Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor vs Bestinvest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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 Investor 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 Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £144.75 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £119.40 - £179.40 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £238.20 - £357.60 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £654 - £714 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor 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 Investor and Bestinvest are both prominent online brokers in the UK, each offering a range of investment account options to cater to diverse investor needs. Both brokers provide share trading and ETF trading, giving investors access to a wide array of market opportunities. While neither offers crypto trading or spread betting, and both steer clear of CFD trading, they do permit trading in funds and investment trusts. However, Interactive Investor edges ahead with the ability to trade corporate and government bonds, which Bestinvest does not offer. Notably, Bestinvest provides advisor services, adding another layer of support for investors seeking professional guidance.
When it comes to investment choices, Interactive Investor has received a commendable 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it 3rd out of 18 brokers in the UK. In comparison, Bestinvest holds a respectable 4.5-star rating and is ranked 10th. This difference reflects Interactive Investor's broader range of trading options and investment products, making it a strong contender for investors looking for comprehensive market access. Meanwhile, Bestinvest's advisor services can be a deciding factor for those who prioritize expert advice alongside their investment strategy.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing the trading tools of Interactive Investor and Bestinvest, Interactive Investor stands out with its comprehensive features. It provides the ability to display corporate events on charts, a capability not available with Bestinvest. Additionally, Interactive Investor offers 18 drawing tools, significantly more than Bestinvest’s 9. Chart enthusiasts will appreciate the 104 technical indicators available with Interactive Investor, compared to just 36 available through Bestinvest. Both platforms allow users to add notes and stock overlays to charts, but Interactive Investor goes a step further with the option to include index overlays, a feature Bestinvest lacks.
Both Interactive Investor and Bestinvest provide a browser-based trading platform and the ability to create alerts for stock price updates. However, traders looking for real-time market data will find Interactive Investor more advantageous, as this feature is not supported by Bestinvest. Overall, Interactive Investor offers a more robust charting tool set, making it a more appealing choice for investors who rely heavily on detailed technical analysis and real-time data.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers Interactive Investor and Bestinvest, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them strong contenders for individuals seeking flexible retirement investment options. Interactive Investor and Bestinvest provide opportunities to grow your savings through a variety of diverse investment options tailored to different risk appetites and financial goals. Whether you're planning for retirement or looking to maximize your tax-efficient savings, both services cater to the fundamental needs of investors by supporting ISAs and SIPPs, ensuring you have access to competitive accounts for building your financial future.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of Interactive Investor and Bestinvest, both provide iPhone and Android users with dedicated applications to manage their investments on the go. However, Interactive Investor stands out with a higher user satisfaction, receiving a 4.5-star rating out of 5 from UK.StockBrokers.com, while Bestinvest trails behind with a 3.5-star rating. Furthermore, Interactive Investor ranks as the 7th best broker for mobile apps among 18, significantly outperforming Bestinvest, which holds the 16th position in the same category. This makes Interactive Investor a more favorable choice for investors prioritizing efficient mobile access and user experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, both Interactive Investor and Bestinvest provide robust offerings, including webinars that are available live and on-demand. Each platform covers essential investment topics ranging from share trading and funds to retirement planning. Despite both being highly rated at 5 stars for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor edges ahead with a better ranking, positioned at #2 out of 18 brokers compared to Bestinvest's #6. This makes Interactive Investor a slightly more favorable choice for those seeking comprehensive learning tools as they start their investment journey.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
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 it comes to market research features, both Interactive Investor and Bestinvest offer comprehensive options for funds, shares, and ETFs research. Each provides insightful research reports for funds, ensuring investors are well-equipped to make informed decisions. Furthermore, both allow users to analyze portfolio allocation by asset class, adding a layer of transparency beneficial for portfolio management. However, a notable difference lies in bond research availability: Interactive Investor supports this feature, while Bestinvest does not. Neither platform offers CFDs research, so if that's a priority, you might need to look elsewhere. Overall, both platforms offer robust research tools, with Interactive Investor providing a slight edge in bond research capabilities.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| 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 Investor or Bestinvest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
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Bestinvest
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Neither Interactive Investor nor Bestinvest offer crypto trading, making both online brokers similar in their investment options when it comes to cryptocurrency.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | £144.75 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £119.40 - £179.40 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £238.20 - £357.60 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £654 - £714 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | £60 or £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £143.88 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Investor | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| 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 Investor | 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 Investor | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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