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.
Catering to the varied needs of online investors, CMC Markets and Questrade offer distinct advantages. Founded in 1989, CMC Markets stands as a veteran in the industry and is publicly traded, enhancing transparency and trust. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, it ranks as a highly trusted broker. This is bolstered by CMC Markets holding five Tier-1 licenses, which are considered the most reliable by industry standards, along with one Tier-2 license. Despite not being a bank, CMC Markets' regulatory standing and public listing make it a compelling choice for investors seeking confidence in their trading platform.
In contrast, Questrade, established in 2000, is a privately operated broker not listed on a stock exchange. Its Trust Score of 86 from ForexBrokers.com categorizes it as a trusted broker, although it holds fewer licenses with two Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. While Questrade does not share the same level of public transparency as CMC Markets, those looking for a reliable broker in the Canadian market may find its offerings align with their needs. Both brokers are not banks, but they serve different investor preferences and risk tolerances through their respective regulatory standings and years of experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2000 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
When comparing the commissions and fees between CMC Markets and Questrade, CMC Markets stands out as a leader. This broker achieved the top spot in the 2025 Annual Awards for its competitive pricing, offering average spreads around 0.61 pips on major pairs like EUR/USD. They provide a dynamic active trader program known as the Price Plus Scheme, which offers discounts based on trading volume. Additionally, CMC Markets’ FX Active pricing structure allows for commission-based trading with minimal spreads, enhancing its position as a top choice with a perfect 5-star rating in this category.
On the other hand, Questrade’s offer appears less favorable in terms of commissions and fees. With target spreads on the EUR/USD at 1.9 pips, Questrade’s pricing is comparatively steep when stacked against the industry average. This has placed Questrade at a disadvantage, earning a 3-star rating in commissions and fees according to ForexBrokers.com.
Overall, CMC Markets is ranked as the best among 63 brokers for its exceptional pricing strategies, while Questrade trails far behind at 58th place. This clear disparity highlights CMC Markets as an ideal choice for traders focused on minimizing their trading costs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the range of investments, CMC Markets and Questrade both provide a variety of trading options that cater to different types of investors. CMC Markets offers a substantial selection with 11,925 tradeable symbols, providing access to a wide array of markets. In comparison, Questrade offers 641 tradeable symbols, which may appeal to investors looking for a more streamlined platform. Both platforms support forex trading with CMC Markets offering 156 tradeable forex pairs and Questrade providing 110 pairs. These offerings extend to forex CFDs for those seeking versatile trading methods. Investors looking to explore the world of cryptocurrency can engage with derivatives on both platforms, although neither allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies.
For those interested in traditional securities, both brokers enable trading of U.S. and international exchange-traded securities, allowing clients to invest in big names like Apple and Vodafone. However, only CMC Markets extends the option of copy trading, enhancing opportunities for investors who prefer to mirror successful trading strategies. With both firms holding a five-star rating for range of investments, CMC Markets slightly edges ahead in industry rankings, securing the 9th spot compared to Questrade's 11th according to ForexBrokers.com. Overall, both platforms offer comprehensive investment tools, but CMC Markets may be better suited for those seeking an extensive trading spectrum.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 641 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 110 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When choosing between CMC Markets and Questrade for their trading platforms and tools, both brokers offer a variety of resources for traders. Each provides a proprietary platform and offers a demo account for simulated trading. CMC Markets and Questrade both support Windows-based desktop download and web-based trading platforms, offering flexible access for users. However, CMC Markets stands out with its capability for copy trading and compatibility with MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, features that Questrade does not offer. While CMC Markets does not integrate with social trading networks like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade, Questrade is compatible with DupliTrade, catering to those interested in social investing.
Charting tools also differ between the two. CMC Markets offers 40 drawing tools, compared to Questrade's 20, allowing for more detailed technical analysis. For watch lists, Questrade offers more customizability with 52 columns versus CMC Markets' 11. Both brokers allow trading directly from stock charts, which is beneficial for active traders. In terms of overall platform ratings, CMC Markets edges ahead with a perfect five-star rating and a high rank of #4 by ForexBrokers.com, whereas Questrade is rated four stars and ranked #34. This comparison highlights CMC Markets as the superior choice for traders prioritizing comprehensive platforms and advanced tools.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | Yes |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 20 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 52 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of CMC Markets and Questrade, both offer strong functionalities for on-the-go trading. Available for both iPhone and Android users, these apps ensure that clients can access the markets no matter their device. They each support essential features such as stock and forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts, catering to traders looking for detailed analysis. The mobile apps also sync clients' watchlists with their online accounts, providing seamless transitions between devices. Moreover, both platforms support viewing multiple time frames, allowing users to switch between daily, weekly, and intraday views effortlessly.
Despite these similarities, there are differences in the depth of charting tools provided. CMC Markets offers 29 technical studies, while Questrade provides 64, allowing for more comprehensive technical analysis on Questrade’s app. Both apps feature real-time quotes in watchlists and auto-save chart drawings to avoid losing any insights. However, when considering user ratings, CMC Markets edges out with a stellar 5-star rating for its mobile trading services, while Questrade holds a respectable 4 stars. In rankings, CMC Markets stands out, placed at #5 by ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade ranks at #34. This suggests that CMC Markets might present a slightly more polished user experience overall for those prioritizing mobile trading.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 64 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research offerings, CMC Markets and Questrade present distinct advantages for online traders with varying needs. CMC Markets stands out by providing daily market commentary and forex news sourced from renowned outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters. It also offers a sentiment-based trading tool for analyzing market positions, alongside technical analysis tools from Autochartist. An economic calendar is also included to keep traders informed about upcoming global events. With these comprehensive features, CMC Markets earns a high research rating of 5 stars and ranks 6th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, Questrade supports its users with technical analysis tools from Autochartist as well as Trading Central, offering a wide range of analytics. While it lacks daily market commentary and top-tier forex news, it compensates by partnering with TipRanks for additional market insights. Questrade also provides an economic calendar to track global economic news, adding value to its research offerings. Despite these tools, Questrade receives a 3.5-star rating for research and ranks 51st among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, revealing clear distinctions in the market research experiences offered by each platform.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, CMC Markets and Questrade both offer materials to help new traders understand forex and CFDs, each providing over 10 educational pieces in the form of articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, neither of these brokers offers live educational webinars on a monthly basis, although they do both provide searchable archives of previously recorded sessions. This feature allows users to revisit past content at their own pace, which can be a great advantage for those who like to learn on their own schedule.
For new traders looking to build foundational skills, both CMC Markets and Questrade have created beginner-friendly educational videos. CMC Markets, however, distinguishes itself by also providing advanced videos for experienced traders, a feature not matched by Questrade. Additionally, CMC Markets supports its users with an investor dictionary containing over 50 terms, further enhancing its educational offering. These differences are reflected in their ratings; CMC Markets earns a 5-star rating for education compared to Questrade's 3.5 stars. CMC Markets holds a stronger position in education rankings, placing 10th compared to Questrade’s 36th, reflecting its comprehensive approach to trading education.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 #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 |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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Both CMC Markets and Questrade do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
CMC Markets stands out in the online brokerage space by offering diverse funding options such as ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, while Questrade, though similar in providing Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, falls short by not supporting ACH, SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill transactions.
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 |
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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 | 5 | 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 | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | 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 | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 641 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 110 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | 0.61 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | Yes | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 52 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 64 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 20 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 64 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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