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Interactive Investor vs CMC Invest 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

April 17, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor vs CMC Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Interactive Investor
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes
CMC Invest
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes

Fees

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 Investor 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 Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.

12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.

36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.

120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.

3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 per year.

query_stats 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.

Investment Choices

Interactive Investor and CMC Invest both offer a range of investment options that cater to UK investors seeking diverse portfolios. Interactive Investor stands out with the inclusion of corporate and government bonds, alongside more common choices like share trading, ETFs, funds, and investment trusts. This breadth of options is reflected in its 5-star rating and a commendable third-place ranking out of 21 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices. However, the platform does not provide options like crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading.

CMC Invest offers a similar suite of services, including share trading, ETFs, funds, and investment trusts, but lacks the option to trade corporate and government bonds. Despite this, it scores a strong 4.5-star rating and secures the 14th spot in the same rankings. Like Interactive Investor, CMC Invest does not support crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading. Neither platform provides advisory services, allowing investors to manage their portfolios independently. Overall, both brokers cater to a wide array of investment strategies, but their offerings differ slightly, which could influence investor preference based on specific needs.

Feature Interactive Investor logoInteractive Investor
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Share Trading info Yes Yes
CFD Trading info No No
ETFs info Yes Yes
Funds info Yes Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes No
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Advisor Services info No No
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars

Featured Offers


4.5/5 Stars

Low-cost US and UK shares.

4.5/5 Stars

Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.

Trading Tools

For UK investors searching for comprehensive trading tools, Interactive Investor stands out compared to CMC Invest. Interactive Investor provides a range of advanced charting features, including the ability to showcase corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts. It also supports 18 drawing tools and 104 technical indicators, empowering users to make well-informed trading decisions. In contrast, CMC Invest does not offer these charting capabilities, potentially hindering more detailed technical analysis.

Interactive Investor further enhances its charting utility by allowing users to add notes and both index and stock overlays, which are features not available with CMC Invest. Additionally, while both brokers supply real-time market data and the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, only Interactive Investor offers a browser-based trading platform, granting greater flexibility for users who prefer trading from various devices. This makes Interactive Investor a more versatile choice for traders with a deeper interest in technical analysis and browser accessibility.

Feature Interactive Investor logoInteractive Investor
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Web Platform info Yes No
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 104 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 18 0
Charting - Notes info Yes No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info Yes No
Charting - Stock Overlays info Yes No
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes No

ISAs and SIPPs

For UK investors seeking retirement account options, both Interactive Investor and CMC Invest serve as viable online brokers offering Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Interactive Investor provides a platform where users can effectively manage their ISAs and SIPPs, catering to those who want a streamlined approach to their investments. Similarly, CMC Invest offers the same account types, ensuring investors have access to tax-efficient savings and pension growth opportunities. In summary, both platforms support ISAs and SIPPs, helping UK investors make informed decisions about their financial futures with their versatile offerings.

Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.

Mobile App

For UK investors exploring online broker options, both Interactive Investor and CMC Invest provide mobile apps for iPhone and Android users. Each app is highly rated at 4.5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, indicating a strong user experience. Among 21 brokers, Interactive Investor stands out slightly higher, being ranked 7th for its mobile app, while CMC Invest holds the 11th spot. These rankings offer a glimpse into the competitive performance of both platforms in mobile trading convenience and functionality.

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.

Beginners and Education

For UK beginner investors seeking educational resources, Interactive Investor appears to outshine CMC Invest with its comprehensive offerings. Interactive Investor provides client webinars that are also available on-demand, while CMC Invest lacks this feature. Both platforms cover key topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement, but Interactive Investor's educational content is rated higher, receiving 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com compared to CMC Invest's 4-star rating. As a testament to its strong beginner resources, Interactive Investor ranks #2 out of 21 brokers, whereas CMC Invest stands at #15. These factors indicate that Interactive Investor equips novice investors with more accessible and highly-rated educational support.

Feature Interactive Investor logoInteractive Investor
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Education (Share Trading) info Yes Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.

Market Research

When comparing Interactive Investor and CMC Invest for their market research features, both platforms offer research reports for funds, shares, and ETFs, providing UK investors with valuable insights. Interactive Investor stands out by also offering research on bonds and the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, which CMC Invest does not provide. However, neither offers research on CFDs. With these differences, Interactive Investor may better suit those looking for comprehensive market analysis and portfolio insights.

Feature Interactive Investor logoInteractive Investor
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info No No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes No

Interactive Investor vs CMC Invest Winner

Which broker is better overall, Interactive Investor or CMC Invest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.

The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.

Feature Interactive Investor logoInteractive Investor
CMC Invest logoCMC Invest
Overall Rating 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile App 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Investor or CMC Invest?

When comparing online brokers Interactive Investor and CMC Invest, it's important to note that neither platform currently offers the option for crypto trading.

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Compare

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Overall Rating Interactive Investor CMC Invest
Overall Rating 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile App 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Review Interactive Investor Review CMC Invest Review
Winner check_circle
Investments Interactive Investor CMC Invest
ISA info Yes Yes
SIPP info Yes Yes
Share Trading info Yes Yes
CFD Trading info No No
Funds info Yes Yes
ETFs info Yes Yes
Bonds - Corporate info Yes No
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes No
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Advisor Services info No No
Trading Fees Interactive Investor CMC Invest
Minimum Deposit info £0 £0
Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month info £3.99 £0
Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month info £3.99 £0
Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month info £3.99 £0
5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £79.83 £0 / £120 / £300 info
12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £59.88 / £107.76 £0 / £120 / £300
36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £59.88 / £203.52 £0 / £120 / £300
120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £59.88 / £538.68 £0 / £120 / £300
3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £71.85 £120
Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 info £59.88 - £143.88 £120 info
Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K info £143.88 £120 info
Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m info £143.88 £120 info
Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over info £143.88 £120 info
Bonds - Corporate - Fee info £3.99 N/A
Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee info £3.99 N/A
ETFs - Fee info £3.99 £0
Investment Trusts - Fee info £3.99 £0
Telephone Dealing Fee info £49 £0
Broker Screenshots Interactive Investor CMC Invest
Website Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Platforms & Tools Interactive Investor CMC Invest
Web Platform info Yes No
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 104 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 18 0
Charting - Notes info Yes No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info Yes No
Charting - Stock Overlays info Yes No
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes No
Research Interactive Investor CMC Invest
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info No No
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes No
Education Interactive Investor CMC Invest
Education (Share Trading) info Yes Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Overall Summary Interactive Investor CMC Invest
Overall Rating 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile App 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Review Interactive Investor Review CMC Invest Review
Winner check_circle
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