Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Fidelity International vs Vanguard UK Investor, 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, Vanguard UK Investor offers better pricing than Fidelity International 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 - Fidelity International would cost £127.50 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £108 or £180 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £144 or £360 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £270 or £990 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £1000 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost £500 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.
Fidelity International and Vanguard UK Investor provide different investment choices aimed at the needs of various investors. Fidelity International stands out with its availability of share and ETF trading, along with funds and investment trusts, catering to those seeking a well-rounded investment experience. It also offers advisory services, making it a preferred choice for investors who want expert guidance. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor focuses primarily on ETF and fund trading, positioning itself as a straightforward platform for those interested in these specific investment options. However, it lacks the flexibility of share and investment trust trading and does not provide advisory services.
In terms of ratings, UK.StockBrokers.com gives Fidelity International a favorable 4.5-star rating for its diverse investment choices, ranking it 12th out of 18 brokers. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor receives a 3.5-star rating for its limited offerings, placing it lower at 16th. Overall, Fidelity International offers a broader range of investment opportunities, making it suitable for investors looking for variety and professional advisory support. Conversely, Vanguard UK's simplicity can be appealing for those mainly interested in ETFs and funds without the need for additional services.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
Fidelity International stands out for its advanced trading tools compared to Vanguard UK Investor. While both platforms provide a browser-based trading experience, Fidelity International enhances its users' experience by allowing the display of corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on their charts—a feature not available on Vanguard UK Investor. Fidelity also offers five drawing tools and a robust suite of 21 technical indicators for charting, while Vanguard does not provide any. Additionally, Fidelity International gives users the option to add index and stock overlays to their charts, unlike Vanguard UK Investor.
Fidelity International further supports active traders by offering the ability to create alerts for stock price updates, which Vanguard UK Investor lacks. However, it's worth noting that neither platform provides real-time market data. Despite this, Fidelity International's suite of trading tools and features gives it a clear edge for users seeking a more comprehensive charting and trading experience compared to Vanguard UK Investor.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 21 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 5 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing Fidelity International and Vanguard UK Investor for their retirement account options, both brokers offer flexible choices for UK investors. Fidelity International and Vanguard UK Investor both provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them strong contenders for anyone looking to build their retirement savings. These accounts offer tax-efficient ways to invest for the future, and the availability of both ISAs and SIPPs from these providers ensures that investors can find a suitable option tailored to their retirement goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of online brokers Fidelity International and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide apps for iPhone and Android users. However, Fidelity International's app is rated higher at 4 stars, compared to Vanguard UK Investor's 3.5-star rating, according to UK.StockBrokers.com. In rankings among 18 brokers, Fidelity International stands at 13th place, while Vanguard UK Investor is positioned at 17th. This suggests that Fidelity may offer a slightly better mobile experience for users looking for robust digital investing solutions.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources offered by Fidelity International and Vanguard UK Investor, Fidelity stands out with a more comprehensive offering. Fidelity International provides educational webinars, both live and on-demand, covering various topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor does not offer live webinars, but like Fidelity, it offers on-demand access and educates on funds and retirement, excluding share trading. Reflecting these differences, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Fidelity International at 5 stars for beginner education, ranking it 6th out of 18 brokers, while Vanguard is rated 3.5 stars and holds the 14th position.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| 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 Fidelity International and Vanguard UK Investor provide robust options for investors. They each offer insightful research reports for funds and allow users to view portfolio allocations by asset class, which is essential for maintaining a balanced investment strategy. However, a key difference emerges in shares and bonds research. Fidelity International stands out with comprehensive research capabilities for shares and bonds, whereas Vanguard UK Investor does not offer these features. Both platforms, however, support research for ETFs and funds, offering valuable insights for informed decision-making. Neither firm provides research for CFDs, making them similar in this regard. Overall, while both brokers cater to detailed fund analysis, Fidelity International offers a broader spectrum of research features that may attract investors seeking detailed information on shares and bonds.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| 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, Fidelity International or Vanguard UK Investor? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Fidelity International to be a better trading platform overall.
Fidelity offers thousands of investments to choose from and also offers financial advice for those wanting more direction. It's best suited to traditional investors who hold a range of accounts through the platform, enjoy the great research material available and who may also use Fidelity for financial advice. The platform can be expensive for those with portfolios of less than £20,000 and those with portfolios above £40,000.
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Vanguard UK Investor
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Both Fidelity International and Vanguard UK Investor do not offer crypto trading, making them comparable options for investors focused on traditional investment assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Fidelity International | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Fidelity International Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Fidelity International | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Fidelity International | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1000 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | N/A | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £127.50 | N/A | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 or £180 | N/A | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £144 or £360 | N/A | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £270 or £990 | N/A | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £105 | £108 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £90 - £875 | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £500 - £1,000 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £1,000 - £2,000 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £2,000 | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £7.50 | 0.02% to 0.14% | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £7.50 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £30 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Fidelity International | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Fidelity International | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 21 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 5 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Fidelity International | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Fidelity International | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Fidelity International | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Fidelity International Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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