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CMC Invest vs Halifax 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

April 17, 2025

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.

CMC Invest
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes
Halifax
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes

Fees

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.

query_stats 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.

Investment Choices

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 logoCMC Invest
Halifax logoHalifax
Share Trading info Yes
CFD Trading info
ETFs info Yes Yes
Funds info Yes Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info
Crypto Trading info
Advisor Services info Yes
Investment Choices 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

Featured Offers


4.5/5 Stars

Low-cost US and UK shares.

4.5/5 Stars

Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.

Trading Tools

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 logoCMC Invest
Halifax logoHalifax
Web Platform info Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 0 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 0 0
Charting - Notes info
Charting - Display Corporate Events info
Charting - Stock Overlays info
Charting - Index Overlays info

ISAs and SIPPs

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.

Mobile App

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.

Beginners and Education

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 logoCMC Invest
Halifax logoHalifax
Client Webinars info
Client Webinars (Archived) info
Education (Share Trading) info Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.

Market Research

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 logoCMC Invest
Halifax logoHalifax
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info

CMC Invest vs Halifax Winner

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 logoCMC Invest
Halifax logoHalifax
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Website 2.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with CMC Invest or Halifax?

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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Compare

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Overall Rating CMC Invest Halifax
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Website 2.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Review CMC Invest Review Halifax Review
Winner check_circle
Investments CMC Invest Halifax
ISA info Yes Yes
SIPP info Yes Yes
Share Trading info Yes
CFD Trading info
Funds info Yes Yes
ETFs info Yes Yes
Bonds - Corporate info Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info
Crypto Trading info
Advisor Services info Yes
Trading Fees CMC Invest Halifax
Minimum Deposit info £0 £0
Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month info £0 £9.50
Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month info £0 £9.50
Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month info £0 £9.50
5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £0 / £120 / £300 info £83.50
12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £0 / £120 / £300 £150
36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £0 / £120 / £300 £378
120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £0 / £120 / £300 £1,176
3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £120 £64.50
Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 info £120 info £36
Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K info £120 info £36
Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m info £120 info £36
Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over info £120 info £36
Bonds - Corporate - Fee info N/A £9.5
Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee info N/A £9.5
ETFs - Fee info £0 £9.5
Investment Trusts - Fee info £0 £9.5
Telephone Dealing Fee info £0 £25
Broker Screenshots CMC Invest Halifax
Website Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Platforms & Tools CMC Invest Halifax
Web Platform info Yes
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 0 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 0 0
Charting - Notes info
Charting - Display Corporate Events info
Charting - Stock Overlays info
Charting - Index Overlays info
Research CMC Invest Halifax
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info
Education CMC Invest Halifax
Education (Share Trading) info Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes
Client Webinars info
Client Webinars (Archived) info
Overall Summary CMC Invest Halifax
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Website 2.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Review CMC Invest Review Halifax Review
Winner check_circle
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