Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs FOREX.com, 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 FOREX.com are leading online brokers with strong regulatory credentials, catering to traders worldwide. CMC Markets, founded in 1989, and FOREX.com, launched in 1999, both enjoy high Trust Scores of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. This indicates these brokers are highly trusted by traders and investors. Both CMC Markets and FOREX.com are publicly traded companies, although neither is a bank. They demonstrate their credibility through multiple regulatory licenses. CMC Markets holds six Tier-1 licenses, while FOREX.com boasts seven Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com.
When it comes to additional regulatory coverage, both brokers maintain one Tier-2 license, marking them as trusted in ForexBrokers.com's assessment. These licenses reinforce their commitment to maintaining transparent and secure trading environments. As established brokers with decades of experience in the financial markets, CMC Markets and FOREX.com provide a solid foundation for both beginner and seasoned traders to engage in online trading with confidence. Each company's strong regulatory foundation and trading platform options make them reliable choices in the competitive online brokerage industry.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 7 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Looking at commissions and fees, CMC Markets holds a clear edge. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2025 Annual Awards, CMC Markets earned 5/5 stars and ranked #1 out of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while FOREX.com scored 4.5/5 stars and ranked #14 out of 63. CMC Markets delivers consistently low pricing across account types, with typical EUR/USD spreads of 0.61 pips (Aug 2023). By comparison, FOREX.com’s EUR/USD spreads averaged 0.74 pips outside the U.S. (July 2023), and its U.S. Standard account averaged 1.4 pips.
CMC Markets also offers FX Active, a commission-based plan at $2.50 per side with minimum spreads of 0.0, leading to about 0.5 pips all-in on the EUR/USD (and five other pairs) using August 2023 data. As an example, NZD/USD can drop from a 1.5-pip spread on the standard plan to roughly 0.5 pips all-in with FX Active. Its Price Plus Scheme rewards higher volumes with spread discounts via Trading Points (e.g., 2 points per standard lot); reaching Tier 4 requires about 1,250 standard lots in a month for a 20% spread discount. CMC’s average spreads have tended to track near its posted minimums, supporting its low-cost profile.
FOREX.com’s pricing varies by account and region. The Standard account (the only MetaTrader option) averages 1.4 pips on EUR/USD in the U.S., favoring traders who accept a higher spread for market‑maker execution. The RAW account switches to commission-based pricing with typical EUR/USD spreads of 0.13 pips (Feb 2024) plus a $7 per standard lot commission ($3.50 per side), putting the all-in cost around 0.83 pips before any volume rebates. RAW offers six tiers of rebates from $2 to $9 per million, but unless you trade more than $50 million per month, the Commission/RAW account’s all-in costs for U.S. residents are effectively similar to the Standard account. RAW is available in the U.S., Canada, and the EU.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.9 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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 FOREX.com both let you trade forex (via CFDs or spot, depending on your region). For overall market access, CMC Markets offers 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, while FOREX.com lists 5,500 symbols and 80 forex pairs. A key difference: CMC Markets lets clients buy exchange-traded securities (not CFDs) on U.S. and international exchanges, so you can purchase real shares, whereas FOREX.com does not offer exchange-traded securities on either U.S. or international exchanges.
Both brokers provide cryptocurrency trading through CFDs but do not support buying actual (delivered) crypto. CMC Markets also supports copy trading; FOREX.com does not. Despite these differences, both earned 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com. In that category, FOREX.com ranks #7 out of 63 brokers, and CMC Markets ranks #9.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 80 |
| 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 FOREX.com both deliver full-featured trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for paper trading, an in-house proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and let you place trades directly from charts. For Trading Platforms and Tools, both earn 5 stars; however, across 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets ranks #4 while FOREX.com ranks #7.
The key difference is copy trading: CMC Markets offers it, while FOREX.com does not. Both brokers provide a wide selection of charting features and customizable watch lists, so the deciding factor may be whether you want built-in copy trading. If that’s important, CMC Markets has the edge; if not, both are strong choices with top-tier platform options and paper trading to practice before going live.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 88 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and FOREX.com both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with the essentials traders expect: price alerts, watchlist syncing between mobile and web, the ability to draw trendlines on charts, and auto-saving of chart drawings. Both apps are highly rated, earning 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps.
For charting depth, FOREX.com stands out with 88 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 29 on CMC Markets. Reflecting that difference, ForexBrokers.com ranks FOREX.com #3 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while CMC Markets is #5 out of 63. If you value having more built-in technical indicators, FOREX.com may be the better fit; if you prefer a simpler toolset with strong fundamentals, CMC Markets is a solid choice.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 88 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When evaluating market research options, CMC Markets and FOREX.com both offer valuable resources for traders, though there are some distinctions. Both brokers provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. CMC Markets shines in offering technical analysis tools from Autochartist and provides a sentiment-based trading tool. However, it does not feature tools from Trading Central, unlike FOREX.com, which includes them. Both platforms offer economic calendars to keep traders updated on global news events, though neither provides research tools from TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
In terms of ratings, CMC Markets receives a 5-star rating for its research offerings, while FOREX.com is rated 4.5 stars. This slightly higher rating is mirrored in their rankings, with CMC Markets securing the #6 position among 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared to FOREX.com’s #9 spot. These ratings highlight CMC Markets' stronger emphasis on providing comprehensive research tools, making it a slightly more attractive choice for traders who prioritize extensive research options in their online broker. However, both brokers are solid choices offering a wealth of information vital for informed trading decisions.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Comparing education for beginners, both CMC Markets and FOREX.com deliver plenty of forex and CFD learning materials. Each offers 10+ beginner videos to help you get started, along with 10+ advanced videos for when you want to go deeper. A key difference is live learning: FOREX.com runs online educational webinars at least once a month, while CMC Markets does not. If you value real-time Q&A and scheduled lessons, FOREX.com has the edge; if you prefer self-paced video learning, CMC Markets fits well.
On quality and recognition, CMC Markets earns a 5-star education rating and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers, while FOREX.com holds a 4.5-star rating and ranks higher at #4. In short, CMC Markets shines for its video-driven path from beginner to advanced topics, and FOREX.com blends strong video libraries with regular webinars—useful for beginners seeking guided, interactive forex and CFD education.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FOREX.com. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5.
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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FOREX.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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CMC Markets vs FOREX.com: neither online broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both allow trading cryptocurrency via CFDs.
CMC Markets vs FOREX.com: both support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals; only FOREX.com additionally supports Skrill, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | FOREX.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FOREX.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 7 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | Yes | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 80 | |
| 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 | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.4 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.9 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 88 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 88 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FOREX.com Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | FOREX.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FOREX.com Review |
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