Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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, XTB 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.
For UK investors exploring online broker choices, both XTB and Vanguard UK Investor present distinct options tailored to different preferences. XTB allows you to trade shares and ETFs, alongside offering CFD trading, although it does not support crypto or fund trading. This diverse range of offerings has earned XTB a rating of 4.5 stars for investment choices and a ranking of 13 out of 21 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor is known for its strong focus on fund trading and ETF trading. Although it doesn't facilitate share, crypto, or CFD trading, it remains a solid choice for those keen on funds, earning a 3.5-star rating and a position of 18 in the investment choices ranking.
For those considering additional trading options, it's notable that neither XTB nor Vanguard UK Investor provides spread betting, crypto trading, or access to advice services, keeping the selection mostly traditional. Moreover, both platforms are devoid of options for trading corporate or government bonds as well as investment trusts. While XTB might attract traders with its slightly broader trading suite, Vanguard UK Investor appeals to those looking for core fund investments. Choosing between the two hinges largely on what types of assets you aim to include in your portfolio and your trading ambitions.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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 | 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.
For UK investors comparing trading tools, XTB delivers far more charting and analysis features than Vanguard UK Investor. XTB lets you display corporate events on charts and includes 4 drawing tools, 13 technical indicators, and options to add notes. You can also overlay indices and individual stocks on XTB charts. By contrast, Vanguard UK Investor does not offer these charting features. Both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform.
When it comes to data and alerts, XTB offers real-time market data, while Vanguard UK Investor does not. Neither broker supports price alerts for stock moves. If you want deeper in-platform chart analysis, XTB is the stronger pick; if you don’t need advanced charting, Vanguard UK Investor may still suit a simpler, buy-and-hold approach.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers XTB and Vanguard UK Investor for UK retirement accounts, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), providing a tax-efficient way to invest. However, if you're considering a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) for your retirement planning, Vanguard UK Investor has the edge, offering SIPP options, whereas XTB does not provide this account type. This simple distinction may be crucial for investors focusing on comprehensive retirement strategies.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing mobile apps of online brokers XTB and Vanguard UK Investor for UK users, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, allowing convenient on-the-go trading. However, XTB's app stands out with a higher rating of 4.5 stars given by UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the 6th spot out of 21 brokers in their mobile app ranking. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor's app is rated 3.5 stars and ranks 19th in the same list, indicating a notable difference in user satisfaction and app performance between the two platforms.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners seeking to learn about investing, XTB and Vanguard UK Investor offer different educational resources tailored to specific needs. XTB excels in teaching share trading strategies, earning a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranking 9th among 21 brokers for beginner education. Conversely, Vanguard UK Investor focuses on educating about funds and retirement, providing archived webinars for convenient on-demand viewing. While Vanguard’s resources are more comprehensive in these areas, it receives a lower 3.5-star rating and is ranked 17th. The choice between XTB and Vanguard ultimately hinges on whether you aim to learn about share trading or focus more on investment funds and retirement planning.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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.
For UK investors comparing market research features, XTB delivers shares research and ETF research, but it does not provide fund research, research reports for funds, bond research, or tools to view portfolio allocation by asset class. Vanguard UK Investor offers ETF and fund research, includes research reports for funds, and lets you see your portfolio allocation by asset class, but it lacks shares and bond research. Both brokers do not offer bond research; both support ETF research. Choose XTB if you prioritise shares analysis, and Vanguard UK Investor if you want fund-focused research and a clear view of your asset mix.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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, XTB or Vanguard UK Investor? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found XTB to be a better trading platform overall.
XTB has set itself up as a strong competitor in commission-free share trading. Its low fees and solid educational content will make XTB particularly attractive to newer investors. It does not, however, offer an ISA or SIPP.
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Vanguard UK Investor
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Both XTB and Vanguard UK Investor do not offer cryptocurrency trading options to their clients, focusing instead on a range of other investment products and services.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | XTB | 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 | No | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | XTB | 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 | N/A | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £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 | XTB | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | No | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | XTB | 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 | XTB | 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 | XTB | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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