Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Lloyds Bank, 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, Interactive Brokers offers better pricing than Lloyds Bank 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.
For UK investors comparing Interactive Brokers and Lloyds Bank, both providers offer share dealing, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, gilts, and investment trusts. Neither supports CFD trading. A key difference is crypto: Interactive Brokers lets you trade cryptocurrencies, while Lloyds Bank does not.
Independent ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com put Interactive Brokers ahead for investment choice, with 5 stars and a #2 ranking out of 21 brokers. Lloyds Bank earns 4.5 stars and ranks #8. If you want crypto access, Interactive Brokers stands out; if you prefer an advice service, Lloyds offers access to an adviser while Interactive Brokers does not.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Lloyds Bank
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Interactive Brokers vs Lloyds Bank: Neither platform shows corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, and both lack index or stock overlays. For charting depth, Interactive Brokers lists 16 drawing tools, while Lloyds Bank doesn’t specify a count. On indicators, it’s close: Interactive Brokers offers 94 technical indicators versus 93 at Lloyds. If you like annotating your charts, only Lloyds lets you add notes; Interactive Brokers does not.
Both providers offer a browser-based trading platform and support price alerts, but neither supplies real-time market data. For UK investors choosing on tools alone, Interactive Brokers edges ahead on indicator variety, while Lloyds Bank may appeal if adding notes directly to charts matters more to you.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 93 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 16 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
For UK residents looking to compare retirement account options, both Interactive Brokers and Lloyds Bank offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Interactive Brokers provides a versatile platform for those interested in managing their investments with an array of options for both ISAs and SIPPs. Similarly, Lloyds Bank also offers comprehensive ISA and SIPP accounts, catering to individuals seeking the stability of a traditional banking institution. Each provider presents valuable options for retirement planning, allowing you to choose according to your investment preferences and comfort level with online vs. traditional banking services.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When it comes to mobile apps, both Interactive Brokers and Lloyds Bank offer options for iPhone and Android users, but they differ significantly in user ratings and rankings. Interactive Brokers is highly praised, with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it fourth out of 21 brokers in the mobile app category. In contrast, Lloyds Bank's app receives a more modest 3.5-star rating, ranking it 17th among its peers. Whether you're prioritizing a top-rated trading experience or a bank-focused app, knowing these differences can aid in making an informed choice.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing broker education, Interactive Brokers stands out with live and on-demand client webinars and clear learning on share trading, funds and retirement, whereas Lloyds Bank offers no webinars, no on-demand archive and no dedicated education on those topics. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5/5 and ranks it 8th of 21 for beginner education, while Lloyds Bank earns 4/5 and ranks 14th. If you want structured, self-paced learning resources, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice; Lloyds Bank may suit those who don’t need a full education hub.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Interactive Brokers and Lloyds Bank for UK investors, both platforms offer comprehensive research reports for funds and provide in-depth analysis of shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds. However, a key difference lies in portfolio management capabilities: Interactive Brokers offers the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with Lloyds Bank. This distinction may appeal to investors seeking detailed insights into their investment portfolio structure for diversified investment strategies. Overall, both brokers provide a wealth of research options, though Interactive Brokers could be more appealing for those prioritizing detailed asset allocation analysis.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Brokers or Lloyds Bank? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.
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Lloyds Bank
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When comparing online brokerages, Interactive Brokers provides the advantage of crypto trading, which is not offered by Lloyds Bank, making it a significant consideration for investors interested in diversifying their portfolio with cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £8 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £8 | |
| 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 | £0 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £9.50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £9.50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £9.50 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £35 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 93 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 16 | ||
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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