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 selecting an online broker in the UK, comparing the offerings of Robinhood UK and Vanguard UK Investor can provide valuable insights for investors. Robinhood UK grants investors the opportunity to trade shares, whereas Vanguard UK Investor does not. However, those interested in trading funds or ETFs may find Vanguard UK Investor appealing, as it supports these investment vehicles, while Robinhood UK does not. Both platforms do not offer crypto trading, spread betting, CFD trading, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), investment trusts, or advisor services, limiting their range of supported investment options.
In terms of overall investment choices, Robinhood UK receives a rating of 3 out of 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it 20th out of 21 brokers surveyed. Vanguard UK Investor fares slightly better with a rating of 3.5 stars, ranking it 18th in the same survey. For UK investors, the decision between the two may hinge on the specific investment options they prioritize, such as share trading with Robinhood UK or fund and ETF trading with Vanguard UK Investor.
| 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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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 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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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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