FOREX.com vs. CMC Markets – Which Broker is the Best for Your Trading Needs?
FOREX.com and CMC Markets are leading global Forex brokers, but which one should you trust your Forex portfolios with?
I have conducted an in-depth review of Forex.com vs. CMC Markets to determine which presents the better overall choice and which traders will benefit the most at either broker.
Headquarters | United States | United Kingdom |
Regulators | ASIC, CFTC, CIMA, CySEC, FCA, FSA, IIROC, NFA | FCA |
Tier 1 Regulator(s)? | ||
Owned by Public Company? | ||
Year Established | 2001 | 1989 |
Execution Type(s) | Market Maker | Market Maker |
Minimum Deposit | $100 | N/A |
Negative Balance Protection | N/A | |
Trading Platform(s) | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Proprietary platform, Trading View | MetaTrader 4, Proprietary platform, Web-based |
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD | 1.1 pips | 0.6 pips ($6.00) |
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD | 1.3 pips | 0.9 pips ($9.00) |
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil | $0.035 | $0.03 |
Average Trading Cost Gold | $0.63 | $0.34 |
Retail Loss Rate | 73.00% | N/A |
Minimum Raw Spreads | 0.0 pips | N/A |
Minimum Standard Spreads | 0.8 pips | N/A |
Minimum Commission for Forex | $5 per $100K | N/A |
Islamic Account | ||
Signals | ||
US Persons Accepted? | ||
Managed Accounts | ||
Get Started | Get Started |
Here is a snapshot of the most notable advantages of FOREX.com:
- Ultra-low trading fees in the Raw Spread account.
- Six-tier volume-based rebate program with up to $50 per $1M traded.
- Capitalise AI for code-free algorithmic trading.
- 99.69% of trade execution in less than one second.
- Average execution speed of 0.03 seconds.
- 58.24% of limit orders with price improvement.
- Average Forex price improvement of 0.73 pips or $7.30 per 1.0 standard lot.
Here is a snapshot of the most notable advantages of CMC Markets:
- Cutting-edge proprietary web-based trading platform featuring an automated pattern recognition scanner.
- Low commission-free trading fees.
- Three-tier volume-based rebate program.
- Refundable guaranteed-stop loss order fee if it is untriggered.
Features & Platforms
MT4 | ||
MT5 | ||
MT4/MT5 Add-Ons | N/A | |
cTrader | ||
Proprietary Platform | ||
Automated Trading | ||
Social/Copy Trading | N/A | |
DOM? | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Scalping | ||
Hedging | ||
One-Click Trading | ||
OCO Orders | ||
Interest on Margin | ||
Get Started | Get Started |
Available Markets
Currency Pairs | ||
Cryptocurrencies | N/A | |
Commodities | ||
Crude Oil | ||
Gold | ||
Metals | ||
Equity Indices | ||
Stocks (non-CFDs) | ||
Bonds | N/A | |
ETFs | ||
Futures | ||
Synthetics | ||
Get Started | Get Started |
My CMC Markets review shows the broker offers a selection of 11,500 CFDs, including an industry-leading 330+ Forex pairs. During my FOREX.com review, the asset selection included 80+ currency pairs and 5,500+ equity-focused trading instruments.
Here is why FOREX.com is a better choice for most traders:
- Faster order execution
- Superior price improvement technology
- Lower trading fees
- Higher volume-based rebate program
Typical Spreads & Fees
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD | 1.1 pips | 0.6 pips ($6.00) |
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD | 1.3 pips | 0.9 pips ($9.00) |
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil | $0.035 | $0.03 |
Average Trading Cost Gold | $0.63 | $0.34 |
Average Trading Cost Bitcoin | $60 | $75.00 |
Minimum Raw Spreads | 0.0 pips | N/A |
Minimum Standard Spreads | 0.8 pips | N/A |
Minimum Commission for Forex | $5 per $100K | N/A |
Deposit Fee | N/A | |
Withdrawal Fee | N/A | |
Inactivity Fee | $15 monthly after 12 months | N/A |
Get Started | Get Started |
FOREX.com offers a choice of commission-free and commission-based Forex fees versus commission-free only at CMC Markets, but which ones are cheaper?
