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.
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.
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 Brokers would cost £15 per year, while Lloyds Bank would cost £95 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £36 per year, while Lloyds Bank would cost £40 - £172 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £108 per year, while Lloyds Bank would cost £40 - £328 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £360 per year, while Lloyds Bank would cost £40 / £1,000 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £0 per year, while Lloyds Bank 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 considering online trading and investment options in the UK, both Interactive Brokers and Lloyds Bank present a variety of choices for investors. Interactive Brokers shines as a versatile platform offering share, crypto, ETF, CFD, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts trading. Lloyds Bank also provides a comprehensive investment experience, enabling trading in shares, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts, along with advisor services for those seeking guidance.
Rated at five stars for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com, both platforms are well-regarded, with Interactive Brokers securing the second spot out of 21 brokers, while Lloyds Bank is ranked at number eight. Despite both platforms offering a broad range of investment options, Interactive Brokers edges ahead in overall ranking, particularly excelling with its inclusion of niche markets like crypto and CFDs, areas where Lloyds Bank does not currently offer services.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors seeking advanced trading tools, Interactive Brokers offers a comprehensive suite of features that significantly outshines those of Lloyds Bank. Interactive Brokers allows users to display corporate events such as earnings, stock splits, and dividends directly on their charts, providing valuable insights at a glance—a feature not available with Lloyds Bank. Additionally, with 80 drawing tools and 96 technical indicators, Interactive Brokers equips traders with a vast array of options for detailed technical analysis, whereas Lloyds Bank does not offer any drawing tools or technical indicators.
Interactive Brokers further enhances the trading experience by allowing users to add notes, index overlays, and stock overlays to their charts, none of which are offered by Lloyds Bank. Both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and the capability to create alerts for stock price updates. However, when it comes to charting capabilities, Interactive Brokers stands well ahead, making it a preferred choice for serious traders looking for a rich set of tools to support their investment strategies.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 96 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
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 beginner investors seeking educational resources, Interactive Brokers offers a comprehensive experience with client webinars, including on-demand archives, covering key areas like share trading, funds, and retirement planning. In contrast, Lloyds Bank does not provide educational webinars or resources for these topics. Interactive Brokers is well-regarded, earning a 4.5-star rating for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com and securing the 8th spot in their ranking of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Lloyds Bank receives a slightly lower rating of 4 stars, placing it at 14th in the same ranking. This makes Interactive Brokers a more attractive option for new investors keen to learn and grow their investment knowledge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing market research features for UK investors, Interactive Brokers and Lloyds Bank both offer a strong foundation with research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds. However, Interactive Brokers goes a step further by providing insights into portfolio allocation by asset class and offering research for CFDs, which Lloyds Bank does not. Both platforms cater to those interested in detailed investment analysis but Interactive Brokers provides a slightly broader array of research options, appealing to those seeking comprehensive market insights.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Lloyds Bank
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|---|---|---|
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Interactive Brokers offers the advantage of crypto trading, a feature not available with Lloyds Bank, making it a more versatile option for investors interested in digital currencies.
Select Brokers
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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 | 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 | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £8 - £11 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £8 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £8 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £15 | £95 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £36 | £40 - £172 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 | £40 - £328 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £360 | £40 / £1,000 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 / £14.85 | £44.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | £40 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £40 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £40 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £40 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £8 - £11 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £8 - £11 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £8 - £11 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £8 - £11 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £35 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Website 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 | 96 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | ||
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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