Written by ForexBrokers.com
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.
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Interactive Brokers (founded 1977) and CMC Markets (founded 1989) are online brokers that are publicly traded and not banks. Both earn a 99/99 ForexBrokers.com Trust Score, and scores from 90–99 are considered highly trusted—signaling top-tier safety and strong oversight for clients.
In terms of regulation, Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier‑1 licenses and 2 Tier‑2 licenses, while CMC Markets holds 6 Tier‑1 and 1 Tier‑2. Tier‑1 licenses are viewed as highly trusted and Tier‑2 as trusted, so both firms are well regulated, with Interactive Brokers offering a broader set of top‑tier approvals worldwide.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1989 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both score highly for commissions and fees, with each earning 5 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, Interactive Brokers ranks #2 out of 36 brokers, while CMC Markets ranks #4 out of 36. For cost-conscious forex traders, both are strong choices, but they use different pricing models.
Interactive Brokers charges low commissions on forex trades instead of marking up spreads, which can help active traders keep costs down. For EUR/USD, the broker reported an average spread of 0.19 pips in Q3 2024, with an estimated all-in cost of 0.59 pips after commission. Its minimum commission is $2 per side, so smaller trades can feel more expensive, but pricing improves for high-volume traders.
CMC Markets is also known for low trading costs and was named #1 in the 2025 Annual Awards for Commissions and Fees. Its standard account showed typical EUR/USD spreads of 0.61 pips, and its FX Active pricing can bring the all-in cost down to 0.5 pips on EUR/USD with a $2.50 per-side commission. In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is often a better fit for direct commission-based forex pricing, while CMC Markets stands out for consistently low spreads and a very competitive all-in cost.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.65 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both give traders access to forex, U.S. exchange traded securities, and international exchange traded securities, so either broker can suit investors who want to trade stocks and currency markets across more than one region. That said, CMC Markets offers a wider list of tradeable markets overall, with 12,029 symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared with Interactive Brokers’ 8,500 symbols and 90 forex pairs. Both brokers also earn 5 out of 5 stars for range of investments, but Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while CMC Markets is ranked #9.
The main differences come down to extra features and crypto access. CMC Markets offers copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, while Interactive Brokers does not. Interactive Brokers, on the other hand, lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, which CMC Markets does not offer. So if you want the biggest selection of listed markets and crypto CFDs, CMC Markets has the edge, while Interactive Brokers stands out for actual crypto ownership and a top-ranked range of investments.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 12029 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 141 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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.
Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including a free paper trading account, their own in-house platform, a Windows desktop app, and a browser-based platform. Each also lets you place trades directly from a chart, which can make active trading easier. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both brokers earn 5 out of 5 stars, with Interactive Brokers ranked #2 out of 36 brokers and CMC Markets ranked #6.
Where CMC Markets stands out is its extra platform features. It supports copy trading and also offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, giving traders more third-party platform options. Interactive Brokers does not offer copy trading, MT4, or MT5. For traders who want a simple, all-in-one platform setup, either broker can work well, but CMC Markets may appeal more to those looking for social trading and MetaTrader access.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC 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) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 73 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Each broker is also rated 5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, so both are strong choices for traders who want to manage positions on the go.
The main difference comes down to charting features and rankings. Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 29 at CMC Markets, which may appeal to traders who want more chart analysis tools. On the other hand, CMC Markets automatically saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, Interactive Brokers places #4 out of 36 brokers, just ahead of CMC Markets at #5.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 29 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets both provide strong market research for traders, with daily market commentary, top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, sentiment tools, and an economic calendar covering key global events. Both brokers also earn a 5-star Research rating, showing that each platform gives users plenty of information to help them follow the markets and plan trades.
That said, Interactive Brokers has the edge in research variety and ranking. It offers Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading tools, while CMC Markets stands out with Autochartist instead. In ForexBrokers.com’s Research category, Interactive Brokers ranks #3 out of 36 brokers, ahead of CMC Markets at #6, making it the stronger choice overall for market research coverage.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, both Interactive Brokers and CMC Markets give traders plenty of learning material, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos for more experienced users. Both brokers also earn 5 out of 5 stars for Education, showing that each offers helpful support for people who want to learn before they trade. For forex and CFD learning specifically, Interactive Brokers stands out by offering at least 10 education pieces focused on those topics, while CMC Markets does not meet that same benchmark.
Interactive Brokers has the edge for hands-on learning as well, because it offers online educational client webinars at least once a month, which can be useful for beginners who want guided explanations and live Q&A. CMC Markets does not offer monthly educational webinars. This difference helps explain why Interactive Brokers ranks #1 out of 36 brokers for Education at ForexBrokers.com, compared with CMC Markets at #10.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 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
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CMC Markets
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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Interactive Brokers allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but not cryptocurrency CFDs, while CMC Markets offers cryptocurrency CFDs but does not support purchasing actual (delivered) crypto.
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.
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 | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | CMC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1989 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 6 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 12029 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 141 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 | 0.226 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.65 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 73 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 155 | 29 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | CMC Markets Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | CMC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | CMC Markets Review |
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