Written by StockBrokers.com
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.
Your capital is at risk.
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.
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.
Barclays vs CMC Invest: both UK brokers offer share dealing along with ETFs, funds, and investment trusts. Neither supports crypto or CFD trading, which suits investors focused on building long‑term portfolios rather than short‑term speculation.
The key difference is breadth. Barclays also lets you buy corporate bonds and UK government bonds (gilts) and provides adviser services, while CMC Invest does not offer bonds or advice. Reflecting this, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Barclays 5 stars (ranked 9th of 21 for Investment Choices) and CMC Invest 4 stars (ranked 14th of 21). Choose Barclays if you want bonds or guidance; pick CMC Invest for a straightforward shares-and-ETFs approach.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
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
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
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.
Barclays and CMC Invest both offer mobile trading apps on iPhone and Android in the UK, but CMC Invest is rated higher for the overall experience. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Barclays’ app scores 2.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 21st out of 21 brokers for mobile apps, while CMC Invest earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 11th. If app quality is a priority, CMC Invest may be the better pick, though both give you access on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing Barclays vs CMC Invest, neither broker offers live or on-demand educational webinars. Both provide learning resources on share trading and retirement, but only Barclays also covers funds. Independent ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com place Barclays ahead, with 4.5/5 stars and a rank of 10th out of 21 for beginner education, versus CMC Invest’s 2.5/5 stars and 15th place—making Barclays the stronger pick for simple, topic-based guidance.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
Barclays vs CMC Invest: for UK investors focused on market research, Barclays offers more. Barclays provides research reports for funds, shows your portfolio allocation by asset class, and covers shares, ETFs, funds and bonds. CMC Invest lacks fund research reports, doesn’t show allocation by asset class, and has no bonds research, though it does offer shares, ETFs and funds research. If you want wider coverage and clearer portfolio breakdowns, Barclays has the edge; for basic shares and ETF insights, CMC Invest may suffice.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
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
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CMC Invest
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Both Barclays and CMC Invest do not offer crypto trading, making them similar in this aspect for online brokering services.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Barclays | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Barclays | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual 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 | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Barclays | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £525 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £525 - £650 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £650 - £850 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £850 and up | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £6 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £6 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | Barclays | CMC Invest | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Barclays | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Barclays | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Barclays | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Barclays | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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