Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Invest vs Freetrade, 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, CMC Invest offers better pricing than Freetrade 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.
CMC Invest vs Freetrade for UK investors: both let you buy and sell shares, ETFs, and investment trusts. Neither supports crypto or CFD trading, and you can’t trade corporate bonds or government bonds (gilts) on either platform. They also don’t provide financial advice. The key difference is funds: CMC Invest offers funds, while Freetrade does not.
For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both at 4 stars. In the latest ranking of 21 brokers, CMC Invest places 14th and Freetrade 17th. If you want access to funds alongside shares, ETFs, and trusts, CMC Invest edges it; for a similar core menu without funds, Freetrade remains comparable.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | 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 the trading tools of CMC Invest and Freetrade, both platforms fall short in providing advanced charting features. Neither CMC Invest nor Freetrade offers the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, or dividends on their charts. Additionally, both brokers lack drawing tools, technical indicators, the option to add notes, and the functionality to overlay indexes or stocks on charts. This might leave more technical traders seeking more comprehensive charting solutions elsewhere.
Despite the similarities in limitations regarding charting tools, Freetrade stands out by offering a browser-based trading platform, unlike CMC Invest. Both brokers, however, allow users to create alerts for stock price updates and provide real-time market data, ensuring that traders can stay informed about market movements even if their charting options are limited.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | No | 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 |
When comparing online brokers CMC Invest and Freetrade in the UK, both offer essential retirement saving options, making them appealing choices for individual investors. CMC Invest and Freetrade each provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), catering to those looking to grow their savings tax-efficiently. Both platforms aim to simplify the investing process, providing convenient options for users to manage their finances for long-term growth. By offering these vital account types, CMC Invest and Freetrade empower UK investors to effectively plan for their retirement with ease and confidence.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
UK investors comparing mobile apps will find both CMC Invest and Freetrade offer iPhone and Android options. On UK.StockBrokers.com, CMC Invest’s app is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 11th out of 21 for Mobile Apps, while Freetrade’s app scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 12th. In short, Freetrade earns a higher star rating, but CMC Invest edges it on overall ranking.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing investing education, CMC Invest and Freetrade do not offer client webinars or on-demand replays. Both cover share trading and retirement, while only Freetrade also provides learning on funds. On UK.StockBrokers.com, CMC Invest scores 2.5/5 and Freetrade 3.5/5 for beginner education; in the overall rankings, CMC Invest places 15th out of 21 brokers and Freetrade 16th.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors comparing CMC Invest vs Freetrade on market research features, both brokers offer shares and ETF research, and neither covers bonds. Only Freetrade lets you view your portfolio split by asset class. For funds, CMC Invest provides fund research but not fund research reports, while Freetrade offers no fund research and also no fund research reports.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, CMC Invest or Freetrade? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found CMC Invest to be a better trading platform overall.
CMC Invest offers commission-free trading of U.K.-listed shares and U.S. equities via a mobile app only. Though a newer entrant to the U.K. share dealing market and currently somewhat limited, it’s powered by global contender CMC Markets, making it likely that its offerings will expand.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Mobile App |
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Both CMC Invest and Freetrade do not offer crypto trading, providing a streamlined experience for users focused on traditional investment opportunities.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
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| Review | CMC Invest Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £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 | £83.88 / £131.88 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £83.88 / £131.88 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £83.88 / £131.88 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £83.88 / £131.88 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £0 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | No | Yes | |
| 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 | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
| Education | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
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| Review | CMC Invest Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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