Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers 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, Interactive Brokers offers better pricing than Bestinvest 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 - Interactive Brokers would cost £15 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £144.75 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £36 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £119.40 - £179.40 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £108 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £238.20 - £357.60 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £360 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £654 - £714 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £0 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.
Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest both offer UK investors diverse investment opportunities, but their choices differ significantly. While both brokers support share trading, ETFs, funds, and investment trusts, Interactive Brokers provides additional options like crypto trading, CFD trading, and bonds (both corporate and government). Bestinvest, however, shines with accessible advisor services, which Interactive Brokers does not offer. These differences highlight the variety of investment approaches available to UK traders.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers ranks highly in investment choices, securing a 5-star rating and a #2 position among 21 brokers. Bestinvest also maintains a strong presence with a 4.5-star rating, positioned at #10. Each platform offers unique advantages catering to different investor needs, making Interactive Brokers ideal for those seeking extensive market access beyond just shares, while Bestinvest suits those who value guidance and support.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing Interactive Brokers to Bestinvest for trading tools, Interactive Brokers stands out with its comprehensive chart displays and vast array of features. It offers the ability to visualize corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, a feature not available with Bestinvest. Interactive Brokers also provides an impressive 80 charting drawing tools and 96 technical indicators, surpassing Bestinvest's 9 drawing tools and 36 indicators. Both platforms allow users to add notes and stock overlays to charts, but only Interactive Brokers lets traders add index overlays.
Additionally, both Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest offer browser-based trading platforms and enable users to create alerts for stock price updates. However, neither platform provides real-time market data. For those who prioritize advanced charting and customizable insights, Interactive Brokers may be the more suitable option over Bestinvest.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 96 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
When comparing the online brokers Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest for UK investors, it's important to note that both institutions offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). This means whether you are looking to save on a tax-efficient basis or planning for retirement, you have the option to use either firm's services to manage your investments. Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest both provide a comprehensive selection of retirement accounts, making it easy to align your financial goals with the appropriate account type.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors deciding between Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest, both companies provide mobile apps available on iPhone and Android devices. When evaluating these options, Interactive Brokers shines with a top-tier mobile app rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the #4 spot among 21 brokers. In contrast, Bestinvest offers an app that receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks #16 in the same review. This comparison highlights Interactive Brokers as the preferred choice for a more highly regarded mobile trading experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educating beginner investors, both Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest offer valuable resources in the UK. They each provide educational webinars that can be watched live or on demand, covering key topics like share trading, funds, and retirement. Interactive Brokers boasts a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its educational offerings, placing it 8th out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Bestinvest slightly edges ahead with a 5-star rating, securing the 6th position for its educational support. Both platforms are solid choices for UK investors seeking to enhance their financial knowledge from the ground up.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Interactive Brokers to Bestinvest for market research features, both platforms stand out as solid contenders, offering comprehensive tools and analyses. Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest provide users with access to detailed research reports for funds and allow investors to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring an informed investment approach. Both brokers feature extensive shares and ETFs research, with Interactive Brokers also covering CFDs and bonds—an area where Bestinvest does not provide insight. Whether you're diving into fund research or splitting your interests between shares and ETFs, both Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest furnish a wide array of information, although Interactive Brokers may cater more to those needing insights into CFDs and bonds. For UK investors seeking diverse and detailed market research, either platform presents valuable resources, with Interactive Brokers possibly offering a bit more depth in certain areas.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| 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, Interactive Brokers or Bestinvest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Bestinvest
|
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When comparing online brokers Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest, potential investors should note that Interactive Brokers offers crypto trading options, whereas Bestinvest does not provide this service.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £15 | £144.75 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £36 | £119.40 - £179.40 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 | £238.20 - £357.60 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £360 | £654 - £714 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 / £14.85 | £60 or £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | 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) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 96 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | 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 | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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