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.
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 let UK investors trade shares, ETFs, funds and investment trusts, so each platform covers the main building blocks of a long-term portfolio. Interactive Brokers goes further by also offering CFD trading, corporate bonds and government bonds (gilts), while Bestinvest does not provide those options. Neither broker appears to offer crypto trading or spread betting based on the information provided.
For account choice, Bestinvest stands out for offering adviser services, which may suit anyone wanting extra guidance, while Interactive Brokers is more self-directed. In UK.StockBrokers.com’s investment choices ratings, Interactive Brokers scores 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 21 brokers, ahead of Bestinvest’s 4.5 stars, suggesting a wider range of investment options overall.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Bestinvest
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| 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 investors focused on charting tools, Interactive Brokers offers far more depth than Bestinvest. It includes 155 technical indicators and 85 drawing tools versus Bestinvest’s 36 indicators and 9 tools. Interactive Brokers can also display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts and supports index overlays; Bestinvest does not. Both platforms let you add notes to charts and overlay individual stocks.
Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest each provide a browser-based trading platform and let you set stock price alerts. However, neither broker offers real-time market data.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Bestinvest
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
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.
Interactive Brokers vs Bestinvest for UK mobile investing: both offer iPhone and Android apps, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers’ app 5 stars and ranks it 5th out of 21 brokers, while Bestinvest’s app scores 3.5 stars and has no ranking listed. If app quality is your priority, Interactive Brokers leads; if you prefer a simpler setup, Bestinvest may fit the bill.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
UK beginners comparing Interactive Brokers and Bestinvest will find similar educational support: both run client webinars with recordings available on demand, and both cover share trading, funds, and retirement. UK.StockBrokers.com rates each 5 out of 5 for beginner education; only Interactive Brokers has a published position, ranking 4th of 21 brokers, while Bestinvest’s ranking is not available. If you want easy, on-demand learning across key topics, either broker suits; choose Interactive Brokers if a top-four placement matters, or Bestinvest if the 5-star rating alone meets your needs.
| 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 and Bestinvest for market research features, UK users will find that both platforms provide comprehensive access to research reports for funds, shares, and ETFs. Investors looking to understand their portfolio can also view allocation by asset class with each broker. However, a key difference lies in bond research capabilities; Interactive Brokers offers insights into bonds while Bestinvest does not. This distinction may influence users' choices depending on their interest in diversified research options across all investment types.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| 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.
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Bestinvest
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Interactive Brokers offers crypto trading, while Bestinvest does not, making Interactive Brokers the better choice for investors seeking access to cryptocurrencies alongside a broader range of trading options.
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↓×Compare
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 | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | 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) | |||
| 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 | £0 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £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 | £3 | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | $30 | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
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| 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 | 155 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| 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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