FOREX.com is the better option due to lower spreads and overall trading fees that are 20%+ cheaper than CMC Markets.
Account Types
The FOREX.com account types have commission-free and commission-based choices, while the CMC Markets account types feature swap-free Islamic accounts.
Are there any other noteworthy differences in the account structure between Forex.com vs. CMC Markets?
Here is what stands out the most:
- FOREX.com has lower commissions.
- FOREX.com has higher rebates.
- FOREX.com connects to TradingView.
- CMC Markets offers one CFD account type.
- CMC Markets has no minimum deposit requirement.
Minimum Deposit
How difficult is it to deposit at FOREX.com vs. CMC Markets?
The FOREX.com minimum deposit is a reasonable $100 versus the CMC Markets minimum deposit of $0, but CMC Markets recommends $100. Neither Forex broker allows cryptocurrency deposits and FOREX.com and CMC Markets favour bank-related transactions via online banking or credit/debit card deposits, making deposits less convenient for many traders.
Minimum Withdrawal
Which withdrawal process is better: FOREX.com or CMC Markets?
FOREX.com and CMC Markets have trusted withdrawal infrastructures, and internal withdrawal fees are non-existent. The FOREX.com withdrawal methods require a $100 minimum withdrawal versus no minimum at the CMC Markets withdrawal methods with faster processing times. Both brokers lack cryptocurrency withdrawals and modern e-wallets from emerging markets.
Security & Trust
Country of the Regulator | Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Japan, Cayman Islands, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States | United Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom |
Name of the Regulator | ASIC, CFTC, CIMA, CySEC, FCA, FSA, IIROC, NFA | FCA |
Regulatory License Number | 0339826,291, Undisclosed, 446717, 400/21, 25033, 345646, Undisclosed | 173730, 170627,154814, 238054, 41187, 101320, F002740, Undisclosed but confirmed |
Regulatory Tier | N/A | 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2 |
Get Started | Get Started |
Which broker is more secure and trustworthy?
I rank both brokers as equally secure and trustworthy. FOREX.com and CMC Markets segregate client deposits from corporate funds and offer negative balance protection. CMC Markets is a publicly listed company in the UK with more operational experience, but both Forex brokers have 20+ years of clean regulatory performance.
CMC Markets versus Forex.com Verdict
FOREX.com
Pros | Cons |
80+ currency pairs and overall quality asset selection | Limited funding options |
High-quality proprietary web-based and desktop trading platform plus MT4/MT5 | |
Competitive trading costs for active traders | |
Research, education, and quality trading tools |
CMC Markets
Pros | Cons |
Cutting-edge proprietary trading platform for manual traders | Limited deposit and withdrawal methods |
Excellent asset selection and leading Forex broker with 330+ currency pairs | |
In-depth educational platform for beginner traders and quality research | |
Publicly listed company with a clean track record and decades of experience |
Which Forex broker is better?
FOREX.com and CMC Markets offer traders cutting-edge trading environments with a competitive edge in various sectors, and I highly recommend traders test the trading environment in the Forex.com demo account.
Here is my verdict:
CMC Markets is an excellent broker, but Forex.com will be the better choice for most traders, with Capitalise AI for algorithmic trading in a code-free environment and lower Forex trading fees.
FAQs
Is FOREX.com a good broker?
FOREX.com is an industry-leading broker with low fees, volume-based rebates, cutting-edge trading platforms, and Capitalise AI for code-free algorithmic trading.
Is FOREX.com real or fake?
FOREX.com is a legit broker with 20+ years of operational experience, compliance with five regulators, and a clean track record.
Who are the competitors of CMC Markets?
FOREX.com, Saxo Bank, Interactive Brokers, Robo Forex, IG Markets, Pepperstone, and IC Markets are among the primary CMC Markets competitors.
Is CMC Markets good for Forex?
CMC Markets is an excellent Forex broker with competitive commission-free trading fees and an industry-leading choice of 330+ currency pairs. Traders also get a cutting-edge proprietary web-based trading platform alongside MT4.