Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Barclays vs Lloyds Bank, 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 Lloyds Bank 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 Lloyds Bank would cost £95 per year.
12 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year, while Lloyds Bank would cost £40 - £172 per year.
36 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year, while Lloyds Bank would cost £40 - £328 per year.
120 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year, while Lloyds Bank would cost £40 / £1,000 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Barclays would cost £0 per year, while Lloyds Bank 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.
When comparing the online brokerage services of Barclays and Lloyds Bank in the UK, both offer a comprehensive range of investment options for those interested in managing their portfolios. Investors can trade shares, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts with both financial institutions. However, neither Barclays nor Lloyds Bank provides options for crypto trading, spread betting, or contracts for difference (CFDs), making them more suitable for traditional investment strategies. Additionally, both banks extend advisor services to assist investors in making informed decisions.
Despite their similar offerings, subtle differences exist in their market rankings. Rated five stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices, Barclays is positioned as the ninth top choice out of 21 UK brokers. Lloyds Bank, receiving the same five-star rating, edges slightly ahead, securing the eighth spot. For UK investors seeking a wide range of traditional investment choices with professional guidance available, both banks present as viable and reliable options.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Barclays and Lloyds Bank for online trading tools, both provide a straightforward, browser-based trading platform that allows users to create alerts for stock price updates. This feature ensures that investors can stay informed about fluctuations in stock prices through both banks. However, neither platform allows for the display of corporate events like earnings or dividends on charts, limiting users who wish to visualize a more detailed financial calendar.
Investors seeking advanced charting options may find both Barclays and Lloyds Bank lacking. Neither platform offers drawing tools, technical indicators, or options for adding notes and overlays to charts. Additionally, real-time market data is not available through either service, which might be a drawback for traders requiring up-to-the-minute information for decision making. While the trading capabilities may fit casual investors, those needing more advanced tools might look elsewhere.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
For UK investors comparing retirement account options, both Barclays and Lloyds Bank provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Barclays offers a straightforward path to setting up both ISAs and SIPPs, catering to those looking to grow their savings and plan for retirement with flexible investment choices. Similarly, Lloyds Bank provides both ISA and SIPP options, allowing customers to save tax-efficiently while choosing from a variety of investment opportunities. This makes either institution a viable choice for those seeking a reliable platform to manage their retirement savings with ease.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile apps of Barclays and Lloyds Bank, UK users can access both iPhone and Android versions from each financial institution. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Barclays' mobile app holds a rating of 2.5 stars and occupies the 21st spot out of 21 brokers, suggesting room for improvement in user satisfaction and functionality. In contrast, Lloyds Bank's mobile app is rated at 3.5 stars and ranks 17th, indicating a better user experience and slightly stronger performance among similar services. Therefore, while both banks provide mobile compatibility, Lloyds Bank offers a more favorable app experience compared to Barclays.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Beginner investors in the UK seeking educational resources from online brokers will find that Barclays offers a more comprehensive suite of learning materials compared to Lloyds Bank. While neither Barclays nor Lloyds Bank provides educational client webinars or archived recordings for on-demand viewing, Barclays stands out in offering educational content on share trading, funds, and retirement, subjects on which Lloyds Bank falls short. Barclays earns a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its beginner education, ranking 10th out of 21 reviewed brokers, while Lloyds Bank receives 4 stars and ranks 14th. For novices eager to dive into the world of investments, Barclays provides stronger educational support.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online broker Barclays and Lloyds Bank, both providers offer research reports on funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds. However, neither offers CFDs research. A key distinction lies in portfolio management tools: Barclays allows users to see portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature Lloyds Bank does not provide. This can be particularly useful for investors looking to gain deeper insights into their investment diversification. Overall, while both platforms provide a broad range of research options, Barclays offers additional tools to assess portfolio distribution, which may enhance decision-making for some investors.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Barclays or Lloyds Bank? 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.
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Lloyds Bank
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Both Barclays and Lloyds Bank offer online brokerage services but neither provides options for cryptocurrency trading, making them similar in their offerings for traditional investment products but not suitable for those seeking crypto asset investments.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £6 | £8 - £11 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £6 | £8 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £6 | £8 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £105 | £95 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £147 | £40 - £172 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £291 | £40 - £328 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £795 | £40 / £1,000 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 | £44.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £525 | £40 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £525 - £650 | £40 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £650 - £850 | £40 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £850 and up | £40 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £6 | £8 - £11 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £6 | £8 - £11 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £6 | £8 - £11 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £6 | £8 - £11 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £35 |
| Broker Screenshots | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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