Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as CFD/FX brokers: leveraged trading on forex, indices, commodities and crypto. Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as stock brokers: real shares and ETFs you own outright.
CMC Markets
Regulated in your country CMC Markets is allowed by ASIC to onboard clients residing in Australia.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
IG Markets
Regulated in your country IG Markets is allowed by ASIC to onboard clients residing in Australia.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
Best for
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of traders CMC Markets and IG Markets are best suited to, based on what each one actually offers in Australia.IG Markets is better than CMC Markets for long-term investors, professional traders and options traders. High-volume traders, scalpers and swing traders can choose either IG Markets or CMC Markets.
| Overall score | CMC Markets 80 -7 not offered | IG Markets 87 Best 88 |
|---|---|---|
| Day trading i | ||
| Long-term investing i | ||
| Professional traders i | ||
| High-volume traders i | ||
| Scalpers i | ||
| Swing traders i | ||
| News traders i | ||
| Algo traders i | ||
| Stock traders i | ||
| Crypto traders i | ||
| Futures traders i | ||
| Options traders i |
Regulation
What we compare A comparison between the financial authorities that supervise CMC Markets and the ones that supervise IG Markets.CMC Markets and IG Markets are both regulated in Australia, by ASIC.
| Section score | CMC Markets 100 not offered | IG Markets 100 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-1 regulators | ||
| ESMA (European Union) i | ||
| FCA (United Kingdom) i | ||
| ASIC (Australia) i | ||
| CFTC (United States) i | ||
| NFA (United States) i | ||
| SEC (United States) i | ||
| CIRO (Canada) i | ||
| MAS (Singapore) i | ||
| SFC (Hong Kong) i | ||
| JFSA (Japan) i | ||
| FINMA (Switzerland) i | ||
| Tier-2 regulators | ||
| FMA (New Zealand) i | ||
| CBR (Russia) i | ||
| FSCA (South Africa) i | ||
| DFSA (Dubai) i | ||
| CSRC (China) i | ||
| ISA (Israel) i | ||
| LFSA (Malaysia) i | ||
| JSC (Jordan) i | ||
| CMA (Kenya) i | ||
| Tier-3 regulators | ||
| FSA (Seychelles) i | ||
| MMA (Maldives) i | ||
| SCB (Bahamas) i | ||
| FSC (Mauritius) i | ||
| VFSC (Vanuatu) i | ||
| FSC (Belize) i | ||
| CIMA (Cayman Islands) i | ||
| SV FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) i | ||
| FSRC (St. Kitts & Nevis) i | ||
| BMA (Bermuda) i | ||
| BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands) i | ||
| EDR (External Dispute Resolution) i | ||
Safety
What we compare A comparison of the tools and services that CMC Markets and IG Markets have in place to protect your money in Australia.CMC Markets and IG Markets both offer segregated client funds and two-factor authentication. IG Markets is also a licensed bank.
| Section score | CMC Markets 73 -5 not offered | IG Markets 78 Best 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Company info | ||
| Is it publicly traded i | ||
| Is it a bank i | ||
| Year founded i | 1989 | 1974 |
| Parent company i | CMC Markets plc | IG Group Holdings PLC |
| CEO i | Peter Cruddas | Breon Corcoran |
| Money safety | ||
| Segregated client funds i | ||
| Two-factor authentication i | ||
| Investor compensation scheme i | ||
| Additional money insurance i | ||
| Partner bank i | Barclays Bank Ireland, J.P. Morgan SE | UniCredit Bank AG, UniCredit S.p.A., J.P. Morgan SE, CaixaBank, Citigroup, BNP Paribas |
| Brand power | ||
| Number of customers worldwide i | 1,000,000 | 320,000 |
| Annual revenue i | US$324,700,000 | US$987,300,000 |
| Monthly website search traffic i | 10.5M monthly visits | 97.1K monthly visits |
Costs
What we compare A comparison of what it costs to trade with CMC Markets and with IG Markets in Australia, both on each trade and on holding the account.IG Markets is better than CMC Markets for CFD/FX costs, since IG Markets has tighter EUR/USD raw spreads, at 0.17 pips (against CMC Markets' 0.3 pips), has tighter S&P 500 CFD spreads, at 0.36 points (against CMC Markets' 0.5 points), and does not charge inactivity fees, unlike CMC Markets. Neither CMC Markets nor IG Markets charges account maintenance fees or withdrawal fees.
