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, CMC Invest offers better pricing than IG 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 £136 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £96 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £108 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
120 trades per year - IG would cost £360 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 comparing IG and CMC Invest based on available investment choices, both online brokers offer several options tailored to various trading needs. IG provides share trading, ETF trading, CFD trading, and investment trusts, but lacks support for crypto trading, spread betting, funds trading, and bonds. On the other hand, CMC Invest also offers share trading, ETF trading, and investment trusts, but misses out on CFD trading and bonds, while uniquely providing options for funds trading.
Although both IG and CMC Invest are rated at 4.5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices, their rankings differ among competitors. IG holds the 10th position out of 18 brokers, whereas CMC Invest is ranked 15th. Each platform has its strengths, so the choice ultimately hinges on which specific investment opportunities are most critical to your financial strategy.
| Feature |
IG
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
|
|
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When it comes to trading tools, IG stands out with a wide range of features compared to CMC Invest. IG allows traders to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on charts—a feature CMC Invest lacks. Additionally, IG offers 19 drawing tools for charting, while CMC Invest provides none. For those who rely on technical indicators, IG offers 33, whereas CMC Invest again provides no options. Investors using IG can also add personal notes to their charts, a function not available with CMC Invest. Unfortunately, neither platform allows for index or stock overlays on charts.
In terms of platform accessibility, IG provides a browser-based trading platform, offering easy access from any device, while CMC Invest does not offer this feature. Both IG and CMC Invest offer real-time market data and the capability to set alerts for stock price updates, ensuring investors stay informed. Overall, for those seeking advanced charting tools and a versatile trading platform, IG provides more robust options compared to CMC Invest.
| Feature |
IG
|
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 | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Both IG and CMC Invest provide options for retirement planning by offering ISA (Individual Savings Account) and SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) accounts, making them viable choices for investors seeking tax-efficient savings solutions. IG and CMC Invest enable users to invest for the future with a variety of investment options, including stocks and funds, within these retirement accounts. Whether you're focusing on building a diversified portfolio for retirement through a SIPP or looking for a flexible saving strategy with an ISA, both brokerages offer platforms that cater to these financial goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both IG and CMC Invest cater to investors on the go by offering mobile apps for both iPhone and Android devices. When it comes to ratings, IG slightly edges out its competitor with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, compared to CMC Invest's commendable 4.5 stars. This small difference in rating is reflected in their overall ranking among 18 brokers, with IG securing the 6th position for mobile apps, just a notch above CMC Invest's 7th place. Whether choosing IG's top-rated performance or CMC Invest's almost equally robust app, investors can expect a reliable mobile trading experience from both platforms.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, IG and CMC Invest present a few distinct differences. IG provides educational client webinars, including archives for on-demand viewing, whereas CMC Invest doesn't offer webinars in any format. Both platforms cover share trading and retirement education, but only CMC Invest includes education on investment funds. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG boasts a 5-star rating for beginner education and ranks 7th out of 18 brokers, while CMC Invest has a 4-star rating and ranks 13th. These differences may guide beginners in choosing the platform that best fits their educational needs.
| Feature |
IG
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online brokers IG and CMC Invest, both platforms provide research reports for funds as well as comprehensive shares and ETFs research. However, their offerings diverge when it comes to funds research and CFDs research. CMC Invest excels in funds research, while IG provides research capabilities for CFDs, an area where CMC Invest falls short. Neither platform supports insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, nor do they offer research on bonds, which might be a consideration for users focusing on these investments.
| Feature |
IG
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | 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.
| Feature |
IG
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Charges & Fees |
|
|
| Investment Choices |
|
|
| Mobile App |
|
|
| Website |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
When comparing online brokers IG and CMC Invest, both platforms do not offer cryptocurrency trading, providing investors who prioritize traditional asset classes with focused options for managing their portfolios.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| 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 | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0-£10 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £136 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £96 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £360 | £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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | No |
| Education | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | IG | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | IG Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
IG Group Review
Saxo Review
eToro Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Trading 212 Review
XTB Review
CMC Invest Review
Vanguard Review
Hargreaves Lansdown Review
Halifax Review
Freetrade Review