Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Swissquote, 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 is a publicly traded online broker known for its high level of trustworthiness in the financial industry. The firm is not a bank, but it boasts an impressive Trust Score of 99 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the highly trusted category. Supporting this trust are CMC Markets' six Tier-1 licenses, which are highly rated for regulatory safety, and one Tier-2 license. These credentials underscore CMC Markets' strong regulatory standing and commitment to maintaining high standards for its clients.
In contrast, Swissquote, founded in 1996, is both a publicly traded company and a bank, giving it a unique standing in the online brokerage field. Like CMC Markets, Swissquote holds a perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 as per ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its solid reputation. Swissquote holds five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, indicating its trusted regulatory framework. Despite the slight difference in the number of Tier-1 and Tier-2 licenses compared to CMC Markets, Swissquote's strong regulatory presence supports its credibility as a reliable option for online brokerage services.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
CMC Markets does better than Swissquote on commissions and fees overall, thanks to tighter pricing on its active-trader options and a low-cost setup for those who trade more often. Its standard spread-only account is less impressive, with the average EUR/USD spread coming in at 1.3 pips, but the FX Active account brings trading costs down to about 1.15 pips all-in on EUR/USD after commission. CMC also stands out for extras like volume-based rebates, zero minimum deposit, no wire transfer fee, and a long 12-month inactivity window. CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #3 out of 36 for commissions and fees.
Swissquote is a better fit for traders who want the security and brand name of a Swiss banking group, but that usually means paying more. Its pricing varies by region and account type, with the U.K. branch offering the best value: the Elite account has lower spreads plus a $5 round-turn commission, while the Standard account starts at 1.3 pips on EUR/USD. In Luxembourg and Switzerland, costs are generally higher, especially on standard accounts, and the best pricing is usually reserved for larger deposits or active traders. Swissquote is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #37 out of 36 for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, CMC Markets is the cheaper choice for most traders, especially if you qualify for its active pricing, while Swissquote charges a premium for its banking background and account choices. If low trading costs are your main goal, CMC Markets has the edge; if you care more about the Swiss bank connection and are willing to pay more, Swissquote may still appeal.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.5 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.5 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets and Swissquote both give traders access to forex as either CFDs or spot contracts, and both support trading in U.S. and international exchange-traded securities such as shares on NASDAQ and the London Stock Exchange. Each broker also offers cryptocurrency CFDs. When it comes to everyday market access, CMC Markets stands out for sheer choice, with 21,710 tradeable symbols and 303 forex pairs, compared with Swissquote’s 472 symbols and 80 forex pairs.
Swissquote, however, adds a few features that CMC Markets does not, including copy trading and the ability to buy actual cryptocurrency rather than only a CFD. Even so, both brokers receive 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking out of 36 brokers, Swissquote places #2 for this category, while CMC Markets ranks #9, making Swissquote the stronger all-around option for breadth of investment types, and CMC Markets the better pick for market variety within its platform.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 472 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 80 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
CMC Markets and Swissquote both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make order entry quicker and easier for active traders. For trading platforms and tools, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #12.
The main difference is that Swissquote offers copy trading, while CMC Markets does not. For traders who want a straightforward mix of platform access, chart trading, and familiar MetaTrader support, both brokers are strong options. CMC Markets edges ahead overall in this category, but Swissquote may appeal more to anyone looking for copy trading alongside its platform selection.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 86 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and Swissquote both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts. Each app also supports 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings, making both platforms useful for traders who want to analyze markets on the go. For everyday mobile trading features, the two brokers are closely matched.
The biggest difference is watchlist syncing. CMC Markets lets watchlists sync between the mobile app and the online account, so updates carry over in both places, while Swissquote does not. That edge helps explain why CMC Markets is rated 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers, compared with Swissquote’s 4.5-star rating and #12 ranking.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets and Swissquote both give traders useful market research features, including daily market commentary, forex news from top sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Each broker also offers Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis, while neither provides Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools. For most everyday research needs, both platforms cover the basics well.
CMC Markets has the edge for market research thanks to its sentiment tool, which shows the balance of long and short positions across currency pairs and other instruments. That extra insight helps traders gauge market mood more easily. This advantage is reflected in its 5-star research rating and #6 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with Swissquote’s 4.5-star rating and #15 ranking for the same category.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, CMC Markets and Swissquote both give traders plenty of ways to learn. Each broker offers forex and CFD learning material, at least one online educational webinar per month, and at least 10 beginner and 10 advanced videos covering trading topics. That means new traders can find both basic lessons and more detailed content at either broker, with support for learning at different skill levels.
CMC Markets stands out as the stronger choice for education overall. It is rated 5 stars for Education and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category, while Swissquote is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #19. For beginners looking for the broader and better-rated learning library, CMC Markets has the edge, although Swissquote still offers a solid range of helpful educational content.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | 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 Swissquote. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #12.
CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its 21,710 tradeable instruments and 303 forex pairs, the largest currency lineup in the industry.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
| Range of Investments |
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| Research |
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CMC Markets vs Swissquote: both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but only Swissquote lets you buy and hold actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, whereas CMC Markets does not.
In the CMC Markets vs Swissquote comparison for deposits and withdrawals, both brokers support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wires, but only Swissquote supports Skrill, while 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 | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Swissquote Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 472 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 80 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.5 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.5 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 86 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Swissquote Review |
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