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.
Portfolios above roughly £60k where a flat fee beats percentage charges.
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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 TrustpilotLong-standing customers value the flat fee and the breadth of investments.
The 1.5% headline FX fee and occasional platform outages are the recurring complaints.
Read Interactive Investor reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | Vanguard | Interactive Investor |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year | Core £5.99/month (up to £100k); Plus £14.99/month (no limit); Premium £39.99/month |
| Share dealing | Not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) | £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) |
| Fund dealing | Free | £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) |
| FX fee | None (GBP funds) | 1.5% on the first £25k, tiered lower above |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies | Included in the monthly plan |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies | Included in the monthly plan |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £100/month or £500 lump sum | No minimum (£25/month for regular investing) |
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.
Interactive Investor charges a flat monthly subscription instead of a percentage. On a £200,000 portfolio, £5.99 a month is a fraction of what percentage-fee platforms charge, which is why ii keeps winning larger DIY investors.
The equation flips for small pots: £71.88 a year on £10,000 is 0.7%, more than almost any rival. Work out your portfolio size first, then decide.
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 core £5.99/month (up to £100k); Plus £14.99/month (no limit); Premium £39.99/month at Interactive Investor. On dealing, Vanguard charges not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) for shares and free for funds, while Interactive Investor charges £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) for shares and £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
Vanguard is best for hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy. Interactive Investor is best for portfolios above roughly £60k where a flat fee beats percentage charges. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On Vanguard's ISA: Platform fee applies. On Interactive Investor's ISA: Included in the monthly plan. Neither offers a flexible ISA, so anything you withdraw still counts against your annual allowance. Minimums are £100/month or £500 lump sum at Vanguard and No minimum (£25/month for regular investing) at Interactive Investor.
Vanguard offers a SIPP (platform fee applies). Interactive Investor offers a SIPP (included in the monthly plan).
Vanguard scores 4 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Great) from around 5,000 reviews. Interactive Investor scores 4.6 out of 5 (Excellent) from over 28,000 reviews. The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service. The 1.5% headline FX fee and occasional platform outages are the recurring complaints.
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 Interactive Investor 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 Interactive Investor, 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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