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.
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, XTB offers better pricing than Barclays 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.
Comparing XTB vs Barclays for UK investors: both let you trade shares and ETFs, and neither supports crypto. XTB stands out for CFD trading, which Barclays does not offer, making XTB a fit for traders who want leveraged exposure alongside shares and ETFs.
Barclays, meanwhile, covers a wider spread of traditional investments, including funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, plus access to advice—none of which XTB offers. For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates XTB 4.5/5 and Barclays 5/5. XTB is ranked 12th out of 21 brokers for Investment Choices; Barclays’ ranking is not available.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | 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.
For UK traders comparing XTB vs Barclays on trading tools, XTB’s browser-based platform offers far richer charting. You can plot corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends), use 4 drawing tools and 13 technical indicators, and add notes, index overlays and stock overlays. Barclays also runs in a browser, but its charts are basic with no drawing tools, no indicators, and no support for events, notes or overlays.
On alerts and data, Barclays lets you set price alerts, while XTB does not. However, XTB includes real-time market data, and Barclays does not. In short, XTB suits traders who want deeper chart analysis, while Barclays suits those who mainly need alerts and are comfortable with simpler charts.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | 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.
Comparing XTB vs Barclays for mobile trading in the UK: both offer iPhone and Android apps, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates XTB’s app at 4.5/5 and ranks it 9th out of 21 brokers, while Barclays’ app is rated 2.5/5 with no ranking available. For users prioritising mobile app quality, XTB stands out over Barclays.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing XTB vs Barclays education, neither offers client webinars or on‑demand webinar archives. Both cover share trading, but Barclays also includes learning on funds and retirement, which XTB lacks. UK.StockBrokers.com rates each 4.5/5 for beginner education; XTB ranks 8th of 21 brokers, while Barclays’ ranking isn’t available. If you want broader guidance across shares, funds and retirement, Barclays has the edge; for straightforward share trading basics, XTB stacks up well.
| 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.
Comparing XTB vs Barclays for market research: both offer shares and ETF research, but Barclays goes further with funds and bonds research, formal research reports for funds, and a tool to view your portfolio allocation by asset class. XTB lacks funds and bonds research, fund research reports, and allocation breakdowns, making it better for traders focused on shares and ETFs, while Barclays suits investors wanting wider analysis and clearer portfolio insights.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | 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 is a low-cost investing platform best known for its commission-free stock and ETF trading, free ISA, and strong educational content for newer investors.
| Feature |
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Barclays
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|---|---|---|
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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 | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| 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) | |||
| 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 | N/A | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £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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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | XTB | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | 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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