Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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, XTB 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.
Comparing XTB vs Bestinvest for UK investors: both offer share dealing and ETF trading, and neither supports crypto, corporate bonds, or gilts. XTB stands out for CFD trading, which Bestinvest does not offer. Details on spread betting for either provider were not specified.
Bestinvest caters to long-term investing with access to funds, investment trusts, and adviser services, which XTB does not provide. Both are rated 4.5 out of 5 for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com. XTB is ranked 12th out of 21 for investment choices, while a ranking for Bestinvest was not available. Your choice may hinge on whether you want CFDs (XTB) or funds, trusts, and guidance (Bestinvest).
| Feature |
XTB
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | No | 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.
XTB and Bestinvest both offer browser-based platforms with notes and stock overlays on charts, but their toolsets differ. XTB lets you show corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on charts and includes index overlays, which Bestinvest lacks. Bestinvest counters with more charting depth: 9 drawing tools versus XTB’s 4, and 36 technical indicators versus XTB’s 13.
For alerts and data, the trade-offs continue. Bestinvest supports alerts for stock price updates, while XTB does not. However, XTB provides real-time market data, whereas Bestinvest does not. If you value corporate events on charts, index overlays, and live data, XTB stands out; if you want more indicators, extra drawing tools, and price alerts, Bestinvest may suit you better.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 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 XTB and Bestinvest for UK investors, it's essential to examine their retirement account options. Both brokers offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), providing a tax-efficient way to invest. However, when it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), a popular choice for retirement savings, the options differ. Bestinvest supports SIPP accounts, making it a versatile choice for those looking to manage their retirement savings, while XTB does not currently offer SIPPs. This difference is crucial for investors focused on building a retirement portfolio through a SIPP.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Comparing online brokers XTB and Bestinvest for mobile apps in the UK: both offer iPhone and Android apps, but their reviews differ. UK.StockBrokers.com rates XTB at 4.5/5 and Bestinvest at 3.5/5. XTB also ranks 9th out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while no ranking is listed for Bestinvest. If app quality is a priority, XTB may be the stronger choice, though both cover iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing XTB to Bestinvest for education: Bestinvest provides live educational webinars and an on-demand archive, while XTB offers neither. Both cover share trading, but only Bestinvest adds guidance on funds and retirement; XTB does not. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, XTB scores 4.5/5 for beginner education and is ranked 8th of 21 brokers, whereas Bestinvest earns 5/5 (ranking not available). If you value webinars and broader topics beyond shares, Bestinvest is the more complete choice; for share trading alone, XTB still scores highly.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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.
For UK investors comparing market research, XTB and Bestinvest both offer shares and ETF research, and neither provides bond research. Bestinvest, however, goes further with funds research and research reports for funds, plus a clear view of portfolio allocation by asset class—features XTB does not offer. If you want insights on funds and to see how your investments are split across assets, Bestinvest is the more suitable choice, while XTB fits those focused mainly on shares and ETFs.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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 | No | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, XTB or Bestinvest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found XTB to be a better trading platform overall.
XTB is a low-cost investing platform best known for its commission-free stock and ETF trading, free ISA, and strong educational content for newer investors.
| Feature |
XTB
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Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
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Both XTB and Bestinvest do not offer cryptocurrency trading options, making them similar in terms of crypto investment opportunities for traders looking to trade digital assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | XTB | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | XTB | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £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 | N/A | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | 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 | XTB | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | XTB | 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 | No | Yes |
| Education | XTB | 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 | XTB | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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