interactive investor vs Trading 212
Which platform can help you build long-term wealth?
Take a look at how Trading 212 stacks up against interactive investor and discover which platform can help you - and your family - build a safe home for your wealth.
Important information: As investment values can go down as well as up, you may not get back all of the money you invest. Currency changes affect international investments, and this can decrease their value in sterling. If you're unsure about investing, please speak to an authorised financial adviser.
Your financial future deserves a platform you can rely on
“When choosing a home for you and your family’s long-term wealth, the headline fee only tells part of the story.
“Real value matters far more than a flashy ‘free’ claim. Investors should look at the whole package: investment choice, transparent pricing, tools, and support.
“A low headline fee can be tempting, but if it comes with limited functionality, narrower choice, or weaker support, it may not be such a bargain after all.
“It’s increasingly important to make our money work harder for us. This is not the time to compromise on value - you deserve to be in the driver’s seat of your financial future, with an investment platform that is going to help you and your family do that at every step.”
What's the difference between Trading 212 and interactive investor?
Both are investment platforms. The difference lies in the choice, flexibility and support you get with ii.
| interactive investor | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fees | Monthly flat fee | No fee |
| Choice of investments |
✔ Shares, ETFs and investment trusts ✔ Funds ✔ Bonds and gilts |
✔ Shares, ETFs and investment trusts ✗ Funds ✗ Bonds and gilts |
| International investing |
✔ 17 international marketing include UK, US, Europe and Asia |
✔ Mainly UK, US and Europe |
| Multicurrency wallet |
✔ SIPP and Trading Account |
✔ Invest Account |
| Mobile app | ✔ | ✔ |
| Free regular investing | ✔ |
✔ Known as 'AutoInvest' |
| UK based telephone support |
✔ Secure messaging also available |
✗ Online chat only |
| Managed Portfolios |
✔ Available in ISA and Personal Pension |
✗ |
| Family investing |
✔ Gift free accounts ✔ Junior ISA for all your children with Plus plan |
✗ No family plan ✗ No Junior ISA |
| Social trading community |
✔ ii Community |
✔ Trading 212 Community |
| Shareholder voting | ✔ | ✗ |
|
Educational content & research tools |
✔ Market news, webinars and research tools ✔ Educational guides |
✗ Market news, webinars and research tools ✔ Educational guides |
A heritage built on trust
We’re headquartered in Manchester and part of Aberdeen, a publicly listed company. That means we’re held to high standards of transparency and accountability — so you can invest with confidence.
Invest with peace of mind
Keeping your money secure is our top priority. We carry out robust processes to safeguard your investments, using the latest encryption technology.
A home for long-term wealth
Over 500,000 investors trust us with their cash and investments - we hold over £95bn in assets on the platform. Our platform is for people who want to build meaningful wealth for themselves and their family over time.
Greater investment choice for more confident investing
With ii, you can access one of the widest ranges of investments on the market. You can invest in shares, ETFs, funds, bonds and Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) across 17 global markets, giving you more ways to build a diversified portfolio.
If you’re not sure where to invest, you’ll find plenty of insights and ideas on the ii platform. And if you prefer a hands-off approach, our Managed Investments let you leave the investing to the experts.
With these choices at your fingertips, you’re all set up for long-term investing success, just like half a million other ii investors.
Not all SIPPs are created equal
More platforms are now offering Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs).
While a SIPP can be a great way to save for retirement, not all platforms offer the same level of control, flexibility and support.
The four-time Which? Recommended ii Personal Pension (SIPP) is different. It offers a wide-range of investments to boost your retirement plans and gives you access to a dedicated UK-based support team who’ll help you along the way.
Invest in a way that suits you
The ii Personal Pension gives you greater control over your retirement savings - and includes bonds and funds to help you better manage risk as you approach retirement. If you prefer a hands-off approach, you can leave it to the experts with our Managed Portfolios.
Personal and employer contributions
Take advantage of flexible ways to contribute to the ii Personal Pension. Alongside personal contributions, your employer or someone else can fund your account to give your retirement savings a real boost.
Flexible retirement options
The ii Personal Pension lets you retire on your terms. There are no additional charges when you withdraw from your pension. You can take pension income using tax-free cash, income drawdown or lump sum (UFPLS) - or a combination that best suits your needs.
