Two regulated brokers with strong platforms duel over safety, costs and tools. The comparison pits a highly regulated, marquee platform against a broad instrument menu and lower entry deposit.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose if…
Choose CMC Markets if you want the industry leading proprietary trading platform and FCA-regulated protection. You also benefit from no deposit fees, robust negative balance protection, MT4 support, extensive charting tools, a mobile trading app, 24/5 live chat, and clear pricing.
Choose if…
Choose Markets.com if you prefer a low entry barrier with a $25 minimum deposit and access to 2,200+ instruments. Markets.com also offers four-jurisdiction regulation, client funds held in segregated accounts, FSCS protection, and no inactivity fee.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
| Editorial score | 4.5/ 5 | 4.0/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.6 / 5▲ | 4.3 / 5 |
Pros
FCA-regulated, LSE-listed
Excellent proprietary platform
MT4 also available
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | CMC Markets | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Pass | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Fail | Fail |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Fail | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Pass | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
CMC Markets rates 4.5/5 versus 4/5 for Markets.com. CMC Markets edges ahead on our composite score, though both brokers meet a reasonable standard for most traders.
Markets.com starts from 0.6 pips, tighter than CMC Markets's 0.7 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
CMC Markets has no minimum deposit, while Markets.com requires at least $25. This makes CMC Markets more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Both CMC Markets and Markets.com hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners, two factors stand out: CMC Markets has no minimum deposit, removing the capital barrier entirely, and both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
CMC Markets lists maximum leverage of 30:1, while Markets.com lists up to 30:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
CMC Markets supports Proprietary Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime, while Markets.com supports Proprietary Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5. Both provide Proprietary Web/Mobile and MetaTrader 4. CMC Markets has exclusive access to ProRealTime. Markets.com has exclusive access to MetaTrader 5.
Markets.com offers tighter spreads from 0.60 pips vs 0.70 pips for CMC Markets, reducing trading costs.
CMC Markets wins with FCA regulation and LSE listing.
CMC Markets wins due to larger instrument universe and ProRealTime tools.
Markets.com is better suited for scalpers: tighter spreads from 0.60 pips.
CMC Markets wins with ProRealTime and robust proprietary platform options.
Markets.com wins with lower $25 minimum deposit and broad accessibility.
CMC Markets wins with about 12,000 instruments compared to 2,200.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.4 / 5▲ | 4.1 / 5 |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.5 / 5▲ | 3.9 / 5 |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.2 / 5▲ | 4.0 / 5 |
|---|
| Founded | 1989 | 2009 |
|---|
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | Limassol, Cyprus |
|---|
| Min Deposit | No minimum▼ lower | $25 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.7 pips | 0.6 pips▼ lower |
|---|
| Commission / lot | N/A | N/A |
|---|
| Max Leverage | 30:1 | 30:1 |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | £10/month (after 12 months) | None |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit card | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit card | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | ASIC FCA DFSA BaFin FMA | ASIC CySEC FCA FSCA |
|---|
| Platforms | Proprietary Web/Mobile MetaTrader 4 ProRealTime | Proprietary Web/Mobile MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
No deposit fees
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
CySEC, FCA, ASIC, and FSCA four-jurisdiction regulation
$25 minimum deposit - lowest among brokers with this regulatory stack
2,200+ instruments including shares CFDs
FSCS protection (UK) and ICF compensation (EU)
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Cons
Inactivity fee after 12 months
No raw spread account option
Cons
Spread-only pricing, no raw ECN account
Research tools limited, no analyst reports or stock screener
Not available to US clients
Platform analytical depth below Saxo or IG
CMC Markets edges Markets.com on editorial score (4.5 vs 4.0). This gap aligns with higher Trust & Regulation and Platforms & Tools scores for CMC.
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4 / 5
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