CMC Markets vs Questrade 2025

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

Founded in 1989, CMC Markets stands as a prominent figure in the online brokerage industry, being publicly traded and holding an impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99. It boasts a portfolio of 6 Tier-1 licenses, ensuring a strong regulatory backing and positioning it within the highly trusted category. While not a bank, its status on the stock exchange and broad licensure confer considerable security and trust to its users.

In contrast, Questrade, founded in 2000, is a privately held online broker, maintaining a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, which classifies it as trusted. Although it is not publicly traded and operates with 2 Tier-1 licenses, this Canadian broker has made a name for itself in the financial industry. Without any Tier-2 licenses, Questrade still manages to provide reliable services backed by a solid reputation, catering to a wide range of clients seeking investment opportunities.

Feature	CMC Markets	Questrade
Year Founded info	1989	2000
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	No	No
Tier-1 Licenses info	6	2
Tier-2 Licenses info	1	0
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	0

Fees

CMC Markets vs. Questrade on pricing: CMC Markets earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #1 of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees (2025 Annual Awards), while Questrade earns 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #59 of 63. If low trading costs are your priority, CMC Markets is the clear winner in this matchup.

CMC Markets keeps costs tight with typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.61 pips (August 2023 data) and a commission option called FX Active. With FX Active, minimum spreads start at 0 pips and commissions are $2.50 per side, delivering an all‑in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD (and several other pairs). For example, NZD/USD drops from about 1.5 pips on the standard account to roughly 0.5 pips all‑in with FX Active. CMC’s averages have historically stayed close to its advertised minimums, and its Price Plus Scheme can lower costs further for high‑volume traders by awarding Trading Points (e.g., 2 points per standard lot; 1,250 lots in a month unlocks a 20% spread discount at Tier 4).

Questrade’s pricing is notably higher for forex, with a target EUR/USD spread of 1.9 pips—well above the industry average and far wider than CMC’s typical or FX Active all‑in costs. Bottom line: CMC Markets’ low spreads, optional commission plan, and cost‑cutting tiers explain its 5‑star, #1 ranking, whereas Questrade’s 3‑star, #59 standing reflects comparatively pricier trading.

Feature	CMC Markets	Questrade
Minimum Deposit info	$0	$250
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	1.3 info	N/A
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	0.65 info	N/A
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Range of investments

CMC Markets vs. Questrade: When it comes to the range of investments, CMC Markets lists 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared with Questrade’s 641 symbols and 110 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex either as CFDs or spot and provide access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. markets (e.g., Apple) and international exchanges (e.g., Vodafone). Each offers cryptocurrency exposure through CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual coins. A key difference: CMC Markets supports copy trading, while Questrade does not.

Both earned 5 stars for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com, with CMC Markets ranked 9th out of 63 brokers and Questrade ranked 12th. If you want the broadest selection and copy trading, CMC Markets has the edge; if your focus is U.S. and international stocks, forex, and crypto CFDs, Questrade still covers the essentials.

Feature	CMC Markets	Questrade
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	12029	641
Forex Pairs (Total) info	141	110
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	Yes
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	Yes	No
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	No	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).

Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.

Trading platforms and tools

Comparing CMC Markets vs Questrade on trading platforms and tools, both brokers offer free paper trading via a virtual demo account, proprietary platforms, a Windows desktop download, a web-based platform, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The key differences: CMC Markets supports copy trading and gives you access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Questrade does not offer copy trading and does not support MT4 or MT5.

For quality and recognition, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers, while Questrade is rated 4 stars and ranks #35, according to ForexBrokers.com. In short, CMC Markets is a better fit if you want MT4/MT5 plus copy trading alongside strong in-house platforms, whereas Questrade suits traders who prefer a simpler setup with paper trading on its own platforms.

Feature	CMC Markets	Questrade
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	Yes	No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	Yes	No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	Yes	No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	73	64
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	Yes

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

Forex trading apps

CMC Markets and Questrade both check the essential boxes for a modern mobile trading app: each offers an iPhone app and an Android app, price alerts, and watchlist syncing so your symbols stay aligned between mobile and the web. Charting is covered on both apps with the ability to draw trendlines, and your drawings auto-save so you don’t lose your work when you switch devices or revisit a chart.

