PU Prime vs CMC Markets

PU Prime or CMC Markets – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare PU Prime and CMC Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

PU Prime vs CMC Markets Comparison Table 2025
PU Prime CMC Markets
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4.2
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4.7
PU Prime is ranked #52 among CFD brokers. CMC Markets is ranked #3 among CFD brokers.
Pacific Union Prime, regulated by the FSCA and offshore authorities, is a multi-asset broker providing competitive fees and direct market access. It offers trading in forex, commodities, stocks, bonds, and indices. Traders can utilise the widely-used MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, as well as a bespoke mobile app. Fees differ by account type: the Standard account has no commission, with spreads starting from 1.9 pips, while the Prime account charges $7 commission per lot with spreads from 0.4 pips. Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is a reputable broker publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange. It holds authorisation from top-tier regulators such as the FCA, ASIC, and CIRO. The brokerage, which has received multiple awards, boasts a global membership exceeding one million traders.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% 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.
Pros
  • Industry-acclaimed MT4 and MT5 platforms, along with their mobile applications.
  • A strong selection of nearly 1,000 instruments spans six asset classes.
  • The Prime account offers competitive fees, featuring spreads as low as 0.4 and a £7 commission.
  • Safeguards clients by keeping their funds separate and ensuring they cannot go into debt.
  • PU Social app with features for trading emulation.
  • Practice account with simulated capital.
  • Swap-free Islamic account
  • Multilingual customer service
  • The CMC web platform offers an exceptional user experience with sophisticated charting tools for trading and customisable options, suitable for both novice and seasoned traders. It supports MT4 but not MT5, and TradingView will be available from 2025.
  • We've upgraded the 'Assets & Markets' rating due to frequent product enhancements in early 2025. These include extended trading hours for US stocks and the introduction of new share CFDs.
  • CMC provides competitive pricing with narrow spreads and low trading fees, except for stock CFDs. The Alpha and Price+ programmes offer additional benefits for active traders, including discounts on spreads of up to 40%.
  • CMC Markets is well-regulated by respected financial authorities, ensuring a secure and reliable trading environment. It upholds a strong reputation, providing traders with confidence.
  • The brokerage excels with an extensive array of valuable resources, such as pattern recognition scanners, webinars, tutorials, news feeds, and research from reputable sources like Morningstar.
Cons
  • No primary regulatory supervision.
  • For withdrawals below $100, there's a relatively steep minimum charge of $40 including a handling fee.
  • Standard account spreads are average.
  • Although there have been improvements, the online platform still needs further refinement to match the user-friendly trading experience offered by competitors such as IG.
  • CMC provides a robust range of assets; however, it does not support trading actual stocks, and UK clients are unable to trade cryptocurrencies.
  • Trading stock CFDs comes with a relatively high commission, particularly when compared to low-cost brokers such as IC Markets.
  • A monthly inactivity charge of $10 is imposed after a year's inactivity, potentially discouraging occasional traders.
  • The CMC Markets app provides a comprehensive trading package; however, its design and user experience lag behind market leaders such as eToro.
Awards
  • Best Trading App 2023 - DayTrading.com
  • No.1 Platform Technology 2022
  • No.1 New Tool 2022
  • No.1 Most Currency Pairs 2022
  • Best Trade Execution 2021
  • Best Forex Broker For Beginners 2021
  • Most Transparent Forex Broker Europe 2020
  • Best Trading Platform 2020
  • Best Trading App 2019
  • Best Customer Service 2018
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Yes
Instruments
Forex, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Stocks, Indices CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting
Bonus
100% cashback up to $10,000
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$50 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission), FSA (Financial Services Authority of Seychelles), FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority), SVGFSA (Financial Services Authority St Vincent & The Grenadines) FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App
CMC Markets' award-winning app has revolutionised mobile trading. Its modern, customisable interface provides a unique user experience that sets it apart. Enhanced with 25 technical indicators, 15 drawing tools, and a swift, stable trading platform, it is an outstanding option for traders.
iOS App Rating
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4.7
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4.1
Android App Rating
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3.5
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3.7
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
1%
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
Yes No
ECN Account
Yes No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
No Yes
Market Maker
No Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
Yes No
Copy Trading Platform
PU Social allows clients to replicate the strategies and positions of professional traders. The app, accessible on both iOS and Android platforms, features a social trading network with thousands of traders.
Social Trading
Yes Yes
Trade Signals
None Yes
VPS Hosting
No Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No Yes
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No Yes
Inactivity Fee
$10
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • SGD
  • PLN
Commodities
  • Oil
  • Gold
  • Copper
  • Silver
  • Corn
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Cotton
  • Natural Gas
  • Orange Juice
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Copper
  • Coffee
  • Wheat
  • Precious Metals
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Nickel
  • Palladium
  • Steel
  • Cannabis
  • Platinum
  • Livestock
  • Sugar
  • Gasoline
CFD
PU Prime provides CFD trading across a wide range of shares, indices, commodities, bonds, and cryptocurrencies. Leverage options differ depending on the asset, while spreads can range from nearly zero to several hundred pips, varying by instrument and account type. Trading for stocks, indices, commodities, and bonds takes place on the renowned MT4 platform. CMC enables trading of CFDs on over 12,000 assets, including currencies, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, and treasuries. In 2025, new equities will feature sectors like quantum computing, AI learning, and digital car sales. Enjoy competitive spreads without hidden fees, and leverage the renowned MetaTrader 4 platform. Consistently, CMC stands out as a leading CFD broker.
Leverage
1:500 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
FTSE Spread
Not Available 1 pt
GBPUSD Spread<
From 0.5 pips 0.9
Oil Spread
From 1.6 pips 3.5
Stocks Spread
Variable 0.02
Forex
PU Prime offers trading on over 40 forex pairs using the MT4 and MT5 platforms, with flexible leverage reaching up to 1:500. Prime accounts feature spreads starting close to zero, accompanied by a $7 commission per lot. Alternatively, traders can opt for a Standard account, which has no commission but offers wider spreads. CMC offers a broad selection of over 300 forex pairs, featuring tight spreads and quick execution. This exceeds many competitors in currency variety. Their forex indices provide a distinctive and comprehensive method to speculate on major currencies such as USD, EUR, and GBP.
Assets
800+ 300+
GBPUSD Spread
From 0.5 pips 0.9
EURUSD Spread
From 0.2 pips 0.7
EURGBP Spread
From 0.4 pips 1.1
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CHF
Cryptocurrency
Pacific Union provides leveraged trading on cryptocurrencies against the US Dollar with competitive, real-time spreads. Traders have the advantage of utilising advanced software to examine crypto markets. CMC Markets provides trading opportunities with popular digital currencies such as Bitcoin. However, it excels in offering crypto indices, granting broader market exposure. With minimal slippage and an impressive 99.9% fill rate, CMC is an excellent choice for active traders in the cryptocurrency sector.
Spread
From 0.7 pips From 1.3
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • EOS
  • XLM
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • EOS
  • TRON
  • NEO
  • ADA
  • XLM
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
PU Prime CMC Markets
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% 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.
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