Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Xtrade, 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.
Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is a well-established online broker that operates with a high level of trustworthiness. It holds a total of five Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com, and an additional Tier-2 license. With a stellar Trust Score of 99 out of 99, CMC Markets is publicly traded on a stock exchange, yet operates without a banking status. These factors combined contribute to its reputation as a highly trusted entity in the online trading space.
In comparison, Xtrade was founded in 2003 and holds a single Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license. Xtrade is not publicly traded and like CMC Markets, it is not a bank. While it has an average Trust Score of 74, indicating a moderate level of risk, its smaller number of top-tier licenses may be a consideration for potential traders. Both brokers offer distinct qualities, making it important for users to weigh these factors according to their individual trading needs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2003 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
In the realm of online brokers, CMC Markets stands out as a leader in commissions and fees, proudly holding the #1 position in our 2025 Annual Awards. With a 5-star rating, CMC Markets offers consistently low spreads, which are an attractive feature across all account types. For example, the average spreads on the EUR/USD stand at just 0.61 pips. They also provide a new Price Plus Scheme that rewards active traders with notable discounts based on trading volume. Additionally, their FX Active pricing structure brings competitive spreads and a $2.50 commission per side, ensuring cost-effective trading for forex enthusiasts.
On the other hand, Xtrade lags behind in this category with a 2.5-star rating and a #63 ranking out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Unfortunately, specific average spread data for Xtrade is unavailable, making direct comparisons with CMC Markets challenging. This lack of transparency might deter cost-conscious traders seeking clarity and competitiveness in their trading expenses.
While both brokers provide solutions for trading enthusiasts, CMC Markets clearly excels in offering transparent, low-cost trading options, cementing their position at the top of the commissions and fees category. In contrast, Xtrade's lack of available spread data and lower cost-effectiveness highlights areas for potential improvement. For traders prioritizing value and competitive pricing, CMC Markets emerges as the preferred choice.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A |
| 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 Xtrade both provide opportunities for forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, making them accessible for those interested in currency trading. However, CMC Markets stands out with its extensive offering of 11,925 tradable symbols, including 156 forex pairs, compared to Xtrade's 482 symbols and 56 forex pairs. This wide variety gives traders at CMC Markets more opportunities to diversify their portfolios. Moreover, CMC Markets allows investors to purchase exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as shares of Apple or Vodafone, which is an advantage not offered by Xtrade.
Additionally, for those interested in cryptocurrency trading, both brokers provide derivatives but do not offer direct purchase of digital currencies. Among other features, CMC Markets also supports copy trading, giving clients the ability to mirror the trades of more experienced investors, whereas Xtrade lacks this functionality. Reflecting these differences, CMC Markets is highly rated with 5 stars and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers for the range of investments, while Xtrade holds a lower rating of 3.5 stars and is ranked 49th. This makes CMC Markets a more versatile platform for those seeking a broad range of investment options.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 482 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 56 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of CMC Markets and Xtrade, both brokers make available a simulated trading environment through free virtual demo accounts. Each broker also offers their own proprietary platform developed in-house. While CMC Markets provides a Windows-based desktop platform, Xtrade does not. However, both brokers enable trading through web-based platforms accessible via browsers. CMC Markets stands out with additional offerings like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), options not available with Xtrade. Lastly, CMC Markets facilitates copy trading, a feature not offered by Xtrade.
For charting capabilities, Xtrade offers a higher number of drawing tools with 100 options compared to the 40 provided by CMC Markets. However, both brokers allow traders to execute trades directly from stock charts. In terms of watch lists, CMC Markets offers more customization with 11 fields compared to Xtrade’s 9. In ratings, CMC Markets receives a strong 5-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools, securing a 4th place ranking out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, Xtrade receives a 3.5-star rating, placing it at 58th in the same ranking. This showcases CMC Markets as a leader in platform excellence compared to Xtrade.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary 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 | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | N/A |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 100 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 9 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing CMC Markets and Xtrade for mobile trading, both brokers offer mobile apps on iPhone and Android platforms, ensuring accessibility for users on the go. However, CMC Markets stands out by providing features such as stock and forex price alerts, unlike Xtrade, which does not offer this feature. Furthermore, CMC Markets excels with its watchlist symbol syncing capability, allowing seamless updates between its mobile app and online account, a feature missing in Xtrade. Traders seeking advanced charting tools will find CMC Markets particularly appealing as it includes 29 technical studies and the ability to draw trendlines, view multiple time frames, and auto-save drawings. Unfortunately, Xtrade lacks these advanced charting capabilities.
In terms of real-time market updates, CMC Markets users can create watchlists with real-time quotes, whereas Xtrade users do not have this option. Overall, CMC Markets receives a superior rating of 5 stars for its mobile trading app, while Xtrade earns 4 stars. Among 63 brokers, CMC Markets is impressively ranked #5 by ForexBrokers.com in the Mobile Trading Apps category, compared to Xtrade's position at #53. These distinctions make CMC Markets a preferred choice for traders looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, both CMC Markets and Xtrade offer daily market commentary and provide forex news sourced from top-tier entities such as Bloomberg and Reuters. However, CMC Markets sets itself apart with its integration of Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis tools, a feature that Xtrade lacks. Moreover, CMC Markets provides a unique sentiment-based trading tool, allowing traders to gauge market positions across various instruments, whereas Xtrade does not offer this feature. Both brokers include an economic calendar to help traders stay informed on global economic events, enhancing their trading decisions.
Despite some similarities, the research offerings of CMC Markets are considered superior, earning a 5-star rating for research and ranking 6th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Xtrade receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks 52nd in the same category. These distinctions highlight CMC Markets' commitment to delivering extensive market analysis tools and resources, making it a preferred choice for those seeking comprehensive research capabilities.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When evaluating the educational resources for beginners between CMC Markets and Xtrade, you’ll notice some key differences. Both platforms provide an extensive range of educational materials focused on forex and CFDs, including more than ten articles, videos, and webinars. However, CMC Markets takes a notable lead by offering a searchable archive of past webinars, allowing new and seasoned traders alike to access useful insights and strategies at their own pace. On the flip side, Xtrade falls short in this area, lacking such a resource for its users.
Further setting them apart, CMC Markets excels with a wide variety of beginner and advanced educational videos, designed specifically to support learners at different stages of their trading journey. While both platforms offer an investor dictionary with more than 50 key trading terms, CMC Markets garners a superior rating of 5 stars for education, compared to Xtrade's 3.5 stars. Ranked as a top educational provider by ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets holds the #10 spot among 63 brokers, whereas Xtrade is positioned at #46, reflecting a more modest offering in terms of educational resources.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 Xtrade. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while Xtrade finished with an overall rank of #60.
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
|
Xtrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 74 |
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Both CMC Markets and Xtrade do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
CMC Markets supports ACH and SEPA transfers, offers both PayPal and card transactions via Visa or Mastercard, and accepts bank wires, while Xtrade provides options for Skrill, accepts Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire transactions, but lacks support for ACH, SEPA transfers, and PayPal.
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 | Xtrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 74 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Xtrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 74 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2003 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 482 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 56 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 | |
| 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 | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary 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 | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 9 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | N/A | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 100 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Xtrade Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Xtrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 74 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Xtrade Review |
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