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.
Online broker Interactive Investor offers the broadest investment choice: share dealing, ETFs and funds, plus corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts) and investment trusts. Vanguard UK Investor focuses on ETFs and funds and does not offer share trading, corporate or government bonds, or investment trusts. Neither platform supports crypto or CFD trading.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Investor 5 stars (ranked 3rd of 21) versus Vanguard UK Investor at 3.5 stars (18th of 21). Pick Interactive Investor if you want a wider menu of shares, bonds and trusts; choose Vanguard if you prefer a simple fund-and-ETF platform with optional adviser services. Interactive Investor does not provide adviser services; Vanguard does.
| 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 | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For charting and analysis, Interactive Investor outpaces Vanguard UK Investor. Interactive Investor displays corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, supports 104 technical indicators, lets you add notes, and allows stock overlays. Index overlays aren’t available on either platform. Vanguard UK Investor offers none of these charting features and has 0 drawing tools; Interactive Investor’s drawing tool count isn’t specified here.
On platforms and data, both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform. Interactive Investor also lets you set price alerts for stock updates, while Vanguard UK Investor does not. Neither broker offers real-time market data.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | 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.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of Interactive Investor and Vanguard UK Investor, both provide convenient options for iPhone and Android users in the UK. However, Interactive Investor takes the lead, earning an impressive 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and securing the 7th spot out of 21 brokers for mobile app performance. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor's app is rated at 3.5 stars and ranks 19th. This indicates that while both brokers cater to mobile-savvy investors, Interactive Investor's app offers a more highly regarded user experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing Interactive Investor and Vanguard UK Investor for education: neither offers client webinars or on-demand replays. Interactive Investor covers share trading, funds and retirement, while Vanguard focuses on funds and retirement only. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor earns 5/5 stars and ranks 2nd of 21 for beginner education, versus Vanguard’s 3.5/5 stars and 17th place—making Interactive Investor the stronger choice for learning resources.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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.
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.
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Interactive Investor
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Vanguard UK Investor
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Both Interactive Investor and Vanguard UK Investor do not offer crypto trading options to their customers.
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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 | No | 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 | £59.88 / £143.88 | £48 - £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £143.88 | £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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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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 | 0 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | 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 | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Education |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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