Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Barclays vs Bestinvest, 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, Barclays offers better pricing than Bestinvest 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 - Barclays would cost £105 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £144.75 per year.
12 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £119.40 - £179.40 per year.
36 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £238.20 - £357.60 per year.
120 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £654 - £714 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Barclays would cost £0 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £50 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 Barclays and Bestinvest for investment options, both platforms offer a wide array of choices for UK investors. Barclays stands out with its comprehensive selection, including the trading of shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, and government bonds, as well as investment trusts and advisory services. Bestinvest also provides a robust lineup with share trading, ETFs, funds, investment trusts, and advisor services available. However, it falls slightly short in offering trading of corporate and government bonds.
Both platforms receive commendable ratings for their investment choices, with Barclays earning a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and a rank of 9th out of 21 brokers, while Bestinvest garners a 4.5-star rating and ranks 10th. This difference underscores Barclays as a marginally more versatile option for investors looking for a broader range of traditional investment options, while Bestinvest offers a solid selection that meets the needs of most users.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of Barclays and Bestinvest, there are distinct differences that may influence a trader’s choice. Barclays provides a browser-based trading platform and stock price alert features, but does not offer additional functionalities like overlaying stock data or corporate events directly onto charts. In contrast, Bestinvest enhances the trading experience by allowing users to display corporate events, overlay stock data on charts, and supports note-taking directly on charts. Such tools offer a more comprehensive view of stock performance and market trends.
Bestinvest further strengthens its charting capabilities with 9 drawing tools and 36 technical indicators, catering to users who rely on technical analysis for trading decisions. Although both platforms offer browser-based trading and stock price alerts, Bestinvest offers a more detailed charting experience, whereas Barclays remains more streamlined with limited charting functionalities. UK traders looking for extensive charting and analytical features may find Bestinvest to be the more attractive choice between the two.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays |
When comparing online brokers Barclays and Bestinvest, both offer appealing options for UK residents considering retirement and savings accounts. Barclays provides Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), allowing investors to save efficiently with tax advantages. Similarly, Bestinvest offers ISAs and SIPPs, making it a strong contender for those seeking a flexible and tax-efficient approach to savings and retirement planning. With both brokers supporting these popular account types, UK investors have the freedom to choose based on other factors such as customer service and additional features to best suit their investment goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing online brokers Barclays and Bestinvest for UK investors looking for mobile trading convenience, both firms offer apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. However, in terms of user experience as rated by UK.StockBrokers.com, Bestinvest's mobile app outshines Barclays with a rating of 3.5 stars compared to Barclays' 2.5 stars. Additionally, Barclays lands at the bottom of the rankings at 21st place among 21 brokers for its mobile app, while Bestinvest sits higher at 16th. This indicates that while both offer the essential tools for trading on-the-go, Bestinvest provides a more user-friendly mobile experience according to these ratings.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors offered by Barclays and Bestinvest, both platforms provide valuable content on share trading, funds, and retirement. Bestinvest stands out by offering live educational webinars that can be viewed on demand, a feature that Barclays lacks. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Bestinvest is rated with a perfect 5 stars for beginner education, positioning it at 6th out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Barclays, with a slightly lower rating of 4.5 stars, ranks 10th. Both brokers offer substantial resources, but Bestinvest provides a more interactive learning experience for beginners.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online brokers Barclays and Bestinvest, both platforms provide comprehensive research reports for funds and allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class. Investors can access insights on shares, ETFs, and funds through both Barclays and Bestinvest, offering a thorough resource for those interested in diverse asset types. However, Barclays extends its research offerings by providing bond research, a feature not available with Bestinvest. Neither platform offers research on CFDs, making them similar in this regard. Overall, both brokers offer valuable resources for investors, with Barclays having a slight edge in bond research.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Barclays or Bestinvest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Barclays to be a better trading platform overall.
Barclays Smart Investor offers a wide range of investments and accounts and is a good value for those with a midsize portolio who like flat fees. On the downside, it can be complicated to open an account as a non-Barclays bank customer, and you can’t buy or sell investments through the app if you don’t have a Barclays bank account.
| Feature |
Barclays
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Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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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Barclays does not offer crypto trading, whereas Bestinvest also does not provide crypto trading services.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £105 | £144.75 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £147 | £119.40 - £179.40 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £291 | £238.20 - £357.60 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £795 | £654 - £714 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 | £60 or £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £525 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £525 - £650 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £650 - £850 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £850 and up | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £6 | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £6 | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £6 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £6 | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | |||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Education |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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