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.
Comparing investment choices for UK investors: Trading 212 vs Interactive Brokers. Both let you buy shares, ETFs, and investment trusts. Interactive Brokers also offers crypto, funds, corporate bonds, and UK government bonds (gilts), while Trading 212 stands out for CFD trading, which Interactive Brokers does not offer. Neither broker provides adviser services.
On UK.StockBrokers.com, Trading 212 scores 4.5/5 for Investment Choices (ranked 16 of 21), whereas Interactive Brokers scores 5/5 (ranked 2 of 21). In short, choose Trading 212 if you mainly want shares, ETFs, and CFDs; pick Interactive Brokers if you need a broader menu including crypto, funds, and bonds.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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Interactive Brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| 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.
Trading 212 vs Interactive Brokers: both offer a browser-based trading platform and let you set price alerts, but neither shows corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, and neither supports index or stock overlays. For UK traders focused on live pricing, Trading 212 provides real-time market data, while Interactive Brokers does not based on the details here.
For charting tools, Interactive Brokers lists 16 drawing tools and 94 technical indicators. Trading 212 doesn’t specify counts for drawing tools or indicators, but it does let you add notes directly to charts—something Interactive Brokers doesn’t offer.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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Interactive Brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 16 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
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.
UK beginners comparing Trading 212 and Interactive Brokers for learning will find that Interactive Brokers offers live educational webinars and an on-demand archive, while Trading 212 does not run webinars. Both cover share trading, but only Interactive Brokers provides content on funds and retirement. Independent scores reflect this: UK.StockBrokers.com rates Trading 212 at 4.5/5 (ranked 13th of 21), while Interactive Brokers earns 5/5 (ranked 8th of 21). If you want webinars and broader topics like funds and retirement, Interactive Brokers has the edge; for share trading basics alone, both brokers suit beginners.
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | £3 | |
| 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 | 94 | ||
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 16 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| 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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