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CMC Markets vs AvaTrade 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs AvaTrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

CMC Markets
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 12029
AvaTrade
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $100
  • Trust Score: 96
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1260

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.

Regulation

CMC Markets vs AvaTrade: both are well-regulated online brokers with high trust ratings from ForexBrokers.com. CMC Markets, founded in 1989 and publicly traded, earns a 99/99 Trust Score, while AvaTrade, founded in 2006 and not publicly traded, scores 96/99. ForexBrokers.com classifies scores from 90–99 as highly trusted, and neither broker is a bank.

On regulation, CMC Markets holds six Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and one Tier-2 license (trusted). AvaTrade holds four Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses. In short, CMC offers more top-tier oversight, while AvaTrade combines strong Tier-1 coverage with a broader mix of Tier-2 regulation.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Year Founded info 1989 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 6 4
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1

Fees

CMC Markets comes out ahead of AvaTrade on commissions and fees, making it the better pick for traders focused on keeping costs low. CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com. It is known for consistently low spreads across all account types, with typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.61 pips, and its FX Active pricing can bring the all-in cost on some major pairs down to 0.5 pips after commission.

AvaTrade is still competitive, but its pricing is a bit higher overall. It receives 4.5 stars and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees. Its standard spreads are close to the industry average at about 0.9 pips on EUR/USD, while professional traders who qualify may see tighter pricing around 0.6 pips.

For most traders, CMC Markets offers the stronger value on trading costs, especially for frequent forex trading and those who qualify for its active trader discounts. AvaTrade may still appeal to traders who want a simple pricing setup, but CMC Markets is the clearer winner for commissions and fees.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Minimum Deposit info $0 $100
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.3 info 0.93 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 0.61 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

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Range of investments

When it comes to range of investments, CMC Markets offers a wider selection than AvaTrade. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer copy trading as well as cryptocurrency CFDs. However, CMC Markets gives traders access to far more markets overall, with 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared with AvaTrade’s 1,260 symbols and 53 forex pairs. This makes CMC Markets a stronger fit for traders who want more choice in forex and other markets.

CMC Markets also stands out because it offers exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so clients can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone directly. AvaTrade does not offer exchange-traded securities on either U.S. or international exchanges. Neither broker lets clients buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both do offer crypto CFDs. Overall, CMC Markets earns 5 stars for range of investments and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade is rated 4 stars and ranks #26.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 12029 1260
Forex Pairs (Total) info 141 53
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes No
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

CMC Markets and AvaTrade both give traders a wide set of platform choices and tools, making each a strong pick for different kinds of users. Both brokers offer free demo accounts for paper trading, their own in-house platform, web and Windows desktop platforms, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. They also let users trade directly from charts, which is helpful for quick order entry and easier market analysis.

When it comes to overall trading platform quality, CMC Markets has the edge. ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks it #6 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade earns 4.5 stars and ranks #13. Since both brokers provide similar core features, the better choice may come down to which platform layout and trading experience feels easier to use.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 73 80
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

CMC Markets and AvaTrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each supports price alerts, watchlist syncing, and trendline drawing on charts. That means either broker lets you monitor markets, keep your lists updated across devices, and do basic chart analysis while on the go. For everyday mobile trading needs, both platforms cover the main features most traders look for.

Where they differ is in charting depth and overall mobile app ratings. AvaTrade offers more technical studies in its app, with 73 compared with CMC Markets’ 29, but CMC Markets stands out for auto-saving chart drawings, which AvaTrade does not offer. CMC Markets is also rated higher for mobile trading apps, earning 5 out of 5 stars and ranking #5 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade holds a 4.5-star rating and ranks #13.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 29 73
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

CMC Markets comes out ahead of AvaTrade for market research thanks to a wider set of built-in tools and stronger overall ratings. CMC Markets offers daily market commentary, forex news from top names such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Autochartist tools, sentiment data, and an economic calendar. It also earns a 5-star Research rating and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for research, which points to a more complete research experience for traders who want regular updates and extra insight.

AvaTrade still provides useful research features, including forex news from top-tier sources, sentiment tools, and an economic calendar, but it lacks daily market commentary and Autochartist. Instead, AvaTrade includes Trading Central tools, which CMC Markets does not. Even so, AvaTrade’s overall Research rating is 4 stars and it ranks #28 out of 36, making it a decent choice, though not as strong as CMC Markets for traders who rely heavily on market research.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central info No Yes
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

When it comes to beginner-friendly learning, both CMC Markets and AvaTrade give new traders plenty of material to work through. Each broker offers at least 10 beginner videos, along with a large set of forex and CFD education, including more than 10 resources focused on those markets. CMC Markets also provides at least 10 advanced videos for more experienced traders, making it a solid place to keep learning as your skills grow. In ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers.

AvaTrade is also a strong choice for beginners and goes a step further with live educational webinars offered at least once a month, which CMC Markets does not provide. Like CMC Markets, AvaTrade has at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, plus a large forex and CFD education library. AvaTrade is rated 4 stars for Education and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers, making it especially appealing if you want regular live learning alongside a wide range of study materials.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Webinars info No Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that CMC Markets is better than AvaTrade. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15.

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 logoCMC Markets
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 96
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with CMC Markets or AvaTrade?

CMC Markets vs AvaTrade: both online brokers do not allow buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.

What funding options does each broker offer?

CMC Markets vs AvaTrade: for deposits and withdrawals, CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers (but not Skrill), while AvaTrade supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires (but not ACH/SEPA); Visa/Mastercard availability was not specified for either.

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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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Overall Rating CMC Markets AvaTrade
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 96
Winner check_circle
Review CMC Markets Review AvaTrade Review
Broker Screenshots CMC Markets AvaTrade
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
CMC Markets Next Generation mobile trade ticket order. CMC Markets Next Generation web platform layout light theme CMC Markets research weekly outlook detail. CMC Markets OPTO Podcast.
AvaTradeGo mobile app chart view AvaTrade web trader platform chart layout trading signals AvaTrade research within web platform new headlines AvaTrade Academy educational courses overview.
Regulation CMC Markets AvaTrade
Trust Score info 99 96
Year Founded info 1989 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 6 4
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) CMC Markets AvaTrade
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes Yes
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No Yes
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes No
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info Yes No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) CMC Markets AvaTrade
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No Yes
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) info Yes Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments CMC Markets AvaTrade
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 12029 1260
Forex Pairs (Total) info 141 53
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes No
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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 AvaTrade
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.3 info 0.93 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 0.61 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes Yes
Order execution: Agency info No No
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding CMC Markets AvaTrade
Minimum Deposit info $0 $100
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms CMC Markets AvaTrade
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools CMC Markets AvaTrade
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 73 80
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading CMC Markets AvaTrade
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 29 73
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research CMC Markets AvaTrade
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central info No Yes
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education CMC Markets AvaTrade
Webinars info No Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs CMC Markets AvaTrade
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review CMC Markets Review AvaTrade Review
Overall CMC Markets AvaTrade
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 96
Winner check_circle
Review CMC Markets Review AvaTrade Review
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