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, established in 1989, is a veteran in the online trading industry, known for being publicly traded on a stock exchange, which adds an extra layer of transparency and accountability. They hold an impressive six Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a highly trusted status. Additionally, CMC Markets has one Tier-2 license, supporting their overall reliability. With a perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets provides traders with confidence in their regulatory oversight and industry standing despite not being a bank.
Founded in 2008, Exness has steadily gained credibility in the trading world, though it isn't publicly traded. Geared towards earning trust, Exness holds two Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, positioning it as a trusted broker. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 81, Exness is considered a secure platform for traders. It offers a solid choice for those seeking a regulated online broker while also not operating as a bank.
| 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 earns 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #4 out of 63 brokers (and won our 2025 Annual Award for this category), while Exness holds 4 stars and ranks #31 of 63. Both brokers offer competitive pricing, but CMC Markets tends to deliver lower all-in trading costs across more account types.
CMC Markets features consistently low spreads available to all customers. Its typical EUR/USD spread is 0.61 pips (Aug 2023). With the FX Active plan, commissions are $2.50 per side with minimum spreads of 0.0, producing an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD and several other major pairs. CMC Markets’ averages have historically tracked close to its advertised minimums, supporting its strong pricing. Active traders can also earn spread discounts via the Price Plus Scheme; for example, trading 1,250 standard lots in a month reaches Tier 4 for a 20% spread discount.
Exness offers multiple account types, and your costs depend on the one you choose. Standard Cent and Standard accounts are commission-free with wider spreads, while the Pro account tightens spreads and lets you choose instant or market execution. The Zero Spread account charges a $0.05 per-trade commission with market execution, and the Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn lot ($3.5 per side) with lower spreads; both have a 30% margin call trigger and no leverage or stop-out limits. These plans can be sharp for high-volume traders, but for many traders CMC Markets’ typical all-in costs remain lower and more consistent.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| 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 and Exness both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and each supports copy trading. CMC Markets stands out for sheer choice: 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs versus Exness’s 209 symbols and 96 forex pairs. CMC Markets also offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy and hold shares like Apple or Vodafone, while Exness does not offer exchange-traded stocks. Both brokers provide crypto CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency.
For range of investments, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com; Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks #34. Choose CMC Markets if you want the broadest market coverage with access to global stocks alongside CFDs and forex; pick Exness if you prefer a simpler lineup focused on popular forex pairs and CFD markets.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 209 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 96 |
| 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 vs Exness: both brokers check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary in-house platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. They also support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), provide copy trading, and let you place trades directly from charts. You’ll find technical indicators and customizable watch lists with either broker, alongside modern charting and platform workflows suited to everyday traders.
Where they differ is polish and recognition. For Trading Platforms and Tools, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness earns 4 stars and ranks #15. In short, both deliver versatile platform choices and popular integrations like MT4/MT5, but CMC Markets edges ahead for overall platform experience and tool depth.
| 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 | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 107 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing mobile trading apps, both CMC Markets and Exness offer iPhone and Android apps and support stock and forex price alerts. A key difference is watchlist management: CMC Markets syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Exness does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, whereas Exness holds 4 stars and ranks #18.
For charting, Exness includes 35 technical studies versus 29 with CMC Markets. Both apps let you draw trendlines, but only CMC Markets auto-saves your drawings. If seamless syncing and saved chart work matter most, CMC Markets is the better fit; if you want more built-in indicators, Exness has the edge.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets vs Exness: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and handy economic calendars to track upcoming events. Each also provides a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions across instruments. Neither broker includes TipRanks or Acuity Trading (Signal Centre) in their research lineup.
The key differences come down to third‑party tools. CMC Markets offers Autochartist for pattern and signal scanning, while Exness does not. Exness integrates Trading Central’s research suite, which CMC Markets does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets earns a 5-star Research rating and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers, whereas Exness receives 3.5 stars and ranks #31. In short, CMC Markets stands out for overall research strength and Autochartist access, while Exness appeals if you prefer Trading Central’s analyses.
| 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 | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
CMC Markets vs Exness for beginner education: both brokers provide sizable forex and CFD learning libraries, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos. Independent ratings put CMC Markets ahead for overall quality, with 5/5 stars and a #10 rank out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Exness at 3.5/5 stars and #21. If you want the strongest overall training experience for getting started and progressing, CMC Markets has the edge.
Live learning is a key difference. Exness runs ongoing client webinars (at least one per month), while CMC Markets does not. If live, scheduled lessons matter to you, Exness is the better fit. If you prefer on‑demand videos to build basics and then advance, both will work, with CMC Markets offering the higher-rated library.
| 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
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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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 | 81 | |
| 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 | 81 | |
| 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 SCA 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 | 209 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 96 | |
| 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 | 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 | $10 | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | 107 | |
| 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 | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 35 | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Exness Review |
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