Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Vanguard UK Investor, 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 Vanguard UK Investor 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.
Comparing IG vs Vanguard UK Investor for UK investors: IG offers a wider range of investment choices, including share dealing, crypto trading, ETFs, CFDs, and investment trusts. It does not offer funds, corporate bonds, gilts, or advisor services. Vanguard UK Investor focuses on ETFs and funds, and does not offer share dealing, crypto, CFDs, investment trusts, corporate bonds, gilts, or advisor services. Spread betting availability is not specified for either provider.
On investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG at 5 stars (ranked 11th of 21) and Vanguard UK Investor at 3.5 stars (ranked 18th of 21). In short, IG suits those seeking a broader trading toolkit, while Vanguard UK Investor is aimed at those building low-cost portfolios with ETFs and funds.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | 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.
UK investors comparing IG vs Vanguard UK Investor will find a clear gap in trading tools. IG’s charts can display corporate events such as earnings, splits and dividends, and include 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators. You can add notes, plus index and stock overlays, which helps with deeper analysis. Vanguard UK Investor, by contrast, offers basic charts with none of these features. Both provide a browser-based platform.
For staying on top of the market, IG also supports custom price alerts and real-time market data, while Vanguard UK Investor does not. If you want feature-rich charting and live updates for active trading, IG is the stronger choice; if you’re a long-term, buy-and-hold investor who doesn’t need in-depth tools, Vanguard UK Investor may suffice.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When choosing between IG and Vanguard UK Investor for retirement accounts in the UK, both brokers offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP), making them attractive options for tax-efficient investing. IG is known for its comprehensive platform, while Vanguard UK Investor shines with its low-cost funds and straightforward approach. Whether prioritizing a feature-rich experience or affordable and easy-to-use investment options, UK investors have strong choices for their ISAs and SIPPs with both IG and Vanguard UK Investor.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When considering mobile trading apps, both IG and Vanguard UK Investor offer applications compatible with iPhone and Android devices. However, UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG’s mobile app higher with a perfect 5-star rating and an impressive #2 ranking out of 21 brokers, highlighting its reliability and user-friendly design. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor’s app receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks #19, offering a decent but less distinguished mobile experience for investors in the UK. Users prioritizing top-notch mobile trading would likely find IG's app more appealing compared to Vanguard UK Investor's offering.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
IG vs Vanguard UK Investor: For beginner investor educational resources, IG leads the way for UK readers. IG runs live client webinars and offers on‑demand archives; Vanguard UK Investor doesn’t run live client webinars, though it does provide on‑demand recordings. Both cover education on funds and retirement (but not share trading). In UK.StockBrokers.com’s ratings, IG scores 5/5 stars and ranks #1 of 21 for beginner education, while Vanguard UK Investor scores 3.5/5 stars and ranks #17.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
IG vs Vanguard UK Investor: For UK investors comparing market research features, both platforms let you view portfolio allocation by asset class and provide research reports for funds. IG offers shares research and ETFs research but lacks a dedicated funds research section and has no bonds research. Vanguard UK Investor does not offer shares research, but it does provide ETFs research and dedicated funds research alongside research reports for funds, and it also lacks bonds research. Choose IG if you want share analysis; pick Vanguard UK Investor if you prefer deeper coverage of funds.
| Feature |
IG
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Vanguard UK Investor? 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.
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Vanguard UK Investor
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IG vs Vanguard UK Investor: IG supports cryptocurrency trading, while Vanguard UK Investor does not, making IG the better choice for investors seeking crypto exposure with an online broker.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | IG Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | N/A | |
| 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 | N/A | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | 0.02% to 0.14% | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | IG Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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