Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor vs IG, 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, IG offers better pricing than Interactive Investor 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 - Interactive Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while IG would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while IG would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while IG would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while IG would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £0 per year, while IG would cost £0 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.
Interactive Investor and IG are both prominent choices for online share trading in the UK. While both brokers offer opportunities to trade shares, ETFs, and investment trusts, they diverge in other areas. Interactive Investor stands out with its wide range of investment options, including funds, corporate bonds, and government bonds. However, it lacks crypto and CFD trading, areas where IG partially fills the gap by offering CFD trading, though it does not provide options for investing in funds or bonds.
Ranked third in investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor boasts a 5-star rating, indicating a diverse selection of investment possibilities for UK investors. IG, on the other hand, comes in at the 11th spot with a 4.5-star rating. Although IG may offer fewer investment types, it still provides a strong platform for share trading and is suitable for those interested in CFDs. Both brokers offer a straightforward trading experience without advisory services.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of Interactive Investor and IG, both platforms provide extensive charting capabilities and real-time market data, catering well to the needs of UK traders. However, subtle differences might affect your choice depending on your preferences. Both platforms allow users to display corporate events, add notes, and create alerts on their charts. While IG provides 19 drawing tools, Interactive Investor closely follows with 18. A notable distinction lies in technical indicators: Interactive Investor offers 104, far outshining IG's offering of 33.
Interactive Investor seems to cater more to those seeking in-depth chart analysis by enabling index and stock overlays, features IG lacks. Both platforms offer browser-based trading, ensuring convenience and accessibility. Whether you prioritize more extensive technical features or specific overlay options, both Interactive Investor and IG deliver dependable trading platforms for UK investors.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 33 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 19 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing retirement account options for UK investors, both Interactive Investor and IG provide a variety of choices for building a solid financial future. If you're considering an Individual Savings Account (ISA), both platforms have that option available, giving you a chance to invest with tax advantages. For those looking at a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) to plan their retirement, you can also find these accounts at both Interactive Investor and IG. With access to these popular retirement accounts, whether you're considering an ISA or a SIPP, both Interactive Investor and IG provide flexible options to suit your financial needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing Interactive Investor and IG, both brokers offer dedicated mobile apps for iPhone and Android users. Interactive Investor's mobile app has achieved a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and is ranked 7th out of 21 brokers for mobile app performance. Meanwhile, IG has secured a top-tier 5-star rating, placing it in the 2nd spot among competitors for its user-friendly mobile app experience. Whether you choose Interactive Investor or IG, you have accessible options for mobile trading right at your fingertips.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing Interactive Investor and IG for beginner investor education, both platforms provide valuable resources, including educational webinars that are available live and on-demand. While each covers essential topics like share trading and retirement, Interactive Investor also offers dedicated education on funds, which IG does not. Both brokers are highly praised for their beginner education, earning a perfect five-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, in overall ranking for beginner education among 21 brokers, Interactive Investor stands at #2, while IG slightly edges ahead at #1, making it the top choice for novices seeking insightful learning materials in the UK.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, Interactive Investor and IG both provide research reports for funds and offer shares and ETFs research. However, Interactive Investor stands out for those looking to explore funds and bonds, as it offers research options in these areas, while IG does not. Interactive Investor also enhances portfolio insight by allowing users to view their allocation by asset class, a feature that IG lacks. Although IG offers CFDs research and Interactive Investor does not, the latter is the better choice for investors focusing on a diverse range of traditional investments.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Investor or IG? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
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IG
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| Overall Rating |
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When comparing online brokers Interactive Investor and IG, it's important to note that neither platform offers the option to trade cryptocurrencies, which could influence your choice depending on your investment interests.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | IG | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | IG Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £143.88 | £0 / £96 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £0 - £8 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | £0 - £8 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 33 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 19 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Investor | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Interactive Investor | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | IG | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | IG Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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