Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Exness, 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 Exness are online brokers with different profiles. CMC Markets, founded in 1989, is publicly traded, while Exness, launched in 2008, is privately held; neither company is a bank.
According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets holds six Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and one Tier-2 license (trusted), earning a Trust Score of 99/99, which is considered highly trusted. Exness holds two Tier-1 and three Tier-2 licenses with a Trust Score of 80/99, which is considered trusted. These details can help you weigh each broker’s regulation and transparency.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
CMC Markets comes out ahead of Exness on commissions and fees, earning a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers for this category. Its pricing is known for consistently low spreads across account types, with typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.61 pips based on August 2023 data. CMC also offers its Price Plus Scheme for active traders, which can lower trading costs as monthly volume rises, and its FX Active pricing can bring the all-in EUR/USD cost down to about 0.5 pips with a $2.50 per side commission.
Exness is still competitive, but its costs depend more on the account you choose. It has a 4-star rating and ranks #32 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its Standard Cent and Standard accounts are commission-free but usually have higher spreads, while the Pro account offers tighter pricing. For traders who prefer commission-based pricing, Exness offers Zero Spread and Raw accounts, with the Raw account charging up to $7 per round turn lot and the Zero Spread account using a very small per-trade commission.
In simple terms, CMC Markets is the stronger pick if low overall trading costs are your top priority, especially for forex traders who want tight spreads without needing to hunt for the best account type. Exness offers more account variety, which may suit different trading styles, but its pricing structure is less consistently low than CMC Markets overall.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| 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 Exness, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more markets in one place. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer crypto CFDs, but CMC Markets stands out with 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared with Exness at 239 symbols and 78 forex pairs. CMC Markets also gives clients access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone, while Exness does not offer these stocks.
Other features also favor CMC Markets for variety: it offers copy trading, while Exness does not. Neither broker lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, only crypto CFDs. Based on ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers, while Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #35. If investment choice matters most, CMC Markets has the broader selection.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 78 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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 Exness both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, web trading, Windows desktop downloads, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both also let you trade directly from charts, making it easy to place orders while watching price action. For charting and watch lists, both brokers offer useful tools, though the exact number of indicators and watch list fields was not specified here.
The main difference is that CMC Markets also offers copy trading, while Exness does not. That extra feature, along with CMC Markets’ higher 5-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools and its #6 ranking out of 36 brokers, gives it the edge in this category. Exness still performs well with a 4-star rating and a #15 ranking, but CMC Markets is the better choice overall for traders who want more platform features and a wider toolset.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and Exness both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts, watchlist syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. This means either broker can work well for traders who want to manage positions and track markets on the go. Both apps also keep watchlists in sync with the client’s online account, so changes made on one device update in the other.
Where CMC Markets stands out is in charting convenience and overall app quality. Its mobile app includes 29 technical studies, automatically saves chart drawings, and is rated 5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, with a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #5 out of 36 brokers. Exness offers a wider set of charting tools, with 100 technical studies, but it does not auto-save drawings and is rated 4 out of 5 stars, ranking #18 out of 36. For traders who want stronger chart features, Exness has the edge; for a smoother overall mobile experience, CMC Markets comes out ahead.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets and Exness both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar for tracking key global events. That means each broker gives users a steady flow of timely market updates and a simple way to follow what may affect prices. Neither broker offers research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
Where they differ is in the extra tools. CMC Markets includes Autochartist and a sentiment tool that shows the share of long and short positions, while Exness offers Trading Central instead. In overall research quality, CMC Markets stands out with a 5-star rating and a #6 ranking out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with Exness at 3.5 stars and #32, making CMC Markets the stronger choice for market research.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner education, CMC Markets and Exness both give new traders a lot to work with. Each broker offers at least 10 beginner trading videos and at least 10 advanced videos, and both also provide forex or CFDs education that meets the 10-piece minimum. That said, CMC Markets stands out for overall education quality, with a 5-star rating and a #10 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while Exness holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks #21.
The biggest difference is in live learning support. Exness offers online educational webinars at least once a month, which can be especially helpful for beginners who want to learn in real time and ask questions. CMC Markets does not offer monthly educational webinars, so while it has strong video and article-based learning, Exness may feel more interactive for traders who prefer live sessions.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | 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 Exness. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
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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Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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CMC Markets vs Exness: neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer trading via cryptocurrency CFDs.
CMC Markets vs Exness: CMC supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wires (no Skrill), while Exness supports Skrill and bank wires (no ACH/SEPA or PayPal), with Visa/Mastercard availability not specified for both.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Exness | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 78 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Exness Review |
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