Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Spreadex, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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.
Founded in 1989, CMC Markets stands out in the online brokerage landscape with a Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the highly trusted category. As a publicly traded company, it further strengthens its credibility with possession of five Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. These licenses indicate strong regulatory oversight, offering users confidence in its services. Despite not being a bank, CMC Markets maintains a secure environment for trading with its extensive regulatory foundation.
In contrast, Spreadex, established in 1999, carries a Trust Score of 71 from ForexBrokers.com, making it an average risk choice for traders. Unlike CMC Markets, Spreadex is not publicly traded, which might be a consideration for those focusing on transparency. While it holds one Tier-1 license, Spreadex lacks additional Tier-2 licenses, which may influence how potential users weigh their options regarding regulatory assurances. Though like CMC Markets, Spreadex is not a bank, its regulatory footprint is smaller, potentially impacting customer confidence.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers CMC Markets and Spreadex, CMC Markets stands out as the top performer, earning 5 stars out of 5 and securing the #1 spot in the 2025 Annual Awards for this category. CMC Markets is known for its appealing pricing structure, with average spreads of 0.61 pips on the EUR/USD, as observed in August 2023. Their innovative active trader program, Price Plus Scheme, allows traders to benefit from reduced trading costs based on accrued Trading Points. The FX Active commission-based pricing model offers highly competitive rates, with the cost structured at $2.50 per side, ensuring traders enjoy an all-in cost of 0.5 pips on select currency pairs.
In contrast, Spreadex provides a solid offering with an average spread of 0.81 pips for EUR/USD, reported in January 2024. While the broker delivers a minimum spread of 0.6 pips about 60% of the time, it ranks #30 out of 62 brokers, with a 4-star rating for its commissions and fees. Spreadex's pricing, though competitive, doesn't quite match the industry-leading offerings of CMC Markets, which has consistently maintained lower trading costs across different account types and customer segments.
Ultimately, CMC Markets excels in providing a more cost-effective trading experience, supported by innovative programs and transparent pricing that appeals to a broad range of traders. In comparison, while Spreadex is a reliable choice with competitive spreads, CMC Markets' edge in pricing and comprehensive offerings make it the preferred choice for those prioritizing low commissions and fees.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | 0.81 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing CMC Markets and Spreadex in terms of their range of investments, both online brokers offer forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts. CMC Markets shines with a vast array of 11,925 tradeable symbols, which includes an impressive 156 forex pairs. This significantly outpaces Spreadex, which provides access to 10,000 symbols, comprising 52 forex pairs. Additionally, CMC Markets supports trading exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing investors to buy shares of companies like Apple and Vodafone. Spreadex, however, does not offer this opportunity. Furthermore, CMC Markets provides copy trading options, which Spreadex lacks, giving CMC Markets a distinct edge for users interested in mimicking successful traders' strategies.
Both platforms enable trading cryptocurrency derivatives but not the actual cryptocurrencies. Despite some differences in features, both CMC Markets and Spreadex receive a 5-star rating for their range of investments. However, when ranked worldwide, CMC Markets holds a higher position at #9 by ForexBrokers.com, as opposed to Spreadex's rank at #13. Ultimately, CMC Markets offers a broader spectrum of investment options and features, making it a compelling choice for those seeking diversity and more advanced trading capabilities.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 52 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing online brokerages, CMC Markets and Spreadex offer a range of features with some key differences. CMC Markets stands out by providing a free virtual demo account, allowing beginners to practice without financial risk, whereas Spreadex does not offer this feature. Both brokers have developed their own in-house platforms, but only CMC Markets offers a Windows-based desktop download option, giving users more flexibility in how they trade. Additionally, CMC Markets offers the widely-used MetaTrader platforms (MT4 and MT5) and copy trading capabilities, while Spreadex lacks these popular tools.
Both CMC Markets and Spreadex offer web-based trading platforms that allow trading directly from stock charts, meeting the needs of traders who prefer browser-based solutions. CMC Markets also excels in providing more technical tools, with 40 drawing tools and 11 customizable watch list fields compared to Spreadex’s 11 drawing tools and 8 watch list columns. This makes CMC Markets particularly appealing for traders who value comprehensive charting and monitoring capabilities. Overall, CMC Markets earns a higher rating of 5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, ranking #4 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Spreadex garners a respectable 4-star rating but falls to #46 in the same category.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 55 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 11 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 8 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of CMC Markets and Spreadex, both platforms are available on iPhone and Android, ensuring wide access for users. They each offer stock and forex price alerts, along with the ability to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts. However, CMC Markets offers a significant advantage with watchlist symbol syncing, allowing users' watchlists to synchronize seamlessly with their online accounts, a feature not available on Spreadex. Additionally, CMC Markets provides 29 technical studies for charting, while Spreadex does not specify its offerings in this area.
Both apps allow for the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes. However, CMC Markets stands out by automatically saving chart drawings, unlike Spreadex. In terms of ratings, CMC Markets scores a perfect five stars for its mobile trading app and ranks #5 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Spreadex receives four stars and is ranked at #49 in the same category. These differences highlight CMC Markets' enhanced features and superior user experience in mobile trading.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of CMC Markets and Spreadex, both platforms stand out for providing daily market commentary and reliable forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, CMC Markets gains an edge with an additional tool from Autochartist for technical analysis, a feature that Spreadex lacks. Despite this, both brokers offer sentiment-based trading tools that display the ratio of long and short positions in the market, as well as comprehensive economic calendars to track global news events.
CMC Markets shines brighter in the research category with a 5-star rating and a notable 6th place ranking out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. This contrasts with Spreadex, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks 31st. While neither broker provides research from companies like Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, CMC Markets clearly leads in delivering a richer research experience, making it a preferred choice for traders who prioritize comprehensive market analysis.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners between CMC Markets and Spreadex, both platforms offer a significant number of materials with at least 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs. However, CMC Markets stands out by providing a searchable archive of recorded webinars, enhancing the learning experience by giving users access to past sessions that can be a valuable resource. In contrast, Spreadex does not offer an archive of previously recorded webinars, which limits their resources for on-demand learning.
For video content aimed at beginners, both brokers deliver with over 10 educational videos covering the basics of trading. CMC Markets provides added value for more advanced learners with additional videos for experienced traders, a feature not present with Spreadex. Both platforms offer an investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms, ensuring comprehensive coverage of fundamental concepts. Reflecting these offerings, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #10 in the education category by ForexBrokers.com, while Spreadex, with a slightly less extensive educational package, earns 4 stars and a ranking of #45.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that CMC Markets is better than Spreadex. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #39.
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
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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Both CMC Markets and Spreadex do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but each does provide options to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
Certain payments and withdrawal methods offered by CMC Markets include ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas Spreadex supports only Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, excluding ACH, SEPA transfers, and PayPal.
Please note:
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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0 of 5| Overall Rating | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 52 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | 0.81 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 8 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 55 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 11 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Spreadex Review |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Spreadex Review |
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