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Interactive Brokers vs CMC Markets 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs CMC Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Interactive Brokers
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 8500
CMC Markets
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 12029

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.

Regulation

Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, and CMC Markets, established in 1989, are both prominent players in the online brokerage landscape, each with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, indicating a high level of trust. Both companies are publicly traded and operate under multiple regulatory licenses. Interactive Brokers holds 9 Tier-1 licenses, while CMC Markets holds 6, classifying both as highly trusted entities. Additionally, Interactive Brokers has 2 Tier-2 licenses, compared to CMC Markets’ 1, further enhancing their standing in terms of regulatory oversight and trust.

Neither Interactive Brokers nor CMC Markets operates as a bank, focusing instead on providing brokerage services with a strong emphasis on compliance and security. Their similar Trust Scores reflect their strong regulatory credentials, making them both reliable choices for investors seeking secure trading platforms. Despite differences in licensing, both brokers demonstrate a commitment to maintaining high standards and transparency within the financial market.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
Year Founded info 1977 1989
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes Yes
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 6
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 0

Fees

Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both earn 5 stars for Commissions and Fees. In our rankings, Interactive Brokers places #2 out of 63 brokers, while CMC Markets ranks #4 out of 63. Each broker targets low trading costs, but they get there in different ways: Interactive Brokers charges a small commission on top of raw interbank pricing, whereas CMC Markets offers tight spreads with the option of commission-based FX pricing for even lower all-in costs.

Interactive Brokers does not publish average spreads, but Q3 2024 data shows the EUR/USD at 0.19 pips, or about 0.59 pips all-in after commission. Forex commissions start at 0.00002 of the USD trade value per side (minimum $2 per order, or $4 round trip), which equates to roughly 0.40 pips in commission for a $100,000 EUR/USD trade. Because of the $2 minimum per side, trading less than a standard lot becomes proportionally pricier. Commissions generally run $16–$40 per million round turn ($8–$20 per side), with volume discounts that can reduce the minimum charge to $1.50 per order above $1 billion in monthly volume, and to $1 at $5 billion.

CMC Markets’ typical EUR/USD spread is 0.61 pips (August 2023 data). Its FX Active plan charges $2.50 per side on top of near‑zero spreads, delivering a 0.5‑pip all‑in cost on EUR/USD and several other major pairs, available on both MT4 and Next Generation in selected regions. For frequent traders, the Price Plus scheme can lower costs further via spread discounts tied to monthly Trading Points, though the higher tiers require significant volume. In short, CMC’s FX Active can edge out Interactive Brokers’ all‑in costs on key pairs, while IBKR’s commission model can be particularly attractive for larger, standard‑lot and above orders.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 0.59 info 1.3 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 0.65 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes Yes
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both deliver a wide range of investments and each earns 5 stars for Range of Investments. Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while CMC Markets is #9. Both offer forex trading either as CFDs or spot, with CMC Markets listing 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, and Interactive Brokers offering 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs.

Both brokers let you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, so you can trade names like Apple and Vodafone directly. For crypto access, Interactive Brokers supports both actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and crypto CFDs, whereas CMC Markets offers crypto CFDs but not delivered crypto. Copy trading is available at CMC Markets, while Interactive Brokers does not support copy trading.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 12029
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 141
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes Yes
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

Interactive Brokers vs. CMC Markets: both brokers deliver top-tier trading platforms and tools, each earning 5 stars. You’ll get free paper trading at both, along with in-house platforms, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Each also lets you place orders directly from charts, making trade execution quick and visual.

The key differences come down to platform choice and extras. CMC Markets supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while Interactive Brokers does not. By contrast, Interactive Brokers shines in overall platform strength, ranking #2 for Trading Platforms and Tools out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with CMC Markets at #6. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want a powerful in-house desktop and web suite; pick CMC Markets if you value copy trading and the MetaTrader ecosystem.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 73
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each supports price alerts and watchlists that sync with your online account, and both let you draw trendlines on charts. In independent ratings, both apps earned 5 stars; among 63 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers ranks #4 while CMC Markets ranks #5.

For charting depth, Interactive Brokers stands out with 97 technical studies compared with 29 on CMC Markets. However, CMC Markets auto-saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want a larger set of indicators, or pick CMC Markets if saving your annotations automatically is more important.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 29
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info No Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

For traders seeking detailed market insights, both Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets offer comprehensive research features. They provide daily market commentary and forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed with credible information. Furthermore, both brokers feature a sentiment-based tool, allowing users to gauge the market's mood using long or short position data. Additionally, Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets include an economic calendar to keep traders updated on major news events globally. However, when contrasting their technical analysis offerings, Interactive Brokers includes Trading Central tools, while CMC Markets integrates Autochartist resources to assist users in trading strategies.

Interactive Brokers distinguishes itself with exclusive research benefits from providers like TipRanks and Acuity Trading's Signal Centre, which are not available on CMC Markets. This unique access to advanced research tools might be a key factor in Interactive Brokers achieving a higher ranking, placing third among 63 brokers for research according to ForexBrokers.com, compared to CMC Markets' sixth position. Despite these differences, both brokers earn a five-star rating for research, highlighting their commitment to providing valuable resources for their clients.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info Yes No
Acuity Trading info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both deliver five-star education for beginners, with large libraries that cover forex and CFDs. Each broker offers at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, making it easy to learn the basics and move into more complex strategies. That said, Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 for Education out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while CMC Markets sits at #10.

The biggest difference is live learning. Interactive Brokers runs online client webinars at least once a month, giving beginners regular opportunities to ask questions and learn in real time. CMC Markets does not offer a monthly webinar schedule, so its strength is self-paced lessons and on-demand videos. If you want frequent live sessions, choose Interactive Brokers; if you prefer to study on your own time, CMC Markets is a strong alternative.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than CMC Markets. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5.

Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 99
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Brokers or CMC Markets?

Interactive Brokers vs CMC Markets: Interactive Brokers supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and trading cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas CMC Markets offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not provide delivered crypto.

What funding options does each broker offer?

In a payment-method comparison for depositing or withdrawing funds, both Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets support ACH/SEPA and bank wires, only CMC Markets offers PayPal, neither supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.

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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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Overall Rating Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 99
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review CMC Markets Review
Broker Screenshots Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
IBKR mobile watchlist. IBKR Desktop platform charts. Interactive Brokers research Traders Insight daily analysis article detail Interactive Brokers IBKR Podcast video.
CMC Markets Next Generation mobile trade ticket order. CMC Markets Next Generation web platform layout light theme CMC Markets research weekly outlook detail. CMC Markets OPTO Podcast.
Regulation Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Trust Score info 99 99
Year Founded info 1977 1989
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes Yes
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 6
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes Yes
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info Yes No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info Yes No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes Yes
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info Yes
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info Yes No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No Yes
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info Yes No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 12029
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 141
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes Yes
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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 Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 0.59 info 1.3 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 0.65 info
Inactivity Fee info No Yes
Order execution: Agency info Yes No
Order execution: Market Maker info No Yes
Funding Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes Yes
Trading Platforms Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 73
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 29
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info No Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central info Yes No
TipRanks info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review Interactive Brokers Review CMC Markets Review
Overall Interactive Brokers CMC Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 99
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review CMC Markets Review
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