Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs CMC Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, CMC Invest offers better pricing than AJ Bell for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £100 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
12 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £135 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
36 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £255 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
120 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £495 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
3 fund trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 per year.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
For UK investors considering AJ Bell and CMC Invest, both platforms offer opportunities for share trading, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and investment trusts. However, AJ Bell provides a broader range of investment choices, particularly with the option to invest in corporate and government bonds—a feature absent in CMC Invest. Neither platform supports crypto or CFD trading, nor do they provide spread betting options or advisory services. This makes AJ Bell a potentially more versatile choice for those interested in a wider array of traditional investment opportunities.
When it comes to ratings, AJ Bell shines with a perfect 5-star rating for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com, while CMC Invest holds a commendable 4.5-star rating. AJ Bell is ranked 5th out of 18 brokers for its investment options, underscoring its reputation and diverse offerings, whereas CMC Invest is positioned at 14th. Both platforms appeal to investors seeking straightforward trading portfolios but differ in their scope of available financial products.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing AJ Bell and CMC Invest on their trading tools, AJ Bell stands out with a wide array of features designed to enhance the trader's experience. AJ Bell allows users to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, a feature that is absent in CMC Invest. In terms of charting tools, AJ Bell offers 8 drawing tools and 31 technical indicators, which provide traders with more analytical resources, whereas CMC Invest offers none. AJ Bell also supports index and stock overlays, further enriching the charting capabilities, features not available with CMC Invest.
Additionally, AJ Bell provides a browser-based trading platform, whereas CMC Invest does not. Both brokers do offer the ability to create alerts for stock price updates and provide real-time market data, ensuring traders stay informed. However, neither AJ Bell nor CMC Invest allows users to add personal notes to charts. For UK traders seeking a platform with extensive analytical features, AJ Bell appears to deliver a more comprehensive set of tools compared to CMC Invest.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
For UK investors exploring retirement account options, both AJ Bell and CMC Invest offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), providing a solid foundation for tax-efficient investing. AJ Bell is known for its user-friendly platform, appealing to those seeking a seamless experience, while CMC Invest stands out with competitive fees and cutting-edge tools. Each broker caters to a range of investment needs, making either a viable choice for building a retirement portfolio through ISAs and SIPPs. Consider key features such as cost structures, investment options, and platform usability when choosing between these providers to ensure alignment with your financial goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
UK investors seeking mobile trading solutions will find both AJ Bell and CMC Invest offer reliable iPhone and Android apps. AJ Bell's mobile app is rated 4.5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, matching CMC Invest's rating of 4.5 stars, demonstrating strong user satisfaction for both apps. However, AJ Bell holds a slightly higher rank, positioned at #9 among 18 brokers for mobile apps, compared to CMC Invest's #11 rank. These ratings highlight AJ Bell's slight edge in mobile app offerings among UK brokers.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When evaluating beginner investor educational resources, AJ Bell stands out compared to CMC Invest, offering a more comprehensive experience. AJ Bell provides educational client webinars that can also be accessed on demand, while CMC Invest offers no webinars. Both brokers educate on share trading, funds, and retirement, but AJ Bell's offerings are rated higher, securing a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com compared to CMC Invest's 4-star rating. Additionally, AJ Bell ranks 5th out of 18 brokers for beginner education, whereas CMC Invest ranks 15th. This makes AJ Bell a preferred choice for beginners seeking solid educational support in the UK financial market.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of AJ Bell and CMC Invest, UK investors will find that both brokers provide research reports for funds, shares, and ETFs, making it easy to stay informed about key investment opportunities. AJ Bell excels further by offering insights into bonds and the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, unlike CMC Invest, which doesn't offer these features. However, neither AJ Bell nor CMC Invest provide research on CFDs, which may be a consideration for those interested in this type of trading. Ultimately, for investors interested in comprehensive market research, particularly in bonds and detailed portfolio insights, AJ Bell offers a more complete package compared to CMC Invest.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or CMC Invest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found AJ Bell to be a better trading platform overall.
You can invest in an extensive range of investments through AJ Bell. Charges are on the high side for those with large portfolios in mutual funds and those looking to execute one-off share deals; but its new app, called Dodl, offers much lower fees and also offers a more slim-lined and user-friendly service. Educational and research materials are strong, too.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
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CMC Invest
|
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Neither AJ Bell nor CMC Invest offer cryptocurrency trading, highlighting a common limitation among online brokers focused on more traditional investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £5 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.50 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.50 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £100 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £255 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £495 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.50 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £625 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £875 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £875 | £120 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | CMC Invest | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | AJ Bell | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | AJ Bell | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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