Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Questrade, 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.
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 | 1989 | 2000 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
If you’re comparing CMC Markets vs. Questrade on commissions and fees, CMC Markets is the stronger value for most forex traders. CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #4 of 63 for Commissions and Fees (and also won #1 in our 2025 Annual Awards for this category), while Questrade holds 3 stars and ranks #33 of 63. On EUR/USD, CMC Markets’ typical spread is 0.61 pips (August 2023 data), whereas Questrade targets 1.9 pips—meaning Questrade is pricier on a widely traded pair.
CMC Markets delivers consistently low spreads across all account types. Its FX Active pricing charges a $2.50 per side commission with minimum spreads of 0 pips, yielding a 0.5‑pip all‑in cost on EUR/USD and five other majors (based on August 2023 data). For example, NZD/USD is about 1.5 pips on the standard account but drops to an all‑in 0.5 pips with FX Active. CMC Markets’ averages tend to track its minimums closely, and active traders can lower costs further via the Price Plus Scheme, which grants spread discounts based on Trading Points (e.g., 2 points per 100k lot; Tier 4 offers a 20% discount at 1,250 lots in a month). FX Active is available on MT4 and Next Generation in regions including Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Southeast Asia.
By contrast, Questrade’s target spread of 1.9 pips on EUR/USD is steep relative to the industry average and higher than CMC Markets, which can add up for frequent or high‑volume traders. If low spreads and the option for commission-based pricing matter to you, CMC Markets typically offers a lower-cost path than Questrade for forex trading.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 641 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 110 |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
CMC Markets vs Questrade on trading platforms and tools: both brokers provide free paper-trading demo accounts, proprietary in-house platforms, a web platform and a Windows desktop platform, plus the ability to place trades directly from a chart. That makes it easy to test strategies and trade from either a browser or a downloadable app.
Where they differ: CMC Markets adds copy trading and supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5); Questrade does not offer copy trading or MetaTrader. Independent ratings reflect the gap: for Trading Platforms and Tools, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade scores 4 stars and ranks #28. If you want MetaTrader or copy trading alongside a strong in-house platform, CMC Markets is the better fit; if you only need a broker-built platform with web and desktop access, Questrade still covers the basics.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 64 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing CMC Markets vs Questrade for mobile trading, both brokers check the core boxes: iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, and watchlists that sync with your online account. Each app lets you draw trendlines on charts and automatically saves your drawings, making it easy to pick up where you left off. If you want a mobile trading app with essential tools, either platform will cover you.
The main differences are in charting depth and overall app acclaim. Questrade offers more technical studies (64) than CMC Markets (29), appealing to traders who rely on a wide selection of indicators. However, CMC Markets earns higher marks for its mobile experience, rated 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade is rated 4 stars and ranked #28. Choose Questrade for a bigger indicator library, or CMC Markets for higher-rated app performance.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 64 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
In a CMC Markets vs Questrade research comparison, CMC stands out for in-platform coverage: it delivers daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources (e.g., Bloomberg, Reuters, Dow Jones), a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning, Autochartist, and an economic calendar. Questrade skips daily commentary and lacks a sentiment tool, but offers Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, and an economic calendar. Forex news from top-tier wires with Questrade isn’t specified. Neither broker provides research from Acuity Trading.
Bottom line: CMC Markets is rated 5/5 for Research and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade earns 3.5/5 and ranks #34. Choose CMC Markets if you want built-in news flow, commentary, and sentiment data; pick Questrade if Trading Central and TipRanks are priorities alongside Autochartist.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
New to trading? Both CMC Markets and Questrade give beginners a helpful starting point with at least 10 beginner-focused videos that explain key trading topics in simple terms. The details provided don’t confirm whether either broker meets the specific threshold of 10+ forex- or CFD-only lessons, but both offer beginner-friendly video libraries to help you learn the basics at your own pace.
CMC Markets goes further for skill-building, offering 10+ advanced trading videos, while Questrade does not meet that advanced-video threshold. Neither broker runs monthly educational webinars. Independent ratings favor CMC Markets: it earns 5 stars for Education and ranks 10th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Questrade’s 3.5-star score and 28th-place ranking. For most beginners who want education that grows with them, CMC Markets is the stronger pick; if you only need basic starter videos, Questrade still fits the bill.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
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 Questrade. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Questrade finished with an overall rank of #29.
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 |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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CMC Markets vs Questrade: neither broker allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency trading via CFDs.
Online broker CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals (Questrade supports neither), both CMC Markets and Questrade allow bank wire transfers, neither supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability was 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 | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Questrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2000 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 641 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 110 | |
| 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). |
| Cost | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 64 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 64 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | ||
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Questrade Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Questrade Review |
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