Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs Barclays, 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, XTB offers better pricing than Barclays 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 - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £105 per year.
12 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year.
36 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year.
120 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year.
3 fund trades per year - XTB 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.
When choosing an online broker in the UK, it's essential to compare the available investment choices offered by platforms like XTB and Barclays. XTB allows users to trade shares, ETFs, and CFDs, boasting a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, it lacks options for funds, corporate or government bonds, investment trusts, and advisor services, which might be a limitation for investors seeking a diversified portfolio.
On the other hand, Barclays provides a more extensive range of investment options, including shares, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts. This breadth of choice contributes to its 5-star rating in investment choices and places it higher in the rankings at #9 compared to XTB’s #13. Barclays additionally offers advisor services, adding further value for those seeking professional guidance in their investment journey. Whether you prioritise the ability to trade CFDs or seek comprehensive investment opportunities with advisory support will influence which platform is better suited to your needs.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When it comes to trading tools, XTB stands out with its comprehensive offerings suited for traders who rely heavily on charting. XTB users can display corporate events such as earnings and dividends directly on charts, a feature not available with Barclays. Moreover, XTB provides an impressive array of 20 drawing tools and 39 technical indicators, while Barclays does not offer any drawing tools or technical indicators. This gives XTB an edge for those looking to perform detailed technical analysis and make informed trading decisions.
Both XTB and Barclays offer browser-based trading platforms, ensuring easy access to trading from any location. They also both provide the ability to create alerts for stock price updates, keeping traders promptly informed about market movements. However, XTB further enhances the trading experience with real-time market data, a critical feature that Barclays lacks. While neither platform supports index or stock overlays on charts, XTB allows users to add notes, enhancing the ability to personalize and organize their trading strategies, another capability missing from Barclays.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing online broker XTB with Barclays for retirement accounts, UK readers will find notable differences in their offerings. Both XTB and Barclays provide ISA (Individual Savings Account) options, enabling tax-efficient savings. However, for those interested in SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) accounts, Barclays has the advantage as it offers SIPP options, whereas XTB does not. This distinction makes Barclays a more comprehensive choice for individuals seeking diverse retirement saving strategies, while XTB remains a straightforward option for ISA-focused savers.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors considering mobile trading apps, both XTB and Barclays provide options for iPhone and Android users. However, there's a notable difference in quality and user satisfaction. XTB's mobile app receives a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranks 6th among 21 brokers, indicating a smooth and effective user experience. In contrast, Barclays' app garners a modest 2.5-star rating, placing it at the bottom of the ranking at 21st position, suggesting room for improvement in its functionality and user experience. For a seamless trading experience, XTB seems to be the better choice for mobile trading in the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK comparing educational resources from XTB and Barclays, both brokers offer a solid foundation, particularly in share trading. XTB and Barclays received a commendable 4.5-star rating for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com, demonstrating their strong commitment to supporting new investors. XTB stands out by securing the 9th position out of 21 brokers, slightly ahead of Barclays at 10th. Neither broker offers educational webinars, live or archived. However, Barclays provides additional educational content on funds and retirement, while XTB does not cover these topics. This difference may influence beginners seeking broader investment insights, especially related to funds and retirement planning.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of XTB and Barclays, UK investors will find that both platforms allow you to check your portfolio allocation by asset class. Both brokerage services provide research on shares and ETFs, but they differ significantly in other areas. XTB excels with research on CFDs, which can be beneficial for traders interested in leveraged products, while Barclays does not cover this area. On the other hand, Barclays offers more comprehensive research for funds and bonds, areas where XTB falls short. Consider these differences to determine which broker aligns best with your investment research needs.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, XTB or Barclays? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found XTB to be a better trading platform overall.
XTB has set itself up as a strong competitor in commission-free share trading. Its low fees and solid educational content will make XTB particularly attractive to newer investors. It does not, however, offer an ISA or SIPP.
| Feature |
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Barclays
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Both XTB and Barclays do not offer crypto trading, highlighting a similar limitation in cryptocurrency investment options for users of these online broker platforms.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | Barclays | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | XTB | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | XTB | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £105 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £75 or £147 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £75 or £291 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £75 or £795 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £75 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | 0 | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | 0 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | 0 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | 0 | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £6 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Barclays | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | XTB | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | XTB | Barclays | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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