Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Robinhood UK, 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, Robinhood UK offers better pricing than IG 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 - IG would cost £0 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Robinhood UK 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.
For UK investors exploring their online broker options, IG and Robinhood UK present compelling yet distinct choices in terms of available investment options. IG offers a broader range of choices with share trading, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and investment trusts all readily available. In addition, IG is recognized for its comprehensive offerings, earning a 4.5-star rating for investment options and ranked 11th out of 21 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com. On the other hand, Robinhood UK, known for its user-friendly interface, also supports share trading. However, it currently lacks many other investment options that IG provides, resulting in a 3-star rating and a ranking of 20th for investment choices.
For investors primarily interested in share trading and seeking a simple platform, Robinhood UK might appeal with its straightforward service. However, those in the UK market searching for diverse investment avenues might find IG's platform more accommodating. Both brokers cater to different needs, and understanding these distinctions can help investors align their choices with their financial goals.
| Feature |
IG
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | |
| Funds | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | ||
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors evaluating online brokers, IG offers a comprehensive suite of trading tools when compared to Robinhood UK. IG users can display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on their charts, a feature not available with Robinhood UK. Furthermore, IG provides 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators to enhance chart analysis, whereas Robinhood UK does not offer any drawing tools and only three technical indicators.
Both IG and Robinhood UK offer real-time market data and the ability to create alerts for stock price updates, making them competitive in terms of real-time notifications. However, IG stands out with the capability to add notes to charts, offering a layer of personalized analysis. Both platforms provide browser-based trading, ensuring accessibility and ease of use for their users. While the core offerings like browser-based platforms and real-time data are available on both platforms, IG's advanced charting features could be a decisive factor for more analytically inclined traders.
| Feature |
IG
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 3 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
In the UK, online broker IG stands out with its offering of both ISA and SIPP accounts, providing investors with options for tax-efficient saving and retirement planning. On the other hand, Robinhood UK currently does not offer ISA or SIPP accounts, making IG a more attractive choice for UK investors looking to maximize their savings potential through these specific account types.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking mobile trading apps, both IG and Robinhood UK offer robust options for iPhone and Android users. While IG's app receives high praise with a perfect 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, Robinhood UK's app scores a respectable 4 stars. In terms of mobile app rankings among 21 brokers, IG stands out at the impressive #2 position, whereas Robinhood UK holds the #13 spot. This suggests that while both platforms offer convenient mobile access to trading, IG's app might provide a superior user experience according to reviews.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing IG and Robinhood UK for beginner investor educational resources, IG clearly stands out for UK investors. IG not only offers educational client webinars but also archives them for on-demand access. This is a stark contrast to Robinhood UK, which lacks educational webinars entirely. Both platforms provide educational content on share trading, but only IG extends its resources to cover retirement topics. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG garners a top rating of 5 stars for beginner education, earning the number one spot out of 21 brokers. Robinhood UK, however, trails behind with a 3.5-star rating and a rank of 20th, making IG the more comprehensive choice for novice investors seeking educational support.
| Feature |
IG
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of IG and Robinhood UK, UK investors may find IG slightly more appealing for comprehensive reports. IG provides research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and CFDs, catering to a variety of asset classes. Meanwhile, Robinhood UK matches IG with its offerings in shares and ETFs research but lacks in some areas, such as research reports for funds and CFDs. Neither platform displays portfolio allocation by asset class, and both are limited in offering research related to bonds. Therefore, if you're seeking a platform with a wider range of research tools, IG might have the edge.
| Feature |
IG
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Robinhood UK? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
| Feature |
IG
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Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 online brokers IG and Robinhood UK, it is important to note that IG does not offer crypto trading, whereas Robinhood UK provides the option for users to trade cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Robinhood UK | |
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| Review | IG Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | ||
| SIPP | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | |||
| ETFs | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Corporate | |||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | |||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | Yes | ||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | IG | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 - £8 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 - £8 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IG | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 3 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | IG | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | |||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown |
| Education | IG | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | |||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
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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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| Review | IG Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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