Interactive Brokers vs Bestinvest 2025
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.
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 vs Bestinvest: both let UK investors trade shares, ETFs, funds and investment trusts, and neither offers CFD trading. The big differences are access and markets: Interactive Brokers also offers crypto, corporate bonds and UK government bonds (gilts), which Bestinvest does not. Spread betting was not listed for either provider in the data supplied.
If you want the widest range of markets, Interactive Brokers stands out, earning 5 stars and ranking #2 of 21 for Investment Choices at UK.StockBrokers.com. Bestinvest delivers a strong core line-up and adds access to advice, scoring 4.5 stars and ranking #10 of 21. Choose Interactive Brokers for breadth including crypto and bonds, or Bestinvest if you value guidance alongside popular share dealing and funds.
| Feature |
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Bestinvest
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
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Interactive Brokers vs Bestinvest: for charting tools, Interactive Brokers offers more depth with 16 drawing tools and 94 technical indicators, while Bestinvest provides 9 drawing tools and 36 indicators. Neither broker shows corporate events on charts or supports index overlays. However, Bestinvest lets you add notes to charts and apply stock overlays, features not available with Interactive Brokers.
Both brokers offer browser-based trading and price alerts, but neither provides real-time market data. In short, UK investors who favour a wider range of indicators and drawing tools may lean toward Interactive Brokers, while those who want to annotate charts and compare shares on the same chart may find Bestinvest more convenient.
| Feature |
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Bestinvest
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 16 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | 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.
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.
Interactive Brokers vs Bestinvest: both brokers give UK beginner investors strong educational resources, including live client webinars you can watch on demand and clear guides on share trading, funds, and retirement. Each earns a 5-star beginner education rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, with Bestinvest ranked 6th out of 21 brokers and Interactive Brokers close behind at 8th. If you want extensive webinar access and bite-size learning across key topics, either platform fits well—Bestinvest edges it on ranking, while Interactive Brokers remains a top-tier alternative.
| Feature |
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Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
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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 |
|
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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When comparing online brokers, Interactive Brokers offers the advantage of crypto trading, whereas Bestinvest does not provide this option.
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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 | No | 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 | £25 | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| 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 | 94 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 16 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | 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 |