Interactive Brokers vs CMC Invest 2025
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.
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.
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, Interactive Brokers 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.
If you’re comparing Interactive Brokers vs CMC Invest for UK investing, the key difference is product range. Interactive Brokers offers share trading, ETFs, funds, investment trusts, crypto, CFD trading, plus fixed income such as corporate bonds and government bonds (gilts). CMC Invest supports shares, ETFs, funds and investment trusts, but does not offer crypto, CFDs, corporate bonds or gilts.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars (ranked 2nd of 21) and CMC Invest 4 stars (14th of 21). Choose Interactive Brokers if you want the widest set of markets including crypto, CFDs and bonds; pick CMC Invest if your focus is straightforward share, ETF, fund and investment trust investing. Neither provider offers adviser services.
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Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
CFD Trading | Yes | No |
ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Mutual 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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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.
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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 comparing mobile trading options, both Interactive Brokers and CMC Invest offer iPhone and Android apps, but their app quality differs: UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers’ mobile app 5 stars and ranks it 4th out of 21 brokers, while CMC Invest’s app earns 3.5 stars and ranks 11th. If you prioritise a higher-rated mobile experience, Interactive Brokers has the edge, though both let you trade and manage your account on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing Interactive Brokers and CMC Invest, Interactive Brokers offers stronger learning support: it runs educational client webinars, provides an on-demand archive, and covers share trading, funds and retirement; it also holds a 4.5/5 beginner education rating and ranks #8 of 21 brokers at UK.StockBrokers.com. CMC Invest does not offer webinars or an on-demand library, covers share trading and retirement but not funds, and scores 2.5/5 with a #15 ranking. If you want easy-access lessons and broader topics, Interactive Brokers is the better fit; if you only need basics on shares and retirement, CMC Invest may suffice.
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Client Webinars | Yes | No |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors comparing Interactive Brokers vs CMC Invest on market research features, Interactive Brokers offers more depth: it provides fund research reports, a portfolio allocation view by asset class, and research on shares, ETFs, funds and bonds. CMC Invest includes research on shares, ETFs and funds but lacks fund research reports, bond research and portfolio allocation breakdowns. If you want broader coverage and allocation tools, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice; CMC Invest suits those after simpler share and fund look-ups.
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Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
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.
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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 5Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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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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Review | Interactive Brokers Review | CMC Invest Review | |
Winner | check_circle |
Investments | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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ISA | Yes | Yes | |
SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
Mutual 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 | ||
Advisor Services | No | No |
Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
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) | |||
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 | £0 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
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) | |||
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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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 | |
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Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
Research - CFDs | |||
Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Education | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | CMC Invest | |
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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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Review | Interactive Brokers Review | CMC Invest Review | |
Winner | check_circle |