Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers 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, Interactive Brokers 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.
Interactive Brokers and Barclays both give UK investors access to a wide range of account investment choices, including share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, gilts and investment trusts. Both are rated 5 out of 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices, showing that each offers plenty of options for building a diversified portfolio. Neither broker offers crypto trading or spread betting.
The main difference is that Interactive Brokers also offers CFD trading, while Barclays does not. Barclays does offer adviser services, which Interactive Brokers does not. In UK.StockBrokers.com’s investment choices ranking, Interactive Brokers is placed #1 out of 21 brokers, making it a leading choice for investors who want a broad range of products in one account.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Interactive Brokers vs Barclays: when it comes to trading tools, the gap in charting features is clear. Interactive Brokers lets you show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, add notes, and apply index or stock overlays. It also provides 85 drawing tools and 155 technical indicators. Barclays, by comparison, does not offer corporate events on charts, chart notes, overlays, drawing tools, or technical indicators.
Both brokers offer a browser-based platform and allow price alerts for share movements, and neither provides real-time market data. For UK investors who want deeper chart work and analysis, Interactive Brokers has the features to hand; Barclays may suit those who only need basic web access and alerts.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing Interactive Brokers and Barclays for UK retirement account options, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), giving investors flexibility in choosing tax-efficient savings solutions. Interactive Brokers, well-regarded for its comprehensive trading tools, makes these accounts available with its diverse investment offerings. Barclays, a well-known banking institution, provides ISAs and SIPPs alongside its range of traditional banking services, ensuring familiarity and accessibility. Whether prioritizing advanced trading capabilities or preferring established banking convenience, both Interactive Brokers and Barclays present viable options for managing retirement savings with ISAs and SIPPs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing mobile trading apps, both Interactive Brokers and Barclays offer iPhone and Android options; however, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers’ app 5/5 stars and ranks it 5th out of 21 brokers, while Barclays’ app earns 2.5/5 stars with no available ranking, making Interactive Brokers the stronger choice for mobile trading.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing Interactive Brokers and Barclays, Interactive Brokers stands out for education: it runs client webinars and offers an on-demand library, while Barclays does not provide webinars. Both cover share trading, funds, and retirement, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars and ranks it 4th of 21 for beginner education, versus Barclays at 4.5 stars with no ranking listed. If live and catch-up lessons matter, Interactive Brokers offers broader learning support.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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.
For UK investors seeking detailed market research features, both Interactive Brokers and Barclays present comprehensive options. Each platform provides research reports for various funds, allowing for informed decision-making. Users can easily view portfolio allocations by asset class through both services. When it comes to research offerings, Interactive Brokers and Barclays excel equally, offering insights into shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds. This parity in research capabilities ensures that investors can fully explore and understand their investment options on both platforms.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Brokers or Barclays? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.
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Barclays
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Interactive Brokers offers crypto trading through select products and regions, while Barclays does not currently offer crypto trading, making Interactive Brokers the better choice for investors seeking direct cryptocurrency access.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Barclays | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £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 | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3 | £6 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | $30 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Barclays | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | Barclays | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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