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 it comes to investment choices, CMC Invest and Halifax both present a variety of options, though each has its unique offerings. CMC Invest provides share trading, a feature not available with Halifax, making it an attractive choice for those keen on entering the stock market. Both brokers offer trading in ETFs, funds, and investment trusts, ensuring a wide range of investment opportunities. However, Halifax distinguishes itself by offering corporate and government bonds (gilts) trading, which CMC Invest does not. Additionally, Halifax offers advisor services to guide investors through their financial journey, unlike CMC Invest.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, CMC Invest receives a solid rating of 4.5 stars for investment choices, ranking 14th out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Halifax enjoys a higher rating of 5 stars, ranked 7th, reflecting a broader selection of investment products and services. Both platforms abstain from crypto trading, spread betting, and CFD trading, which may cater to more traditional investors. Whether you value share trading or require the broader bond options and advisor support of Halifax, both brokers offer distinct pathways to meet varying investment needs.
| 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.
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, CMC Invest offers a more comprehensive selection than Halifax. While neither platform provides webinars, CMC Invest stands out by offering education in share trading, funds, and retirement, whereas Halifax does not cover these topics. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, CMC Invest is awarded 4 out of 5 stars for beginner education, ranking 15th out of 21 brokers, while Halifax receives a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars and is ranked 18th. This suggests that CMC Invest may be a more suitable choice for novice investors looking to broaden their financial knowledge.
| 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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| 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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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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