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.
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.
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 - Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost £500 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.
When exploring investment options, Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor cater to different needs. Robinhood UK allows users to trade shares but offers little else, with no facilities for ETFs, funds, or crypto trading. Vanguard UK Investor, meanwhile, focuses heavily on ETFs and funds, providing a more diverse range for those interested in long-term investments but falls short on individual share trading and lacks any option for crypto trading. Both platforms refrain from offering spread betting, CFDs, bonds, and advisement services.
While both options have their strengths, Vanguard UK Investor edges out with a slight advantage in investment diversity, earning 3.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com compared to Robinhood UK's 3 stars. According to their ranking system, Vanguard UK Investor sits at 18th place in investment choices among 18 brokers, with Robinhood UK following closely at the 20th position. For investors, the choice ultimately depends on whether you're seeking straightforward share trading or a more varied investment portfolio primarily focused on ETFs and funds.
| Feature |
Robinhood UK
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | No | Yes |
| 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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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
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.
For UK investors considering mobile trading platforms, both Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor provide accessible options with apps available for iPhone and Android devices. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Robinhood UK's app receives a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, placing it 13th out of 18 brokers for mobile app performance. Vanguard UK Investor follows with a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars, ranking it 19th. This information suggests that while both platforms offer convenient mobile access, Robinhood UK may deliver a slightly more highly-regarded experience for users in the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor each cater to different needs. Robinhood UK provides educational content specifically on share trading, making it a suitable option for those looking to understand stock investments. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor offers detailed guidance on funds and retirement options, with the added benefit of archived educational webinars available on demand, ensuring a deeper dive into these topics at the user's convenience. Despite their varied focus areas, both platforms hold a rating of 3.5 stars for beginner education according to UK.StockBrokers.com, with Vanguard ranked slightly higher at 17th place out of 18 brokers, compared to Robinhood's 20th place. While neither offers live educational webinars, each has its strengths based on what beginners hope to achieve on their investment journey.
| 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 comparing the market research features of Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor, there are clear differences to consider. Robinhood UK provides research for shares and ETFs but lacks research for funds and other investment types like bonds and CFDs. It also does not offer insights into portfolio allocation by asset class. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor offers comprehensive research reports for both funds and ETFs, along with the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, which may appeal to investors seeking a deeper understanding of their investment mix. However, it does not offer shares research. Both platforms do not provide research for CFDs or bonds, leaving those areas unexplored for users. Ultimately, the choice between Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor will depend on what market research features are most important for your investing strategy.
| Feature |
Robinhood UK
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - CFDs | No | 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.
| Feature |
Robinhood UK
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Vanguard UK Investor
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Ease of Use |
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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 | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| 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) | £0 | N/A | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | N/A | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | N/A | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | N/A | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £108 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £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 | No | No | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | Robinhood UK Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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