and eToro are rated 5 stars, with CMC Markets ranked #9 out of 36 brokers and eToro ranked #10.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 7441 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| 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 eToro both give traders a free demo account, their own in-house platform, and web-based trading, so each makes it easy to practice and trade from a browser. Both also let users trade directly from charts. Where CMC Markets stands out is in desktop and advanced trading support: it offers a Windows desktop platform, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5, while eToro does not offer these options. For traders who want more platform choice and access to popular third-party software, CMC Markets has the edge.
eToro, however, is the better pick for social trading because it offers copy trading and CMC Markets does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools review, CMC Markets scores 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers, while eToro earns 4.5 stars and ranks #8. If you want more traditional platform variety, CMC Markets is stronger; if copy trading matters most, eToro may be the better fit.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and eToro both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between the app and online account. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts, making it easier to follow market moves on the go. For everyday mobile trading needs, both brokers cover the basics well and make it simple to monitor positions, alerts, and watchlists from a phone.
When it comes to charting tools and app convenience, CMC Markets has the edge for mobile trading apps. Its app includes 30 technical studies, auto-saves chart drawings, and earns a 5-star rating, ranking #5 out of 36 brokers for this category. eToro offers more technical studies at 104 and still delivers a strong mobile experience, but it does not auto-save chart drawings and is rated 4.5 stars, ranking #10 out of 36. If you want stronger chart-saving features and a slightly higher overall mobile app score, CMC Markets stands out; if you value a larger set of chart studies, eToro may appeal more.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets and eToro both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar with key global events. This means both brokers make it easy to follow market moves and keep up with news that may affect trading decisions.
When it comes to extra research features, CMC Markets has an edge with Autochartist tools, while eToro stands out for offering TipRanks research. Neither broker offers Trading Central or Acuity Trading tools. Overall, CMC Markets scores higher for research, with a 5-star rating and a #6 rank out of 36 brokers, compared with eToro’s 4.5-star rating and #12 rank.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
CMC Markets and eToro both give beginners plenty of learning material to work with, including forex and CFD education, regular online webinars, and at least 10 beginner-friendly videos as well as 10 advanced videos. That means each broker offers a wide mix of lessons for new traders who want to learn the basics and for more experienced users who want to go deeper into trading topics.
When comparing the two, eToro has the edge in overall education, with a 4.5-star rating and a #3 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. CMC Markets is also a strong choice for learning, earning a full 5-star education rating, but it ranks #10 out of 36. In simple terms, both are good options for beginners, but eToro stands out more for its overall education offering.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | 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 eToro. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, 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 | 97 |
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CMC Markets vs eToro: both brokers support cryptocurrency CFDs, but only eToro lets you buy and hold actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, while CMC Markets limits crypto access to CFDs.
CMC Markets and eToro both support ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, but only eToro also supports Skrill.
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 | 97 | |
| 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 | 97 | |
| 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 (FSA 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 CMA 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) | 21710 | 7441 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order 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 | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 106 | |
| 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 Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | eToro Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 97 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | eToro Review |
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