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TradeStation vs CMC Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)
Broker Name
TradeStation
CMC Markets
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
ECN broker
Market maker
Years of Existence / Established Year
1982
1989
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
226506+ clients
265k+
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
CFTC, NFA, FINRA, SEC
FCA, ASIC, CIRO, MAS, FMA
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
Best in Class awards in StockBrockers.com 2023 Online Broker Review, Best Brokerage App at the 2023 Benzinga Global Fintech Awards, TradingView's Best Broker in the AMER Region 2023 Award
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
SIPC
FSCS
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No
Yes
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
Futures option
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
Yes
No
Bonds
No
Yes
Mutual Funds
Yes
No
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
No
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
No
Equities
No
No
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
Yes
MT5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
Yes
Copy Trading
Yes
Yes
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
Desktop, Web trading, Mobile app, Futures Plus
CMC web platform, iOS and Android app
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Individual, Retirement, Entity
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)
Depends on asset class
No information
Commission (per account type)
$0
Standard - No commission, FX active account- $2.50
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Beginners and experienced traders
Professional and retail traders
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
Wire transfer, Check, Electronic transfer
Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking
Withdrawal Methods
Wire transfer, Check, Electronic transfer
Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
No
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
Yes
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Trading Education, Market Insights, Webinars, Online Trading Courses, Strategy Development and Backtesting
Learn spread betting, Learn to trade CFDs, Learn forex trading, technical indicators, Fundamental analysis, Webinars & events, Platform guides, Trading guides
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
Commission- Stocks and ETFs- $0, Stock options- $0 Commission + $0.60 per contract, Future options- $0 Commission + $0.60 per contract, Micro futures- $0 Commission + $0.50 per contract, per side, Futures- $0 Commission + $1.50 per contract, per side
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 Commission + $0.60 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
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$10 per month
$0
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
TradeStation platform - $149.95 / month, Without Brokerage Account- $99.99 / month $199.99 for professionals, folio-level strategy back-testing tool - $59.95 / month
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
$25
NA
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
NA
NA
Statement or Document Fee
$1 per page
NA
Account Opening Fee
$0
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
$35 per year
NA
Deposit Fee
$0
$0
Currency Conversion Fee
Starts from $0.35
0.50%
Withdrawal Fee
Wire transfer- $25- $35
$0
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
No
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
9:30 am ET to 4:00 pm ET
Depends on the instrument offer
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET
Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
Phone: 800.822.0512, Live chat, E-mail: [email protected]
Email: [email protected], Phone: +44 (0)20 7170 8200
Support Languages
1
12+
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
8050 SW 10th Street, Suite 2000. Plantation, FL 33324
CMC Markets UK plc, 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BX, United Kingdom
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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