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, CMC Invest offers better pricing than XTB 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 it comes to investment choices, both XTB and CMC Invest offer a variety of options tailored to different investor needs. XTB provides opportunities in share and ETF trading, as well as Contract for Difference (CFD) trading. However, it doesn't accommodate crypto trading, spread betting, fund trading, or bond and investment trust management. CMC Invest, on the other hand, covers share and ETF trading along with funds and investment trusts, although it doesn't support CFD trading or deal in bonds and cryptocurrencies.
Despite their differences in offerings, both brokers are highly rated, each receiving 4.5 stars for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, XTB is ranked slightly higher at number 14 out of 18 brokers, while CMC Invest follows closely at number 15. Understanding these investment options can help potential investors choose a broker that best matches their trading goals and strategies.
| Feature |
XTB
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | 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 the trading tools of XTB and CMC Invest, XTB clearly stands out with its robust features. XTB enhances its charts by allowing traders to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends, features absent in CMC Invest. Furthermore, XTB offers 20 drawing tools and 39 technical indicators, while CMC Invest provides none, making XTB more appealing to those who appreciate comprehensive technical analysis. Traders using XTB can also add notes to their charts, a feature not available with CMC Invest.
Both brokers fall short in providing index or stock overlays on charts. However, XTB further distinguishes itself with a browser-based trading platform, enhancing accessibility, while CMC Invest does not offer this capability. For traders looking for real-time updates, both XTB and CMC Invest deliver live market data and allow the creation of alerts for stock price changes. While both platforms offer some level of real-time functionality, XTB offers a more enriched and versatile trading environment overall.
| Feature |
XTB
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing online brokers XTB and CMC Invest in terms of retirement account offerings, both provide ISA accounts, making them appealing options for those looking to save tax efficiently. However, if you're interested in a SIPP account for retirement, CMC Invest stands out as the better choice, as XTB does not currently offer this option. This distinction makes CMC Invest a more comprehensive choice for investors seeking varied retirement account opportunities.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of online brokers XTB and CMC Invest, both offer robust applications for iPhone and Android users, making them equally accessible for traders on the go. UK.StockBrokers.com rates both XTB and CMC Invest mobile apps with a high score of 4.5 out of 5 stars. However, in a broader comparison among 18 brokers, CMC Invest slightly edges out XTB, securing the 7th spot for its mobile app functionality, while XTB is ranked 10th. This indicates that while both brokers provide reliable mobile platforms, CMC Invest holds a slight advantage in overall rankings.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors at XTB and CMC Invest, both platforms offer share trading education, but they diverge in coverage of more specific topics. CMC Invest provides additional resources on funds and retirement, whereas XTB does not cover these areas. Neither XTB nor CMC Invest offers live or on-demand educational client webinars. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, XTB is rated slightly higher for beginner education with 4.5 stars and ranks 8th out of 18 brokers, while CMC Invest has a 4-star rating, placing it 13th. Despite the differences, both brokers offer solid educational content, with XTB having a slight edge in overall ranking.
| Feature |
XTB
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of XTB and CMC Invest, it's evident that each platform has its strengths tailored to different investor needs. While CMC Invest provides comprehensive research reports for funds, an edge for mutual fund investors, XTB does not. However, XTB shines in offering a detailed view of portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available on CMC Invest. Both platforms deliver solid research on shares and ETFs, but when it comes to CFDs, XTB takes the lead as CMC Invest lacks this offering. Neither XTB nor CMC Invest offer research on bonds, so fixed-income investors might want to explore other options for detailed bond insights.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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, 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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| Mobile App |
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Both XTB and CMC Invest do not offer crypto trading options to their users.
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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 | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| 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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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | XTB | 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 | XTB | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | XTB | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | XTB Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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