Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs RoboForex, 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, established in 1989, stands out with its exceptionally high Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, and is publicly traded, adding to its credibility. Although not a bank, CMC Markets holds 5 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, signaling a strong regulatory framework and reinforcing its status as a highly trusted brokerage platform.
Founded in 2009, RoboForex operates with a Trust Score of 73, indicating an average risk level in terms of trustworthiness by ForexBrokers.com standards. While RoboForex is not publicly listed and also not a bank, it maintains a regulatory presence with 1 Tier-1 license. Although it lacks Tier-2 licenses, RoboForex remains a functional broker for traders who are aware of its trust rating.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, CMC Markets clearly leads the way, holding a prestigious #1 ranking in the category by ForexBrokers.com. Achieving an impressive 5-star rating, CMC Markets offers a highly competitive spread, averaging 0.61 pips on the EUR/USD. With its innovative Price Plus Scheme and FX Active structure, traders can enjoy reduced trading costs, taking advantage of low commissions and minimal spreads, especially on major currency pairs. CMC Markets’ consistently low pricing contributes to its status as a top choice for traders looking for cost-effective solutions.
In contrast, RoboForex tends to fall behind in terms of cost efficiency, holding a lower ranking of #55 and a 3.5-star rating. Traders using RoboForex can expect average spreads of 1.3 pips for the EUR/USD on its Procent and Pro accounts, which are relatively high when compared to the offerings by CMC Markets. This difference highlights RoboForex's position as a less attractive option for those particularly focused on minimizing trading costs.
Ultimately, for traders prioritizing low commissions and fees, CMC Markets emerges as the superior choice with its award-winning pricing structure and numerous cost-saving features. While RoboForex provides a decent platform, the higher spreads can lead to increased costs over time, making it a less favorable option for cost-conscious traders compared to the industry leader, CMC Markets.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Both CMC Markets and RoboForex provide extensive trading opportunities, but key differences emerge in the variety of investments they offer. CMC Markets impresses with a staggering 11,925 tradeable symbols, covering a broad spectrum that includes both CFDs and exchange-traded securities. This includes 156 forex pairs, showcasing a comprehensive selection for currency traders. Additionally, CMC Markets allows traders to invest directly in U.S. and international equities, such as Apple and Vodafone, further broadening their investment scope. While it does not offer direct cryptocurrency purchases, CMC Markets provides access to cryptocurrency derivatives, giving traders the flexibility to engage with digital assets in an indirect manner.
RoboForex, while offering a solid range of 8,400 tradeable symbols, including forex trading via CFDs and spot contracts, caters more specifically to CFDs. It provides 28 forex pairs for traders to speculate on currency movements. However, unlike CMC Markets, RoboForex does not offer direct access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges. RoboForex also allows trading in cryptocurrency derivatives, but not in actual cryptocurrency assets. Both platforms support copy trading, enabling less experienced traders to follow and execute strategies of seasoned investors. Overall, CMC Markets receives a 5-star rating for its range of investments and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers, compared to RoboForex's 4.5-star rating and a 20th-place ranking in the same category.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 8400 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 28 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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). | 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 comparing CMC Markets and RoboForex for their trading platforms and tools, both brokers provide access to a free virtual demo account, allowing traders to practice without financial risk. CMC Markets stands out by offering its proprietary platform, developed in-house, alongside a Windows-based desktop download platform and a web-based option. RoboForex also provides both a Windows desktop and web-based trading platform, but lacks a proprietary option. Both brokers support popular MetaTrader platforms, including MT4 and MT5, and offer copy trading services for users interested in replicating the trades of experienced investors. However, neither broker currently supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
CMC Markets excels with 40 drawing tools for charting, surpassing RoboForex's 15 tools, and further distinguishes itself with the ability to trade directly from stock charts. CMC Markets also offers more options for watchlist columns, providing 11 fields compared to RoboForex's 7. This comprehensive offering has earned CMC Markets a five-star rating for its trading platforms and tools, ranking 4th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, RoboForex holds a respectable four-star rating, ranking 43rd in the same category. Overall, CMC Markets appears to provide a more detailed and versatile trading experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both CMC Markets and RoboForex offer impressive features for iPhone and Android users. Each platform provides stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and options to view multiple time frames on charts. CMC Markets distinguishes itself with its watchlist symbol syncing feature, ensuring your lists are always up-to-date whether you're on your app or online account. However, if you're looking for sheer charting options, RoboForex leads slightly with 30 technical studies compared to CMC’s 29.
Both apps let users create watchlists with real-time quotes and automatically save chart drawings, enhancing the trading experience. While CMC Markets received a commendable 5-star rating for its mobile trading app, RoboForex follows with a solid 4 stars. In terms of rankings by ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets stands at an impressive fifth out of 63 brokers, showcasing its prowess in mobile trading. RoboForex, while also a viable choice, ranks 43rd, indicating room for improvement compared to its competitor.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 |
| 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, both CMC Markets and RoboForex deliver strong resources for traders. CMC Markets stands out with a variety of features including daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They also offer technical analysis tools, such as those from Autochartist, and a sentiment-based trading tool that provides insights into long or short positions across various instruments. While CMC Markets does not provide research tools from Trading Central, they do offer a comprehensive economic calendar to keep traders informed of global events. With these amenities, CMC Markets has earned a high research rating of 5 stars and ranks 6th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
RoboForex also offers daily market commentary and access to high-quality forex news from distinguished sources. However, it provides a unique advantage with research tools from Trading Central and Acuity Trading's modules like Signal Centre, offering traders different analytical perspectives. Despite this, RoboForex lacks offers from Autochartist and sentiment-based trading tools. They do offer an economic calendar similar to CMC Markets. As a result, RoboForex is rated 3.5 stars for research and holds the 37th position among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, CMC Markets offers a comprehensive suite of tools surpassing those available from RoboForex. CMC Markets provides over ten informative pieces on forex and CFDs, while RoboForex falls short in this area. Recognized for its effort, CMC Markets presents a wealth of materials, including a vast collection of beginner and advanced videos tackling a variety of trading topics. Additionally, users can access a searchable archive of past webinars. Enhancing its educational offerings, CMC Markets features an investor dictionary with definitions for over 50 investing terms, ensuring a smoother learning journey for new traders.
RoboForex, on the other hand, has less to offer beginners. While they do not hold monthly educational webinars or maintain a searchable webinar archive, traders can still explore some resources provided by the broker. In terms of educational rankings, CMC Markets stands out with a 5-star rating, securing the 10th spot out of 63 brokers per ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, RoboForex holds a rating of 3.5 stars, landing at the 56th position. With these differences in mind, CMC Markets clearly provides a more inviting environment for newcomers keen on building their trading knowledge.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 RoboForex. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while RoboForex finished with an overall rank of #46.
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
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Both CMC Markets and RoboForex do not provide the option to buy actual cryptocurrencies but offer access to cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both CMC Markets and RoboForex support ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transfers for depositing or withdrawing funds, while RoboForex additionally offers Skrill, which is not available with CMC Markets.
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 | RoboForex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | RoboForex Review |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 8400 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 28 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). | 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 | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 | |
| 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 | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | RoboForex Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | RoboForex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | RoboForex Review |
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