Only IG Markets can be assessed for real stock costs, since CMC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | CMC Markets 68 -4 not offered | IG Markets 72 Best 75 |
|---|---|---|
| Broker fees | ||
| Deposit fees i | ||
| Withdrawal fees i | ||
| Overnight fees i | ||
| Inactivity fees i | ||
| Currency conversion fees i | ||
| Discounts on volume i | ||
| Real time market data fee i | ||
| Dividend withholding i | ||
| Account opening fees i | ||
| Account maintenance fee i | ||
| Portfolio management fee i | ||
| Fees on CFDs | ||
| Forex commission per lot i | US$5 | US$6 |
| EUR/USD average standard spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average raw spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average fixed spread i | ||
| EUR/USD total cost per lot i | US$6.5 | US$9.475 |
| S&P 500 fees (CFD) i | 0.5 points | 0.36 points |
| Gold fees (CFD) i | 0.2 points | 0.27 points |
| Bitcoin fees (CFD) i | US$15 | US$40 |
| US stocks fees (CFD) i | US$0.02 | US$0.02 |
| Fees on stocks | ||
| Stock fee type i | Free, Commission, Percentage | |
| US stocks fees (real) i | Free | |
| ETF fees (real) i | Free | |
| Management costs i | ||
| Connection costs i | ||
| Fees on futures | ||
| Futures fees per contract i | ||
| Platform fees i | ||
| Fees on options | ||
| Options fees per contract i | ||
| Event fees i | ||
| Fees on savings plans | ||
| IRA opening fee i | ||
| IRA maintenance fee i | ||
| 401k opening fee i | ||
| 401k maintenance fee i | ||
Available markets
What we compare A comparison of the markets and products you can trade with CMC Markets and with IG Markets in Australia, and of how many instruments each one gives access to.IG Markets is better than CMC Markets for CFD/FX markets, given that IG Markets offers CFDs on ETFs, which CMC Markets does not, gives access to 18,000 tradable symbols (against CMC Markets' 12,000), and lets you own stocks and ETFs outright, which CMC Markets does not. Both CMC Markets and IG Markets offer CFDs on commodities, crypto, forex, indices and stocks.
There is no like-for-like comparison for real stock markets, as CMC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | CMC Markets 75 -25 not offered | IG Markets 100 Best 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Total tradable symbols i | 12,000 | 18,000 |
| Currency pairs i | ||
| Indices i | ||
| Commodities i | ||
| Stocks i | ||
| ETF i | ||
| Cryptocurrencies i | ||
| Bonds i | ||
| Interest rates i | ||
| Portfolios i | ||
| CFDs i | Commodities, Crypto, Forex, Indices, Stocks | Commodities, Crypto, ETF, Forex, Indices, Stocks |
| Futures i | ||
| Options i | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks | |
| Assets you can own i | Stocks, ETF |
Platform
What we compare A comparison of the trading platforms that CMC Markets and IG Markets make available to their clients in Australia.CMC Markets and IG Markets are close on platforms, as both offer a proprietary platform and MetaTrader 4. CMC Markets has a slight edge, as it offers MetaTrader 5.
