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 and Exness take different approaches to commissions and fees, and that can make a big difference depending on how you trade. CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #3 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for Commissions and Fees. Its standard account has spread-only pricing, but the average EUR/USD spread measured 1.3 pips, which is wider than the advertised 0.8 pip minimum. Cost-conscious traders can use FX Active, where pricing is more competitive at about 1.15 pips all-in on EUR/USD after commission. CMC also offers volume-based rebates through active trader programs, while non-trading costs are fairly light, with no minimum deposit and no inactivity fee until after a full year of no trading.
Exness is rated 4 stars and ranked #33 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees. It offers several account types, including standard, professional, and copy trading options, so the cost depends on which account you choose. Standard accounts are commission-free but usually have wider spreads, while the Zero Spread account charges a commission of about $0.05 per trade, and the Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn lot with lower spreads. This gives active traders more flexibility, but Exness generally trails CMC Markets overall on pricing in this category.
In simple terms, CMC Markets is the stronger choice for overall commissions and fees, especially if you want a broker with more consistent pricing and stronger tiered rebates. Exness can still work well for traders who want account variety and are comfortable comparing spread and commission structures before placing trades.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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.
When it comes to range of investments, CMC Markets offers a much wider choice than Exness. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but CMC Markets has far more tradeable symbols overall, with 21,710 compared with Exness’s 239. It also provides 303 forex pairs, while Exness offers 78, making CMC Markets the stronger option for traders who want more market variety.
CMC Markets also stands out because it offers exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so clients can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone, while Exness does not offer these products. Neither broker supports copy trading or the purchase of actual delivered cryptocurrency. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s ratings, CMC Markets scores 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 for Range of Investments, while Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks #37, which reflects the gap between the two platforms.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 78 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 wide choice of platforms and tools, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based trading. Each broker also supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and both let you place trades directly from a chart. Neither broker offers copy trading, so if that feature matters to you, you may want to look elsewhere. For charting and watch lists, both brokers provide trading tools designed to help with market tracking and analysis, though the exact feature counts were not listed here.
When it comes to overall platform quality, CMC Markets has the edge. ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks it #6 out of 36 brokers, while Exness earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 36. In simple terms, both brokers cover the main trading platform needs well, but CMC Markets is rated higher for its platform experience and tools.
| 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 | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 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 traders can monitor the markets and manage watchlists from their phone with either broker, while staying connected to changes made in the mobile app or online account. In everyday use, both apps cover the core features most people look for in a trading platform.
The main difference is in charting and overall app quality. Exness offers 100 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 at CMC Markets, which may appeal to traders who rely on more chart tools. However, CMC Markets has the edge in mobile trading app ratings, earning 5 stars versus 4 stars for Exness, and it ranks higher overall in the Mobile Trading Apps category at #5 out of 36 brokers, compared with Exness at #18.
| 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 | 30 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, CMC Markets gives traders a wider set of tools than Exness. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar with upcoming global events. However, CMC Markets goes further with Autochartist and a sentiment tool that shows long-versus-short positioning, while Exness stands out for offering Trading Central research instead. Neither broker offers TipRanks or Acuity Trading research.
Overall, CMC Markets has the edge for research, with a 5-star rating and a #6 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #34, which suggests a more limited research offering by comparison. For traders who want more built-in market analysis and sentiment data, CMC Markets is the stronger choice.
| 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 comparing CMC Markets and Exness for beginner education, both brokers give new traders a solid range of learning tools. Each offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 learning pieces, along with monthly online webinars and plenty of beginner-focused videos, so first-time traders can build basic market knowledge and trading confidence. Both also provide advanced educational videos for those who want to keep learning after the basics.
That said, CMC Markets comes out ahead overall for education. It is rated 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for the Education category on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #20. For beginners looking for a broker with stronger educational support, CMC Markets appears to offer the better learning experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 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 21,710 tradeable instruments and 303 forex pairs, the largest currency lineup in the industry.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
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) | 21710 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 78 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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) | 65 | 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 Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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