IG vs CMC Invest 2026
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.
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.
Your capital is at risk.
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.
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.
IG vs CMC Invest for UK investors: both offer share dealing, ETFs and investment trusts, but they diverge on other instruments. IG adds CFD trading and crypto trading, while CMC Invest does not. CMC Invest offers funds, which IG does not. Neither platform supports corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts) or adviser services. Spread betting wasn’t specified for either broker.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG earns 5 stars for investment choices and ranks 6th of 21 brokers, while CMC Invest scores 4 stars and ranks 14th. In short, pick IG if you want CFDs or crypto alongside shares and ETFs; choose CMC Invest if you need funds with share dealing and investment trusts.
| Feature |
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CMC Invest
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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IG stands out for UK investors who want strong trading tools. Its browser-based platform supports detailed charting with 19 drawing tools, 33 technical indicators, corporate events on charts (earnings, splits, dividends), plus the ability to add notes, index overlays and stock overlays. You also get stock price alerts and real-time market data.
CMC Invest keeps things basic. While it offers price alerts and real-time market data, it doesn’t provide a browser-based trading platform, and its charts don’t support corporate events, drawing tools, technical indicators, notes, or index/stock overlays. If you need full-featured charting on the web, IG is the more suitable choice; if you only need live prices and alerts, CMC Invest may suffice.
| Feature |
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
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 comparing mobile trading apps, both IG and CMC Invest offer iPhone and Android apps. UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG’s app 5 stars and ranks it #2 out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while CMC Invest’s app earns 3.5 stars and ranks #13. If mobile experience matters most, IG leads, though both provide apps on the two major platforms.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing IG vs CMC Invest, IG stands out with live educational webinars and an on-demand library, plus guidance on funds and retirement (but not share trading). CMC Invest offers education on share trading and retirement (but not funds) and does not provide webinars or recordings. Reflecting this, UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG 5/5 stars and ranks it #1 of 21 for beginner education, while CMC Invest scores 2.5/5 stars and ranks #16.
| Feature |
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
IG vs CMC Invest for UK market research: IG offers research reports for funds and lets you see your portfolio allocation by asset class, alongside shares and ETF research; it does not provide general funds research or bonds research. CMC Invest lacks fund research reports and does not show allocation by asset class, but it does offer funds research plus shares and ETF research; it also has no bonds research. Choose IG if you want fund reports and a clear view of your portfolio mix, or CMC Invest if you need funds research within the platform.
| Feature |
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
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.
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CMC Invest
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When comparing online brokers, IG offers crypto trading while CMC Invest does not, making IG the better choice for investors seeking cryptocurrency market access.
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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 | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| 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) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | N/A | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Platforms & Tools | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | IG Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |