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.
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, Barclays offers better pricing than Bestinvest 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.
Comparing Barclays vs Bestinvest for UK investors: both let you trade shares, ETFs, funds and investment trusts, and both offer access to adviser services. Neither supports crypto or CFD trading, and spread betting isn’t listed by either provider. The key difference is fixed income: Barclays offers trading in corporate bonds and UK government bonds (gilts), while Bestinvest does not.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Barclays at 5 stars and Bestinvest at 4.5 stars; rankings out of 21 brokers are not available. If you want shares, funds, ETFs and trusts, either platform works well, but if you need gilts or corporate bonds within your account, Barclays is the better fit.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 tool features of Barclays and Bestinvest, both lack the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on charts. Barclays, however, provides a more basic experience with no drawing tools, technical indicators, or options to add notes to charts, offering a straightforward browser-based trading platform. In contrast, Bestinvest enhances the user experience with nine drawing tools and 36 technical indicators, along with the ability to add notes to charts, catering to users who appreciate more detailed chart analysis.
Both Barclays and Bestinvest offer browser-based trading platforms and the capability to set alerts for stock price updates. Although neither provides real-time market data, Bestinvest stands out with its added functionality to overlay stock information on charts—something Barclays does not offer. If you seek a feature-rich charting experience, Bestinvest might align more closely with your trading needs.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
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.
Comparing online brokers Barclays and Bestinvest for mobile trading in the UK: both offer iPhone and Android apps. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Barclays’ mobile app is rated 2.5 out of 5, while Bestinvest’s app scores 3.5 out of 5. Mobile app rankings out of 21 brokers are not available for either provider. If you want on-the-go access on iOS or Android, both deliver, but Bestinvest earns the higher review score.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing Barclays vs Bestinvest, both offer education on share trading, funds, and retirement, but Bestinvest goes further with live educational webinars and an on-demand archive, while Barclays does not provide webinars. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Barclays 4.5/5 for beginner education and Bestinvest 5/5, with rankings among 21 brokers not provided. If you want guided sessions you can watch later, Bestinvest is the stronger choice, while Barclays still covers the key topics for self-study.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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 Barclays and Bestinvest for market research features available to UK investors, both platforms provide research reports for funds, ensuring users access in-depth information to make informed decisions. They also allow you to visualize your portfolio allocation by asset class, a useful tool for understanding your investment spread. Additionally, both brokers offer research on shares, ETFs, and funds, catering to a wide array of investment interests. However, when it comes to bonds research, Barclays has the edge over Bestinvest, offering this additional insight for investors interested in the bond market, whereas Bestinvest does not.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| 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
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Both Barclays and Bestinvest do not offer crypto trading, making them similar options for investors who are not seeking cryptocurrency investment opportunities.
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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 | 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 | 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) | |||
| 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 | £0 - £525 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £525 - £650 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £650 - £850 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £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 | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| 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 | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Barclays | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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