Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers 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, Interactive Brokers 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 - Interactive Brokers would cost £15 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £36 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £108 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £360 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Brokers 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.
Interactive Brokers and CMC Invest are two popular online brokers in the UK, both offering a variety of investment options. For those interested in share trading, both platforms provide access to individual stocks. However, Interactive Brokers stands out with its ability to facilitate crypto trading, a feature that is not available with CMC Invest. While neither broker offers spread betting, both platforms do support trading of ETFs and funds. When it comes to more specific investment products like CFD trading, corporate bonds, and government bonds, Interactive Brokers provides these options, whereas CMC Invest does not.
Investment trust trading is available with both brokers, but neither offers advisor services. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earns an impressive 5-star rating for investment choices and ranks second out of 18 brokers. In contrast, CMC Invest receives 4.5 stars and holds the 14th position in the same ranking. This comparison highlights Interactive Brokers as a more comprehensive platform for those seeking a broader range of investment choices, while CMC Invest appeals to investors who prefer a more straightforward selection.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools offered by Interactive Brokers and CMC Invest, UK investors may find notable differences between the two. Interactive Brokers stands out with its extensive charting capabilities, providing the ability to display corporate events like earnings and dividends directly on charts, along with 80 drawing tools and 96 technical indicators. Users can also annotate charts and add both index and stock overlays for detailed analysis. On the other hand, CMC Invest does not support chart annotations, overlays, or offer any drawing tools or technical indicators, focusing instead on providing real-time market data.
Interactive Brokers also appeals to traders with its browser-based trading platform, offering a convenient option for managing investments online. While both platforms provide the capability to create alerts for stock price updates, CMC Invest only offers real-time market data, as Interactive Brokers lacks this feature. These differences may influence investors' choices based on their preference for advanced analytical tools or immediate market information.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 96 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing Interactive Brokers to CMC Invest for UK investors looking into retirement accounts, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). This makes them appealing options for those interested in tax-efficient investing strategies. Whether you're saving for your future through an ISA or planning your retirement with a SIPP, both Interactive Brokers and CMC Invest provide the necessary account types to meet your financial goals. Consider factors like fees and user experience when choosing the best fit for your investment needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking reliable mobile trading options, both Interactive Brokers and CMC Invest offer apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. Interactive Brokers' mobile app shines with a full 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the impressive #4 spot among 18 brokers. Meanwhile, CMC Invest is not far behind with a commendable 4.5-star rating, placing it at #11. Whether you prioritize top-tier rankings or notable ratings, both platforms provide solid mobile app choices that cater to your trading needs.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When considering beginner investor educational resources in the UK, Interactive Brokers and CMC Invest cater to different needs. Interactive Brokers stands out with its 4.5-star rating, offering live and on-demand webinars, alongside comprehensive content on share trading, funds, and retirement. Meanwhile, CMC Invest provides learning material on share trading, funds, and retirement without the added option of webinars, receiving a 4-star rating. Ranked #8 out of 18 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers is preferred for its extensive educational offerings, while CMC Invest, ranked #15, serves as an alternative for straightforward educational support.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When considering market research features, both Interactive Brokers and CMC Invest provide research reports for funds, shares, and ETFs, making them solid choices for comprehensive research on common investment vehicles. Interactive Brokers stands out with its ability to show portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with CMC Invest, providing an edge for investors keen on tracking diversification. Furthermore, Interactive Brokers offers research on CFDs and bonds, filling a gap where CMC Invest does not, which might be crucial for traders and investors looking for insights into these specific areas. UK investors seeking diverse and in-depth market research options will find Interactive Brokers advantageous due to its wider array of research offerings compared to CMC Invest.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Brokers or CMC Invest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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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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Interactive Brokers distinguishes itself from CMC Invest by offering crypto trading, a feature not available with CMC Invest, thereby appealing to investors seeking a comprehensive online brokerage with cryptocurrency options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £15 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £36 | £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) | £0 / £14.85 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £120 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 96 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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