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.
Caring for trust and security in online trading? CMC Markets, established in 1989, stands as one of the more seasoned choices. This publicly traded broker enjoys a Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, indicating that it is highly trusted. With six Tier-1 licenses, CMC Markets is structured under top-tier regulatory oversight, enhancing its credibility and appeal to traders seeking peace of mind. Despite not being a bank, CMC Markets’ position in the stock market adds another layer of transparency.
FP Markets, founded in 2005, brings its own strengths to the table with a Trust Score of 89, falling into the "trusted" category. Although not publicly traded, FP Markets holds two Tier-1 licenses alongside one Tier-2 license, affirming its commitment to regulatory standards and client security. Both brokers operate without banking status, focusing purely on brokerage services. While CMC Markets edges ahead in trust metrics, FP Markets remains a solid, reputable choice for traders.
| 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 are both highly regarded in the realm of brokerage firms, especially when it comes to their commissions and fees structures. In the 2025 Annual Awards, CMC Markets secured the top spot for Commissions and Fees, thanks to its competitive pricing and low spreads, averaging 0.61 pips for the EUR/USD as of August 2023. Their innovative Price Plus Scheme offers discounts based on trading volume, making it flexible for various trading profiles. Additionally, CMC Markets' FX Active pricing combines a commission of $2.50 per trade with spreads starting at zero pips, ensuring it remains a leader in cost-effective trading solutions. Notably, CMC Markets earned a five-star rating for its commissions and fees, placing it first among 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
FP Markets also shines with its competitive pricing, particularly in its commission-based Raw ECN account, which boasts average spreads of 0.1 pips, translating to an all-in cost of 0.8 pips. Through its MetaTrader and cTrader platforms, FP Markets offers cost-effective trading globally, and its share CFD offering on the Iress platform delivers direct market access pricing. However, while the Iress ViewPoint account suits active traders, it comes with higher costs and minimum deposit requirements. Despite these factors, FP Markets still garnered a five-star rating and clinched the sixth position in the commissions and fees category among 63 brokers.
When comparing both brokers, CMC Markets takes the lead as a pricing leader with its consistently low spreads and commission options tailored for Southeast Asia, Australia, and beyond. In contrast, FP Markets appeals to traders seeking efficient pricing through its ECN account offerings and cTrader platform. As both brokers hold five-star ratings, your choice might come down to which platform interfaces or specific pricing models you prefer for your trading needs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 AUD |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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 and FP Markets both support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs (neither lets you buy actual crypto). For breadth, CMC Markets lists 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared with FP Markets’ 10,000 symbols and 71 pairs. Copy trading is available at both. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, CMC Markets scores 5 stars and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers, while FP Markets scores 4.5 stars and ranks 19th.
A key difference is access to real shares: CMC Markets lets you buy exchange‑traded securities on U.S. exchanges (like NASDAQ) and international markets (such as the London Stock Exchange), whereas FP Markets does not offer exchange‑traded shares on those markets. Choose CMC Markets if you want a larger selection and the option to hold actual shares alongside CFDs; pick FP Markets if you mainly want a wide CFD lineup with forex, indices, commodities, share CFDs, and crypto CFDs plus copy trading.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 71 |
| 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 FP Markets: both brokers offer a free demo account for paper trading and give you a choice between their own proprietary platform and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on a Windows desktop platform or through a web-based platform, use copy trading, and place orders directly from charts. In short, whether you’re testing strategies, following others, or trading on your own, the core platform options and tools are available at either broker.
The main difference shows up in independent ratings. For trading platforms and tools, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #23. That suggests both are capable, but CMC Markets is rated higher for overall platform experience and tool depth. If you want the higher-rated platform package, lean toward CMC Markets; if you prefer FP Markets for its platform feel or features, you still get broad platform coverage with MT4, MT5, and a proprietary option.
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets vs FP Markets: both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps and let you set stock and forex price alerts. A key difference is watchlists. CMC Markets syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry over automatically. FP Markets does not sync watchlists, which can make switching between devices less seamless.
For charts, CMC Markets includes 29 technical studies in its mobile app and supports drawing tools like trendlines with auto‑save. FP Markets’ app, delivered via MetaTrader, uses the platform’s default set of indicators and also supports trendlines with auto‑save. In ForexBrokers.com testing, CMC Markets earned 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while FP Markets earned 4 stars and ranked #18.
| 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 | 29 | MetaTrader (Default) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing CMC Markets and FP Markets in the realm of market research, both brokers provide excellent resources but have some differences. CMC Markets and FP Markets each deliver daily market commentary and offer forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. Both platforms are equipped with Autochartist tools for thorough analysis, providing users with effective means to assess market trends. Additionally, each broker presents a sentiment-based trading tool, which helps traders gauge market directions by displaying the ratio of long and short positions across different instruments. However, unlike FP Markets, CMC Markets does not include Trading Central tools.
While CMC Markets boasts a five-star research rating compared to FP Markets' four stars, some features like Trading Central tools are only found at FP Markets. Despite both brokers lacking research tools from Acuity Trading and market insights from TipRanks, they each offer accessible economic calendars to keep traders informed of important global news. As per ForexBrokers.com rankings, CMC Markets secures the sixth spot out of 63 brokers for research capabilities, demonstrating a higher rank than FP Markets, which holds the 25th position.
| 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.
When comparing education for beginners, both CMC Markets and FP Markets deliver a deep library of forex and CFD learning materials. Each broker provides at least 10 beginner-friendly videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so newcomers can start with the basics and progress to more complex topics. A key difference is live learning: FP Markets hosts ongoing educational webinars at least once a month, while CMC Markets does not offer monthly webinars.
In independent reviews, CMC Markets earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers, while FP Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #23. If regular live webinars matter most to you, FP Markets has the edge. If you want the higher-rated overall education experience, CMC Markets comes out ahead.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FP Markets. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, 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 excellent pricing and selection of over 12,000 tradeable instruments.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
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FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 89 |
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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 | 89 | |
| 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 | 89 | |
| 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 SCA 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) | 12029 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 71 | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 AUD | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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 | Yes | 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) | 73 | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | FP Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 89 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FP Markets Review |
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