Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Tickmill, 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 vs Tickmill: CMC Markets was founded in 1989 and is publicly traded, while Tickmill launched in 2014 and is not listed. Neither broker is a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets holds a Trust Score of 99, which falls in the 90–99 “highly trusted” range, whereas Tickmill’s score is 85, placing it in the 80–89 “trusted” range.
Regulation and licenses: CMC Markets holds 6 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 1 Tier-2 license (trusted). Tickmill holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses. These credentials help signal how each broker is supervised across top-tier and mid-tier regulators.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
CMC Markets earns 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #4 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com (it also won our 2025 Commissions & Fees award). Its pricing is built around tight spreads available to all clients. Typical spreads were 0.61 pips on EUR/USD in August 2023, and its FX Active plan charges $2.50 per side with minimum spreads from 0, delivering a 0.5‑pip all‑in cost on EUR/USD and several other pairs. As an example, NZD/USD falls from a 1.5‑pip spread on the standard account to about 0.5 pips all‑in with FX Active. CMC’s Price Plus Scheme can further reduce trading costs for high‑volume traders via Trading Points (e.g., a 20% spread discount at Tier 4, which the firm notes would require about 1,250 standard lots in a month), and its average spreads tend to stay close to published minimums.
Tickmill earns 4.5 stars and ranks #10 out of 63 for commissions and fees. It offers two accounts: Classic (spread‑only, no commission) and Raw (tight spreads plus commission). The Classic account is simple but pricier, with average spreads of 1.76 pips as of August 2023. The Raw account is aimed at active traders, listing a typical 0.11‑pip EUR/USD spread (Oct 2023) and charging $3 per side ($6 per standard lot), which brings the estimated all‑in cost on EUR/USD to about 0.71 pips. The Raw account’s $100 minimum deposit keeps the entry bar low while still targeting cost‑conscious traders.
Bottom line: CMC Markets generally delivers lower all‑in costs on major pairs—especially with FX Active—and backs that with a 5‑star rating and a #4 ranking for commissions and fees. Tickmill remains competitive for frequent traders through its Raw account, earning 4.5 stars and a #10 ranking, though its move to $3 per side nudges its all‑in costs higher than CMC Markets on key pairs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.70 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.70 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| 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 offers a far wider range of investments than Tickmill. You’ll find 12,029 tradeable symbols at CMC Markets versus 637 at Tickmill, including 141 forex pairs at CMC Markets compared with 63 at Tickmill. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot. A key difference: CMC Markets also lets clients buy exchange‑traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), while Tickmill does not offer real shares.
Both brokers support copy trading and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs, but neither sells actual crypto coins. For Range of Investments, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers, while Tickmill earns 3.5 stars and ranks #30. If you want a larger selection that includes real stocks alongside CFDs, CMC Markets is the better fit; if you mainly need forex and CFD access, Tickmill covers the essentials.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 63 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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). | 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 Tickmill: both brokers cover the essentials for trading platforms and tools. Each provides a free demo (paper) account, web and Windows desktop platforms, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The key difference is platform variety: CMC Markets offers its own proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader, while Tickmill focuses on third-party options like MT4 and MT5.
Independent ratings tilt in CMC Markets’ favor for platform quality: it earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks 6th out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 24th. If you want an in-house platform plus MetaTrader, CMC Markets is the more feature-rich choice; if you prefer a straightforward MetaTrader-only setup, Tickmill fits the bill.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 91 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and Tickmill both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts, trendline drawing tools, and auto-saved chart annotations. For charting studies, CMC Markets includes 29 technical indicators while Tickmill offers 30, so both cover the key tools traders expect.
The bigger difference is watchlist syncing: CMC Markets syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Tickmill does not. That usability edge is reflected in ratings—CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Tickmill’s 4 stars and #25 ranking. If cross-device continuity matters, CMC Markets is the safer pick; if you want one more built-in indicator, Tickmill has it, though both apps handle everyday trading needs well.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets vs Tickmill: both brokers deliver daily market commentary and premium forex news from top-tier sources (e.g., Bloomberg, Reuters, Dow Jones or similar). In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #6 out of 63 brokers for research, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #19. If top-tier news and frequent insights are your priorities, both will serve you well, with CMC Markets holding the edge overall.
Feature-wise, there are key differences. CMC Markets includes Autochartist tools, while Tickmill does not; meanwhile, Tickmill offers Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), which CMC Markets does not. Neither broker provides Trading Central or TipRanks. Both offer a sentiment tool that shows long vs. short positioning and an economic calendar covering global events. For traders who want Autochartist, CMC Markets stands out; for those who value Acuity Trading signals, Tickmill has the advantage.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing forex and CFD education, both CMC Markets and Tickmill deliver plenty of learning materials. Each offers at least 10 beginner-focused videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so you can start simple and level up over time. A key difference is live instruction: Tickmill runs online educational webinars at least once a month, while CMC Markets does not.
In independent evaluations, CMC Markets earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #14. If you prefer live webinars to ask questions in real time, Tickmill may suit you. If you want a higher-rated, on-demand video library for self-paced study, CMC Markets is the stronger pick.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | 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 Tickmill. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23.
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
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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CMC Markets vs. Tickmill: Both online brokers support cryptocurrency trading through CFDs, but neither allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal methods, CMC Markets and Tickmill both support PayPal and bank wire transfers, but CMC Markets additionally offers ACH/SEPA transfers while Tickmill supports Skrill—making CMC Markets ideal for ACH/SEPA users and Tickmill a better fit for Skrill users.
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 | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 637 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 63 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). | 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.70 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 91 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Tickmill Review |
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