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.
CMC Markets, established in 1989, and Trade Nation, founded in 2014, are two online brokers with different profiles. CMC Markets is publicly traded, unlike Trade Nation, and holds a prestigious position in the financial industry with a perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. Known for its credibility, CMC Markets is equipped with five Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust and safety, along with one Tier-2 license.
On the other hand, Trade Nation, while not publicly traded, still maintains a solid Trust Score of 85, representing a trusted reputation. Providing reliable services, Trade Nation holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. Though newer and with fewer high-level licenses compared to CMC Markets, it remains a respected choice among traders looking for a dependable online trading platform.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 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 | 0.61 | 0.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | 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 and Trade Nation both provide forex trading services, allowing clients to trade forex as either a CFD or a spot contract. However, CMC Markets stands out with an impressive array of options, offering a total of 11,925 tradeable symbols compared to Trade Nation's selection of 1,000. When it comes to forex pairs, CMC Markets again leads the way with 156 pairs, significantly more than the 46 pairs available with Trade Nation. Additionally, CMC Markets offers the opportunity to invest directly in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, which isn't available at Trade Nation.
For those interested in copy trading, both brokers have got you covered. While neither offers the option to purchase actual cryptocurrencies directly, they do allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets has earned a 5-star rating for its range of investments, placing it 9th out of 63 brokers. Trade Nation, on the other hand, receives a rating of 3.5 stars and ranks 38th in the same category. These evaluations underscore the broader and more varied investment opportunities available with CMC Markets.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 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.
When comparing CMC Markets to Trade Nation, both brokers offer comprehensive options for online trading with free virtual demo accounts and proprietary platforms developed in-house. Users of CMC Markets and Trade Nation can take advantage of Windows-based desktop and web-based platforms, accommodating different trading preferences. Both brokers support the widely used MetaTrader 4 (MT4), providing access to a wide range of tools and resources. However, CMC Markets also offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5), giving traders access to additional features and instruments that aren't available on Trade Nation.
In terms of advanced trading capabilities, CMC Markets stands out with 40 drawing tools for charting and the ability to trade directly from a stock chart, which is not available with Trade Nation. While Trade Nation provides 14 columns for watch lists compared to CMC Market's 11, CMC Markets has earned a higher rating of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools, compared to Trade Nation’s 4 stars. Additionally, CMC Markets is ranked 4th out of 63 brokers in the trading platforms and tools category by ForexBrokers.com, showcasing its strength over Trade Nation, which is ranked 44th.
| 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) | 79 | 115 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 39 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 14 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both CMC Markets and Trade Nation offer comprehensive options for iPhone and Android users, each with their own set of features. Both brokers provide essential functions like stock and forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Users can also view multiple time frames and enjoy auto-saving capabilities for their chart drawings, ensuring a seamless trading experience. One of the most outstanding features of both apps is their real-time quote watchlists. However, while Trade Nation exceeds in the number of technical studies offered with 99 compared to CMC Markets' 29, there are several other factors to consider when making a choice.
In terms of performance and reception, CMC Markets excels significantly, having received a 5-star rating for its mobile trading app, landing it in the 5th spot out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, Trade Nation, with a commendable 4-star rating, is ranked 45th in the same category. The rankings reflect the overall user experience, opting for either innovation features or ease of use as per user preference. Therefore, while Trade Nation impresses with its vast selection of technical tools, CMC Markets stands out for its recognized excellence in usability and functionality.
| 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.
When comparing CMC Markets and Trade Nation for market research, several key differences emerge that could influence your choice of broker. Both platforms provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. However, CMC Markets stands out by providing technical analysis tools from Autochartist, while Trade Nation does not offer this feature. Both brokers supply sentiment-based trading tools, allowing traders to assess the proportion of long and short positions across currency pairs, which can be beneficial for decision-making.
Looking further into their tools, CMC Markets offers an economic calendar, keeping traders informed about significant global news events, whereas Trade Nation lacks this feature. On the other hand, Trade Nation includes research tools from Acuity Trading, specifically the Signal Centre, which is not available through CMC Markets. Overall, with a research rating of 5 stars and a rank of #6 out of 63 brokers, CMC Markets earns higher accolades compared to Trade Nation, which is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #42 for research.
| 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 | 5 | 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) | No | No | |
| 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) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 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 | 0.61 | 0.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | 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) | 79 | 115 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 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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