Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs FP Markets, 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 (founded 1989) and FP Markets (founded 2005) are both rated highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com, with Trust Scores of 99 and 90 out of 99, respectively (scores from 90–99 are considered highly trusted). CMC Markets is publicly traded, while FP Markets is not; neither broker is a bank.
On regulation, CMC Markets holds six Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, compared with FP Markets’ two Tier-1 and one Tier-2. More Tier-1 licenses indicate oversight by more top-tier regulators, which may matter to traders focused on strong regulatory coverage.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2005 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
CMC Markets and FP Markets both offer low-cost trading options, but they take different paths on price. CMC Markets earns a 5-star rating and ranks #3 out of 36 for commissions and fees. Its standard account can be a little pricier than advertised, with EUR/USD spreads averaging 1.3 pips versus a 0.8 pip minimum, but its FX Active account brings costs down with a commission-based model that can be very competitive for active traders. FP Markets scores 4.5 stars and ranks #11 out of 36, with a strong reputation for low pricing on its Raw ECN account.
For spread-focused traders, FP Markets’ Raw ECN account stands out with average EUR/USD spreads of 0.1 pips and about 0.8 pips all-in after commission. Its standard account is less competitive, averaging about 1.1 pips on EUR/USD. CMC Markets’ FX Active account is also attractive, with average EUR/USD pricing around 0.65 pips and about 1.15 pips all-in once commission is included. In plain terms, both brokers can be affordable, but FP Markets has the edge on raw spread pricing, while CMC Markets offers strong value through its active-trader pricing tiers and rebates.
On extra costs, CMC Markets has an advantage for everyday users because it has no minimum deposit, free bank wires, and a longer inactivity window before a fee applies. FP Markets is still cost-friendly overall, but some of its more advanced account types, especially the Iress ViewPoint range, can add platform or data charges unless you meet deposit or commission requirements. If you want the lowest direct trading costs, FP Markets is hard to beat on Raw ECN pricing; if you want a broader mix of pricing stability and active-trader discounts, CMC Markets is very strong too.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 0.9 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| 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 offers a wider range of investments than FP Markets overall, making it a stronger choice for traders who want more variety. CMC Markets lists 21,710 tradeable symbols and 303 forex pairs, compared with FP Markets’ 10,000 symbols and 71 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs rather than real crypto purchases.
Where CMC Markets stands out most is in access to exchange traded securities: clients can buy real shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, while FP Markets does not offer these products. FP Markets does have copy trading, which CMC Markets does not. For range of investments, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #17.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 71 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 and FP Markets both give traders a wide choice of platforms and tools, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, web-based access, Windows desktop downloads, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers also let you trade directly from charts, which is useful if you like to act quickly while reviewing price moves. In this area, the biggest difference is copy trading: FP Markets offers it, while CMC Markets does not.
When it comes to overall platform quality, CMC Markets has the edge. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and is ranked #6 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with FP Markets at 4 out of 5 stars and #22 out of 36. For traders who want strong platform choice and a more highly rated trading experience, CMC Markets stands out, while FP Markets may appeal more if copy trading is important to you.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and FP Markets both give traders mobile access on iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts and automatically save those drawings, making it easier to review analysis later. For everyday mobile trading needs, both brokers cover the basics well.
Where CMC Markets stands out is in app features and overall mobile performance. Its app offers watchlist symbol syncing, so updates made on mobile and online stay matched, plus 30 technical studies for charting. CMC Markets is rated 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #20. FP Markets still offers a solid mobile trading app, but it does not include watchlist syncing and relies on MetaTrader’s default charting tools.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | MetaTrader (Default) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets and FP Markets both give traders a strong set of market research tools, including daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Autochartist, sentiment data, and an economic calendar. This means both brokers make it easier to follow key market events, spot possible trading ideas, and keep track of trader positioning across instruments.
The main difference is that FP Markets also offers Trading Central, while CMC Markets does not. Even so, CMC Markets edges ahead overall with a 5-star Research rating and a #6 ranking out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with FP Markets’ 4-star Research rating and #22 ranking. For traders who want a slightly broader research offering, FP Markets may appeal, but CMC Markets has the stronger overall research score.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
For beginners looking for learning support, both CMC Markets and FP Markets offer a strong mix of forex and CFD education. Each broker provides at least 10 education pieces focused on forex or CFDs, plus online client webinars at least once a month. They also both offer 10 or more beginner videos and 10 or more advanced videos, so new traders and more experienced users can find material that fits their level.
That said, CMC Markets has the edge on overall education quality. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category, while FP Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #21 out of 36. For beginners comparing online broker education, CMC Markets appears to offer the stronger learning experience, though FP Markets still gives traders plenty of useful content to get started.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FP Markets. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19.
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
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FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 |
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When comparing online brokers CMC Markets and FP Markets, neither offers the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
CMC Markets vs FP Markets: both support PayPal and bank wire deposits/withdrawals; CMC Markets additionally offers ACH/SEPA transfers (which FP Markets doesn’t), while FP Markets supports Skrill (which CMC Markets doesn’t); Visa/Mastercard availability for both is not specified.
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 | FP Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FP Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2005 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 0.9 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | MetaTrader (Default) | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FP Markets Review |
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