Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Trade Nation, 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.
When considering online brokers, CMC Markets stands out with its long-standing reputation since its founding in 1989. Unlike Trade Nation, which was founded in 2014, CMC Markets is publicly traded, offering an additional layer of transparency. Both companies are not banks, but CMC Markets holds 6 Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust according to ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, Trade Nation has 2 Tier-1 licenses, marking it as reliable but less so than CMC Markets.
In terms of overall trustworthiness, CMC Markets scores a near-perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, affirming its highly trusted status. On the other hand, Trade Nation is considered trusted with a Trust Score of 85. While both brokers hold 1 Tier-2 license, CMC Markets’ extensive regulatory coverage and higher trust rating make it a more secure choice for those seeking a dependable trading platform.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing the online brokers CMC Markets and Trade Nation based on their commissions and fees, each offers distinct advantages. In our 2025 Annual Awards, CMC Markets secured the top position with a #1 ranking for its compelling low-spread offering across all customer segments and account types. It provides competitive average spreads of 0.61 pips on the EUR/USD, which is above the industry average. CMC Markets also features an Active Trader program that offers discounts on trading costs through its Price Plus Scheme. The recently introduced FX Active pricing structure offers a commission-based model with low spreads, reinforcing CMC Markets' reputation as an industry leader. Rated 5 stars, CMC Markets' pricing strategies make it an attractive choice for traders.
Trade Nation, ranked #7, also shines with a 5-star rating in the commissions and fees category. This broker distinguishes itself with competitive fixed-spread pricing across all tradeable symbols on its proprietary platform. For the EUR/USD pair, Trade Nation offers a fixed spread of 0.6 pips but does see a brief increase during its daily rollover period. While Trade Nation provides three primary account types, including a commission-based Raw Spread account on MetaTrader, its proprietary TN Trader accounts feature some of the lowest spreads when considering all-in costs. The fixed-spread approach offers simplicity and transparency, appealing to many traders.
Both brokers have their unique offerings, but CMC Markets edges ahead with its innovative pricing models and discounts for active traders, reflecting its #1 ranking. Meanwhile, Trade Nation's reliable fixed-spread pricing offers its own appeal, ensuring straightforward costs for traders, contributing to its solid #7 standing. Each broker’s clear fee structure serves different trader preferences, from flexibility and discounts to simplicity and predictability.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 0.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.6 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| 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 covers far more instruments than Trade Nation. You can trade forex as CFDs or spot with both brokers, but CMC Markets lists 12,029 tradable symbols and 141 currency pairs, compared with Trade Nation’s 1,000 symbols and 46 pairs. CMC Markets also provides access to exchange-traded shares in the U.S. and on international markets—so you can buy companies like Apple or Vodafone directly—while Trade Nation does not offer exchange-traded shares.
Both brokers support copy trading and let you speculate on digital assets through cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither lets you buy and hold actual crypto. Reflecting the broader selection, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks it 9th out of 63 brokers; Trade Nation earns 3.5 stars and ranks 39th. If you want the widest choice and the ability to buy real shares, CMC Markets is the stronger fit; for a leaner lineup that still covers popular markets, Trade Nation may suffice.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 46 |
| 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.
CMC Markets vs Trade Nation: both brokers provide free demo (paper) accounts, proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each supports copy trading and MetaTrader 4; only CMC Markets adds MetaTrader 5. Neither integrates DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. For charting, CMC Markets lists 36 drawing tools and lets you place trades directly from charts, while Trade Nation lists 39 drawing tools but does not support trading from charts. Indicator counts are not specified. For watchlists, CMC offers 11 columns versus Trade Nation’s 14.
In testing by ForexBrokers.com for Trading Platforms and Tools, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #4 of 63 brokers, while Trade Nation earns 4 stars and ranks #45. Pick CMC Markets if MT5 access and trading from charts are priorities; choose Trade Nation if you want slightly more drawing tools and more watchlist fields. Both are friendly for beginners thanks to their free demo accounts and easy-to-use web and desktop platforms.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 115 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 39 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 14 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing CMC Markets vs Trade Nation for mobile trading, both brokers check the key boxes: iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, synced watchlists across devices, real-time watchlists, trendline drawing, multiple time frames (daily, weekly, intraday), and auto-saved chart drawings. The main feature gap is charting studies. Trade Nation packs in 99 technical indicators, while CMC Markets offers 29.
While Trade Nation wins on the number of built-in indicators, CMC Markets earns higher marks for the overall mobile experience: it’s rated 5 stars vs Trade Nation’s 4 stars, and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Trade Nation at #46. If you want a wider indicator library, Trade Nation appeals; if you value top-tier ratings and polish, CMC Markets stands out.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 99 |
| 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.
For market research, CMC Markets and Trade Nation both cover the essentials: daily market commentary and top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each also offers a sentiment tool showing the long/short split across instruments. The standout differences lie in their extras. CMC Markets includes Autochartist for chart pattern ideas and supplies an in-platform economic calendar. Trade Nation does not offer Autochartist or a calendar, but it does provide Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre. Neither broker includes Trading Central or TipRanks.
Independent ratings reflect this gap. CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers for Research at ForexBrokers.com, while Trade Nation holds 3.5 stars and ranks #43. If you want broader built-in research and planning tools, CMC Markets is the stronger choice. If you prefer straightforward news, daily commentary, and Acuity/Signal Centre signals, Trade Nation can fit the bill.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner traders, CMC Markets and Trade Nation both offer a variety of content to help newcomers. Both platforms provide a wealth of educational materials, including articles, videos, and around ten beginner trading videos, making them suitable for those starting out. However, neither CMC Markets nor Trade Nation hosts regular monthly webinars, though CMC Markets stands out by offering an archive of recorded webinars that users can browse anytime, a feature not available with Trade Nation. Additionally, both brokers provide dictionaries that explain over 50 investing terms, which is a helpful tool for understanding trading jargon.
Despite the similarities, there are differences in how these brokers are rated and ranked concerning their educational offerings. CMC Markets receives a notable 5-star rating for its educational resources, ranking 10th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com in the Education category. In comparison, Trade Nation holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks 41st in the same category. This distinction suggests that while both brokers cater to beginner traders effectively, CMC Markets' broader range of educational services, including its archived webinars, provides a more comprehensive learning experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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 Trade Nation. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while Trade Nation finished with an overall rank of #34.
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
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Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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Both CMC Markets and Trade Nation do not offer the option to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency; however, they both provide the ability to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives for traders interested in speculative investments.
In comparing CMC Markets and Trade Nation, CMC Markets offers a variety of deposit and withdrawal methods including ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires, while Trade Nation provides options for Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wires, but lacks ACH/SEPA transfers and PayPal options.
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 | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Trade Nation Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 46 | |
| 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 | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 0.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.6 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| 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 | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 14 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 115 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 39 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 99 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Education | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trade Nation Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Trade Nation Review |
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