Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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, XTB 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 - XTB would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
12 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
36 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
120 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
3 fund trades per year - XTB 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.
When comparing XTB and CMC Invest, both brokers offer UK investors diverse investment options. XTB allows users to trade shares, ETFs, and Contracts for Difference (CFDs). On the other hand, CMC Invest offers trading in shares, ETFs, and investment trusts, along with the ability to trade funds, providing a broad spectrum of opportunities. Both platforms impressively hold a solid 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices, indicating a comparable level of satisfaction among users.
Although XTB and CMC Invest have been rated equally, there is a slight difference in their ranking positions, with XTB at #13 and CMC Invest at #14 out of 21 brokers reviewed for investment choices. This suggests a marginal edge for XTB in terms of ranking, although both platforms cater well to investors looking for varied and accessible options. While neither offers crypto trading, spread betting, bond trading, or advisor services, these brokers together cover a wide range of traditional and modern investment products.
| Feature |
XTB
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | ||
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When it comes to charting and trading tools, XTB stands out with a range of features tailored for the active trader. XTB provides the capability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, enhancing the analytical experience. With access to 20 drawing tools and 39 technical indicators, traders can deeply analyze market trends and patterns. Additionally, XTB's platform supports adding notes to charts and includes a browser-based trading option, making it accessible from any device. Traders benefit from real-time market data and customizable alerts for stock price updates.
In contrast, CMC Invest's current offering focuses more on the essentials rather than advanced charting tools. They do provide real-time market data and reliable alerts for stock price fluctuations, which can keep traders informed. However, CMC Invest does not include options for displaying corporate events on charts, adding chart notes, or utilizing drawing tools and technical indicators, potentially limiting the depth of analysis possible for users seeking comprehensive charting capabilities.
| Feature |
XTB
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
When comparing XTB and CMC Invest for retirement accounts in the UK, both brokers offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), catering to those looking to save tax-efficiently. However, while CMC Invest provides the option of a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) for long-term retirement planning, XTB does not currently offer SIPP accounts. This distinction could be a deciding factor for those prioritizing comprehensive retirement solutions.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile offerings of XTB and CMC Invest, both brokers provide apps for iPhone and Android devices, making them accessible to users across a wide range of smartphones. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, XTB's mobile app has earned an impressive rating of 4.5 stars, placing it 6th out of 21 brokers for mobile app quality. Similarly, CMC Invest's app also garners a strong 4.5-star rating, but ranks 11th in the same category. This indicates that while both apps are highly rated, XTB edges out in terms of overall ranking for mobile app performance among UK brokers.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors exploring educational tools, both XTB and CMC Invest offer valuable resources, though there are key differences to consider. XTB provides comprehensive education on share trading, earning them an impressive 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, they do not offer webinars or resources on funds and retirement topics, and their webinars lack on-demand access, placing them 9th out of 21 brokers for beginner education. Conversely, CMC Invest not only covers share trading but also offers insights into funds and retirement, along with educational webinars that are archivable for on-demand viewing. Despite these offerings, CMC Invest holds a slightly lower rating of 4 stars, ranking 15th in the same comparison.
| Feature |
XTB
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | ||
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing market research features between online brokers XTB and CMC Invest for UK investors, there are several key differences to consider. CMC Invest provides research reports for funds, a feature not available with XTB. However, XTB enables users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, an option lacking in CMC Invest's offerings. Both brokers support research on shares and ETFs, giving investors a wealth of information for these asset types. While CMC Invest includes research on funds, XTB focuses on CFDs, an area where CMC Invest does not offer research. Neither broker provides research for bonds, leaving this area unexplored for users of both platforms.
| Feature |
XTB
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, XTB or CMC Invest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found XTB to be a better trading platform overall.
XTB has set itself up as a strong competitor in commission-free share trading. Its low fees and solid educational content will make XTB particularly attractive to newer investors. It does not, however, offer an ISA or SIPP.
| Feature |
XTB
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CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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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 XTB and CMC Invest provide options for crypto trading, with XTB offering an extensive range of cryptocurrencies and CMC Invest delivering a streamlined platform focused on user-friendly access to digital assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | XTB Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | XTB | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | |||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | |||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | Yes | ||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | XTB | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £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) | N/A | £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 | N/A | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | CMC Invest | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | ||
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | XTB | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
| Education | XTB | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | |||
| Client Webinars (Archived) |
| Overall Summary | XTB | CMC Invest | |
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| Review | XTB Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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