Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor vs Trading 212, 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, Trading 212 offers better pricing than Interactive Investor 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 Trading 212 would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £0 per year, while Trading 212 would cost £1 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 Trading 212 both cater to UK investors, offering a broad selection of trading options designed to meet diverse financial goals. While both platforms support share and ETF trading, Interactive Investor goes a step further, allowing access to funds, corporate and government bonds, as well as investment trusts, making it a comprehensive choice for traditional investors seeking diversified portfolios. On the other hand, Trading 212 includes options for CFD trading, appealing to those interested in pursuing more speculative investment strategies. Unfortunately, neither platform currently supports crypto trading, spread betting, or advisor services.
When it comes to ratings, UK.StockBrokers.com awards Interactive Investor a full five-star rating for its investment choices, positioning it at a commendable third place out of 21 brokers. Trading 212 is not far behind with a 4.5-star rating, but ranks 16th in the same lineup, reflecting its more limited offering when it comes to traditional investment options. Both platforms provide distinct advantages, depending on whether an investor is seeking diversity with traditional assets or is more inclined towards CFDs.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| 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 offered by Interactive Investor and Trading 212, both platforms provide essential features that cater to UK traders. Interactive Investor shines with its ability to display corporate events like earnings and dividends directly on charts, a feature that Trading 212 lacks. While Trading 212 offers a slightly higher number of drawing tools (27 compared to Interactive Investor's 18), both brokers provide an extensive range of technical indicators, with Interactive Investor offering 104 and Trading 212 offering 106. Additionally, both platforms allow users to add notes to charts, and they support browser-based trading along with real-time market data and stock price alerts.
Interactive Investor further distinguishes itself by enabling users to add index and stock overlays to charts, something that Trading 212 doesn't support. However, Trading 212 users might appreciate the larger selection of drawing tools available. Both platforms serve UK investors well, but if incorporating corporate events and overlays on charts is essential for your trading strategy, Interactive Investor could be the more suitable choice. Conversely, if your focus is on having a greater variety of drawing tools, Trading 212 might better fit your needs.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 106 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 27 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing Interactive Investor and Trading 212 as online brokers for UK users focused on retirement accounts, it's important to note the differences in their offerings. Both platforms provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing users to grow their investments tax-efficiently. However, Interactive Investor stands out by also offering Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), enabling users to save specifically for retirement with more control over investment choices. On the other hand, Trading 212 does not currently provide a SIPP option. Therefore, for those prioritizing comprehensive retirement planning, Interactive Investor might be the more suitable choice due to its additional retirement account offerings.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile apps of online brokers Interactive Investor and Trading 212, both platforms accommodate iPhone and Android users, ensuring accessibility across popular devices. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Investor's mobile app at 4.5 stars, placing it 7th among 21 brokers, while Trading 212 shines with a full 5-star rating, earning it a commendable 3rd place in the same ranking. This suggests that while both apps provide solid functionalities, Trading 212 offers a superior mobile experience according to expert reviews.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, Interactive Investor and Trading 212 offer distinct experiences to UK users. Interactive Investor excels with client webinars available both live and on-demand, covering crucial topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement. On the other hand, Trading 212 also provides educational materials for share trading and funds but falls short in offering webinars or retirement content. These differences are reflected in their ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com, with Interactive Investor scoring a perfect 5 stars and achieving the second spot among 21 brokers, while Trading 212 garners a respectable 4 stars, positioned at the 13th rank.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Interactive Investor and Trading 212 for UK investors, several differences stand out. Interactive Investor provides comprehensive research reports for funds, which Trading 212 lacks. Both platforms offer insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, and provide research for shares and ETFs. However, Trading 212 does not have research for bonds, unlike Interactive Investor, but does include information on CFDs, which Interactive Investor omits. These distinctions can help investors choose the platform that best suits their individual research needs.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Investor or Trading 212? 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.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
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Trading 212
|
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| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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Both Interactive Investor and Trading 212 do not offer crypto trading options, providing users with a focus on traditional investment opportunities without cryptocurrency availability.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | Trading 212 | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Trading 212 Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | £0 | |
| 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 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | 0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | 0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 106 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 27 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Investor | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Investor | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | Trading 212 | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Trading 212 Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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