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.
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.
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 Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Barclays would cost £0 per year, while Robinhood UK 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 it comes to investment options, Barclays and Robinhood UK each have their strengths. Barclays offers a broad range of investment choices, including the ability to trade shares, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, as well as investment trusts. Barclays also provides advisory services, making it a well-rounded choice for those seeking diverse investment opportunities and professional guidance. This extensive selection earns Barclays a commendable 5-star rating for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking them 6th out of 18 brokers.
On the other hand, Robinhood UK offers a more limited investment portfolio, focusing primarily on share trading. Unlike Barclays, Robinhood UK does not offer trading in ETFs, funds, bonds, or investment trusts, nor does it provide advisory services. Despite the narrower range, Robinhood UK is still a popular choice for those interested in straightforward share trading, receiving a 3-star rating for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, its limited offerings mean it is not ranked among the top brokers for investment choices. Overall, Barclays provides more options for those seeking diverse investments, while Robinhood UK appeals to users looking for simplicity and ease of use in share trading.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | No |
| 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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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
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. However, there are some notable differences. Neither Barclays nor Robinhood UK allow the display of corporate events, like earnings or dividends, on their charts, nor do they offer the option to add notes, index overlays, or stock overlays to charts.
Despite some similarities, Robinhood UK stands out by offering three technical indicators for charting, whereas Barclays provides none. Moreover, Robinhood UK provides real-time market data, enhancing trading decisions with timely information, while Barclays does not offer this feature. These differences might influence traders who prioritize technical analysis tools and real-time data when choosing between these online brokers.
| 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 your retirement accounts, Barclays and Robinhood UK offer distinct options. Barclays provides both Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making it a versatile choice for individuals keen on saving for retirement with diverse tax-efficient accounts. On the other hand, Robinhood UK does not offer ISA or SIPP accounts, which might limit your retirement savings strategy if you prefer these specific types of accounts. Therefore, if ISAs and SIPPs are essential to your retirement planning, Barclays could be the better choice compared to Robinhood UK.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of online brokers Barclays and Robinhood UK, both platforms provide apps for iPhone and Android users. However, their quality ratings differ significantly. Based on UK.StockBrokers.com assessments, Barclays' mobile app rates at 2.5 stars, placing it at 16th out of 18 brokers. In contrast, Robinhood UK's app shines with a 4-star rating, although it lacks a specific ranking among competitors. As such, for users prioritizing high-performing mobile trading experiences, Robinhood UK appears to be the more favorable option over Barclays.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources of Barclays and Robinhood UK, both brokers fall short on offering client webinars, as neither provides live or on-demand sessions. However, Barclays stands out with a broader educational offering, covering share trading, funds, and retirement topics, while Robinhood UK only provides resources on share trading. These educational efforts have earned Barclays a commendable rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking it fifth out of 18 brokers for beginner education. In contrast, Robinhood UK has a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars and does not have a specific ranking, highlighting a gap in their educational reach compared to Barclays. Overall, Barclays presents a more comprehensive educational suite for novice investors.
| 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 |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, Barclays provides a comprehensive array of options compared to Robinhood UK. Barclays allows users to access detailed research reports for funds, view portfolio allocation by asset class, and offers research on shares, ETFs, and bonds. In contrast, Robinhood UK falls short in these areas, lacking research reports for funds and the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, though it does offer research on shares and ETFs. Neither platform provides research on CFDs, marking an area of commonality. Overall, Barclays stands out for its robust research capabilities, making it a more suitable choice for investors seeking in-depth analysis and insights.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| 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
|
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 | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| 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) | £105 | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £147 | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £291 | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £795 | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £525 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £525 - £650 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £650 - £850 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £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 | No | No | |
| 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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| Mobile App |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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