SimpleFX vs CMC Markets

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

SimpleFX vs CMC Markets Comparison Table 2025
SimpleFX CMC Markets
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4.2
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4.7
SimpleFX is ranked #55 among CFD brokers. CMC Markets is ranked #31 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
SimpleFX is an online broker offering CFD and cryptocurrency trading. With multi-currency accounts, STP execution, competitive pricing, and no minimum deposit, the platform delivers an accessible trading experience. Since 2014, SimpleFX has been innovative and has earned acclaim at various industry events. Today, it serves over 200,000 active users in more than 190 countries, catering to retail traders worldwide. 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
  • SimpleFX's unique WebTrader, supported by TradingView, provides a stable trading platform with an intuitive interface, welcoming even to beginner traders.
  • With MT4 support, traders can access advanced charting tools, technical indicators, customisable algorithms, and expert advisors for automated strategies.
  • In 2021, SimpleFX refreshed its platform, introducing a more streamlined client area with improved load speeds. It also launched a social trading community for idea exchange.
  • With leverage reaching 1:1000, traders can significantly boost their positions. This offers increased market exposure and the chance for amplified profits or losses.
  • The variety of cryptocurrencies for trading includes popular choices like ADA, BTC, and ETH, alongside niche options such as YFI, YFII, and ZEC.
  • 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
  • SimpleFX functions with limited regulatory oversight, enabling it to provide high leverage. This means it is subject to less stringent scrutiny from regulators than brokers such as IG, which operate under strict regulatory environments.
  • While Bloomberg TV news and the economic calendar provide useful information, the absence of research tools such as Autochartist and Trading Central places traders at a significant disadvantage when seeking to identify opportunities.
  • The educational resources are adequate but could be improved. The 'Opinion' section requires more frequent updates. Adding video tutorials on market analysis and risk management would greatly benefit novice traders.
  • The limited availability of non-crypto funding methods is a drawback for traders who prefer more diverse and convenient ways to manage their accounts.
  • 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 Support 2023, Crypto Expo Europe
  • The Best Trading Platform Cryptocurrency, World Expo 2022 - Warsaw
  • Best Mobile App 2020 - Rankia Awards
  • The Best Trading Platform, Finance World Expo 2019 - Zug
  • Best Cryptocurrency Trading Platform, Cryptocurrency World Expo 2018 - Berlin
  • 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
CFDs, Forex, Indices, Stocks, Commodities, Cryptos CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FSC FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA
Mobile Apps
iOS, Android + WebTrader iOS & Android
Trading App
SimpleFX offers its own app for Apple and Android devices with a user-friendly interface. It allows for easy trade management and access to over 220 tradable assets. Yet, sporadic unresponsiveness during testing and an average charting package may not suit very active traders. 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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4.4
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4.1
Android App Rating
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3.8
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3.7
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
1%
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
No 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
No No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
Yes No
Robo Advisor
Yes No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
No Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
Yes Yes
Trade Signals
Yes 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
3% $10
Islamic Account
No Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • SGD
  • PLN
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Oil
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Cotton
  • Corn
  • Natural Gas
  • 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
SimpleFX offers leveraged trading options up to 1:1000 across key assets like stocks, indices, currencies, and commodities. The platform's social community is a valuable resource for gaining insights into CFD strategies and short-term trading opportunities. 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
1:1000 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
FTSE Spread
1.3 1 pt
GBPUSD Spread<
1.2 0.9
Oil Spread
0.04 3.5
Stocks Spread
Variable 0.02
Forex
SimpleFX offers a wide range of approximately 60 currency pairs, including major pairs such as GBP/USD and exotic ones like CHF/PLN. Trading fees are competitive, with an average of 0.9 pips for EUR/USD in tests. Designed for online currency trading, MetaTrader 4 can be accessed on desktop, web, and mobile platforms. 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
57 300+
GBPUSD Spread
1.2 0.9
EURUSD Spread
0.9 0.7
EURGBP Spread
1.0 1.1
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CHF
Cryptocurrency
SimpleFX excels in its crypto trading environment, which now includes an expanding selection of tokens, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Filecoin, paired with USD, enhanced further in 2024. The platform's crypto accounts facilitate seamless trading, catering to crypto enthusiasts. Moreover, its tailored staking service enables capital to be leveraged for margin trading. 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
45.57 From 1.3
Coins
  • ADA
  • APE
  • ARB
  • AVA
  • BCH
  • BNB
  • DASH
  • DOT
  • EOS
  • ETC
  • ETH
  • FET
  • FIL
  • INJ
  • LNK
  • LTC
  • MATIC
  • NEO
  • SOL
  • TIA
  • WAVE
  • XTZ
  • YFI
  • ZEC
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • EOS
  • TRON
  • NEO
  • ADA
  • XLM
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
Yes No
Auto Market Maker
No No
SimpleFX CMC Markets
Review
Review
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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