Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Barclays vs Robinhood UK, 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 Robinhood UK 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.
For UK investors comparing Barclays and Robinhood UK, the standout difference is investment choice. Both offer share trading, and neither supports crypto or CFD trading. On investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Barclays 5 stars and Robinhood UK 3 stars.
Barclays offers a broad menu: ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), investment trusts, and optional adviser services. Robinhood UK focuses on straightforward share dealing only, with no ETFs, funds, bonds, investment trusts, or adviser services. If you want more choice, Barclays fits the bill; if you only need basic share trading, Robinhood UK may suit.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | No |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of Barclays and Robinhood UK, both platforms provide a browser-based trading experience and allow users to set alerts for stock price updates, making it easier to keep track of market movements. However, Barclays and Robinhood UK both lack the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on charts, and neither offers drawing tools, index overlays, or stock overlays, nor the ability to add notes to charts.
Where Robinhood UK stands out is its inclusion of three technical indicators for charting, offering users additional insight into market trends. Furthermore, Robinhood UK provides real-time market data, allowing traders to respond swiftly to changes. In contrast, Barclays does not offer real-time market data, which may be a decisive factor for traders who prioritise immediacy and precision in their trading activities.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 3 |
| 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 |
When considering online brokers for retirement savings in the UK, Barclays and Robinhood UK present distinct differences in their offerings for individual savings accounts (ISAs) and self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs). Barclays stands out by providing both ISAs and SIPPs, offering UK investors a comprehensive choice for tax-efficient investing and retirement planning. In contrast, Robinhood UK does not currently offer ISA or SIPP options, limiting its appeal for those seeking such accounts for long-term savings strategies. Opting for Barclays may offer more flexibility for individuals aiming to maximize their retirement savings through tax-advantaged accounts.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing Barclays and Robinhood UK mobile apps: both provide iPhone and Android apps. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Barclays’ app 2.5 out of 5 stars and Robinhood UK’s app 4 out of 5 stars. While rankings out of 21 brokers aren’t available for either, the star ratings indicate Robinhood UK currently offers the stronger mobile experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Barclays vs Robinhood UK for beginner investor education: neither broker runs client webinars or offers on-demand replays, but both provide guides on share trading. Barclays goes further with learning content on funds and retirement, which Robinhood UK doesn’t currently cover. Reflecting this broader coverage, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Barclays 4.5/5 for beginner education versus 3.5/5 for Robinhood UK; rankings among the 21 brokers reviewed were not available.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 for UK investors, Barclays stands out as a more comprehensive choice over Robinhood UK. Barclays provides extensive research reports for funds, giving users access to valuable insights that Robinhood UK lacks. Both platforms offer research for shares and ETFs, yet only Barclays offers detailed analysis on bonds, a significant advantage for those interested in diverse investment opportunities. Additionally, Barclays enables users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature Robinhood UK does not provide. This makes Barclays a potentially better option for investors seeking in-depth market analysis and detailed portfolio management tools.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Barclays or Robinhood UK? 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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Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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Both Barclays and Robinhood UK do not offer cryptocurrency trading, making them similar in this aspect for investors seeking platforms without crypto trading options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Barclays | Robinhood UK | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Barclays | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | No | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Barclays | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| 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 - £525 | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £525 - £650 | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £650 - £850 | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £850 and up | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £6 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Barclays | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 3 | |
| 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 | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Barclays | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Barclays | Robinhood UK | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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