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.
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.
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 - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £1 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 comparing Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor for investment options, Trading 212 provides a more varied portfolio for those looking to engage in different types of trading. Trading 212 supports share trading, ETF trading, CFD trading, and investment trusts. However, it does not offer trading in funds, corporate bonds, or government bonds. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor focuses on a more traditional approach, offering investments in ETFs and funds but lacking options for share trading, CFDs, or investment trusts. Neither platform provides services for crypto trading, spread betting, or advisor services.
Based on the breadth of investment choices, Trading 212 garners a rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking it 11th out of 18 brokers for investment choices. Conversely, Vanguard UK Investor has a more limited selection, resulting in a 3.5-star rating and a ranking of 16th. For investors seeking a diverse and flexible investment platform, Trading 212 may stand out as a preferable choice, whereas Vanguard UK may appeal to those prioritizing ETF and funds trading.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | 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 Trading 212 with Vanguard UK Investor in terms of trading tools, it's evident that Trading 212 provides a more robust suite of features for chart enthusiasts. With 27 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, Trading 212 offers traders a detailed and customizable charting experience, allowing them to tailor their analysis to suit their strategies. Moreover, Trading 212 enables users to add notes directly to their charts and create stock price alerts, enhancing their ability to stay informed about market movements. Both platforms, however, do not support the display of corporate events on charts or the addition of index and stock overlays.
Vanguard UK Investor, on the other hand, presents a more straightforward approach with its trading platform. While it does offer a browser-based platform like Trading 212, it lacks the advanced charting capabilities, providing no drawing tools or technical indicators, and does not support real-time market data or stock price alerts. This makes Vanguard UK Investor a simpler option for those who prefer basic trading functions without the need for extensive chart analysis.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 27 | 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, it's clear they both cater to UK investors with Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), providing tax-efficient savings options. However, for those interested in retirement accounts, Vanguard UK Investor offers a leg up with Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), a feature Trading 212 currently lacks. This distinction could influence investors looking to optimize their retirement savings, making Vanguard a potentially more appealing choice for those wanting access to both ISAs and SIPPs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of online brokers Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide apps for iPhone and Android users. Trading 212’s mobile app shines with an impressive 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, positioning it at #9 out of 18 brokers for mobile app performance. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor's app, while available on both major platforms, holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks at #17 in the same list. This comparison indicates that Trading 212 may offer a more favorable mobile app experience for users looking to invest on-the-go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners offered by Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms present unique strengths. Trading 212 provides instructional content focused on share trading and funds but lacks webinars, whether live or on-demand. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor does not cover share trading but excels in offering comprehensive education on funds and retirement, with the added benefit of on-demand educational webinars. Rated 4 stars, Trading 212 places higher at 11th among 18 brokers according to UK.StockBrokers.com, while Vanguard earns a 3.5-star rating and ranks 14th. This highlights Trading 212’s slightly superior value in terms of beginner education features.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | 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 online broker Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor, each platform brings unique strengths. Trading 212 excels in providing detailed shares, ETFs, and CFDs research, which can be invaluable for those interested in trading and analysis. However, it lacks fund research, a feature that Vanguard UK Investor offers robustly, alongside comprehensive reports for funds. Both platforms support users in viewing portfolio allocation by asset class, promoting informed decision-making across various investments. While Trading 212 and Vanguard UK Investor both refrain from offering bonds research, the key difference lies in Trading 212's focus on dynamic trading instruments like CFDs and shares versus Vanguard's emphasis on detailed fund insights.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - CFDs | 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 offers commission-free share dealing and is a great option for those looking to simply execute share or ETF trades. Novice investors or those looking for more diversification through mutual funds may find better options elsewhere.
| 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 | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| 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) | £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) | £0 | £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 | 0 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | 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 | Trading 212 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 27 | 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 | Yes | No | |
| 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| 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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