Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Invest vs Halifax, 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 Halifax 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 - CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year, while Halifax would cost £83.50 per year.
12 trades per year - CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year, while Halifax would cost £150 per year.
36 trades per year - CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year, while Halifax would cost £378 per year.
120 trades per year - CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year, while Halifax would cost £1,176 per year.
3 fund trades per year - CMC Invest would cost £0 per year, while Halifax 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 CMC Invest and Halifax for an investment account in the UK, the choice largely depends on your specific trading interests. CMC Invest stands out by offering share trading, which Halifax does not provide. On the other hand, both platforms offer trading options for ETFs, funds, and investment trusts. However, if you're looking to invest in corporate or government bonds (gilts), Halifax is the service to choose, as CMC Invest does not include these in their offerings.
In terms of service recognition, Halifax has a slight edge with a 5-star rating for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com, whereas CMC Invest holds a respectable 4.5 stars. This is reflected in their rankings out of 18 brokers, with Halifax positioned at #7 and CMC Invest at #14. Furthermore, Halifax offers advisor services, providing an added layer of support that CMC Invest does not. Whether you're a seasoned investor or a beginner, these factors are worth considering when selecting between the two brokers.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing CMC Invest and Halifax, both platforms fall short in offering advanced charting tools, as neither provides the option to display corporate events on charts, nor do they feature drawing tools, technical indicators, or allow users to add notes or overlays. However, Halifax does provide the convenience of a browser-based trading platform, setting it apart in terms of accessibility, while CMC Invest lacks this feature.
On the other hand, CMC Invest distinguishes itself by offering real-time market data, an important factor for traders requiring up-to-the-minute information, whereas Halifax does not. Both platforms do support the creation of alerts for stock price updates, ensuring users are promptly notified of market changes. This comparison highlights CMC Invest's advantage in real-time data access and Halifax's benefit in providing a browser-based platform.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 CMC Invest and Halifax regarding available retirement accounts, both online brokers cater well to UK investors by offering Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). This means that with either CMC Invest or Halifax, you have the flexibility to grow your savings tax-efficiently through ISAs or manage your retirement fund with greater control via SIPPs. Choosing between these two services depends on your specific needs, preferences, and the unique features each provider offers within their account management systems.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
In the competitive world of online brokerage, CMC Invest and Halifax both offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, making trading convenient on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, CMC Invest's app shines brighter with a commendable 4.5-star rating, significantly outperforming Halifax's app, which garners a 3.5-star rating. Furthermore, in the overall mobile app ranking among 18 brokers, CMC Invest holds the 11th spot, demonstrating a stronger mobile presence compared to Halifax, which is positioned at 18th. This comparison underscores CMC Invest's stronger focus on delivering a more satisfying mobile trading experience for users in the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners looking to learn the ropes of investing, CMC Invest emerges as a stronger choice compared to Halifax, thanks to its comprehensive educational resources. Although neither broker offers educational webinars, CMC Invest excels by providing learning materials on key investment topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement planning, which Halifax does not cover. With a 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, CMC Invest ranks 15th out of 18 brokers for beginner education, demonstrating a solid commitment to investor education. In contrast, Halifax holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks last, making CMC Invest the preferable option for novices eager to understand the essentials of investing.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing CMC Invest and Halifax for their market research features, UK investors can note several distinctions. CMC Invest stands out by providing research reports for funds, a feature not available with Halifax. Both platforms offer research for shares, ETFs, and funds, making them both suitable for these types of investment analysis. However, neither CMC Invest nor Halifax provides portfolio allocation by asset class or CFDs research. A key difference is found in bonds research, which is available through Halifax but not CMC Invest, giving Halifax a slight edge for those interested in bond investments.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | No |
Which broker is better overall, CMC Invest or Halifax? 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
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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When comparing online brokers CMC Invest and Halifax, neither platform offers cryptocurrency trading options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
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| Review | CMC Invest Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 / £120 / £300 | £83.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 / £120 / £300 | £150 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 / £120 / £300 | £378 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 / £120 / £300 | £1,176 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £120 | £64.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £120 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £120 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £120 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £120 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £9.5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £0 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | No |
| Education | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
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| Education |
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| Review | CMC Invest Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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