Written by StockBrokers.com
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.
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 Investor 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.
Interactive Investor vs CMC Invest: both UK platforms offer share dealing plus a wide range of ETFs, funds and investment trusts. Neither supports cryptocurrency or CFD trading, and neither provides advice services. The key difference is fixed income access: Interactive Investor lets you buy corporate bonds and UK government bonds (gilts), while CMC Invest does not.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Investor higher (5 stars; ranked 3rd of 21) than CMC Invest (4 stars; ranked 14th of 21). If you need bonds alongside shares, ETFs, funds and trusts, Interactive Investor is the stronger fit; if you only want the core range without bonds, CMC Invest covers the essentials.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | 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.
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
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
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.
UK investors comparing Interactive Investor and CMC Invest will find both offer iPhone and Android trading apps. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor’s mobile app scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 7th out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while CMC Invest’s app scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 11th. For a higher-rated mobile experience, Interactive Investor has the edge; if you simply need access on iOS and Android, both deliver.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing online brokers, Interactive Investor outshines CMC Invest for educational resources: Interactive Investor offers live educational webinars with on-demand replays and covers share trading, funds, and retirement, while CMC Invest has no webinars or archives and covers share trading and retirement but not funds. Reflecting this, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Investor 5/5 stars and ranks it #2 of 21 brokers for beginner education, versus CMC Invest at 2.5/5 stars and #15.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 market research features, Interactive Investor offers more depth than CMC Invest. Interactive Investor provides fund research reports and lets you view portfolio allocation by asset class, both of which CMC Invest lacks. Both platforms include research on shares, ETFs and funds, but only Interactive Investor adds bonds research. If you want fund reports, a clear view of how your portfolio is split, and bond coverage, Interactive Investor is the better fit; if you just need basic share, ETF and fund research, CMC Invest will do.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 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
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CMC Invest
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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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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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | 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 | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £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 | £59.88 - £143.88 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £143.88 | £83.88 / £131.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | CMC Invest | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Investor | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Investor | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Investor | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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