Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 vs Interactive Brokers, 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, Trading 212 offers better pricing than Interactive Brokers 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 choosing between Trading 212 and Interactive Brokers, each platform offers a distinct array of investment choices to suit different trading preferences. Trading 212 provides a solid option for those interested in share trading, ETFs, CFD trading, and investment trusts. However, it does not offer crypto trading, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, or advisor services. Despite these limitations, Trading 212 still garners an impressive rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment selections, although it ranks 16th out of 21 brokers.
Interactive Brokers, on the other hand, stands out with a broader spectrum of investment possibilities. In addition to share trading, ETFs, CFD trading, and investment trusts, this platform allows users to explore cryptos, funds, and both corporate and government bonds. Like Trading 212, it doesn't offer advisor services, but its comprehensive selection earns it a superior 5-star rating and positions it as the second-best choice among 21 brokers, according to UK.StockBrokers.com. For investors prioritizing variety, Interactive Brokers may be the preferred choice.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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Interactive Brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK traders focused on charting tools, Interactive Brokers offers far more depth. You can display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, add both index and stock overlays, and choose from 80 drawing tools and 96 technical indicators. Trading 212 lets you add notes to charts but doesn’t show corporate events or support index/stock overlays, and it doesn’t publish counts for drawing tools or indicators.
Both brokers provide a browser-based platform and let you create price alerts. If real-time market data is essential, Trading 212 has it, while Interactive Brokers does not. In short, Interactive Brokers suits those who want advanced charting features, whereas Trading 212 may appeal if you prefer simpler charts with live data.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 96 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
When comparing retirement account options between online brokers Trading 212 and Interactive Brokers, UK investors should be aware of their offerings. Both Trading 212 and Interactive Brokers provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), making them viable options for tax-efficient savings. However, when it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), only Interactive Brokers offers this account type, providing an additional avenue for UK investors focusing on their retirement planning. Therefore, those looking to incorporate a SIPP in their investment strategy will find Interactive Brokers as the more suitable choice.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing Trading 212 and Interactive Brokers for UK users, both offer user-friendly mobile apps available on iPhone and Android devices. These apps provide a convenient way to manage investments on the go. UK.StockBrokers.com rates both Trading 212 and Interactive Brokers' mobile apps highly, each earning a commendable 5-star rating. However, out of 21 brokers, Trading 212 slightly edges out the competition, ranking third, whereas Interactive Brokers follows closely behind in fourth place. Whether you prefer Trading 212's intuitive interface or Interactive Brokers' comprehensive features, both options deliver an excellent mobile trading experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing online brokers, Interactive Brokers stands out for education: it runs live client webinars and provides on‑demand replays, while Trading 212 offers no webinars. Both brokers teach share trading, but only Interactive Brokers adds lessons on funds and retirement. Although each earns 4.5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers is ranked #8 of 21 versus Trading 212 at #13, making it the better choice if you want webinars and broader topics, while Trading 212 suits those focused mainly on share trading.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Trading 212 and Interactive Brokers for market research capabilities, UK investors will find notable differences between the two. Trading 212 provides research and analysis on shares and ETFs, along with insights into portfolio allocation by asset class. However, it falls short in offering research reports for funds and bonds. On the other hand, Interactive Brokers offers a more comprehensive selection, including detailed research reports for funds and bonds, in addition to shares and ETFs. Both platforms allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, but those seeking in-depth research across a wider range of financial products may find Interactive Brokers more appealing.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Interactive Brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Trading 212 or Interactive Brokers? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Trading 212 to be a better trading platform overall.
Trading 212 offers commission-free share dealing and is a great option for those looking to simply execute share or ETF trades. Novice investors or those looking for more diversification through mutual funds may find better options elsewhere.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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Interactive Brokers
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When comparing online brokers, Trading 212 does not offer crypto trading, whereas Interactive Brokers provides access to cryptocurrency markets, making it a preferred choice for those interested in digital assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Interactive Brokers Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Trading 212 | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Trading 212 | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £3 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £3 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £3 | |
| 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 | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £0 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £3 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Trading 212 | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 96 | ||
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Trading 212 | Interactive Brokers | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Interactive Brokers Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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