Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor vs Interactive Brokers, 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, Interactive Investor offers better pricing than Interactive Brokers 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 Interactive Brokers would cost £15 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while Interactive Brokers would cost £36 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while Interactive Brokers would cost £108 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while Interactive Brokers would cost £360 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £0 per year, while Interactive Brokers 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 Interactive Brokers both shine when it comes to offering a diverse array of investment options. UK investors can explore share trading, ETF trading, funds trading, corporate and government bonds, as well as investment trusts with both brokers. While Interactive Brokers also provides access to crypto and CFD trading, Interactive Investor's offerings in these areas remain unspecified. This means those keen on venturing into cryptocurrency might find Interactive Brokers more accommodating.
Both brokers receive a commendable five-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices. However, in the wider ranking of 21 brokers, Interactive Brokers takes the second spot, just edging out Interactive Investor, which holds the third position. With such close competition, UK investors can expect a satisfying range of investment possibilities from either platform.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
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Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | ||
| 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 Interactive Brokers, both platforms offer a comprehensive range of features. Both allow users to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on their charts. Traders will also appreciate the ability to add notes, index overlays, and stock overlays to their charts on either platform. Additionally, both platforms support browser-based trading and offer the ability to create alerts for stock price updates. However, it's important to note that while Interactive Investor provides real-time market data, no such information is available for Interactive Brokers.
Examining their charting tools, Interactive Brokers stands out with 80 drawing tools compared to Interactive Investor's 18. Conversely, when it comes to technical indicators, Interactive Investor offers a wider selection with 104 options, whereas Interactive Brokers provides 96. Both platforms maintain a high level of functionality in their trading tools, but prospective users should consider their individual trading needs—such as the importance of real-time data or a preference for more drawing tools—when deciding which platform best suits them.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
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Interactive Brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 96 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 80 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
For UK investors seeking retirement account options, both Interactive Investor and Interactive Brokers cater to individual savings needs, offering both ISA and SIPP accounts. Interactive Investor provides an easy-to-use platform, accommodating those looking to manage their Individual Savings Account (ISA) and Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) effortlessly. Interactive Brokers likewise supports ISAs and SIPPs, making it a strong contender for those interested in maximizing their retirement savings through these tax-efficient accounts. Each platform ensures UK investors have flexible options tailored for future financial planning.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing interactive investor and Interactive Brokers in the UK, both platforms provide convenient mobile apps for iPhone and Android users. Interactive Investor's app earns a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranks 7th out of 21 brokers for its mobile offerings. On the other hand, Interactive Brokers achieves a top-tier 5-star rating, placing it 4th in the same ranking. This comparison highlights Interactive Brokers as the slightly preferred option for those prioritizing mobile app performance, although both brokers offer solid choices for investors on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources offered by Interactive Investor and Interactive Brokers for beginner investors, both provide a comprehensive suite of materials. Interactive Investor and Interactive Brokers both host live educational webinars that are also archived for on-demand viewing, covering essential topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement planning. However, according to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor edges ahead with a perfect 5-star rating, placing it second among 21 brokers for beginner education. In contrast, Interactive Brokers receives a commendable 4.5-star rating, ranking eighth in the same survey. This suggests that while both brokers offer valuable educational content, Interactive Investor is slightly more favored by UK investors seeking to deepen their financial knowledge.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
When comparing the market research features of Interactive Investor and Interactive Brokers, UK investors will find both offer comprehensive resources to help them make informed decisions. Both platforms provide access to research reports for funds, allowing users to gain insights into potential investments. Investors can view portfolio allocations by asset class on either platform, offering a clear view of their investment spread. Additionally, both Interactive Investor and Interactive Brokers cover research for shares, ETFs, and funds. If research for CFDs is a priority, Interactive Brokers caters to this need. Furthermore, both brokers support research for bonds, ensuring a wide range of investment options are covered. Overall, both platforms equip investors with vital research tools to effectively manage and diversify their portfolios.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Investor or Interactive Brokers? 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.
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Interactive Brokers
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Interactive Brokers outshines Interactive Investor in crypto trading capabilities, offering users the ability to trade cryptocurrencies, while Interactive Investor does not provide this service.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Interactive Brokers Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £3 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £3 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £3 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | £15 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £36 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £108 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £360 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | £0 / £14.85 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £143.88 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £3 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 96 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 80 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Investor | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Investor | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Interactive Brokers Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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