Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor 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, Barclays offers better pricing than Interactive Investor 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 - Interactive Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while Barclays would cost £105 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £0 per year, while Barclays 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.
For investors in the UK, both Interactive Investor and Barclays offer a comprehensive range of investment options, excelling particularly in share trading, ETF trading, and the trading of corporate and government bonds. However, Interactive Investor and Barclays have not extended their services to areas like crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading. With both platforms delivering strong capabilities in funds and investment trusts trading, investors have access to diverse portfolios.
While Interactive Investor and Barclays achieve a solid 5-star rating for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com, there is a notable difference in their rankings among 21 brokers, with Interactive Investor taking the third spot and Barclays positioned at ninth. Barclays stands out with the availability of advisor services, which might appeal to those seeking additional guidance, whereas Interactive Investor does not offer such services. Choosing between these platforms will largely depend on personal preferences regarding additional services and specific trading needs.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors seeking advanced charting capabilities, Interactive Investor stands out compared to Barclays. Interactive Investor users can view corporate events like earnings and dividends directly on charts, use 18 different drawing tools, and access 104 technical indicators, allowing for a comprehensive trading analysis. In contrast, Barclays lacks these chart enhancements, with no drawing tools or technical indicators available. Interactive Investor further allows users to add personal notes, index overlays, and stock overlays to charts, capabilities that are not provided by Barclays.
Both brokers do offer browser-based trading platforms, making online trading straightforward for users. However, while both Interactive Investor and Barclays facilitate setting up alerts for stock price updates, only Interactive Investor delivers real-time market data. This feature ensures that investors have immediate access to the latest market movements, a critical advantage in timely decision-making. Interactive Investor’s overall approach to empowering traders with detailed tools and data sets it apart as a more equipped choice for serious investors.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
When comparing online brokers Interactive Investor and Barclays for UK retirement accounts, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). This makes either option suitable for investors looking to save for retirement or manage their investments in a tax-efficient manner. With both providing these essential account types, potential users should consider factors like fees, tools, and customer service when making a decision best suited to their financial goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For investors in the UK looking for mobile trading options, Interactive Investor and Barclays both offer apps compatible with iPhones and Android devices. Interactive Investor shines with a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, earning a commendable 7th place out of 21 brokers for its mobile app experience. In contrast, Barclays receives a modest 2.5-star rating, placing it at 21st position among the same group. This comparison highlights Interactive Investor as the stronger choice for those prioritising a high-quality mobile app for their investment needs.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, Interactive Investor shines brighter than Barclays. Interactive Investor offers live and archived educational webinars, allowing newbies to learn on their own schedule. However, Barclays lacks this on-demand webinar feature. Both platforms provide lessons on crucial topics like share trading, funds, and retirement, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor boasts a perfect 5-star rating for its educational efforts, placing it at an impressive 2nd among 21 brokers, while Barclays follows with a solid 4.5 stars, ranking 10th. Whether you're starting your investment journey or looking to deepen your understanding, Interactive Investor provides a more accessible and favourable educational platform than Barclays.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Interactive Investor and Barclays, both platforms provide similar benefits for UK investors. They each offer research reports for funds and insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, enhancing decision-making for those investing in various financial products. Both brokers also deliver comprehensive research on shares, ETFs, and funds, which ensures investors have access to vital information for these asset types. If you are looking into bonds, Barclays and Interactive Investor both offer valuable research resources. However, neither platform provides research on CFDs, which may be a limitation for those interested in this particular investment type. Overall, whether you choose Interactive Investor or Barclays, both deliver strong market research features, helping you make informed investment decisions.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| 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 Investor or Barclays? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
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Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| 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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Interactive Investor does not offer crypto trading, while Barclays also does not provide crypto trading services, making them similar in their offerings concerning cryptocurrency options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | Barclays | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £6 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | £105 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £75 or £147 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £75 or £291 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £75 or £795 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | £75 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £143.88 | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | £6 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Interactive Investor | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Investor | 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 Investor | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | Barclays | |
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| Education |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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