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 vs Vantage: CMC Markets (founded 1989) is a publicly traded online broker, while Vantage (founded 2009) is privately held. Neither company is a bank, which makes their regulatory track records especially important for traders comparing safety and oversight.
Regulation and trust: CMC Markets holds 6 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license; Vantage holds 2 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets has a Trust Score of 99 and Vantage scores 91. On that scale, 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted.
| 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 and Vantage both offer pricing that can work well for active forex traders, but CMC Markets has the edge overall on commissions and fees. CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #3 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for this category. Its standard account has a typical EUR/USD spread of 1.3 pips, but traders can lower costs with the FX Active account, where the all-in cost on EUR/USD can drop to about 1.15 pips after commission. CMC also stands out for no minimum deposit, free bank wires, and only a small inactivity fee after a full year without trading.
Vantage is also competitive, but it is priced a bit higher on its main standard account. Vantage is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #12 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its Standard STP account has a typical EUR/USD spread of 1.30 pips, while the Raw ECN account lowers the spread and adds commission, bringing the total to about 0.75 pips. The PRO ECN account is the cheapest option, with commission as low as $2 per side, but it comes with stricter account requirements depending on the entity.
In simple terms, CMC Markets is the stronger choice for overall commissions and fees, especially if you want a broker with consistently good pricing and low non-trading costs. Vantage can still be a solid pick for traders who qualify for its Raw or PRO accounts, but its best rates are more limited by account type and eligibility.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 0.72 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 wider range of investments than Vantage, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more market access. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, but CMC Markets lists far more tradeable symbols overall, with 21,710 compared with Vantage’s 1,028. It also provides 303 forex pairs versus 61 at Vantage. On top of that, CMC Markets lets clients trade exchange-listed shares on both U.S. and international markets, while Vantage does not offer these non-CFD stock investments.
When it comes to extra features, Vantage does have copy trading, which CMC Markets does not. However, both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs, and neither lets clients buy actual, delivered crypto. Overall, CMC Markets is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers, while Vantage is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #34, which reflects CMC Markets’ much broader selection.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 1028 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 61 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 give traders a wide choice of platform options, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, desktop software for Windows, web trading, and access to both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can be helpful for faster order entry and easier market analysis.
The main difference is that Vantage offers copy trading, while CMC Markets does not. CMC Markets also comes out ahead overall for trading platforms and tools, earning 5 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #6 out of 36 brokers, compared with Vantage’s 4 out of 5 stars and #20 ranking. For traders who want more platform features and a higher expert rating, CMC Markets has the edge, while Vantage may appeal to those looking for copy trading alongside the same core platform choices.
| 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 | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and Vantage both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. That means either broker gives traders a convenient way to monitor markets and manage watchlists on the go, with changes syncing between the mobile app and the online account.
The main difference is in charting depth and overall mobile app rating. CMC Markets provides 30 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 14 at Vantage. CMC Markets is also rated 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage holds a 4-star rating and ranks #24 out of 36. For traders who want a richer mobile charting experience, CMC Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 14 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing CMC Markets vs. Vantage for market research, both brokers give traders useful everyday tools such as daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar. Each also helps users keep track of current and upcoming global events, which can be helpful when planning trades around news and data releases.
CMC Markets has the edge in research quality thanks to forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus access to Autochartist for technical and fundamental ideas. Vantage, on the other hand, offers Trading Central tools instead of Autochartist. Overall, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars for research and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers, while Vantage is rated 4 stars and ranks #20, making CMC Markets the stronger choice for traders who want deeper market research.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| 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.
For beginners looking to learn forex and CFD trading, both CMC Markets and Vantage provide a wide range of educational material. Each broker offers at least 10 forex or CFD-focused learning pieces, monthly client webinars, and a solid library of beginner and advanced trading videos. That means new traders can find basic lessons to help them get started, while more experienced users can also access content that goes further into trading topics.
That said, CMC Markets stands out a bit more in overall education quality. It holds a 5-star Education rating and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage has a 4-star Education rating and ranks #24. So, although both brokers support learning well, CMC Markets appears to offer the stronger educational experience for beginners who want more guidance and a higher-rated resource library.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | 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 21,710 tradeable instruments and 303 forex pairs, the largest currency lineup in the industry.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 91 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 91 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 91 | |
| 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 CMA 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) | 21710 | 1028 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1.4 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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) | 65 | 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 | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 14 | |
| 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 | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 91 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Vantage Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
Capital.com
AvaTrade
XM
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill
HFM Markets