Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Vantage, 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, founded in 1989, and Vantage, established in 2009, are both prominent online brokers known for their financial services. A defining feature of CMC Markets is its status as a publicly traded company, while Vantage remains privately held. Neither of the brokers functions as a bank. Assessing their regulatory standing, CMC Markets holds an impressive six Tier-1 licenses alongside one Tier-2 license, contributing to its highest Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, signaling high trust. In contrast, Vantage maintains two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, earning a commendable Trust Score of 90, indicating it's also a trusted entity.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2009 |
| 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 | 3 |
CMC Markets vs. Vantage on commissions and fees: CMC Markets comes out cheaper for most traders thanks to tighter spreads and a strong commission plan. CMC Markets is rated 5/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #4 of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. Vantage is competitive but generally closer to the industry average, earning 4.5/5 stars and ranking #12 of 63.
CMC Markets keeps costs low across account types. Typical EUR/USD spreads are 0.61 pips (August 2023). Its FX Active plan charges a $2.50 per-side commission with minimum spreads of 0.0, delivering an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD (and five other majors); for example, NZD/USD can drop from 1.5 pips on the standard account to about 0.5 pips with FX Active after commission. Average spreads have tended to stay close to advertised minimums. Active traders can also earn spread discounts via the Price Plus Scheme, which awards Trading Points (e.g., 2 points per standard lot); reaching Tier 4 requires 1,250 lots in a month for a 20% spread discount.
Vantage pricing varies by account and the entity you open with. The Standard STP account lists typical EUR/USD spreads of 1.30 pips (March 2023). The RAW ECN account averages about 0.15 pips plus a $3 per-side commission (about 0.75 pips all-in). The PRO ECN account cuts commission to $2 per side (about 0.4–0.5 pips all-in on liquid pairs), but access depends on eligibility (e.g., wholesale status in Australia or a $10,000 minimum under the Cayman entity). Vantage’s active trader rebates ($2–$8 per lot) apply only to the Standard account, which already has the highest spreads. Overall, Vantage is fairly priced, but CMC Markets is usually the lower-cost choice.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.32 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.72 |
| 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 vs Vantage: when it comes to range of investments, CMC Markets offers far more choice. You get 12,029 tradeable symbols at CMC Markets compared with 1,000 at Vantage, plus 141 forex pairs versus Vantage’s 61. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer copy trading. You can trade cryptocurrency as CFDs at either broker, but neither lets you buy actual crypto.
If you want the ability to buy real shares, CMC Markets clearly stands out. It lets you purchase exchange-traded stocks on U.S. and international markets, while Vantage does not offer real shares. Reflecting this breadth, CMC Markets earns a 5-star Range of Investments rating and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers, compared with Vantage’s 3.5 stars and a 32nd-place ranking.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 61 |
| 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 and Vantage both check the key boxes for traders comparing platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo (paper) trading account, its own proprietary platform, and full support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on a web-based platform or download a Windows desktop platform with either broker, use copy trading, and place orders directly from price charts.
Where they differ is in third-party evaluations: for Trading Platforms and Tools, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage earns 4 stars and ranks #20. If platform depth and polish are your top priorities, CMC Markets stands out; Vantage remains a solid choice if you want MT4/MT5 access, copy trading, and an easy path to get started with a demo account.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and Vantage both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved chart annotations. A key difference is watchlist syncing: CMC Markets syncs your watchlists between mobile and the web platform, while Vantage does not—handy if you switch devices and want your symbols to follow you automatically.
For charting tools, Vantage includes 30 technical studies, edging out CMC Markets’ 29. Even so, overall app quality tilts toward CMC Markets: it holds a 5‑star mobile rating and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Vantage’s 4‑star rating and #24 rank. If seamless cross‑device use and polish matter most, CMC Markets is the safer pick; if you want one extra built‑in study, Vantage has it.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both CMC Markets and Vantage deliver helpful market research for traders. Each provides daily market commentary, timely forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental insights, a sentiment gauge showing the long/short ratio across instruments, and an economic calendar for upcoming events. Neither broker currently includes TipRanks or Acuity Trading research.
The key difference is that Vantage adds Trading Central tools, while CMC Markets does not. Even so, CMC Markets earns the stronger research marks overall: 5 stars and a #6 ranking out of 63 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with Vantage’s 4 stars and #20 ranking. If Trading Central matters most, Vantage is a solid pick; if you want higher-rated overall research and news coverage, CMC Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
CMC Markets vs Vantage for beginner education: both brokers provide a sizable library of forex and CFD learning materials. Each offers at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, giving new traders clear step‑by‑step guidance as they grow. In independent testing, CMC Markets earned 5 stars for Education and ranked #10 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage earned 4 stars and ranked #23.
If live instruction matters to you, Vantage stands out with monthly educational webinars, which can make it easier to learn and ask questions in real time. CMC Markets does not run monthly webinars, but its on‑demand video lineup still covers key topics for getting started. Pick CMC Markets if you want the higher-rated course material; choose Vantage if ongoing webinars are a priority. Either way, both brokers deliver enough forex and CFD education for beginners to build a solid foundation.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vantage. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Vantage finished with an overall rank of #24.
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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Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 |
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CMC Markets vs Vantage: both online brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading, but neither allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency.
Comparing online brokers CMC Markets vs Vantage: both support PayPal and bank wire deposits/withdrawals; CMC Markets also offers ACH/SEPA while Vantage does not; Vantage supports Skrill while CMC Markets does not; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2009 | |
| 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 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 61 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.32 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.72 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Vantage Review |
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