Both are FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected. The real difference is fees, account types and how each platform feels to use. Verified against each provider’s published charges.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Cost-conscious DIY investors who want to keep every fee at zero.
Hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy.
Tick what you need. No account, no email. The answer is on this page.
Tick what you need above and we'll tell you which of the two covers it.
Account availability verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Reviewers consistently rate the app as easy to use and good value, and many mention the competitive interest paid on uninvested cash.
The most common criticisms are slow identity verification for new accounts and support that can take time to respond.
Read Trading 212 reviews on TrustpilotLong-term investors praise the low fund costs and the simplicity of LifeStrategy portfolios.
The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service.
Read Vanguard reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | Trading 212 | Vanguard |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £0 | £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year |
| Share dealing | £0 commission | Not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) |
| Fund dealing | ETFs only, £0 commission | Free |
| FX fee | 0.15% | None (GBP funds) |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Free | Platform fee applies |
| SIPP | Free | Platform fee applies |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £1 | £100/month or £500 lump sum |
Trading 212 built its name on removing fees. There is no platform fee, no dealing commission and no account charge on its ISA or SIPP. The only cost most investors pay is a 0.15% currency conversion fee when buying shares priced in dollars or euros.
The trade-off is scope. You can hold shares and ETFs but not traditional funds, and support is app-based. For an investor who wants a global tracker ETF inside an ISA at close to zero cost, it is very hard to beat on price.
Vanguard UK is the default answer for one-fund index investing. If your plan is a LifeStrategy or FTSE Global All Cap fund and nothing else, the combination of cheap funds and a capped 0.15% platform fee is excellent, especially above £32,000.
Below £32,000 the £4 monthly minimum changes the maths, and a free platform like Trading 212 or Prosper holding a similar Vanguard ETF can work out cheaper. You also cannot hold individual shares or other fund managers' products.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. Trading 212's platform fee is £0, against £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year at Vanguard. On dealing, Trading 212 charges £0 commission for shares and eTFs only, £0 commission for funds, while Vanguard charges not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) for shares and free for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
Trading 212 is best for cost-conscious DIY investors who want to keep every fee at zero. Vanguard is best for hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On Trading 212's ISA: Free. On Vanguard's ISA: Platform fee applies. Trading 212 offers a flexible ISA and Vanguard does not. Minimums are £1 at Trading 212 and £100/month or £500 lump sum at Vanguard.
Trading 212 offers a SIPP (free). Vanguard offers a SIPP (platform fee applies).
Trading 212 scores 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Excellent) from tens of thousands of reviews. Vanguard scores 4 out of 5 (Great) from around 5,000 reviews. The most common criticisms are slow identity verification for new accounts and support that can take time to respond. The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service.
Yes. UK platforms accept ISA and SIPP transfers in, and you start the transfer with the receiving provider rather than the one you are leaving. Trading 212 charges free on withdrawals and Vanguard charges free. Transfer as cash and you are out of the market while it settles; transfer in specie and you keep your holdings but it takes longer.
Trading 212 or Vanguard, the account is the easy part. What decides when you can retire is how much goes in and for how long. Delphina works that out from what you already hold and what you pay in each month.
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