Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Halifax, 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, Halifax offers better pricing than Interactive Brokers 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.
Interactive Brokers vs Halifax: both offer share dealing plus ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Interactive Brokers also provides crypto and CFD trading, which Halifax does not. Halifax offers adviser services, while Interactive Brokers does not. No details were provided on spread betting for either broker.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5/5 stars (ranked #1 of 21) and Halifax 4.5/5 stars (ranked #8). If you want crypto and CFDs alongside UK shares, ETFs, funds, bonds, and trusts, Interactive Brokers has the edge. If you prefer access to an adviser and don’t need crypto or CFDs, Halifax is the better fit.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | 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.
Interactive Brokers vs Halifax for UK traders: Interactive Brokers lets you show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, while Halifax does not. Interactive Brokers also offers 85 drawing tools and 155 technical indicators compared with Halifax’s 8 drawing tools and 95 indicators. Both allow you to add notes to charts, but only Interactive Brokers supports index and stock overlays.
On platforms and alerts, both brokers offer a browser-based trading platform and the ability to set share price alerts. Neither provides real-time market data. If you want deeper charting and overlays, Interactive Brokers is the better fit; if you only need basic tools, Halifax covers the essentials.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 95 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing Interactive Brokers and Halifax for UK retirement accounts, both platforms provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), catering to investors seeking tax-efficient options. Interactive Brokers stands out with its competitive fees and global market access, appealing to those who value low-cost trading and international diversification. In contrast, Halifax offers a user-friendly experience with straightforward account management, making it an attractive choice for individuals who prefer simplicity and a well-established UK bank. Both brokers serve diverse investor needs by providing essential retirement account options, though the best choice will depend on individual preferences regarding cost, ease of use, and investment reach.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing mobile trading, both Interactive Brokers and Halifax provide iPhone and Android apps, but UK.StockBrokers.com scores Interactive Brokers higher—5 stars and ranked 5th of 21 for Mobile Apps—while Halifax gets 3.5 stars and ranks 15th of 21, making Interactive Brokers the stronger choice if app quality matters, with Halifax still offering a straightforward option on both platforms.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Comparing Interactive Brokers and Halifax for beginner investor education in the UK, Interactive Brokers offers live client webinars with an on-demand library, while Halifax does not provide webinars or replays. Both brokers cover share trading, funds, and retirement. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earns 5/5 stars and ranks 4th of 21 for beginner education, whereas Halifax scores 4/5 stars and ranks 12th, making Interactive Brokers the stronger choice for learning resources.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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.
For UK investors comparing Interactive Brokers vs Halifax on market research, both platforms provide research across shares, ETFs, funds and bonds, including research reports for funds. The key difference is portfolio insight: only Interactive Brokers shows your portfolio allocation by asset class, making it easier to check diversification. If you want wide research plus clearer allocation tools, Interactive Brokers has the edge; if you mainly want straightforward research coverage, Halifax still fits the bill.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Brokers or Halifax? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.
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Halifax
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Interactive Brokers offers crypto trading, providing a diversified platform for investors, while Halifax does not support crypto trading, making Interactive Brokers a more comprehensive choice for those interested in cryptocurrency investments.
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↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Halifax | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £9.50 | |
| 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 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £9.50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £9.50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | $30 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 95 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | Halifax | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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