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.
For UK investors, Barclays and Lloyds Bank both offer a range of traditional investment options that cater to the needs of novice and experienced investors alike. Whether you're interested in share trading, funds, ETFs, or corporate and government bonds, both Barclays and Lloyds Bank provide these facilities. Investment trusts are also available with either broker, ensuring a broad array of choices for those looking to diversify their portfolios. Notably, neither bank currently supports crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, which might be a consideration for those interested in more niche markets.
Barclays and Lloyds Bank also provide advisor services, facilitating informed decision-making through expert guidance. As rated by UK.StockBrokers.com, both institutions have earned a stellar five-star rating for their investment choices, reflecting their comprehensive offerings. However, when ranked among 18 brokers for investment choices, Lloyds Bank holds a slightly better position, ranking 8th compared to Barclays' 9th. This slight edge could sway investors who prioritize brokerage rankings in their decision-making process.
| 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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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
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.
For those deciding between Barclays and Lloyds Bank for online brokerage services, both institutions provide mobile apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices, ensuring convenient access to investment options on the go. While both apps are available in the UK market, expert reviews from UK.StockBrokers.com suggest a usability and feature performance gap. Barclays' mobile app scores 2.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked 21st among 18 brokers, while Lloyds Bank fares better with a 3.5-star rating and a 17th place ranking. This difference highlights that Lloyds offers a slightly more favourable mobile trading experience compared to Barclays.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors offered by Barclays and Lloyds Bank, several differences arise. Barclays provides educational content on share trading, funds, and retirement, while Lloyds Bank does not offer these specific topics. Neither institution offers educational client webinars or archives them for on-demand viewing. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Barclays boasts a rating of 4.5 stars for beginner education, ranking 10th out of 18 brokers, whereas Lloyds Bank holds a slightly lower rating of 4 stars and ranks 14th. For UK investors starting their financial journey, Barclays appears to have a slight edge in educational offerings.
| 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.
| Feature |
Barclays
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Lloyds Bank
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|---|---|---|
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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, £10, £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 | ||
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £6 | ||
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £35 |
| Broker Screenshots | Barclays | Lloyds Bank | |
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| 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 | 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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