Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Plus500, 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 Plus500 (founded 2008) are publicly traded online brokers, and neither is a bank. ForexBrokers.com assigns both firms a Trust Score of 99 out of 99, which sits in the “highly trusted” range (90–99).
On regulation, CMC Markets holds 6 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 licenses, while Plus500 holds 7 Tier-1 and 4 Tier-2 licenses. Tier-1 licenses are considered highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted by ForexBrokers.com, giving Plus500 a slight edge in total licensing, though both brokers achieve the top trust designation.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 7 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
CMC Markets is the stronger pick for commissions and fees, earning a 5-star rating and ranking #4 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category. It stands out for its low spreads across all account types, including an average EUR/USD spread of 0.61 pips based on August 2023 data. CMC also offers an active trader discount program through its Price Plus Scheme, and its FX Active pricing can bring all-in EUR/USD trading costs down to 0.5 pips with a $2.50 per-side commission.
Plus500 is more expensive by comparison, with a 4.0-star rating and a rank of #25 out of 36 brokers. Its pricing sits slightly above the industry average, and it does not offer retail client discounts like an active trader program. For EUR/USD, Plus500’s average spread was 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is noticeably higher than CMC Markets and higher than the typical market average.
In simple terms, CMC Markets is the better choice if low trading costs are your main priority, especially for forex traders who want tighter spreads and more pricing options. Plus500 may still appeal to some traders for its platform and ease of use, but when it comes to commissions and fees, CMC Markets offers better value overall.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 1.3 |
| 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.
When it comes to range of investments, CMC Markets offers a wider selection than Plus500. CMC Markets lists 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, while Plus500 offers 5,500 symbols and 65 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs, and both provide access to exchange traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy shares such as Apple or Vodafone directly.
CMC Markets also stands out for copy trading, which Plus500 does not offer. Neither broker lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, but both do offer cryptocurrency CFDs. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, CMC Markets scores 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers, while Plus500 scores 4.5 stars and ranks #16, making CMC Markets the stronger choice for traders who want more market variety.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
CMC Markets has the edge over Plus500 for trading platforms and tools, especially for traders who want more choice. Both brokers offer a free demo account, a proprietary platform, and a web-based trading platform, but CMC Markets also adds a Windows desktop app, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. It also lets users place trades directly from charts, which can make active trading easier. Plus500 keeps things simpler, with a clean browser platform and demo trading, but it does not offer a desktop download, copy trading, or MetaTrader support.
In terms of ratings, CMC Markets comes out ahead with 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #6 out of 36 brokers. Plus500 scores 4.5 stars and ranks #14 out of 36. For traders comparing online brokers, CMC Markets is the stronger pick if you want more platform options and extra trading tools, while Plus500 may appeal to those who prefer a more streamlined setup.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and Plus500 both make it easy to trade from a phone, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, trendline drawing, and watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account. That means you can follow markets and manage lists from either device, and updates should carry over in both directions. For everyday mobile use, both apps cover the basics well and are friendly for traders who want access on the go.
Where the two differ is in charting and overall app quality. Plus500 offers 115 technical studies in its mobile charting tools, compared with 29 at CMC Markets, which may appeal to traders who want more chart indicators. But CMC Markets has the edge in mobile convenience, since it auto-saves chart drawings, while Plus500 does not. CMC Markets is also rated 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #14, making CMC Markets the stronger pick overall for mobile trading.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 115 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, CMC Markets has the edge over Plus500. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar to help traders track upcoming events. However, CMC Markets stands out by also offering forex news from top sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis. Plus500, on the other hand, does not offer top-tier forex news or Autochartist, but it does include Trading Central research tools, which CMC Markets does not.
Overall, CMC Markets is rated higher for research, earning 5 out of 5 stars and ranking #6 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Research category. Plus500 still provides useful research features and scores 4.5 stars, but it ranks lower at #16. For traders who want more in-depth market insights and a wider range of research tools, CMC Markets offers the stronger research package.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| 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.
When it comes to beginner-friendly learning tools, CMC Markets has a slight edge over Plus500. Both brokers offer at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so new and more experienced traders can find useful trading content with either option. CMC Markets also provides forex and CFDs education, while Plus500 does not clearly meet that same education benchmark. On top of that, CMC Markets earns a perfect 5-star Education rating and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for education, compared with Plus500’s 4.5-star rating and #26 ranking.
One area where Plus500 stands out is live learning support, since it offers online educational webinars at least once a month, while CMC Markets does not. For beginners who want a mix of videos, written learning material, and strong overall education quality, CMC Markets is the better choice. If regular webinars matter more, Plus500 may be more appealing, but its education offering is still not as highly rated overall as CMC Markets.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Plus500. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
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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Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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CMC Markets vs Plus500: neither broker supports buying actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing online brokers CMC Markets and Plus500: CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires and offers PayPal but not Skrill, whereas Plus500 lacks ACH/SEPA but offers PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires; 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 | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2008 | |
| 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 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
| Cost | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €50 | |
| 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 | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 115 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Plus500 Review |
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