Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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, Trading 212 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.
Trading 212 vs Bestinvest: both let UK investors trade shares, ETFs and investment trusts, and neither supports crypto, corporate bonds or gilts. The key differences lie in extras—Trading 212 offers CFD trading, while Bestinvest provides funds and access to human adviser services. That means Trading 212 leans toward active traders, whereas Bestinvest suits those building a fund-based portfolio with guidance.
For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both at 4.5/5. Trading 212 ranks 10th out of 21 brokers for Investment Choices, while Bestinvest has no ranking listed. In short, pick Trading 212 if you want shares, ETFs and CFDs; choose Bestinvest if you want shares, ETFs, funds and adviser support.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Trading 212 vs Bestinvest for trading tools: both offer a browser-based platform and price alerts, and both let you add notes to charts. Neither platform shows corporate events (like earnings, splits or dividends) on charts, and neither supports index overlays. Bestinvest does allow stock overlays, while Trading 212 does not. For live pricing, Trading 212 provides real-time market data, whereas Bestinvest does not—useful if you want up-to-the-second quotes.
On charting features, Bestinvest lists 9 drawing tools and 36 technical indicators. Trading 212 doesn’t provide a published count for its drawing tools or indicators in this comparison. If you want to compare one share against another on the same chart, Bestinvest’s stock overlays help; if live prices matter more, Trading 212’s real-time data is the draw for UK investors.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
For UK investors exploring retirement account options, Trading 212 and Bestinvest present different offerings. Both platforms provide ISA accounts, allowing for tax-efficient saving. However, when it comes to SIPP accounts, which are essential for those seeking more flexibility in managing their retirement funds, Trading 212 does not currently offer this option. In contrast, Bestinvest includes SIPP accounts in its services, making it a more comprehensive choice for individuals focused on planning their retirement. Whether prioritizing the flexibility of a SIPP or simply utilizing an ISA, your choice between Trading 212 and Bestinvest depends on the specific retirement savings tools you need.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Trading 212 vs Bestinvest for UK mobile investors: both offer iPhone and Android apps, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Trading 212’s mobile app 5 stars versus Bestinvest’s 3.5 stars. Trading 212 is ranked #3 out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Bestinvest has no ranking listed. If a high-rated mobile trading experience matters, Trading 212 stands out, though both provide app access on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Comparing Trading 212 and Bestinvest for beginner investor education: Trading 212 covers share trading but has no client webinars or on-demand recordings, and offers no dedicated education on funds or retirement. Bestinvest runs educational client webinars with on-demand replays and provides learning on share trading, funds and retirement. On UK.StockBrokers.com, Trading 212’s beginner education is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 10th of 21 brokers, while Bestinvest scores a full 5 out of 5 stars (ranking not available). For UK beginners seeking webinars and broader topics, Bestinvest has the edge; for those focused on share trading alone, Trading 212 still scores well.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
In the UK market, when it comes to online brokers, Trading 212 and Bestinvest have varied offerings for investors looking for market research features. Both platforms provide the ability to view portfolio allocations by asset class, and they offer research on shares and ETFs, which are essential for making informed investment decisions. However, when it comes to research reports for funds, Bestinvest takes the lead by providing comprehensive reports, whereas Trading 212 does not offer this feature. Neither platform provides research on bonds, so those specifically interested in bond research may need to look elsewhere. Overall, while Trading 212 covers the basics, Bestinvest offers a more detailed insight into funds for investors seeking deeper analysis.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Trading 212 or Bestinvest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Trading 212 to be a better trading platform overall.
Trading 212 is a popular investing platform best known for its commission-free trading, easy-to-use mobile app, and support for low-cost investing in stocks and ETFs.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Ease of Use |
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Both Trading 212 and Bestinvest do not offer crypto trading, making them similar options for investors seeking a platform without cryptocurrency features.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Trading 212 | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Trading 212 | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £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 | N/A | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | 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 | Trading 212 | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 36 | ||
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 9 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Trading 212 | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Trading 212 | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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