Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Barclays, 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, IG offers better pricing than Barclays 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.
When comparing IG and Barclays for investment options available to UK investors, both offer share trading and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), making them suitable for those interested in more traditional stock market ventures. However, IG distinguishes itself with the option to trade contracts for difference (CFDs), while Barclays does not support this type of trading. Neither platform offers crypto trading, but Barclays provides more diverse offerings, including funds, corporate bonds, and government bonds (gilts), along with professional advisor services, giving investors access to a broad range of investment opportunities and expert guidance.
Despite IG's solid 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, it's Barclays that clinches a perfect 5-star rating due to its wide array of investment choices. Furthermore, Barclays ranks 9th out of 21 brokers for investment choices, slightly outperforming IG, which is ranked 11th. This reflects Barclays' slightly more comprehensive service for investors seeking varied assets and expert advice, whereas IG may appeal more to those looking to engage in CFD trading as part of their investment strategy.
| Feature |
IG
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
|
|
Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the charting tools offered by IG and Barclays, IG clearly provides a more comprehensive suite of features for traders. IG stands out by including 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators, while Barclays offers none. Additionally, IG allows users to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on their charts, a feature not available through Barclays. IG also lets traders add notes directly to charts, further enhancing the ability to personalize and analyze data for informed decision-making.
Both IG and Barclays offer browser-based trading platforms and the ability to create alerts for stock price updates, making them accessible options for real-time trading. However, only IG delivers real-time market data, providing a significant edge for traders who rely on the most current market information. For UK investors seeking advanced charting capabilities and real-time insights, IG offers richer tools compared to Barclays.
| Feature |
IG
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When considering online brokers for retirement accounts in the UK, both IG and Barclays offer flexible options to suit various financial goals. IG provides access to both Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), allowing for tax-efficient growth and personal control over your investments. Similarly, Barclays offers a range of retirement solutions with their ISAs and SIPPs, catering to individuals looking to manage and invest their savings prudently. Both platforms are designed to support your financial future, making it important to evaluate your personal needs and preferences when choosing between these two reputable providers.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing mobile trading apps from IG and Barclays, both offer compatibility with iPhone and Android devices, ensuring accessibility for all users. However, the quality of the apps is where they diverge significantly. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG's app stands out with an impressive 5-star rating, securing the #2 spot out of 21 brokers for mobile app excellence. In contrast, Barclays lags with a 2.5-star rating, placing it at the bottom as #21. This suggests that IG provides a more reliable and user-friendly experience for mobile trading compared to Barclays, making it a preferred choice for tech-savvy investors in the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, IG stands out as a top choice in the UK, offering compelling features such as live educational webinars, which are also archived for on-demand viewing. In contrast, Barclays does not provide webinars. Both IG and Barclays cover essential investment topics like share trading and retirement, but Barclays offers additional resources on funds, which IG does not. Notably, UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG at 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 21 brokers for its beginner education resources, while Barclays receives a commendable 4.5 stars, securing the #10 spot. For those prioritising access to educational webinars and a highly rated platform, IG might be the preferable option.
| Feature |
IG
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of IG and Barclays for UK investors, both platforms provide research reports for funds and shares. However, Barclays takes the lead with its exclusive ability to display portfolio allocation by asset class, which IG lacks. In addition to shares and ETFs research available on both platforms, Barclays distinguishes itself by also offering in-depth research on funds and bonds, options not covered by IG. For investors prioritizing comprehensive market insights, especially in funds and bonds, Barclays presents a more complete research toolset.
| Feature |
IG
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Barclays? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
| Feature |
IG
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Charges & Fees |
|
|
| Investment Choices |
|
|
| Mobile App |
|
|
| Website |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Neither IG nor Barclays offer cryptocurrency trading, positioning both online brokers similarly for investors interested in crypto assets.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | IG Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | IG | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| 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 / £96 | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 / £96 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 / £96 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 / £96 | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 - £8 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 - £8 | £6 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools | IG | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | IG | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
| Education | IG | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | IG | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | IG Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
Trading 212 Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Hargreaves Lansdown Review
XTB Review
IG Group Review
eToro Review
Saxo Review
CMC Invest Review
Freetrade Review
Halifax Review
Vanguard Review