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Trading 212 vs interactive investor compares the two online brokers so you can decide which is best for you. I’ll review their features, pros and cons, and whether they are worth using.
I’ve been reviewing and comparing investment platforms since I started investing in 2019. Since then, I’ve made a five-figure profit using various brokers. Now, I compare Trading 212 and interactive investor.
When comparing Trading 212 vs interactive investor, both are great brokers and investment platforms. Trading 212 is better for traders, and interactive investor is better for long-term investors.
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- Trading 212 vs interactive investor Comparison Overview
- Company Backgrounds
- User Ratings
- Trading 212 vs interactive investor Fees
- Account Types
- Investment Products
- User Interfaces
- Depositing and Withdrawing Money
- Trading 212 and ii Free Shares and Sign-up Offers
- Trading 212 vs interactive investor Comparison Summary
Trading 212 vs interactive investor Comparison Overview
| Broker | Trading 212 | interactive investor |
|---|---|---|
| User ratings | 4.6/5.0 | 4.7/5.0 |
| Notable fees | 0.7% deposit fee after £2000 0.15% trading fee | £4.99-£19.99 account fee £10.00 per month for SIPP |
| Account types | GIA, ISA, CFD account, demo account | GIA, ISA, JISA, SIPP |
| Platform | App and website | App and website |
| Markets | Single shares, funds, CFDs | Shares, funds |
| Minimum deposit | £1 (£10 for CFD) | £25 for free regular investing |
| Investment style | DIY | DIY |
| Sign-up bonus | Get a free share worth up to £100 (currently not available) | None |
Company Backgrounds
Trading 212 was founded in 2004 in Bulgaria, and its headquarters is in London. The broker has 1.5 million clients and holds £3 billion in client assets. Read more in my Trading 212 review.
interactive investor was founded in 1995 by Sherry Coutu in the United Kingdom. interactive investor has over 400,000 customers. Read more in my interactive investor review.
Trading 212 is the more popular platform, but interactive investor has more history. Both are well-established in the investment market.
User Ratings
Trading 212 has an average Trustpilot score of 4.6 out of 5.0. Overall, 86% of users rated the platform as great or excellent.
interactive investor has an average Trustpilot score of 4.7 out of 5.0, with over 20,000 reviews. Overall, 89% of users rated the platform as great or excellent.
When comparing interactive investor vs Trading 212, interactive investor has a slightly higher Trustpilot score. However, the difference is minimal; both platforms have a solid average score.
What Is Trustpilot?
Overall, there are over 150 million reviews on Trustpilot. You can generally get a good understanding of the legitimacy and customer-friendliness of a company.
Trading 212 vs interactive investor Fees
| Broker | Trading 212 | interactive investor |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up free | None | None |
| Deposit fee | 0.7% after deposing £2000 by card | None |
| Withdrawal fee | None | None |
| Inactivity fee | None | None |
| Commission | None | None |
| Account fee | None | £4.99-£19.99 per month depending on plan |
| Fund management fee | Depends on fund | Depends on fund |
| Trading fee | 0.15% for trades in different currencies | £3.99-£5.99 depending on plan (up to 2 free trades per month) |
| Other | 0.5% charge for currency conversion | £5.99-£19.99 international share trades £0.99 dividend reimbursement £10 per month for SIPP |
Trading 212 and interactive investor offer competitive prices, making them one of the most popular brokers.
The main difference is that on Trading 212, you pay a card deposit fee once you have exceeded £2,000. On interactive investor, depositing is free, but you pay a monthly account fee. interactive investor has three plans:
- Essentials (£4.99): You can invest up to £30,000
- Investor plan (£9.99): You get one free trade a month
- Super investor (£19.99): You get two free trades a month
Regular investing (topping up monthly) is free on all plans. Most people on interactive investor use the Investor plan.
Whether Trading 212 or interactive investor is cheaper, depends on your investing habits.
If you plan to top up monthly or make up to one trade a month, interactive investor is cheaper. If you are a frequent trader but do not make card deposits often, Trading 212 is cheaper.
Account Types
Trading 212 and interactive investor offer different accounts. With Trading 212 you can get a:
- General investment account (GIA)
- Individual savings account (ISA)
- Contract for Differences (CFD) account*
*CFDs are a risky investment, and most investors lose money when trading.
interactive investor does not offer a CFD account. Instead, it has a Junior ISA and a Self-invested Personal Pension (SIPP), which cost £10 per month.
The accounts indicate that Trading 212 is for trading. interactive investor is more focused on long-term investing.
Which platform is better regarding account types depends on what you want to achieve.
Investment Products
Trading 212 offers over 10,00 global stocks and funds. You can also invest in CFDs and buy fractional shares. interactive investor offers over 40,00 global stocks, funds, and investment trusts.
interactive investor has a greater range of stocks available.
User Interfaces
Both websites are user friendly. By default, Trading 212 lists popular stocks and their performance. You can customise this list to see the stocks you are interested in. This helps you monitor their performance and decide when to buy and sell a stock.
With interactive investor, you can see what your investments are worth and how much money you have gained/lost. This is important to long-term investors.
Depositing and Withdrawing Money
When it comes to depositing, Trading 212 has many options. You can deposit via bank transfer, debit or credit card, or eWallet. With interactive investor, you can deposit by bank transfer or debit card.
Withdrawing takes up to three business days with Trading 212. It takes up to two business days with interactive investors.
Both brokers offer adequate depositing options and are quick to process withdrawals.
Trading 212 and ii Free Shares and Sign-up Offers
When you sign up for a new Trading 212 account, you can get a free share worth up to £100. You can get more free shares if you refer friends to Trading 212. Use the link below to get a free share:
interactive investor does not have sign-up bonuses or friend referral bonuses.
If you want more free shares, read my Freetrade vs Trading 212 comparison.
Trading 212 vs interactive investor Comparison Summary
When comparing Trading 212 vs ii, both are legit and good investment platforms. Trading 212 caters to people who want to trade. interactive investor is great for long-term investors. It is also one of the best alternatives to Trading 212.
The outcome of this comparison is as follows:
- User ratings: interactive investor
- Fees: Tie
- Account types: Tie
- Investment markets: interactive investor
- User interface: Tie
- Sign-up bonus and friend referral scheme: Trading 212
interactive investor wins more categories than Trading 212. However, this does not mean interactive investor is universally better than Trading 212. Which platform is best for you depends on your investment style and goals.
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