AvaTrade vs CMC Markets

If you are reading this article, you’re likely having trouble deciding whether AvaTrade or CMC Markets is the better Forex trading platform for you. While both platforms generally provide positive user experiences, there are some essential differences to note.

In this AvaTrade vs CMC Markets review, we outline the highlights of each trading platform to help you make a more informed decision. We evaluate:

• Features and Platforms
• Available Markets
• Typical Spreads and Fees
• Security and Trust
• AvaTrade vs CMC Markets - Verdict

Feature	AvaTrade (visit site)	CMC Markets (visit site)
Headquarter:	Ireland	UK
Regulation :	MiFID, Central Bank of Ireland, FSA, ASIC, BVI, FFAJ, FSCA, ADMG - FRSA	FCA
Type of Broker:	ECN/STP	Market Maker
U.S. Clients Allowed:
Minimum Deposit:	$100	None
Maximum Leverage:	1:400	1:500
Commissions / Spreads:	Spreads	Commissions and spreads (Varies in regions)
Account 1:	Retail	Spread Betting
Account 2:	Professional	CFD Trading
Account 3:	Spread Betting	CMC Pro
Account 4:	Standard	Corporate
Demo Account:
Islamic Account:
Segregated Account:
Managed Accounts:
Institutional Accounts:
Website Languages:	English Chinese Other	English Chinese
Support Hours:	24/5	24/5
E-mail Support:
SMS Support:
Chat:
Broker Offers:	See what AvaTrade offers	See what CMC Markets offers

Features and Platforms

Irish-based AvaTrade has been serving traders since 2006, but UK-based FTSE 250 constituent CMC Markets has been around since 1989, long before online trading came into existence. While the former caters primarily to retail traders, the latter serves the entire spectrum. Both brokers provide traders with a proprietary webtrader, but the one deployed by AvaTrade pales in comparison to what CMC Markets offers. The MT4 trading platform is available at both brokers, but AvaTrade also maintains MT5 and AvaOptions developed for options trading. AvaTrade and CMC feature a dedicated mobile trading app, which is superior at CMC Markets, where it also has an edge in research and education. AvaTrade is unable to compete with the product and services portfolio at CMC Markets. Still, 72% of retail traders operate at a loss at AvaTrade versus 79% at CMC Markets, which shows.

Available Markets

CMC Markets extends its leadership over AvaTrade in asset selection. With more than 330 currency pairs, Forex traders have access to one of the most comprehensive choices compared to all brokers. Over 110 commodities and 90 indices expand trading opportunities at CMC Markets. The bulk of assets remain in equity CFDs and ETFs, where traders have more than 9,000 instruments, while over 50 treasuries and ten cryptocurrencies complete the selection. AvaTrade provides traders with more cryptocurrencies, fourteen, and offers 42 options contracts. All other assets are significantly less with 55 currency pairs, 24 commodities, 26 indices, and just above 1,000 equity CFDs and ETFs. While AvaTrade's offering is certainly more than suitable for new and intermediate traders, advanced traders with sophisticated needs will find the assets more suitable at CMC Markets.

Typical Spreads and Fees

AvaTrade features commission-free CFD trading with an average mark-up of 0.13%. CMC Markets charges 0.10% on all equity trades except for US and Canadian ones, where the cost is $/C$0.02 per share, but a minimum applies, depending on the traded market. It grants AvaTrade a pricing advantage. Currency pair spreads at AvaTrade commence at 0.9 pips versus 0.7 pips at CMC Markets. Swap rates on leveraged overnight positions exist at both, and so do third-party payment processor costs. CMC Markets charges market data fees for Australia and Hong Kong, but traders van receive a 100% refund. AvaTrade charges an above-average $50 per month inactivity cost after three months, while CMC Markets deducts just $10 after one year.