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Barclays vs CMC Invest 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

April 17, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Barclays vs CMC Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Barclays
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes
CMC Invest
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes

Fees

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, Barclays offers better pricing than CMC Invest 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 - Barclays would cost £105 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.

12 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.

36 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.

120 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.

3 fund trades per year - Barclays would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 per year.

query_stats 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.

Investment Choices

When choosing an online broker in the UK, both Barclays and CMC Invest offer a range of investment options. Barclays stands out by providing trading in shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, alongside offering advisor services for personalized guidance. On the other hand, CMC Invest also allows trading in shares, ETFs, funds, and investment trusts, but does not offer access to corporate or government bonds, nor does it offer advisor services.

Both platforms shy away from crypto trading, spread betting, and CFD trading. Barclays holds a high rating of 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com for their expansive range of investment choices and ranks 9th out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, CMC Invest earns a respectable 4.5 stars and ranks 14th in the same category, offering a slightly narrower selection. Ultimately, the choice between Barclays and CMC Invest will depend on an investor's need for either comprehensive investment options or a simplified trading approach.

Feature Barclays logoBarclays
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Share Trading info Yes Yes
CFD Trading info No No
ETFs info Yes Yes
Funds info Yes Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes No
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Advisor Services info Yes No
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars

Featured Offers


4.5/5 Stars

Low-cost US and UK shares.

4.5/5 Stars

Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.

Trading Tools

When comparing the trading tools offered by Barclays and CMC Invest, UK traders will find distinct differences tailored for varying preferences. Both Barclays and CMC Invest fall short in advanced charting features, as neither provides corporate event displays, drawing tools, technical indicators, or options to add notes and overlays to charts. Barclays, however, offers the convenience of a browser-based trading platform, which can be advantageous for users preferring trading without software downloads. Both platforms do support the creation of alerts for stock price updates, enabling traders to stay informed of market changes.

While Barclays lacks real-time market data, CMC Invest fills this gap by offering real-time updates, which are invaluable for traders needing up-to-the-minute data for their strategies. Based on this comparison, investors who prioritize real-time data might lean towards CMC Invest, whereas those who prefer a web-based platform experience might find Barclays better suited to their needs. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on prioritizing the features that align most closely with one's trading requirements.

Feature Barclays logoBarclays
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Web Platform info Yes No
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 0 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 0 0
Charting - Notes info No No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info No No
Charting - Stock Overlays info No No
Charting - Index Overlays info No No

ISAs and SIPPs

When comparing online brokers Barclays and CMC Invest in the UK, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). This provides investors with flexible options for tax-efficient savings and retirement planning. Barclays and CMC Invest give users the ability to manage their investments through these accessible accounts, making them suitable choices for those interested in personal finance management in the UK.

Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.

Mobile App

In the UK online trading scene, both Barclays and CMC Invest offer mobile apps available on iPhone and Android, catering to the modern trader's need for on-the-go access. However, user satisfaction levels differ significantly between the two. Barclays' mobile app, garnering a modest 2.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranks at the bottom, 21st out of 21 brokers in terms of mobile app performance. In contrast, CMC Invest shines with a high 4.5-star rating and a respectable 11th place rank, suggesting a more user-friendly and efficient mobile trading experience.

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.

Beginners and Education

When comparing educational resources for beginner investors, Barclays and CMC Invest offer a range of learning materials. Both platforms provide education on share trading, funds, and retirement, making them solid choices for newcomers keen on these topics. However, neither Barclays nor CMC Invest currently offers client webinars, live or on-demand, which might be a consideration for those who prefer interactive learning sessions. Rated by UK.StockBrokers.com, Barclays edges ahead with a 4.5-star rating compared to CMC Invest's 4 stars, reflecting slightly more comprehensive beginner education offerings. Notably, Barclays is ranked #10 out of 21 brokers for beginner education, while CMC Invest stands at #15, offering insights into how these platforms stack up against their peers.

Feature Barclays logoBarclays
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Client Webinars info No No
Client Webinars (Archived) info No No
Education (Share Trading) info Yes Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.

Market Research

When comparing Barclays with CMC Invest from a market research perspective, both brokers provide research reports for funds, shares, and ETFs, making them valuable for UK investors seeking insights in these areas. Barclays stands out by offering additional research on bonds and the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, which are not available with CMC Invest. However, neither broker provides research on CFDs. For investors who value comprehensive asset class insights and bond research, Barclays may edge ahead, while those looking solely for standard fund and shares analysis will find both platforms equally appealing.

Feature Barclays logoBarclays
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info No No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes No

Barclays vs CMC Invest Winner

Which broker is better overall, Barclays or CMC Invest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Barclays to be a better trading platform overall.

Barclays Smart Investor offers a wide range of investments and accounts and is a good value for those with a midsize portolio who like flat fees. On the downside, it can be complicated to open an account as a non-Barclays bank customer, and you can’t buy or sell investments through the app if you don’t have a Barclays bank account.

Feature Barclays logoBarclays
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile App 2.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Barclays or CMC Invest?

Both Barclays and CMC Invest do not offer crypto trading, making them similar in this aspect for online brokering services.

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Compare

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Overall Rating Barclays CMC Invest
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile App 2.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Review Barclays Review CMC Invest Review
Winner check_circle
Investments Barclays CMC Invest
ISA info Yes Yes
SIPP info Yes Yes
Share Trading info Yes Yes
CFD Trading info No No
Funds info Yes Yes
ETFs info Yes Yes
Bonds - Corporate info Yes No
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes No
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Advisor Services info Yes No
Trading Fees Barclays CMC Invest
Minimum Deposit info £0 £0
Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month info £6 £0
Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month info £6 £0
Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month info £6 £0
5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £105 £0 / £120 / £300 info
12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £75 or £147 £0 / £120 / £300
36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £75 or £291 £0 / £120 / £300
120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £75 or £795 £0 / £120 / £300
3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £75 £120
Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 info £0 - £525 £120 info
Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K info £525 - £650 £120 info
Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m info £650 - £850 £120 info
Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over info £850 and up £120 info
Bonds - Corporate - Fee info £6 N/A
Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee info £6 N/A
ETFs - Fee info £6 £0
Investment Trusts - Fee info £6 £0
Telephone Dealing Fee info £25 £0
Broker Screenshots Barclays CMC Invest
Website Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Platforms & Tools Barclays CMC Invest
Web Platform info Yes No
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 0 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 0 0
Charting - Notes info No No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info No No
Charting - Stock Overlays info No No
Charting - Index Overlays info No No
Research Barclays CMC Invest
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info No No
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes No
Education Barclays CMC Invest
Education (Share Trading) info Yes Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info No No
Client Webinars (Archived) info No No
Overall Summary Barclays CMC Invest
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile App 2.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Review Barclays Review CMC Invest Review
Winner check_circle
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