Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Fidelity International vs Bestinvest, 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, Bestinvest offers better pricing than Fidelity International 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 - Fidelity International would cost £127.50 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £144.75 per year.
12 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £108 or £180 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £119.40 - £179.40 per year.
36 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £144 or £360 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £238.20 - £357.60 per year.
120 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £270 or £990 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £654 - £714 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £1000 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £50 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.
Fidelity International and Bestinvest are both reputable online brokers in the UK, each offering a variety of investment choices for those looking to diversify their portfolios. Both platforms provide the opportunity to trade shares, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), funds, and investment trusts. They also offer advisor services, catering to investors looking for guidance. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for their investment options by UK.StockBrokers.com, Fidelity International and Bestinvest prove to be solid choices for individuals interested in building their investments with a trusted brokerage. However, neither platform offers crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, nor do they provide direct access to trading corporate bonds or government bonds, also known as gilts.
When it comes to their ranking among 21 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com, Bestinvest holds a slightly higher position at number 10, compared to Fidelity International's 12th place ranking. This suggests a slight edge for Bestinvest in terms of investment choice offerings. However, both brokers are similarly well-regarded, making them strong contenders for any UK investor seeking a dependable platform for managing and growing their investment portfolio.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | 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, both Fidelity International and Bestinvest offer a comprehensive set of features for UK investors, but with some differences. Fidelity International provides the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, which can be a significant advantage for tracking investment changes over time. Both platforms excel in allowing users to overlay stock indices on charts, and they each offer browser-based trading platforms, making it convenient to trade online. Communications regarding stock price updates are also similar, with both offering the feature to create alerts for stock price updates, ensuring you stay informed about market movements.
In terms of customization, Bestinvest offers an edge with nine drawing tools and 36 technical indicators for charting compared to Fidelity International's five drawing tools and 21 indicators. Bestinvest also stands out with its ability to add notes directly on charts. However, Fidelity International compensates with its inclusion of index overlays on charts, which Bestinvest does not appear to offer. Regardless of these distinctions, both platforms ensure a versatile trading experience tailored to the needs of UK investors.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 21 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 5 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
For UK investors navigating retirement account options, Fidelity International and Bestinvest offer competitive choices. Both platforms provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing users to enjoy tax-efficient savings. Additionally, Fidelity and Bestinvest cater to those planning for retirement with their Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) offerings. Both brokers aim to simplify investing with user-friendly platforms and accessible customer support, making it easier to manage your financial future.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of Fidelity International and Bestinvest, UK investors will find accessible options from both brokers for iPhone and Android devices. Fidelity International's app earns a slightly higher user satisfaction with a 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, landing it at 15th place out of 21 brokers. In contrast, Bestinvest’s app holds a modest 3.5-star rating, placing it just behind at 16th. The differences in rankings and ratings indicate a slightly better user experience with Fidelity International's mobile platform, making it a preferred choice for those who value app performance.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors seeking online education, both Fidelity International and Bestinvest offer an array of resources. They each provide access to educational webinars that can be viewed live or on-demand, covering vital topics such as share trading, investment funds, and retirement planning. Both platforms have earned a stellar 5-star rating for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, in terms of ranking among 21 brokers, Fidelity International is positioned at number 7, while Bestinvest slightly edges ahead at number 6, showing that both are excellent choices for starting your investment education journey.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Fidelity International and Bestinvest, both platforms provide comprehensive research reports for funds, allowing investors to make informed choices. They also enable users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, offering a clear snapshot of their investments. Both Fidelity International and Bestinvest offer thorough research on shares, ETFs, and funds. However, Fidelity International stands out by also providing research on bonds, which Bestinvest lacks. Neither platform offers research on CFDs, keeping their focus more traditional. Overall, Fidelity International offers a slightly broader spectrum of research options, making it a strong contender for UK investors seeking detailed market insights.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Fidelity International or Bestinvest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Fidelity International to be a better trading platform overall.
Fidelity offers thousands of investments to choose from and also offers financial advice for those wanting more direction. It's best suited to traditional investors who hold a range of accounts through the platform, enjoy the great research material available and who may also use Fidelity for financial advice. The platform can be expensive for those with portfolios of less than £20,000 and those with portfolios above £40,000.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
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Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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When comparing online brokers, Fidelity International does not offer crypto trading, whereas Bestinvest also does not provide crypto trading options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Fidelity International | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Fidelity International Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Fidelity International | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | |||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | |||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Fidelity International | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1000 | £50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £127.50 | £144.75 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 or £180 | £119.40 - £179.40 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £144 or £360 | £238.20 - £357.60 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £270 or £990 | £654 - £714 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £105 | £60 or £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £90 - £875 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £500 - £1,000 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £1,000 - £2,000 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £2,000 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £7.50 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £7.50 | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £30 | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Fidelity International | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| Platforms & Tools | Fidelity International | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 21 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 5 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | Fidelity International | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Fidelity International | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Fidelity International | Bestinvest | |
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| Education |
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| Review | Fidelity International Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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