TradingCritique

Select Your Brokers to Compare

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

Broker Name

Qtrade

Qtrade

VS
CMC Markets

CMC Markets

Icon

Broker Overview

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

ECN broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2000

1989

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

265k+


Icon

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

IIROC, CIRO

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

CIPF

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

No

Yes


Icon

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

100+ commission-free ETFs, GIC, Exchange-traded debentures, Fixed income

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

Yes

No


Icon

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.)

Qtrade trading platform

CMC web platform, iOS and Android app

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


Icon

Account Types & Conditions

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

Cash- Individual, Society, Joint, Religious organization, Trust, Investment club, Estates Company, Registered accounts- FHSA, TFSA, RRSP, LIRA/ LRSP, RESP, RIF, LIF

Spread betting, CFD account , FX active, Corporate account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

No

30:1 to 1:500

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

$500,000

No information

Commission (per account type)

$0

Standard - No commission, FX active account- $2.50

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

Long term investor and self-directed investment options

Professional and retail traders


Icon

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Electronic fund transfer,bank transfer, e-transfer services, Bill payment

Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking

Withdrawal Methods

Bank transfer

Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

No


Icon

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

Education- New to investing, Experienced with investing, Weekly Market Pulse

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


Icon

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Equities- $6.95- $8.75, Options- $8.75 + $1.25 per contract/ $6.95 + $1.25 per contract, ETFs- $0, Mutual fund- $8.75/ $6.95, ETFs - Others- $8.75/ $6.95, Fixed income and Exchange-traded debentures- $1 per $1,000 face value/ $1 per $1,000 face value, DAP accounts - $10 per trade, $7.75 - commissions for stock, mutual fund and ETF trades

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)

NA

Fixed/Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

$2.50

Options Contract Fees

$8.75 + $1.25 per contract/ $6.95 + $1.25 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


Icon

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$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

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

$45 / security

NA

Statement or Document Fee

$2.50 / trade Paper account statements $6 / quarter

NA

Account Opening Fee

$100 setup + $50 / year after first year

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$25/ quarter

NA

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

$100 / transaction

0.50%

Withdrawal Fee

Account transfer out $150

$0


Icon

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

No


Icon

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Pre-market trading: Available online and by phone from 8:30-9:29 AM ET, After-hours trading: Available online and by phone from 4-5 PM ET

Depends on the instrument offer


Icon

Customer Support

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

Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 8:00 pm ET

Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

E-mail: [email protected], 1.877. 787.2330

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

Support Languages

2

12+


Icon

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Canada

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.
Qtrade stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, CMC Markets offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.
Account approval at Qtrade is usually completed within hours, often with automated ID checks. CMC Markets might take longer due to manual reviews, but provides in-depth onboarding support along the way.
Qtrade integrates well with algorithmic trading tools and third-party plugins. In contrast, CMC Markets emphasizes educational content and built-in research features within its platform.
Advanced users will enjoy Qtrade capabilities, but CMC Markets remains a favorite for its streamlined and beginner-centric approach.