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 and ETFs, plus funds and investment trusts. Neither supports crypto or CFD trading, and neither offers corporate bonds or adviser services. Spread betting isn’t listed for either platform.
The key difference is gilts: Freetrade offers government bonds, while CMC Invest does not. For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates CMC Invest 4 stars and Freetrade 4.5 stars. In its league table, CMC Invest ranks 14th of 21 for investment choices, with Freetrade at 17th. If you need gilts, choose Freetrade; for core shares, ETFs, funds and trusts, both cover the basics.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| 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.
Comparing trading tools, CMC Invest and Freetrade both keep charting very basic. Neither platform shows corporate events on charts, and both lack drawing tools, technical indicators, index or stock overlays, and the option to add notes—so there’s little scope for in-depth chart analysis on either.
For platform access and data, Freetrade offers a browser-based trading platform, while CMC Invest does not. Both let you set price alerts. If live pricing matters, CMC Invest provides real-time market data, whereas Freetrade does not—making CMC Invest better for up-to-the-minute quotes and Freetrade a better fit if you prefer trading in a web browser.
| 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.
For UK investors comparing online brokers, both CMC Invest and Freetrade offer iPhone and Android mobile trading apps. UK.StockBrokers.com rates CMC Invest’s app at 3.5 out of 5 and Freetrade’s at 4.5 out of 5. However, in the site’s Mobile Apps ranking of 21 brokers, CMC Invest places #11 while Freetrade comes in at #12. Choose Freetrade if you want the higher star rating, or CMC Invest if the overall category ranking matters more to you.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Comparing CMC Invest vs Freetrade for beginner investor education in the UK: neither broker runs live webinars or offers on-demand webinar archives. Both cover share trading and retirement, but only Freetrade includes education on funds; CMC Invest does not. UK.StockBrokers.com rates CMC Invest 2.5/5 and Freetrade 4/5 for beginner education. Out of 21 brokers, CMC Invest ranks #15 while Freetrade ranks #16, so despite Freetrade’s higher score it sits one place lower overall.
| 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.
UK investors comparing market research features will find CMC Invest offers research on shares, ETFs, and funds, but not bonds, and neither platform provides research reports for funds. Freetrade lacks research on shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, but it does show portfolio allocation by asset class—something CMC Invest does not include.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| 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 | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £83.88 / £131.88 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £83.88 / £131.88 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £83.88 / £131.88 | £59.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £0 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Invest | Freetrade | |
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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 | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| 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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