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 and Bestinvest both let UK investors buy and sell shares, ETFs and investment trusts, so each platform gives you access to some of the most popular ways to build a portfolio. Neither broker offers crypto trading, spread betting, corporate bonds or government bonds (gilts), but Trading 212 does go a step further with CFD trading, which Bestinvest does not offer. If you want direct share dealing and ETF investing, both brokers are fairly similar on the basics.
There are some clear differences in account investment choices, though. Bestinvest offers funds and adviser services, which may suit investors looking for extra support or a wider choice of managed investments, while Trading 212 does not offer either. UK.StockBrokers.com rates both brokers 4.5 out of 5 stars for investment choices, with Trading 212 ranked #10 out of 21 brokers. In short, Trading 212 is stronger for CFD access, while Bestinvest is better if you want funds and advice alongside share trading.
| 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 | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing Trading 212 with Bestinvest for trading tools, Trading 212 gives UK investors the wider charting choice. It offers 15 drawing tools and 104 technical indicators, compared with Bestinvest’s 9 drawing tools and 36 indicators. Both platforms let you add notes to charts, use a browser-based trading platform and set price alerts, but neither shows corporate events such as earnings, splits or dividends on charts, and neither offers index overlays.
There are a few extra differences to note. Bestinvest does let you add stock overlays to charts, while Trading 212 does not. On market data, Trading 212 has the edge too because it offers real-time quotes, whereas Bestinvest does not. For traders who want more charting options and live data, Trading 212 may suit better, while Bestinvest still covers the basics well.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 15 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Trading 212 and Bestinvest both offer UK investors a choice of retirement-friendly accounts, including ISA and SIPP options. This means you can open a tax-efficient ISA with either provider, or use a SIPP if you want to save for retirement in a more flexible way. In simple terms, both brokers cover the main account types many UK savers look for, so the right choice will likely come down to fees, platform features and the type of investing experience you prefer.
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.
For beginner investor education, Bestinvest has the edge over Trading 212 because it offers live client webinars and keeps them available to watch on demand, while Trading 212 does not. That said, both brokers cover the basics well, with learning resources on share trading, funds and retirement. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Trading 212 at 4.5 out of 5 for beginner education and ranks it 10th out of 21 brokers, while Bestinvest is rated 5 out of 5, making it the stronger choice for new UK investors looking to learn.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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.
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.
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Trading 212
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Bestinvest
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While Trading 212 offers crypto trading options, Bestinvest does not provide the capability to trade cryptocurrencies.
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Barclays Smart Investor is an investment platform offered by Barclays Bank that offers a wide range of investments and accounts. Non-Barclays customers may find it complicated to open an account. Barclays is good value whether you are a beginner investor or have a large portfolio as its fees are, overall, very low.
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↓×Compare
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 | Yes | 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 | 104 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 15 | 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | 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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