Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Trading 212, 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, is a well-regarded online broker known for its high trust rating. It holds a perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, making it highly trusted in the industry. The firm is publicly traded and has a strong foundation with six top-tier licenses and one additional tier-two license. As a non-bank institution, CMC Markets provides participants a secure and reliable platform for trading.
Founded in 2004, Trading 212 offers accessible trading services, but with a Trust Score of 80, it falls into the trusted category according to ForexBrokers.com. While not publicly listed on any stock exchanges, it maintains its credibility through three highly trusted tier-one licenses. Unlike CMC Markets, Trading 212 does not have any tier-two licenses, yet it remains a dependable choice for many traders seeking a non-bank broker.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Looking at commissions and fees, CMC Markets is the clear pricing leader versus Trading 212. CMC Markets earns 5/5 stars and ranks #1 of 63 brokers in our Commissions and Fees category for 2025, while Trading 212 earns 4/5 stars and ranks #50 of 63.
CMC Markets consistently offers tight spreads that beat the industry average. Typical EUR/USD spreads are around 0.61 pips (August 2023). Its FX Active plan charges $2.50 per side with minimum spreads of 0 pips, delivering an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD (and several other majors). The Price Plus Scheme can further lower costs for high-volume traders: you earn Trading Points based on monthly volume (e.g., 2 points per standard lot), with large volumes (about 1,250 lots in a month) unlocking up to a 20% spread discount at Tier 4. Notably, CMC’s average spreads tend to track close to its minimums, adding to its value.
Trading 212 advertises zero-commission CFD and forex trading, but your cost comes from the spread. Its published average spread for EUR/USD was 2.7 pips in April 2025—well above the industry average and meaningfully higher than top low-cost brokers like CMC Markets. Bottom line: for traders focused on minimizing trading costs, CMC Markets’ lower average spreads and discount programs generally make it the cheaper choice over Trading 212.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 2.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets vs Trading 212: for range of investments, CMC Markets lists 12,029 tradeable symbols, while Trading 212 offers 7,868. Both support forex trading as CFDs or spot, with Trading 212 carrying 146 currency pairs and CMC Markets close behind at 141. Each broker earns a 5-star rating for Range of Investments, though CMC Markets ranks #9 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, ahead of Trading 212 at #16.
Beyond forex, both let you buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international markets (for example Apple on Nasdaq and Vodafone in London). CMC Markets also includes copy trading, which Trading 212 does not. Neither broker lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, but both provide crypto derivatives for price exposure without owning the coins.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 7868 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 146 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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 and Trading 212 both provide free demo (paper) accounts, proprietary platforms, and browser-based trading, and each lets you place orders directly from a price chart. Key differences: CMC Markets adds a full Windows desktop platform and supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Trading 212 does not offer a Windows download or MT4/MT5. CMC Markets also includes copy trading, whereas Trading 212 does not.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 stars and ranks it #4 out of 63 brokers; Trading 212 earns 4 stars and ranks #20. In short, choose CMC Markets if you value a desktop platform, MT4/MT5 access, and copy trading alongside a web platform and demo mode. Choose Trading 212 if you mainly want an in-house web platform with a free practice account.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 54 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing CMC Markets vs Trading 212 for mobile trading, both brokers check the key boxes: iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, real-time watchlists, and watchlist syncing across devices and web. Their charting tools let you draw trendlines and auto-save your annotations, making it easy to pick up where you left off on any device.
For charting depth, Trading 212 offers more technical studies (104) than CMC Markets (29), which may appeal to indicator-heavy traders. However, CMC Markets earns the stronger third-party score: 5 stars and a #5 ranking out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Trading 212’s 4 stars and #17 ranking. If you want the highest-rated overall mobile experience, CMC Markets is a standout; if you prefer a wider set of built-in indicators, Trading 212 has the edge.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | ||
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing market research at CMC Markets and Trading 212 shows a clear edge for CMC Markets. CMC delivers daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones), Autochartist tools for technical analysis, a sentiment gauge, and an economic calendar. Trading 212 provides the news feed, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, but it does not include daily market commentary or Autochartist. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
These differences are reflected in independent ratings: CMC Markets earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 scores 3.5 stars and ranks #45. If you want richer in-platform insights and chart pattern tools alongside headline news and a calendar, CMC Markets is the stronger choice; if you just need news, sentiment, and a basic calendar, Trading 212 covers the essentials.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing CMC Markets and Trading 212, CMC Markets comes out ahead on education. It earns 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 holds 3.5 stars and ranks #21. Both brokers provide at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos on trading topics, giving newcomers and experienced traders plenty to watch. Neither broker currently runs monthly live educational webinars.
Details weren’t specified on whether each broker meets a threshold of 10+ forex- or CFD-specific articles/videos, whether they host a searchable archive of recorded webinars, or whether they offer an investor dictionary with 50+ terms. Based on third-party ratings alone, CMC Markets offers the stronger overall learning experience, while Trading 212 still covers the essentials with its video content. Check each broker’s website for the latest education lineup.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
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 Trading 212. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
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
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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Both CMC Markets and Trading 212 do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, offering instead the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
CMC Markets vs Trading 212: both offer ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals, neither supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 7868 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 54 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Trading 212 Review |
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