Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs XTB, 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.
CMC Markets, founded in 1989, stands as a reputable online broker with its shares publicly traded on the stock market. It does not operate as a bank but maintains a strong regulatory presence with six Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted, and one Tier-2 license. The company boasts a near-perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the highly trusted category. This score reflects the broker's long-standing presence and solid regulatory framework, making it a popular choice for traders seeking reliability.
In comparison, XTB began operations in 2002 and, like CMC Markets, is publicly traded without offering banking services. XTB holds two Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, reflecting its trusted status among the trading community. The broker achieves a commendable Trust Score of 96 from ForexBrokers.com, indicating a high level of trust. While both brokers are esteemed in the industry, CMC Markets holds a slight edge in regulatory coverage, a factor that traders might consider when choosing a platform for their trading needs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2002 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
In ForexBrokers.com’s 2025 Commissions and Fees review, CMC Markets comes out ahead of XTB. CMC Markets earns 5 stars and is ranked #4 out of 36 brokers, reflecting its low-cost pricing across account types. Its average EUR/USD spread was about 0.61 pips, and active traders may get further discounts through the Price Plus Scheme. CMC also offers FX Active, a commission-based setup with $2.50 per side and as little as a 0.5 pip all-in cost on EUR/USD.
XTB is still priced fairly well, but it does not match CMC Markets on overall trading costs. XTB is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #13 out of 36 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category. Its Standard account uses spread-only pricing, while the Pro account is commission-based but limited to eligible clients in the U.K. and Europe and is being phased out in many regions. Based on Q4 2023 data, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was about 1 pip.
For everyday forex traders, the main difference is simple: CMC Markets is the cheaper choice overall, especially for frequent traders who can benefit from tighter spreads and volume-based discounts. XTB remains a solid option and offers rebate-style discounts for active traders, but its pricing generally sits closer to the industry average than CMC’s.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.92 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets and XTB both give traders access to forex as CFDs, as well as share trading on both U.S. and international exchanges. Each broker also offers cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy real, delivered crypto. Where CMC Markets pulls ahead is in the size of its product range: it offers 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared with XTB’s 10,900 symbols and 71 forex pairs. CMC Markets also includes copy trading, while XTB does not.
When it comes to range of investments, both brokers are rated 5 out of 5 stars, but CMC Markets is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com at #9 out of 36 brokers, versus XTB at #14. In simple terms, both platforms offer a wide mix of markets, but CMC Markets has the edge for traders who want more choice, especially in forex.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 10900 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 71 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
CMC Markets and XTB both give traders a flexible mix of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based trading. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which is helpful for quick order placement and smoother chart analysis. In terms of ratings, CMC Markets has the edge with 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and a #6 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while XTB earns 4.5 stars and ranks #9.
Where CMC Markets stands out most is in platform extras. It offers copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5, while XTB does not support those features. For traders who want more platform variety and access to MetaTrader, CMC Markets may be the better fit. XTB still covers the basics well with its own platform, desktop and web access, and chart trading, but CMC Markets offers more tools for traders looking for added choice.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 39 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and XTB both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. This means either broker can suit traders who want to manage positions and track the market on the go. CMC Markets also stands out for watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made in the mobile app carry over to the online account, while XTB does not offer this feature.
When it comes to charting tools and overall app quality, XTB gives users more technical studies in its mobile app, with 39 compared with 29 at CMC Markets. Even so, CMC Markets earns a higher mobile trading apps rating at 5 stars, versus 4.5 stars for XTB, and it ranks #5 out of 36 brokers in this category compared with XTB’s #8 ranking. For traders comparing the two, CMC Markets appears stronger for app experience and account syncing, while XTB offers a slightly wider set of chart indicators.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 39 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets and XTB both score highly for market research, each earning 5 stars for Research. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar with current and upcoming global events. For traders who want timely updates and a clear view of market trends, both platforms offer useful research features in a way that is easy to follow.
Where CMC Markets pulls ahead is in its extra research support from Autochartist, which XTB does not offer. XTB also does not use Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, and CMC Markets shares those same gaps. Still, CMC Markets ranks higher for Research overall, coming in #6 out of 36 brokers, while XTB is ranked #9, making CMC Markets the stronger choice for traders who place more value on market research tools.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner learning tools, both CMC Markets and XTB give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers at least 10 beginner-focused videos, along with 10 or more advanced videos for traders who want to go further. Both are also rated 5 stars for Education, and both rank near the top of the pack on ForexBrokers.com, with CMC Markets at #10 and XTB at #11 out of 36 brokers.
The main difference is that XTB goes a step further with live online educational webinars held at least once a month, while CMC Markets does not. CMC Markets, however, still offers forex and CFDs education and has a wide range of learning content for beginners. For traders who want ongoing live teaching, XTB has the edge; for overall educational quality, both brokers are very strong choices.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that CMC Markets is better than XTB. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while XTB finished with an overall rank of #7.
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
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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CMC Markets vs XTB: both online brokers offer cryptocurrency CFD trading, but neither supports buying or holding actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies.
CMC Markets vs XTB: for deposits and withdrawals, CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers (no Skrill), while XTB supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | XTB | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | XTB Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | XTB | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2002 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 10900 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.92 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 39 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 39 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | XTB Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | XTB | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | XTB Review |
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