There is no like-for-like comparison for platforms, as CMC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | CMC Markets 91 not offered | IG Markets 91 91 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary platform i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 i | ||
| cTrader i | ||
| Social trading platform i | ||
| Copy trading platform i | ||
| ZuluTrade i | ||
| TradingView i | ||
| Duplitrade i | ||
| Mirror Trader i | ||
| NinjaTrader i | ||
| AutoChartist i | ||
| Real time pricing i | ||
| 5 digit pricing i | ||
| One-click trading i |
Mobile
What we compare A comparison of the mobile apps of CMC Markets and IG Markets in Australia, and of what each one lets you do from your phone.IG Markets is better than CMC Markets for mobile trading, since IG Markets offers mobile trading signals, mobile charting tools and mobile drawing tools, which CMC Markets does not. Both CMC Markets and IG Markets offer a proprietary mobile app and the MetaTrader 4 app.
Only IG Markets can be assessed for mobile trading, since CMC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | CMC Markets 73 -20 not offered | IG Markets 93 Best 93 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary app i | ||
| Social trading app i | ||
| Copy trading app i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 app i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 app i | ||
| cTrader app i | ||
| Mobile trading signals i | ||
| Mobile alerts i | ||
| Mobile charting tools i | ||
| Mobile drawing tools i | ||
| Mobile watchlist i | ||
| Smartwatch app i |
Trading features
What we compare A comparison of the trading tools and strategies that CMC Markets and IG Markets allow on their platforms in Australia.CMC Markets and IG Markets are equally good for CFD/FX trading features, since CMC Markets allows for high-frequency trading. On the other hand, IG Markets executes orders faster, within 14 ms (against CMC Markets' 40 ms), and offers VPS hosting. Both CMC Markets and IG Markets offer negative balance protection and trailing stops.
IG Markets and CMC Markets cannot be compared for real stock trading features, because IG Markets is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while CMC Markets is a CFD broker.
| Section score | CMC Markets 89 not offered | IG Markets 89 85 |
|---|---|---|
| Trade execution | ||
| Broker type i | Agency | Agency |
| Average execution time i | 40 ms | 14 ms |
| Slippage occurrence i | 11% | |
| Requotes occurrence i | 0.08% | |
| Tier-1 liquidity providers i | ||
| PFOF i | ||
| Leverage | ||
| Major FX pairs leverage i | 30:1 | 30:1 |
| Minor/Exotic FX pairs leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Major indices leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Minor indices leverage i | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Gold leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Commodities leverage i | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Equities leverage i | 5:1 | 5:1 |
| Cryptocurrency leverage i | 2:1 | 2:1 |
| Risk management | ||
| Stop losses i | ||
| Take profits i | ||
| Limit orders i | ||
| Trailing stop i | ||
| Margin call i | ||
| OCO orders i | ||
| Guaranteed stop loss i | ||
| Negative balance protection i | ||
| Minimum trade size (FX) i | 0.01 lots | 0.01 lots |
| Minimum trade size (stocks) i | US$1 | US$1 |
| Fractional stocks i | ||
| Trading compliance | ||
| Scalping strategies allowed i | ||
| Hedging strategies allowed i | ||
| Automated trading strategy allowed i | ||
| EAs use allowed i | ||
| HFT strategy allowed i | ||
| VPS use allowed i | ||
| API use allowed i | ||
| Price scraping allowed i | ||
| FIFO rule applies i | ||
Account types
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of account you can open at CMC Markets and at IG Markets in Australia, and of who each one is meant for.CMC Markets is better than IG Markets for CFD/FX account types, because CMC Markets offers an unlimited demo account, which IG Markets does not. CMC Markets and IG Markets both offer a demo account and a professional traders account.
