Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs ThinkMarkets, 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 highly regarded online broker, distinguished by its public trading status on a stock exchange. It holds an impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, reflecting its top-tier reliability. CMC Markets is backed by 6 Tier-1 licenses, considered highly trusted, along with an additional Tier-2 license, highlighting its strong regulatory standing. Although not a bank, its long-standing presence and comprehensive regulatory approvals contribute to its credibility in the trading community.
Established in 2010, ThinkMarkets also commands attention with a solid ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 92. While ThinkMarkets is not publicly traded, it still holds 5 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, illustrating a reliable regulatory framework that ensures a trusted trading environment. Like CMC Markets, it is not a banking institution, but its array of regulatory licenses positions it as a credible option for traders seeking a dependable online broker.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
When comparing CMC Markets and ThinkMarkets based on commissions and fees, CMC Markets clearly stands out as the leader. Awarded 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in 2025, CMC Markets offers consistently low spreads that are above average in the industry. With typical spreads of just 0.61 pips on the EUR/USD and a new FX Active pricing structure, CMC ensures competitive trading costs. Their Price Plus Scheme also allows active traders to earn discounts, enhancing their value proposition.
In contrast, ThinkMarkets, although rated a respectable 4 stars, holds the #47 spot in the same category. Specific average spread data is not available for ThinkMarkets, making precise comparisons challenging. However, their lower ranking suggests that while they offer fair pricing, they may not match the aggressive spread and commission offerings seen at CMC Markets.
Overall, for traders focused on minimizing costs, CMC Markets provides more attractive pricing options through low spreads and innovative pricing programs. Whether you’re trading with standard account conditions or opting for commission-based trades with FX Active, CMC Markets prioritizes competitive costs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets and ThinkMarkets both offer a variety of options for forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, making them appealing to forex traders. However, the range of investments available between these platforms differs significantly. CMC Markets stands out by providing an impressive 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared to ThinkMarkets' 4,000 symbols and 46 forex pairs. Additionally, CMC Markets allows clients to trade exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, offering opportunities to invest directly in companies like Apple or Vodafone. On the other hand, ThinkMarkets limits access to international exchanges only, meaning investors cannot directly purchase U.S.-based stocks.
Both CMC Markets and ThinkMarkets provide crypto derivatives but do not support the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. In terms of additional trading features, both brokers offer the capability for copy trading, catering to users who prefer following experienced traders. When evaluated for their range of investments, CMC Markets earns a five-star rating, placing them 9th among 63 brokers, reflecting their extensive trading options. ThinkMarkets, while also highly rated at 4.5 stars, is ranked 23rd, suggesting slightly fewer investment choices but remains a solid choice for a diverse trading experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 4000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 it comes to trading platforms and tools, both CMC Markets and ThinkMarkets provide comprehensive options suitable for a range of traders. Each broker offers a proprietary platform developed in-house, alongside popular third-party platforms MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), catering to the preferences of different users. Both brokers support Windows-based desktop platforms as well as web-based platforms, providing flexibility for their clients. They also offer simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts and support copy trading to cater to investors looking to mimic the trades of others.
However, there are notable differences in the features they offer. CMC Markets stands out with a higher number of drawing tools for charting, providing 36 options compared to ThinkMarkets' 15. When it comes to watch lists, ThinkMarkets users can access additional fields with 15 columns, as opposed to CMC Markets' 11. Overall, CMC Markets is rated higher, with 5 stars, and is ranked #4 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for their trading platforms and tools, whereas ThinkMarkets holds 4 stars and is ranked #28.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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) | 73 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 15 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading, both CMC Markets and ThinkMarkets offer apps for iPhone and Android users, with features geared toward enhancing the trading experience. Traders can receive stock and forex price alerts on both platforms. However, CMC Markets sets itself apart with the ability to sync watchlists between the mobile app and the client's online account, a feature not available with ThinkMarkets. Furthermore, while both brokers allow trendline drawing and multiple time-frame viewing on charts, CMC Markets' mobile app includes 29 technical studies compared to ThinkMarkets' impressive 94 technical studies, offering a wider array of analytical tools.
In terms of user ratings and industry rankings, CMC Markets stands out with a perfect 5-star rating for their mobile trading app and a prestigious rank of #5 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Comparatively, ThinkMarkets holds a respectable 4-star rating but ranks #20. Despite these differences, both apps provide the essential functionality of creating watchlists with real-time quotes and automatically saving chart drawings, catering to traders seeking a reliable mobile platform.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 94 |
| 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 comparing the market research offerings of online brokers CMC Markets and ThinkMarkets, both provide similar services in several areas. They each deliver daily market commentary to help keep traders informed and offer forex news sourced from highly regarded outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. Additionally, both brokers include sentiment-based trading tools that indicate the ratio of long or short positions across various currency pairs. An essential and widely-used feature among traders—a comprehensive economic calendar showcasing global news events—is also available through both platforms.
However, some distinctions set these brokers apart. CMC Markets stands out by providing access to Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis, a service not available with ThinkMarkets. While ThinkMarkets compensates with offerings from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, which is absent from CMC Markets' research suite, CMC Markets still holds a higher overall research rating of 5 stars compared to ThinkMarkets' 3.5 stars. This is reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, with CMC Markets securing the 6th position among 63 brokers, while ThinkMarkets is placed at 50th.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners between CMC Markets and ThinkMarkets, both brokers offer a wealth of materials aimed at enhancing traders' knowledge in forex and CFDs. Each provides over 10 educational pieces such as articles, videos, and archived webinars specifically on forex and CFDs. They also have a comprehensive library of recorded webinars that can be easily accessed. Additionally, both platforms boast more than 10 beginner-friendly educational videos, making them excellent choices for newcomers eager to learn the ropes of trading.
However, there are distinct differences in their offerings. ThinkMarkets stands out with its regular live webinars, hosting at least one each month, which could be advantageous for beginners seeking interactive learning. In contrast, CMC Markets does not offer scheduled live webinars. Despite this, CMC Markets is highly rated with five stars for its educational content due to its extensive range of beginner and advanced video materials and a well-curated investor dictionary. In terms of industry ranking, CMC Markets holds a strong position at #10, according to ForexBrokers.com, while ThinkMarkets is ranked at #52, reflecting differences in the depth and effectiveness of their educational services.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 ThinkMarkets. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27.
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
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 |
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Both CMC Markets and ThinkMarkets provide the capability to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither offers the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency.
CMC Markets supports ACH and SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires for depositing and withdrawing funds, whereas ThinkMarkets does not offer ACH, SEPA, or PayPal, but facilitates transactions through Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| 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 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 4000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 15 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 94 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | CMC Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review |
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