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.
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.
When comparing Interactive Investor and IG, UK investors will find notable differences in the range of available investment choices. Interactive Investor excels with a perfect five-star rating for its investment offerings, securing a commendable third place out of 18 brokers reviewed by UK.StockBrokers.com. This platform offers comprehensive options such as share trading, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. However, it does not provide crypto trading, spread betting, or contract for difference (CFD) trading.
In contrast, IG garners a respectable 4.5-star rating, ranking 11th for investment choices. It supports share trading, ETFs, and investment trusts, while also uniquely offering CFD trading which Interactive Investor does not. Like its competitor, IG does not facilitate crypto trading, spread betting, or offer advisor services. However, IG falls short on providing options for funds and bonds, either corporate or government. This makes Interactive Investor a stronger choice for those seeking a broader range of traditional investment products.
| 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.
When comparing mobile app offerings of online brokers Interactive Investor and IG, both provide apps for iPhone and Android users, catering to the needs of UK investors on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor's app receives a commendable 4.5-star rating but ranks 7th among 18 brokers for mobile apps. In contrast, IG's app achieves a top-tier 5-star rating, earning it a 2nd place rank. This positions IG ahead of Interactive Investor in terms of mobile app user satisfaction and overall ranking. UK investors looking for more highly rated mobile trading experiences might lean towards IG for a slightly enhanced app experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing educational resources for beginner investors, both Interactive Investor and IG offer valuable learning opportunities through client webinars that are also available on demand. Both platforms cover essential topics like share trading and retirement, yet Interactive Investor extends its education offerings to include funds, which IG does not. Despite both having a perfect 5-star rating for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com, IG edges out Interactive Investor in rankings as the top choice out of 18 brokers, with Interactive Investor closely following at second place. UK investors seeking well-rounded educational content may find either option fulfilling, though IG slightly takes the lead overall.
| 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 |
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IG
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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 | No | No | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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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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