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.
For UK investors exploring online brokers, CMC Invest and Halifax present distinct portfolios of investment choices. CMC Invest allows share trading, trading of ETFs, funds, and investment trusts. However, options like crypto trading, spread betting, CFD trading, and corporate or government bonds are not offered. In contrast, Halifax provides a wider array, including share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, investment trusts, and advisor services. Yet, they both fall short for those interested in crypto, spread betting, and CFDs.
In terms of ratings, CMC Invest is awarded 4.5 stars out of 5 by UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, positioning it 14th among 21 brokers. Halifax scores a perfect 5 stars, ranked 7th. Therefore, for those seeking a broader spectrum of offerings and advisor services, Halifax may be preferable, whereas CMC Invest might appeal to investors focused on key conventional assets.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When examining the trading tools available with CMC Invest and Halifax, there are notable differences. While Halifax provides a browser-based trading platform, CMC Invest does not. Both platforms allow users to set alerts for stock price updates, enabling investors to stay informed about market changes. However, only CMC Invest offers real-time market data, which could be an advantage for those looking for up-to-the-minute information. Neither platform supports adding corporate event displays, notes, index overlays, stock overlays, drawing tools, or technical indicators to charts, which might limit certain types of technical analysis for traders.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
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.
For UK investors choosing between CMC Invest and Halifax, both brokers offer convenient mobile apps available for iPhone and Android devices. In terms of quality, CMC Invest's app stands out with a rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, significantly higher than Halifax's 3.5-star rating. This higher rating places CMC Invest at the 11th position out of 21 brokers for mobile app performance, whereas Halifax trails behind at 18th. Consider these differences when deciding which platform best meets your mobile trading needs.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK seeking educational resources, both CMC Invest and Halifax have unique offerings. While neither provides live or on-demand educational webinars, CMC Invest stands out with a comprehensive educational suite covering topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement planning. In contrast, Halifax’s specific educational topics remain unspecified. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, CMC Invest secures a 4-star rating and ranks 15th out of 21 brokers for beginner education, signaling a stronger educational offering compared to Halifax’s 3.5-star rating and ranking of 18th. This means CMC Invest might be a slightly more appealing choice for those just starting their investment journey, looking for a broad range of educational resources.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | ||
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of CMC Invest and Halifax, both online brokers offer research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and Funds, providing ample resources for UK investors to explore these areas. However, only Halifax provides research on bonds, making it a slightly more comprehensive option for fixed-income security enthusiasts. Neither platform offers insights into portfolio allocation by asset class or research on CFDs, presenting a gap for users interested in those specific areas. Overall, while both brokers excel in certain aspects of market research, Halifax provides an edge for those interested in bond markets.
| Feature |
CMC Invest
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown |
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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| Investment Choices |
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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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CMC Invest and Halifax differ in their offerings, as CMC Invest provides crypto trading opportunities while Halifax does not support crypto trading.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
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| Mobile App |
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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 | ||
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | 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 | 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 | |||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | |||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown |
| Education | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | ||
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | |||
| Client Webinars (Archived) |
| Overall Summary | CMC Invest | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Education |
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| Review | CMC Invest Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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