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.
When comparing AJ Bell and CMC Invest for their investment choices, AJ Bell stands out with a broader range of options. Both platforms offer share trading, ETFs, funds trading, and investment trusts. However, AJ Bell offers additional options like corporate and government bonds, which CMC Invest does not. Neither service supports crypto or CFD trading, spread betting, or advisory services. These differences are significant for investors seeking extensive bond trading options.
In terms of ratings, AJ Bell is highly rated, securing a perfect 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, ranking 5th out of 21 brokers. CMC Invest, while still impressive, is rated at 4.5 stars and ranks 14th. This distinction reflects AJ Bell's broader investment offerings, making it a preferred choice for those looking for a wider array of traditional investment options.
| 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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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
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.
Comparing AJ Bell and CMC Invest for mobile trading apps, both platforms offer convenient iPhone and Android apps, catering to the needs of UK investors who prefer trading on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, both AJ Bell and CMC Invest share an impressive mobile app rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, highlighting their reliability and user-friendly design. However, in a broader ranking of 21 brokers, AJ Bell edges out as the better choice, holding the 9th position, whereas CMC Invest follows at 11th. This makes AJ Bell a slightly more favored option for those seeking a top-tier mobile trading experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners eager to learn the ropes in investing, AJ Bell and CMC Invest offer valuable educational resources, but they are quite different in their approaches. AJ Bell stands out with its client webinars, which are not only live but also archived for on-demand viewing, catering efficiently to various learning paces. While both platforms cover essential topics like share trading, funds, and retirement, CMC Invest does not currently provide webinars, limiting its interactive learning options. Additionally, AJ Bell receives top marks from UK.StockBrokers.com, scoring 5 stars for beginner education and ranking 5th out of 21 brokers. In contrast, CMC Invest, though still solid with education on key investing topics, has a 4-star rating and ranks 15th, reflecting its different focus and approach. For learners prioritizing accessibility and variety in educational formats, AJ Bell may offer a more comprehensive starting point.
| 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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