BrokerAudit

BrokerAudit may receive compensation from partners featured on this page. This does not influence our ratings. See our methodology.

CMC Markets vs FOREX.com 2026

A detailed head-to-head comparison of CMC Markets and FOREX.com across regulation, trading costs, platforms, and more.

CMC Markets logo - BrokerAudit
CMC Markets

Est. 1989 · London, United Kingdom

FCAASICBaFin
83.5/100
Excellent
FOREX.com logo - BrokerAudit
FOREX.com

Est. 2001 · Warren, New Jersey, United States

CFTC/NFAFCAASIC
78.7/100
Good

Score Breakdown

RegulationCostsPlatformsAccountsDepositSupportEducation
CMC MarketsFOREX.com

Category-by-Category Winner

Category
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
Regulation & Trust
92
92
Trading Costs
78
65
Platforms & Tools
85
80
Account Conditions
82
72
Deposit & Withdrawal
82
78
Customer Support
78
75
Education & Research
80
82
Overall Score
83.5
78.7

Detailed Comparison

Overview

Year Founded
1989
2001
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Warren, New Jersey, United States
Publicly Listed
Top Regulators
FCA, ASIC, BaFin
CFTC/NFA, FCA, ASIC
Total Instruments
12,000
5,500

Trading Costs

EUR/USD Spread
0.70 pips
1.30 pips
GBP/USD Spread
1.10 pips
1.80 pips
USD/JPY Spread
0.90 pips
1.30 pips
Min. Deposit
$0
$100
Commission/Lot
$5.00
$5.00
Inactivity Fee
£10/month after 12 months
$15/month after 12 months

Platforms & Features

MetaTrader 4
MetaTrader 5
cTrader
TradingView
Copy Trading
API Trading
VPS Hosting
Demo Account
Islamic Account

Instruments

Forex Pairs
330
80
CFD Stocks
9,000
4,500
Indices
80
15
Commodities
100
10
Crypto CFDs
20
8

CMC Markets vs FOREX.com: Our Analysis

Overall Verdict

With an overall score of 83.5/100 vs 78.7/100, CMC Markets slightly edges out FOREX.com by 4.8 points. Both brokers are closely matched, so your choice should come down to specific features that matter most to you.

Trading Costs

On the EUR/USD pair, CMC Markets offers an average spread of 0.70 pips with a $5.00 round-turn commission, while FOREX.com comes in at 1.30 pips with a $5.00 commission. CMC Markets offers tighter pricing on EUR/USD. Minimum deposit is $0 at CMC Markets and $100 at FOREX.com.

Regulation & Safety

CMC Markets holds 5 regulatory licenses with a highest tier of Tier 1 (FCA, ASIC, BaFin), while FOREX.com has 4 licenses at Tier 1 (CFTC/NFA, FCA, ASIC). CMC Markets has more regulatory licenses overall.

Platform Comparison

CMC Markets offers MT4, Next Generation — uniquely offering Next Generation which FOREX.com does not have. FOREX.com supports MT4, MT5, TradingView, FOREX.com Advanced Platform, with exclusive access to MT5, TradingView, FOREX.com Advanced Platform. FOREX.com provides a wider platform selection.

Who Should Choose Which?

CMC Markets suits cost-conscious traders, traders who want advanced tools, traders wanting a wide instrument range, while FOREX.com is better for beginners seeking education. Both brokers offer demo accounts, so you can test each before committing real funds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on our testing, CMC Markets scores higher overall at 83.5/100 compared to FOREX.com's 78.7/100. However, "better" depends on your priorities — FOREX.com may be superior in specific categories like certain niche features.

CMC Markets offers tighter spreads with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.70 pips, compared to 1.30 pips at FOREX.com. Check our detailed comparison table above for GBP/USD and USD/JPY spreads as well.

Both brokers score equally on regulation at 92/100. CMC Markets is regulated by FCA, ASIC, BaFin, while FOREX.com holds licenses from CFTC/NFA, FCA, ASIC.

For beginners, FOREX.com is the stronger choice with an education and research score of 82/100. It offers structured trading courses, webinars, and a free demo account. CMC Markets scores 80/100 for education.

Yes, there is no restriction on having accounts with both CMC Markets and FOREX.com simultaneously. Many experienced traders maintain accounts with multiple brokers to take advantage of each broker's strengths — for example, using one for its lower spreads on majors and another for its wider instrument range or better platform features.

NC

Reviewed by

Neil C

Neil C is a financial markets analyst and forex trading specialist with over 10 years of experience evaluating broker platforms, trading conditions, and regulatory frameworks. He has personally tested accounts with dozens of brokers and brings a data-driven methodology to every review.

Last updated: April 2026

Related Resources