Your capital is at risk. Trade only with funds you can afford to lose.
CMC Markets
Doesn't accept traders from Mexico. See available CFD brokers
Not available in your countryRead CMC Markets review
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Rating breakdown
- Regulation & trust4.80.1 higher than Interactive Brokers (4.7)
- Assets & markets4.7same as Interactive Brokers (4.7)
- Fees & costs4.3same as Interactive Brokers (4.3)
- Platforms & tools4.30.4 higher than Interactive Brokers (3.9)
- Accounts & banking4.50.6 higher than Interactive Brokers (3.9)
- Education4.3same as Interactive Brokers (4.3)
- Research4.50.2 lower than Interactive Brokers (4.7)
- Customer support4.51.5 higher than Interactive Brokers (3.0)
Interactive Brokers’s score. Numbers show the difference.
Interactive Brokers
Doesn't accept traders from Mexico. See available CFD brokers
Not available in your countryRead Interactive Brokers review
Rating breakdown
- Regulation & trust4.70.1 lower than CMC Markets (4.8)
- Assets & markets4.7same as CMC Markets (4.7)
- Fees & costs4.3same as CMC Markets (4.3)
- Platforms & tools3.90.4 lower than CMC Markets (4.3)
- Accounts & banking3.90.6 lower than CMC Markets (4.5)
- Education4.3same as CMC Markets (4.3)
- Research4.70.2 higher than CMC Markets (4.5)
- Customer support3.01.5 lower than CMC Markets (4.5)
CMC Markets’s score. Numbers show the difference.
| CMC Markets | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Established in 1989, CMC Markets is a respected broker listed on the London Stock Exchange and authorized by several tier-one regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CIRO. More than 1 million traders from around the world have signed up with the multi-award winning brokerage. | Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a premier brokerage, providing access to over 170 markets across 40 countries, along with a suite of comprehensive investment services. With over 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed firm adheres to stringent regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, amongst others, and is one of the most trusted brokers for trading around the globe. |
| Customer Reviews | Based on 4 customer reviews | Based on 4 customer reviews |
| Trustpilot Score | ||
| Comment by Reviewer | “With advanced charting tools and an extensive range of tradable CFDs, including an almost unrivalled selection of currencies and custom indices, CMC Markets provides a fantastic online platform for traders of all levels. ” | “Interactive Brokers is one of the best brokers for advanced day traders, providing powerful charting platforms, real-time data, and customizable layouts, notably through the new IBKR Desktop application. Its superb pricing and advanced order options also make it highly attractive for day traders, while its diverse range of equities is still among the best in the industry.” |
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| Instruments | CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting, Certificates and Warrants (Germany and Austria) | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, CFDs |
| Demo Account | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
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| Minimum Trade | 0.01 Lots | $1 |
| Regulator | FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA | SEC, FINRA, CFTC, NFA, CIRO, FCA, CBI, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS |
| Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Margin Rate | 3.0% | 5.5% - 6.13% (depending on account tier) |
| STP Account | No | Yes |
| ECN Account | No | No |
| DMA Account | No | Yes |
| MAM Account | No | Yes |
| PAMM Account | No | No |
| LAMM Account | No | No |
| Demat Account | No | Yes |
| AI / Machine Learning | No | Yes |
| Robo Advisor | No | Yes |
| Negative Balance Protection | Yes | Yes |
| Market Maker | Yes | No |
| P2P Trading | No | No |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| App Review | The award-winning app from CMC Markets has transformed mobile trading. The app's modern and customizable interface offers a unique user experience, distinct from competitors. Moreover, with its comprehensive charting capabilities featuring 25 technical indicators and 15 drawing tools, as well as its fast and stable trading environment, it's an exceptional choice for day traders. | The IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform. |
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| Auto Trading | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | TWS API |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Social Trading | Yes | No |
| Trade Signals | Yes | – |
| VPS Hosting | Yes | No |
| Tournaments | No | No |
| Demo Competitions | Yes | No |
| Ethical Investing | No | Yes |
| Custodial Account | No | No |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | Yes | No |
| Inactivity Fee | $15 | $0 |
| Islamic Account | Yes | No |
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| CFD Trading | ||
| Overview | CMC lets you trade CFDs on 12,000+ assets across currencies, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs and treasuries with new equities spanning quantum computing, AI learning, and digital car sales in 2025. Spreads are tight, there are no hidden fees and the industry-leading MetaTrader 4 platform is also supported for leveraged trading. Year after year, CMC shines as one of the best CFD brokers in the market. | Over 8,000 CFDs are offered on a vast array of instruments, encompassing stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Moreover, the TWS platform lends itself to seasoned day traders, offering a comprehensive selection of over 100 order types and algorithms, alongside premium market data sourced from reputable sources such as Reuters and Dow Jones. |
| Leverage | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | 1:50 |
| FTSE Spread | 1 pt | 0.005% (£1 Min) |
| GBPUSD Spread | 0.9 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| Oil Spread | 3.5 | 0.25-0.85 |
| Stocks Spread | 0.02 | 0.003 |
| Forex Trading | ||
| Overview | CMC presents an extensive array of 300+ forex pairs characterized by tight spreads and rapid executions, surpassing the offerings of many competitors in terms of currency diversity. Forex indices also present a fairly unique and holistic way to speculate on the value of key currencies like the USD, EUR and GBP. | IBKR presents an extensive range of over 100 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, surpassing the offerings of nearly all leading alternatives, though not CMC Markets. Forex trading occurs over multiple platforms and boasts institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.1 pips and over 100 complex order types, including brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders. |
| GBPUSD Spread | 0.9 | 0.2 |
| EURUSD Spread | 0.7 | 0.1 |
| EURGBP Spread | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| Assets | 300+ | 100+ |
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| Cryptocurrency | ||
| Overview | CMC Markets offers trading on popular digital tokens like Bitcoin but really stands out for its crypto indices that provide broader exposure to the cryptocurrency market. There is also minimal slippage and an excellent 99.9% fill rate, making CMC a great option for active crypto day traders. | IBKR lets you purchase and hold Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at competitive commission rates and without needing a crypto wallet. Additionally, there is a range of other diverse assets to explore, such as crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, as well as futures contracts like the BAKKT Bitcoin Futures. |
| Spread | From 1.3 | 0.12%-0.18% |
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| Crypto Lending | No | No |
| Crypto Mining | No | No |
| Crypto Staking | No | No |
| Auto Market Maker | No | No |
Not available in your countryRead CMC Markets review
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Not available in your countryRead Interactive Brokers review