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.
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.
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 - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £144.75 per year.
12 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £119.40 - £179.40 per year.
36 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £238.20 - £357.60 per year.
120 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £654 - £714 per year.
3 fund trades per year - XTB 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.
For UK investors evaluating online broker platforms, XTB and Bestinvest both offer strong options for diverse trading opportunities. In terms of investment choices, both brokers provide share trading and offer a platform for trading ETFs. Bestinvest stands out with its provision for funds and investment trust trading, as well as access to advisor services, which could be attractive for those seeking more guided investment options. In contrast, XTB excels in other areas, presenting opportunities for CFD trading. Both brokers earn a commendable 4.5-star rating for their investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com; however, Bestinvest is slightly higher ranked, coming in at 10th place against XTB’s 13th out of 21 brokers.
While each platform offers its unique advantages, the decision between XTB and Bestinvest should largely depend on your specific trading needs and whether you appreciate more independent trading presented by XTB or the additional investment paths and advisory support offered by Bestinvest. Potential investors should also consider the absence of certain trading options like crypto trading and spread betting on both platforms. Overall, both brokers provide a solid foundation for building a diverse investment portfolio, making them worthy contenders in the online investment market.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
In comparing the trading tools available from XTB and Bestinvest, both platforms cater well to UK traders with specific needs. XTB excels in providing a comprehensive charting experience, offering the display of corporate events such as earnings and dividends directly on charts—something Bestinvest does not currently offer. Additionally, XTB allows users to employ 20 drawing tools and 39 technical indicators, while Bestinvest offers 9 drawing tools and 36 technical indicators. A valuable feature for strategists, both platforms support the ability to add notes to charts, and they each provide browser-based trading platforms for ease of use. XTB stands out with its capability for real-time market data, ensuring traders have up-to-the-minute information.
When it comes to enhancing chart functionality with overlays, Bestinvest provides a distinctive edge as it allows adding stock overlays, a feature not available with XTB. However, neither platform mentions support for index overlays. Both XTB and Bestinvest make it convenient to stay on top of market movements by enabling alert creation for stock price updates. Overall, the choice between the two may come down to the specific charting and overlay features that are most valuable to the individual trader.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays |
When choosing between XTB and Bestinvest for retirement accounts in the UK, it's essential to consider the types of accounts each broker offers. Both XTB and Bestinvest provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing you to grow your savings tax-efficiently. However, when it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), Bestinvest holds an advantage as they offer these retirement accounts, providing more flexibility for your pension investments. XTB does not currently offer SIPP accounts, which might be a deciding factor if you're specifically looking to manage your pension investments alongside your savings.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking insights into mobile trading platforms, both XTB and Bestinvest offer applications compatible with iPhone and Android devices. XTB's mobile app has earned a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, positioning it as the 6th best among 21 brokers in the category. In contrast, Bestinvest's app is rated at 3.5 stars, placing it 16th on the same list. When comparing mobile trading experiences, XTB's app appears to deliver a more highly regarded performance, suggesting a potentially smoother and more efficient user experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK seeking educational resources, Bestinvest exhibits a comprehensive approach compared to XTB. Bestinvest offers educational webinars, all of which are archived for on-demand viewing, and covers vital topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement. In contrast, XTB does not provide educational webinars but does offer resources on share trading. When evaluated by UK.StockBrokers.com, XTB earned a solid 4.5-star rating for beginner education, ranking 9th out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Bestinvest achieved the full 5-star rating, securing the 6th position, thus highlighting its broader commitment to educating new investors.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
Comparing the market research features of XTB and Bestinvest, both platforms provide detailed insights for shares and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), allowing UK investors to make informed decisions. While Bestinvest supports research reports for funds, a feature XTB lacks, both platforms offer the capability to analyze portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring investors can keep tabs on their investments. For those interested in trading contracts for difference (CFDs), XTB offers research in this area, which is not available with Bestinvest. However, neither broker provides research specifically for bonds, which is important for those interested in fixed-income investments. Overall, Bestinvest might be the preferred choice for individuals focused on funds, while XTB could serve those seeking insights into CFDs.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | 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 has set itself up as a strong competitor in commission-free share trading. Its low fees and solid educational content will make XTB particularly attractive to newer investors. It does not, however, offer an ISA or SIPP.
| Feature |
XTB
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Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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When comparing XTB to Bestinvest, it's important to note that XTB provides crypto trading options, while Bestinvest does not offer crypto trading services.
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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 | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | |||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | |||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | Yes | ||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | 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) | £0 | £144.75 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £119.40 - £179.40 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £238.20 - £357.60 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £654 - £714 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £60 or £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | 0 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | 0 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | 0 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £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 | N/A | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | 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) |
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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | XTB | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | XTB | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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