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.
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.
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 - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - XTB 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.
For UK investors exploring online brokerage platforms, XTB and Vanguard UK Investor offer distinct options tailored to differing investment needs. XTB stands out with its capability for share and ETF trading, alongside the opportunity to dive into the world of Contracts for Difference (CFD) trading. While crypto and spread betting are off the table for both platforms, XTB still garners a strong 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, placing it at 13th out of 21 brokers.
On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor is tailored more towards traditional investment paths, providing access to ETFs and funds trading, though it lacks share and CFD trading options. While it shares XTB's limitation on crypto and spread betting, it holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks 18th in investment choices according to UK.StockBrokers.com. Both platforms don’t support bonds or investment trusts, nor do they offer advisor services, highlighting their focus on straightforward investor-managed accounts.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | No | No |
| Spread Betting | Yes | 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 available with XTB and Vanguard UK Investor, XTB distinctly stands out for its advanced charting features. XTB provides users with the ability to display corporate events directly on charts, which is a function Vanguard UK Investor lacks. Additionally, XTB offers an impressive array of charting tools, including 20 drawing tools and 39 technical indicators, whereas Vanguard UK Investor offers none. Further enhancing chart interactions, XTB allows traders to add personal notes to their charts, a feature not available with Vanguard UK Investor.
Both brokers offer browser-based trading platforms, enabling easy access to trades. However, XTB also supports setting alerts for stock price updates and delivers real-time market data, providing crucial information and timely notifications that can significantly affect trading decisions. Vanguard UK Investor does not offer these options, which might limit timely decision-making. Lastly, neither XTB nor Vanguard UK Investor includes index or stock overlay features within their charting tools, making this aspect neutral in the comparison.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | 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.
In comparing XTB and Vanguard UK Investor for market research features, each platform presents distinct advantages tailored to various investment strategies. XTB shines with extensive research tools for shares, ETFs, and CFDs, catering well to traders looking to explore these markets. Investors can also view asset allocation by class to monitor portfolio balance. However, XTB lacks research reports for funds and bonds. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor excels in offering research support for funds and ETFs, alongside clear visuals for portfolio allocation, which can benefit long-term investors aiming for diversified portfolios. Vanguard UK Investor, however, does not provide research tools for shares, CFDs, or bonds, making it less suitable for traders focusing on these specific markets. Overall, your choice between XTB and Vanguard UK Investor may depend on whether your focus lies with diversified fund investments or active trading strategies.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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, 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.
| Feature |
XTB
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Vanguard UK Investor
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|---|---|---|
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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 | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | No | No | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| 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) | £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 | XTB | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| 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 | XTB | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | XTB | 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 | 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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