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 |
In a head-to-head comparison of commissions and fees, CMC Markets comes out ahead of Exness. CMC Markets earns a 5-star rating and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees, helped by its consistently low pricing across account types. Its average EUR/USD spread was 0.61 pips, and its FX Active pricing can bring all-in trading costs down to about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD with a $2.50 per-side commission. CMC also offers its Price Plus Scheme, which gives active traders discounts based on trading volume.
Exness is still competitive, but its costs vary more by account type. It earns 4 stars and ranks #31 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees. Exness offers several account choices, including commission-free options such as Standard Cent, Standard, and Pro, plus lower-spread commission-based accounts like Zero Spread and Raw. The Zero Spread account charges a small per-trade commission, while the Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn lot, which can make it appealing for traders who want tighter spreads and are comfortable paying commission.
Overall, CMC Markets is the better pick for traders focused on low trading costs and clear pricing, while Exness may suit traders who want more account variety. If fees are your main concern, CMC Markets has the stronger edge based on both its star rating and its higher ranking in the Commissions and Fees category.
| 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.
When it comes to range of investments, CMC Markets offers a much wider selection than Exness. CMC Markets provides access to 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared with Exness’s 239 symbols and 78 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows you to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency.
CMC Markets also stands out for giving clients access to exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone rather than only trading them as CFDs. It also offers copy trading, which Exness does not. These differences help explain why CMC Markets earns 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers, while Exness is rated 3.5 out of 5 and ranked #34.
| 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 has a clear edge over Exness for market research overall. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, and an economic calendar with key global events. However, CMC Markets goes further with Autochartist tools and a sentiment-based trading feature that shows long and short positioning, while Exness does not offer these extras.
Exness does have Trading Central research tools, which CMC Markets does not, but that is not enough to close the gap. CMC Markets is rated 5 out of 5 for Research and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Exness at 3.5 out of 5 and #31. For traders who want more market insight and trading ideas in one place, 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 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
|
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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