Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor vs Vanguard UK Investor, 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 Investor offers better pricing than Vanguard UK Investor 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.
Interactive Investor offers a wider range of investment choices for UK investors than Vanguard UK Investor. With Interactive Investor, you can trade shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, gilts and investment trusts, while Vanguard UK Investor supports ETFs and funds but does not offer share trading, corporate bonds, gilts or investment trusts. Neither provider offers CFD trading, crypto trading or spread betting. Both also offer adviser services.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com gives Interactive Investor 5 stars and ranks it #3 out of 21 brokers, compared with Vanguard UK Investor’s 3.5 stars and #16 ranking. If you want a broader selection of investments in one account, Interactive Investor is the more flexible option, while Vanguard UK Investor is better suited to investors who mainly want funds and ETFs.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When it comes to trading tools, Interactive Investor gives UK investors a much wider choice than Vanguard UK Investor. Interactive Investor offers a browser-based platform, 12 drawing tools, 104 technical indicators, chart notes, stock overlays and price alerts, which can be useful if you want to study market trends and keep track of ideas. Vanguard UK Investor also has a browser-based platform, but it does not offer chart notes, drawing tools, technical indicators, stock overlays or price alerts.
Neither platform shows corporate events such as earnings, splits or dividends on charts, and neither provides real-time market data. For everyday investors who want simple investing with fewer extras, Vanguard UK Investor may be enough, but Interactive Investor is the better pick if you want more charting features and greater control over how you analyse investments.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 12 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Interactive Investor and Vanguard UK Investor both provide attractive options for those in the UK looking to invest for retirement through accounts like ISAs and SIPPs. Interactive Investor offers both these retirement account types, giving investors the flexibility to save tax efficiently through an Individual Savings Account (ISA) or manage their pension with a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP). Likewise, Vanguard UK Investor also provides access to ISAs and SIPPs, making it a viable alternative for those seeking straightforward investment solutions for their retirement planning. Both platforms aim to simplify investment experiences, allowing UK investors to build their retirement savings effectively. By offering these account types, both Interactive Investor and Vanguard UK Investor position themselves as strong contenders in the online brokerage sphere, catering to the specific retirement needs of UK investors.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Interactive Investor and Vanguard UK Investor both offer iPhone and Android apps for UK users, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Investor higher for mobile: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 8th out of 21 brokers, versus Vanguard UK Investor’s 3.5 stars and 16th place. If easy mobile investing and portfolio checks are a priority, Interactive Investor’s app scores better overall, though both provide the essentials on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investor education, Interactive Investor is the stronger choice for UK users, with educational client webinars available live and on demand, plus learning content on share trading, funds and retirement; by contrast, Vanguard UK Investor offers guides on funds and retirement but no webinars or share trading education. That stronger support is reflected in UK.StockBrokers.com’s ratings, where Interactive Investor scores 5 out of 5 stars and ranks 3rd out of 21 brokers, while Vanguard UK Investor scores 3.5 stars and ranks 14th.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Interactive Investor and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide research reports for funds, helping investors make informed decisions. They also allow users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, offering valuable insights into asset distribution. However, Interactive Investor shines with its broader research offerings, covering shares, ETFs, and bonds, whereas Vanguard UK Investor focuses on research for funds and ETFs, but does not provide insights into shares or bonds. UK investors seeking comprehensive research tools might find Interactive Investor more suitable for their needs.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Investor or Vanguard UK Investor? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
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Interactive Investor and Vanguard UK Investor both do not offer crypto trading, making them similar in terms of cryptocurrency investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | N/A | |
| 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 | £71.88 / £179.88 | £48 - £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £179.88 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £179.88 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £179.88 | £375 | |
| 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 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 12 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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