Where they differ is depth versus acclaim. Questrade supplies more technical studies (64) compared with CMC Markets (29). However, CMC Markets earns a higher Mobile Trading Apps rating (5 stars vs. Questrade’s 4 stars) and a stronger placement in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings (#5 of 63 vs. Questrade at #35). If you value a top-rated, highly refined mobile trading experience, CMC Markets stands out. If a bigger library of indicators is your priority, Questrade may appeal while still covering all the core mobile features traders expect.

Feature	CMC Markets	Questrade
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	29	64
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Comparing market research, CMC Markets delivers more built-in content and tools. It offers daily market commentary, integrated forex news from top-tier sources, a sentiment tool showing long/short ratios, Autochartist, and an economic calendar. Questrade also provides Autochartist and an economic calendar, and adds Trading Central and TipRanks—two resources CMC Markets does not include. Questrade does not offer daily market commentary, and the availability of integrated premium forex news from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones is not specified. Neither broker lists research from Acuity Trading.

These differences show in the scores: ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 stars for research and ranks it #6 out of 63 brokers, while Questrade earns 3.5 stars and ranks #52. Choose CMC Markets if you want frequent in-house commentary, integrated news, and sentiment data; pick Questrade if you prefer Trading Central and TipRanks alongside Autochartist.

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

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

Both CMC Markets and Questrade make it easy for new traders to start learning. Each offers at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos that explain basics in plain language. Neither runs monthly client webinars, so you won’t find recurring live classes. Where they differ is in more advanced learning: CMC Markets also provides 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper, while Questrade does not, which can limit your progression within the same platform.

In independent reviews, CMC Markets earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Questrade’s 3.5 stars and #36 ranking. If you want a stronger, longer learning path from beginner to advanced, CMC Markets is the better pick; if you only need starter videos and plan to learn elsewhere, Questrade can still work. If your focus is forex or CFD education specifically, check each broker’s education hub to confirm the number and depth of those lessons.

Feature	CMC Markets	Questrade
Webinars info	No	No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that CMC Markets is better than Questrade. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while Questrade finished with an overall rank of #32.

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	Questrade
Overall Rating info
Trust Score info	99	86
Range of Investments
Commissions & Fees
Platforms & Tools
Research
Mobile Trading
Education

FAQs

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Overall Rating	CMC Markets	Questrade
Overall Rating info
Commissions & Fees
Range of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	86
Winner	check_circle
Review	CMC Markets Review	Questrade Review

Broker Screenshots	CMC Markets	Questrade
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info

Regulation	CMC Markets	Questrade
Trust Score info	99	86
Year Founded info	1989	2000
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	No	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	Yes info	No
Tier-1 Licenses info	6	2
Tier-2 Licenses info	1	0
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	0

Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted)	CMC Markets	Questrade
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info	Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info	Yes	Yes
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info	No	No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info	No	No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info	Yes	No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info		No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info	Yes	No
USA (CFTC Authorized) info	No	No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info	Yes	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	Yes info	No

Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted)	CMC Markets	Questrade
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info		No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info	No	No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info	No	No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info	Yes	No
India (SEBI Authorised) info	No	No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info		No

Investments	CMC Markets	Questrade
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	12029	641
Forex Pairs (Total) info	141	110
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	Yes
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	Yes	No
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	No	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).

Cost	CMC Markets	Questrade
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	1.3 info	N/A
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	0.65 info	N/A
Inactivity Fee info	Yes	No
Order execution: Agency info	No	Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info	Yes	No

Funding	CMC Markets	Questrade
Minimum Deposit info	$0	$250
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	No

Trading Platforms	CMC Markets	Questrade
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	Yes	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	Yes	No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	Yes	No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	Yes	No
cTrader info	No	No

Trading Tools	CMC Markets	Questrade
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	73	64
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	Yes
Charts can be saved info	Yes	Yes

Mobile Trading	CMC Markets	Questrade
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	29	64
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Research	CMC Markets	Questrade
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info	Yes	No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	Yes
Autochartist info	Yes	Yes
Trading Central info	No	Yes
TipRanks info	No	Yes
Client sentiment data info	Yes	No
Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Education	CMC Markets	Questrade
Webinars info	No	No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	No

Major Forex Pairs	CMC Markets	Questrade
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	CMC Markets Review	Questrade Review

Overall	CMC Markets	Questrade
Overall Rating info
Commissions & Fees
Range of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	86
Winner	check_circle
Review	CMC Markets Review	Questrade Review