Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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, Trading 212 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.
Trading 212 vs Vanguard UK Investor: for UK investors comparing account investment choices, these platforms target different needs. Trading 212 offers individual share dealing, ETFs, investment trusts, and CFD trading. It does not support crypto, funds, corporate bonds, gilts, or advisor services. Vanguard UK Investor focuses on ETFs and funds (including Vanguard funds) and offers advisor services, but it does not offer share dealing, CFDs, crypto, investment trusts, corporate bonds, or gilts.
Independent ratings highlight the contrast: UK.StockBrokers.com scores Trading 212 at 4.5/5 for investment choices (10th of 21 brokers) and Vanguard UK Investor at 3.5/5 (16th of 21). In short, pick Trading 212 if you want share dealing, ETFs, investment trusts, or CFDs; choose Vanguard UK Investor if you mainly want ETFs and funds with access to advisor services.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | 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.
Trading 212 vs Vanguard UK Investor: for UK investors comparing trading tools, Trading 212 offers a browser-based platform with price alerts and live market data. Vanguard UK Investor also runs in the browser but does not provide alerts and uses delayed data. Neither platform shows corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, and neither supports index or stock overlays.
For charting, Trading 212 lets you add notes to charts, whereas Vanguard does not. Vanguard offers 0 drawing tools and 0 technical indicators; Trading 212’s counts are not specified. In practice, Trading 212 suits those who want alerts, notes, and live prices for more active decisions, while Vanguard UK Investor is geared toward long-term investors who don’t need advanced charting features.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing online brokers Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor, UK users looking for retirement account options should consider their specific offerings. Trading 212 provides ISA accounts, appealing to those interested in tax-efficient savings. However, it does not offer SIPP accounts, which may be a limitation for those specifically seeking retirement savings plans. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor offers both ISA and SIPP accounts, making it a versatile choice for investors focused on building their retirement savings with a wider range of tax-advantaged accounts. Ultimately, the choice between these two brokers will depend on individual savings goals and the type of account flexibility sought.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing mobile apps, both Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor offer iPhone and Android apps. However, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Trading 212’s app at 5 stars and ranks it 3rd out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Vanguard UK Investor’s app is rated 3.5 stars and ranks 16th. If app quality and rankings matter to you, Trading 212 leads, though both provide full iOS and Android access.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK, Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor both lack client webinars and do not offer on-demand webinar recordings. Trading 212 provides learning content on share trading but not on funds or retirement, while Vanguard UK Investor covers funds and retirement but not share trading. In UK.StockBrokers.com’s beginner education ratings, Trading 212 scores 4.5/5 and ranks 10th of 21 brokers, ahead of Vanguard UK Investor’s 3.5/5 and 14th place—so consider Trading 212 if you want share-trading guidance, or Vanguard if you need help with funds and retirement.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| 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 Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor for market research features, Trading 212 stands out with its strong shares and ETFs research, making it a suitable choice for those focusing on these areas. However, it falls short by not offering research reports for funds, nor does it provide insights into bonds. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor succeeds in delivering comprehensive research for funds and ETFs, making it a go-to option for fund investors. Both platforms allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring investors can effectively manage their portfolios. Overall, the choice between Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor depends on whether your priority is shares or funds research capabilities.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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 | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Trading 212 or Vanguard UK Investor? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Trading 212 to be a better trading platform overall.
Trading 212 is a popular investing platform best known for its commission-free trading, easy-to-use mobile app, and support for low-cost investing in stocks and ETFs.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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Vanguard UK Investor
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Both Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor do not offer crypto trading options, focusing on traditional investment opportunities instead.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Trading 212 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Trading 212 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £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 | £48 - £375 | |
| 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 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Trading 212 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | ||
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Trading 212 | 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Trading 212 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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