Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs CMC Invest, 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, IG offers better pricing than CMC Invest 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 - IG would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
120 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
3 fund trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest 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 considering the varied investment options provided by online brokers, IG and CMC Invest offer compelling services for UK investors. Both platforms enable share and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) trading, which are popular investment choices. Additionally, they support investment trust trading, providing further diversification options for investors. However, CMC Invest stands out by offering funds trading, a service not explicitly advertised by IG. Both brokers have received 4.5-star ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices, indicating a high level of customer satisfaction.
When examining their standing among peers, IG ranks at number 11 out of 21 brokers, slightly ahead of CMC Invest, which stands at number 14. This suggests that while both platforms are highly rated, IG may provide a wider or marginally more competitive range of investment possibilities. Despite the close competition, potential investors should consider their specific trading needs and preferences, as offerings such as crypto trading, spread betting, and bond trading were not compared for both brokers.
| Feature |
IG
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | ||
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors comparing trading tools, IG stands out significantly against CMC Invest. IG offers a more feature-rich environment, allowing users to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on their charts. It provides an impressive suite of 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators for intricate chart analysis. Additionally, IG allows traders to add personal notes to charts, creating a more organised and effective trading experience. Both platforms offer real-time market data and the capability to create alerts for stock price updates, catering to real-time trading needs.
While IG supports a browser-based trading platform, details on similar support from CMC Invest are unavailable. Consequently, IG appears to cater to traders seeking in-depth charting and analysis capabilities, whereas CMC Invest may serve those who do not require advanced charting features. Thus, IG might be the preferred choice for investors looking for comprehensive trading tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
For UK investors comparing retirement investment options between IG and CMC Invest, both online brokers offer a variety of tax-efficient accounts to suit your needs. IG provides both Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), giving you flexibility in managing your savings and retirement investments. Similarly, CMC Invest also offers ISAs and SIPPs. Choosing between them may come down to other factors such as platform features or customer service, as both brokers offer the essential retirement account types needed for British investors seeking to maximize their tax benefits while planning for the future.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking a reliable mobile trading experience, both IG and CMC Invest offer iPhone and Android apps to suit your needs. Rated 5 stars for its mobile app, IG ranks as the second-best choice among 21 brokers according to UK.StockBrokers.com, reflecting its superior user experience. Meanwhile, CMC Invest provides a strong offering with a 4.5-star rating, securing the 11th spot on the same list, making it a commendable option for mobile trading enthusiasts.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK seeking educational resources, IG and CMC Invest offer distinct experiences. IG provides comprehensive client webinars, including on-demand archives, across various topics such as share trading and retirement. CMC Invest, while also offering education on share trading, goes further by incorporating content on funds and retirement, though it lacks archived webinars. In terms of quality, IG is unrivaled, achieving a prestigious 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranking first among 21 competitors for beginner education. CMC Invest, though commendable, receives a 4-star rating and ranks 15th. These differences highlight IG's superior support for those new to investing.
| Feature |
IG
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing IG and CMC Invest for market research features, both platforms provide research reports for funds, supporting investors in making informed decisions. They equally cater to those interested in shares and ETFs, offering research options in these areas. However, CMC Invest stands out with its unique offering of research for funds, which IG lacks. On the other hand, IG offers research on Contracts for Difference (CFDs), providing an option that CMC Invest does not match. Both platforms do not currently offer research on bonds or detailed views of portfolio allocation by asset class, which could be a consideration for investors focusing on these aspects. Overall, each service brings different strengths to the table, allowing investors to choose based on their specific research needs.
| Feature |
IG
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown |
Which broker is better overall, IG or CMC Invest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
| Feature |
IG
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CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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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Both IG and CMC Invest do not offer crypto trading options in their investment platforms, with each providing a wide array of other financial instruments and markets for trading.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | IG Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | |||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | |||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | ||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| 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) | £0 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 / £96 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 / £96 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 / £96 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 / £96 | £120 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 - £8 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 - £8 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | CMC Invest | |
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| 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 | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | ||
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown |
| Education | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | IG Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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