Only IG Markets can be assessed for real stock account types, since CMC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | CMC Markets 53 Best not offered | IG Markets 46 -7 68 |
|---|---|---|
| Demo account i | ||
| Unlimited demo account i | ||
| Standard account i | ||
| Micro account i | ||
| Cent account i | ||
| Nano account i | ||
| Raw spread account i | ||
| ECN account i | ||
| Swap-free account i | ||
| Islamic account i | ||
| Professional traders account i | ||
| Fixed spread account i | ||
| Spread betting account i | ||
| Copy trading account i | ||
| Corporate account i | ||
| Managed account i | ||
| Stock investing account i | ||
| Margin investing account i | ||
| Savings account i | ||
| Retirement account i |
Account opening
What we compare A comparison of what it takes to open and fund an account with CMC Markets and with IG Markets in Australia.IG Markets is better than CMC Markets for account opening, given that IG Markets offers 14 account base currencies (against CMC Markets' 3). Neither CMC Markets nor IG Markets requires a minimum deposit.
IG Markets and CMC Markets cannot be set side by side for account opening, as CMC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike IG Markets.
| Section score | CMC Markets 70 -10 not offered | IG Markets 80 Best 80 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit i | US$0 | US$0 |
| Minimum withdrawal i | US$0 | US$150 |
| Wire transfers i | ||
| Credit cards i | ||
| Debit cards i | ||
| eWallets i | PayPal | PayPal |
| Local payment methods i | ||
| Account base currencies i | AUD, USD, HKD | AUD, CAD, CHF, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NOK, NZD, SEK, SGD, USD, ZAR |
| Deposit waiting time i | Instant | Instant |
| Withdrawal waiting time i | Instant | up to 1 business days |
| Bonus program i |
Customer care
What we compare A comparison of the customer support of CMC Markets and IG Markets in Australia, in how it can be reached and how fast it answers.CMC Markets and IG Markets are equally good for customer care, since CMC Markets offers priority support. On the other hand, IG Markets has a website in 12 languages (against CMC Markets' 9). Both CMC Markets and IG Markets offer a dedicated account manager and phone support.
IG Markets and CMC Markets cannot be set side by side for customer care, as CMC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike IG Markets.
| Section score | CMC Markets 71 not offered | IG Markets 71 71 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of languages supported i | 9 | 12 |
| Website languages i | German, English, French, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish, Chinese | Arabic, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish |
| Website available in English i | ||
| Customer support languages i | English, Chinese | English, Chinese |
| Customer support in English i | ||
| Call back request i | ||
| Email support i | ||
| Phone support i | ||
| Live chat i | ||
| Priority customer support i | ||
| Dedicated account manager i | ||
| Cash sweep i | ||
| Stock lending i | ||
| Distributes proceeds i | ||
| Tax withholding agent i | ||
| Tax assistance i |
Learning
What we compare A comparison of the educational material that CMC Markets and IG Markets provide to their clients in Australia.IG Markets is better than CMC Markets for learning, given that IG Markets offers daily market commentary and a glossary, which CMC Markets does not. CMC Markets and IG Markets both offer education for advanced traders and webinars.
IG Markets and CMC Markets cannot be compared for learning, because IG Markets is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while CMC Markets is a CFD broker.
| Section score | CMC Markets 88 -12 not offered | IG Markets 100 Best 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Education | ||
| Education center i | ||
| Education for beginners i | ||
| Education for advanced traders i | ||
| Webinars i | ||
| Tutorials i | ||
| Glossary i | ||
| Research | ||
| Economic calendar i | ||
| Traders' sentiment i | ||
| Daily market commentary i | ||
| Daily trading ideas i | ||
| News via social media i | ||
| Professional reports i | ||
| Watchlist i | ||
CMC Markets vs IG Markets: which one should you choose?
CMC Markets
CFD/FX Choose CMC Markets if you want a CFD and forex broker with low trading costs and MetaTrader 5.
Open Account CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
IG Markets
CFD/FX Choose IG Markets if you want an online CFD broker with ProRealTime and a wide choice of markets.
Stocks Choose IG Markets if you want a share dealing service with commission-free US stocks.
Open Account CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.Other popular comparisons
Below are other head-to-head comparisons that include CMC Markets or IG Markets, each scored with the same data and method as this page.
