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.
Hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy.
Active investors who want professional tools alongside long-term holdings.
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.
Long-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 TrustpilotExperienced traders rate the platform quality, charting and market access.
Lower scores than rivals, with complaints about account queries and the complexity of the product range.
Read IG reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | Vanguard | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year | £0 (custody fee removed January 2026) |
| Share dealing | Not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) | £0 commission with instant currency conversion |
| Fund dealing | Free | Not confirmed: check IG's site for fund availability |
| FX fee | None (GBP funds) | 0.7% |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies | Free |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies | Commission-free; administered by Options Pensions, £205 a year |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £100/month or £500 lump sum | No minimum |
A 0.25% yearly fee gap sounds small. On £50,000 over 20 years it is about £5,900 (illustrative). Add your ISA and pension balances to Delphina yourself and see what your charges cost by retirement and whether you're on track.
See what my fees costIllustrative: £50,000, 5% a year growth before charges, 0.25% vs 0.50% a year in charges, no further contributions. Not a recommendation of Vanguard or IG. Delphina is guidance, not financial advice.
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.
IG is best known for trading, but its share dealing account and ISA became far more competitive in 2026 when it removed custody fees and commissions. You get institutional-quality tools with no platform charge.
The 0.7% currency conversion fee is the main cost to watch on US shares, and there are no traditional funds. It suits confident investors; beginners will find simpler homes elsewhere.
Vanguard charges an account fee of £4 a month (£48 a year) under £32,000, then 0.15% a year capped at £375, on invested money only. On £20,000 that is £48 a year, and on £50,000 it is £75. The funds' own ongoing charges, from 0.06% to 0.79%, come on top. Fund dealing is free, and optional quote-and-deal ETF trades cost £7.50.
IG charges no platform, custody or inactivity fee, and share dealing is commission-free with automatic currency conversion. Non-sterling trades carry a 0.7% FX fee, so £1,000 of US shares costs £7 in FX.
Vanguard's personal pension uses the same account fee: £48 a year on £20,000 and £75 a year on £50,000. IG's SIPP is administered by Options Pensions, which charges £205 a year, whatever the pot size. On a £20,000 pension, that is £48 at Vanguard and £205 at IG before fund costs or FX. You can usually access a personal pension from 55, rising to 57 from 6 April 2028.
Vanguard offers Vanguard funds and Vanguard ETFs only, with no individual shares and no other providers' funds. IG offers share dealing in UK, US and European shares. Both offer a Stocks & Shares ISA, Junior ISA and SIPP. IG also offers spread betting and CFD accounts, which are leveraged trading products separate from its investing accounts.
Vanguard tends to suit people content to hold Vanguard funds and ETFs who want a low, capped account fee. IG tends to suit people who want to buy individual shares with no platform fee, and who are comfortable with a 0.7% FX fee on overseas trades.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. Vanguard's platform fee is £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year, against £0 (custody fee removed January 2026) at IG. On dealing, Vanguard charges not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) for shares and free for funds, while IG charges £0 commission with instant currency conversion for shares and not confirmed: check IG's site for fund availability for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
Vanguard is best for hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy. IG is best for active investors who want professional tools alongside long-term holdings. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On Vanguard's ISA: Platform fee applies. On IG's ISA: Free. Both offer a flexible ISA, so you can withdraw and replace money in the same tax year without using up allowance. Minimums are £100/month or £500 lump sum at Vanguard and No minimum at IG.
Vanguard offers a SIPP (platform fee applies). IG offers a SIPP (commission-free; administered by Options Pensions, £205 a year).
Vanguard scores 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Excellent) from 5,332 reviews (checked 12 October 2026). IG scores 3.8 out of 5 (Great) from around 8,500 reviews. The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service. Lower scores than rivals, with complaints about account queries and the complexity of the product range.
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. Vanguard charges free on withdrawals and IG 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.
Vanguard or IG, 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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