Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Robinhood UK 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, Robinhood UK 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.
When comparing the investment options available to UK investors, Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor offer different experiences tailored to distinct needs. Robinhood UK allows users to trade shares, a popular choice for those interested in direct investment in the stock market. However, they do not support other types of investments such as ETFs, funds, or bonds. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor provides its users with access to a range of investment opportunities, including ETFs and funds, which can appeal to those looking for a diversified approach. Despite the broader options, neither platform offers crypto trading, spread betting, CFD trading, or advisor services.
While both platforms have similarities and differences in their offering, their overall investment choices are rated somewhat similarly by UK.StockBrokers.com. Robinhood UK has received a rating of three stars and ranks 20th out of 21 brokers, primarily due to its limited variety of investment options. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor slightly outperforms with a 3.5-star rating and an 18th-place ranking, thanks to its inclusion of ETF and fund trading that can cater to a broader investment strategy, though it also lacks several trading options some investors might look for.
| Feature |
Robinhood UK
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | No | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | No | No |
| 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 Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor, there is a notable difference in several key features. While both platforms do not provide charting tools to display corporate events or the option to add chart notes, Robinhood UK has an edge in technical analysis with three technical indicators, whereas Vanguard UK Investor offers none. Additionally, Robinhood UK provides its users with real-time market data, setting itself apart from Vanguard UK Investor, which lacks this feature. Both platforms offer browser-based trading for easy access, but Robinhood UK further enhances the trading experience by enabling stock price alerts, a feature not available with Vanguard UK Investor.
Moreover, neither Robinhood UK nor Vanguard UK Investor supports the use of drawing tools, index overlays, or stock overlays on their charts, maintaining simplicity in their charting options. While these constraints might limit some technical analysis capabilities, Robinhood UK's inclusion of technical indicators and real-time data forms a more comprehensive offering for those who value up-to-the-minute information and proactive portfolio management. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor keeps it straightforward without such add-ons, appealing to investors who seek basic, no-frills investment services.
| Feature |
Robinhood UK
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 3 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When evaluating retirement account options, UK investors may consider Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor for their investment needs. However, it's important to note that Robinhood UK does not offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) or Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) accounts, making it less suitable for those aiming to maximize their tax-efficient savings and retirement goals. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor provides both ISA and SIPP accounts, making it a more comprehensive choice for UK investors seeking to grow their retirement savings with tax advantages. By offering these account types, Vanguard UK Investor caters to a wider range of financial planning strategies, appealing to investors looking to manage their funds efficiently over the long term.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor offer convenient mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, catering to investors on the go. When it comes to app ratings, Robinhood UK outshines with a 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, compared to Vanguard UK Investor's 3.5 stars. This difference is reflected in their respective rankings, with Robinhood UK positioned at #13 out of 21 brokers for mobile app performance, while Vanguard UK Investor trails at #19. These insights can help UK investors decide which broker better suits their mobile trading needs.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources offered by Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor, several key differences emerge. Neither broker provides live educational webinars for their users, but Vanguard UK compensates by offering archived webinars on-demand. For educational content, Robinhood UK focuses on share trading, while Vanguard UK covers funds and retirement. Despite these differences, both brokers receive a 3.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education. However, Robinhood UK ranks 20th out of 21 brokers, slightly lagging behind Vanguard UK, which sits at 17th place.
| Feature |
Robinhood UK
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor each bring different strengths to the table. Robinhood UK allows users to conduct shares and ETF research, but it lacks certain insights, such as research reports for funds and a detailed view of portfolio allocation by asset class. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor provides valuable reports for funds and enables investors to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, offering a comprehensive overview not found with Robinhood UK. While Vanguard UK Investor does not support shares research, it does assist with ETFs and funds analysis. Neither platform supports bonds research, making them similar in this area.
| Feature |
Robinhood UK
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Robinhood UK or Vanguard UK Investor? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Robinhood UK to be a better trading platform overall.
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Robinhood UK
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Vanguard UK Investor
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| Mobile App |
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Both Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor do not offer crypto trading, making them comparable options for investors seeking alternative assets outside of cryptocurrency investments.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Robinhood UK | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Robinhood UK Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Robinhood UK | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | No | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | No | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Robinhood UK | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | 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 | £0 | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | 0.02% to 0.14% | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Robinhood UK | 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 | Robinhood UK | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 3 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Robinhood UK | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
| Education | Robinhood UK | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Robinhood UK | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Review | Robinhood UK Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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