CMC Markets vs Hargreaves Lansdown - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

CMC Markets vs Hargreaves Lansdown

Compare CMC Markets and Hargreaves Lansdown side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

CMC Markets

CMC Markets

Active forex and CFD traders

CMC Markets is a CFD and forex broker founded in 1989, with MT4, MT5, TradingView and its own web and mobile …

VS
Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown

UK long-term ISA and SIPP investors

Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK's largest retail investment platform, offering ISAs, SIPPs, funds, shares, ETFs…

Head-to-head comparison

CMC Markets vs Hargreaves Lansdown
Feature CMC Markets Hargreaves Lansdown
Minimum deposit There is no minimum deposit required to open an account -
Stock trading fee - £6.95 per online trade (0-19 trades/month); £3.95 per trade (20+ trades/month); £29 by phone; free via monthly Direct Debit regular investing
Regulators FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, CIRO, BMA FCA
Best for Active forex and CFD traders UK long-term ISA and SIPP investors
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Forex
-
CFDs
-
Crypto
-
Bonds
Spread Betting
-
Demo Account
-
Funds
-
Ready Made Portfolios
-
Isa
-
Sipp
-
Investment Plans
-
Money Market Funds
-

Pros & cons

CMC Markets

CMC Markets

Pros

  • No minimum deposit required to open an account
  • No CMC deposit or withdrawal fees currently charged
  • FX Active spreads from 0.0 pips on six major FX pairs
  • 25% spread discount on 300+ other forex pairs with FX Active
  • $2.50 commission per $100,000 currency trade on FX Active
  • 0% commission on UK and European share CFDs
  • GSLO premium refunded 100% when the order is not triggered
  • MetaTrader accounts allow hedging positions by default

Cons

  • £10 monthly inactivity fee after one year without trading
  • Market data subscriptions may apply for some share CFDs
  • Guaranteed stop-loss orders require a premium
  • MT4 CFD accounts cannot access Next Generation or TradingView
  • MT4 offers only currencies, indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies
  • MT4 and MT5 demo accounts expire after 30 days of inactivity
  • MetaTrader close-out can occur below 50% of margin requirement
  • Term deposits for client money may require up to 95 days' notice
Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown

Pros

  • UK's largest retail investment platform with over 2 million clients
  • Wide product range: funds, shares, ETFs, bonds, gilts, investment trusts, VCTs
  • ISA, SIPP, Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA, and Junior SIPP accounts available
  • No inactivity or withdrawal fees
  • Free monthly Direct Debit regular investing for both shares and funds
  • Extensive research tools, analyst ratings, and educational content
  • Segregated client funds and FSCS protection up to £85,000
  • No account charge for Junior ISA holders

Cons

  • No demo account available
  • Share dealing fee of £6.95 is higher than several UK competitors
  • Fund annual charge is uncapped for smaller portfolios and can be expensive at scale
  • New £1.95 fund dealing fee introduced from March 2026 where trades were previously free
  • Annual share charge cap raised to £150 per year per account from £45
  • FX conversion fees apply on all overseas share trades
  • No CFDs, forex, crypto, or spread betting products
CMC Markets

CMC Markets

CMC Markets is a CFD and forex broker founded in 1989, with MT4, MT5, TradingView and its own web and mobile platforms.

Visit CMC Markets Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK's largest retail investment platform, offering ISAs, SIPPs, funds, shares, ETFs and ready-made portfolios to over 2 million clients.

Visit Hargreaves Lansdown Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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