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Vanguard vs CMC Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Vanguard

Vanguard

VS
CMC Markets

CMC Markets

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Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

STP and ECN broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1975

1989

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

50M+

265k+


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

SEC

FCA, ASIC, CIRO, MAS, FMA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

No major awards listed

Best Mobile Trading Platform, No.1 Most Currency Pairs, Best for CFDs -2024, No.1 Web Platform, Best Forex Broker, Best In-House Analysts 2023

Security Measures

AML, SIPC, FIDC

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

No

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

3,400 mutual funds and 191 Vanguard products including CDs, Cash investment, Index funds, Retirement funds, Actively managed funds, ESG funds

12,000+ tradable instruments including shares, Treasuries

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

No

Options

Yes

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

No

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

User-friendly web interface & mobile app

CMC web platform, iOS and Android app

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

IRAs, Brokerage accounts, 529 saving plans, Cash management, UGMA/UTMA, Small business retirement, 403(b) services

Spread betting, CFD account , FX active, Corporate account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

No

30:1 to 1:500

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

99,999 shares

No information

Commission (per account type)

$0

Standard - No commission, FX active account- $2.50

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to experienced traders

Professional and retail traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Electronic bank transfer, Wire transfer, Vanguard account, Direct account, Check

Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking

Withdrawal Methods

Electronic bank transfer, Automatic investment plan, Automatic withdrawal plan, Wire redemption, Mobile check investment

Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Investor Education, Retirement Resources, Market Analysis and Insights, Webinars and Online Seminars, Investment Guides and Tools

Learn spread betting, Learn to trade CFDs, Learn forex trading, technical indicators, Fundamental analysis, Webinars & events, Platform guides, Trading guides


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission- $0, 30-day median bid/ask spread - Vanguard Advisors

CFD trading -US shares from $10; FX active - US shares from $10; Typical STP: Spread of 1.2 pips, Typical ECN: Spread of 0.2 pips, Spread- starts from 0.0 to 0.6 pips, Overnight holding costs: 0.0027%

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Fixed/Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

$2.50

Options Contract Fees

$0 base fee, $1 per contract

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

$5.00 per $100,000 in nominal value

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

Crude Oil Brent $0.02 per unit, Apple Inc $0.41 per unit, US 30 $1.50 per unit, GBP/USD $0.00015 per

Maximum Leverage

No

1:500


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

NA

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

ASX Dynamic Data package $41.25 a month (non-professional investors) $118.80 a month, International Data service fees (US) $11, International Data service fees (NZ) $11, Live Data package Free

Advisory Fees

$15- $30/ year

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

NA

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$25

NA

Deposit Fee

NA

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

Vanguard uses its own exchange rate

0.50%

Withdrawal Fee

Wire transfer- $10

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

No

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time

Depends on the instrument offer


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Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

Monday to Friday, 8:00 am - 8:00 pm EST

Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: 877-662-7447, E-mail: [email protected]

Email: [email protected], Phone: +44 (0)20 7170 8200

Support Languages

8+

12+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, USA

CMC Markets UK plc, 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BX, United Kingdom

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.
Both Vanguard and CMC Markets offer affordable fee structures, but Vanguard generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas CMC Markets shines with bundled research and platform access.
New users will likely find Vanguard sign-up process more intuitive. Meanwhile, CMC Markets takes a more regulated path to onboarding, which could benefit traders seeking high capital limits and detailed agreements.
While Vanguard focuses on mobile-first design and clean user experience, CMC Markets includes features like in-depth charting, integrated news feeds, and strong desktop performance.
Vanguard is geared toward frequent trading and analytics, while CMC Markets fits those who value simplicity and guided experiences.