Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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, Trading 212 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 - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
12 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
36 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
120 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £1 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 the investment offerings of Trading 212 and CMC Invest, both platforms provide a range of options to cater to traders and investors. Trading 212 and CMC Invest both offer share trading and ETF trading, making them suitable for those interested in these assets. They also support investment trusts, yet neither caters to clients interested in crypto trading, spread betting, or corporate and government bonds. Notably, while Trading 212 offers the versatility of CFD trading, CMC Invest compensates with the ability to trade funds, showing tailored alternatives for diverse investment strategies.
Both brokers are recognized for their strong investment offerings, earning 4.5-star ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com. Despite the similar rating, Trading 212 is ranked slightly higher at 11th out of 18 brokers, compared to CMC Invest’s 15th place on the list. This might indicate a broader appeal or more refined satisfaction in its investment choices, offering users a slightly enhanced experience. Trading 212 and CMC Invest continue to reflect robust platforms, appealing to a wide range of investment goals and preferences.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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 | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing Trading 212 and CMC Invest, Trading 212 clearly stands out with a robust offering of trading tools. It provides traders with 27 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators to aid in chart analysis, whereas CMC Invest does not offer any of these features. Additionally, Trading 212 allows users to add notes to charts, enhancing the charting experience, a feature not available with CMC Invest. Both platforms do not provide the ability to display corporate events, add index or stock overlays to charts, but Trading 212 has the advantage of a browser-based trading platform, which CMC Invest lacks.
Both Trading 212 and CMC Invest offer the ability to set alerts for stock price updates and provide real-time market data, ensuring that users are kept up-to-date with market conditions. However, for those seeking comprehensive charting tools and a versatile trading experience on a browser-based platform, Trading 212 offers a more advanced suite of features compared to CMC Invest.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 27 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing online brokers Trading 212 and CMC Invest for retirement account options, it's important to look at what each offers. Both platforms provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), making them equal on this front for tax-efficient savings. However, when it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs)—which allow for more control and flexibility over pension investments—CMC Invest stands out as the better option, offering SIPPs while Trading 212 does not. Therefore, if you're considering retirement savings in the form of a SIPP, CMC Invest would be the preferable choice.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of Trading 212 and CMC Invest, both platforms provide reliable services for iPhone and Android users. Trading 212 boasts a top-notch mobile application, earning a perfect 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, yet it ranks 9th among 18 brokers for mobile app performance. On the other hand, CMC Invest offers a robust mobile experience with a commendable 4.5-star rating from the same source, achieving a higher rank of 7th place. Whether you prioritize a higher app rating or a higher overall rank, both brokers deliver solid options for investing on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, both Trading 212 and CMC Invest provide helpful content, particularly in the areas of share trading and funds. However, neither platform offers client webinars, whether live or on demand, which might be a downside for those who prefer interactive learning sessions. For retirement topics, though, CMC Invest offers more comprehensive education materials, which is a plus for those focused on long-term planning. Despite these differences, each online broker has earned a respectable 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their beginner education, with Trading 212 being ranked 11th out of 18 brokers, while CMC Invest comes in at 13th place. Both platforms serve as solid choices for newcomers but cater to slightly different learning needs.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Trading 212 and CMC Invest, there are notable differences that cater to varying investor needs. Trading 212 stands out with its capability to provide detailed portfolio allocation insights by asset class, a feature not available with CMC Invest. Both platforms provide robust research for shares and ETFs, supporting informed investment decisions across these asset types. However, CMC Invest has an advantage for fund investors by offering comprehensive research reports for funds, a feature that Trading 212 lacks. Additionally, while Trading 212 supports research for CFDs, this is not a research area covered by CMC Invest. Neither platform offers research for bonds, which could be a consideration for bond investors exploring these services.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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 | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Trading 212 or CMC Invest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Trading 212 to be a better trading platform overall.
Trading 212 offers commission-free share dealing and is a great option for those looking to simply execute share or ETF trades. Novice investors or those looking for more diversification through mutual funds may find better options elsewhere.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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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Both Trading 212 and CMC Invest do not offer crypto trading, positioning them as online brokers that focus on other investment options for users seeking alternatives to cryptocurrency transactions.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Trading 212 | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | 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 | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Trading 212 | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £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 | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | 0 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | 0 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Trading 212 | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 27 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Trading 212 | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Trading 212 | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Trading 212 | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Education |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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