Why Bobby chose the ii Personal Pension
Bobby wanted more investment options for his pension and access to tools to easily find new investment opportunities.
“The investment options with ii are probably best in class. You can go from the big UK and US companies to commodities, indices and other financial instruments.
It’s really nice to see everything in one place. It gives me full control of my money. That’s why I’m with ii.”
UK-based support from real people
With ii, you can always speak to a real person from our award-winning UK-based Customer Support team whenever you need to - and get the help you want.
You can also send a secure message through our platform at any time. Our team will answer your questions and solve your issues as quickly as possible.
Grow your wealth, and your investment knowledge too
Whether you’re a beginner or a highly active investor, ii gives you access to award-winning research tools, market news, and educational resources to help you invest with confidence.
Insights and ideas
Our team of award-winning experts share the latest insights and ideas to help you make more informed decisions quicker.
ii Community
Connect with other like-minded investors, talk about your investments and benchmark your portfolio against others in our award-winning social trading network.
ii Research hub
Discover our range of premium, actionable research and tools to help you cut through the noise and become a savvier investor.
Investment Coach
Get access to educational guides and tools tailored to your needs - wherever you are on your investment journey.
Real value with a wealth of benefits
We have 3 plans with a wide range of benefits in each. Whichever plan you're on, you'll have everything you need in one place.
Invest together, for one flat fee
With our Plus and Premium plans, you can gift free ii accounts to your family members. It’s a great way to help your loved ones become confident investors and build a secure financial future together.
Each person will join our Family plan, where they can invest across a Stocks & Shares ISA and Trading Account without paying a monthly account fee. Your family member(s) will pay trading fees to buy and sell their investments, and these are charged at our Core plan rate.
Investing should feel rewarding
Spring into investing and give your savings more time to grow.
- Get £200 cashback when you open a Personal Pension (SIPP)
- Get £100 free trades when you open an ii ISA or Trading Account
Offer ends 31 May 2026. New customers only. Terms and exclusions apply.
Important information: It’s important to take your time before transferring your pension. Make sure to consider what the best option is for you. Don’t transfer just to qualify for the offer, and don't rush any decision to meet the offer deadline. We periodically run offers, and there will likely be other opportunities in the future.
Before transferring your pension, check if you’ll be charged any exit fees and make sure you don't lose any valuable benefits such as, guaranteed annuity rates, lower protected pension age or matching employer contributions.
ii vs Trading 212 FAQs
You can start your transfer when opening your ii account, or once your account is set up - just log in and select ‘Transfers’ under your ‘Portfolio’ menu.
When completing your transfer request, you’ll need to tell us a few important details, including:
- Your Trading 212 account number
- The value your transferring and whether this is as cash or investments (‘in specie’)
Once your transfer details are in, it’s time for you to sit back and relax. We’ll work closely with Trading 212 to move your account to ii.
If we need any more information from you, we’ll be in touch. Our Transfer team will bring you regular updates as the transfer progresses.
The time it takes can vary depending on your account type and whether you’re transferring investments (known as an ‘in specie’ transfer).
If you’re transferring cash only, this typically takes 2-6 weeks to complete. If your transfer involves moving investments from your Trading 212 account to your ii account, this could take 8-12 weeks to complete.
Our dedicated transfers team work hard to make the process as quick and easy as possible, but a smooth and speedy transfer also relies on some work from the provider you’re leaving.
To the best of our knowledge, Trading 212 do not charge you to transfer your accounts away from them. But, if you’re in any doubt, it’s always worth double checking this directly with them yourself.
For most account types you can transfer part of your account to ii and leave the other part with Trading 212.
Yes, you can transfer most investments from Trading 212 to ii. There are some cases where investments aren’t available on our platform - for example if it’s specific stock, share or ETF that’s only available with Trading 212. If this happens, we will let you know as soon as possible and explain your options.
Yes, we offer two types of managed or ‘ready-made’ investments: a Managed ISA and Managed Portfolios for your pension.
Both our Managed ISA and Managed Portfolios are built and managed on an ongoing basis by the experts at Aberdeen.
All you need to do is choose the risk level and investment strategy that suits you, then leave the hard work to the experts.
As a UK-based, FCA-regulated investment platform, our number one priority is keeping you and your investments safe.
To do this, we use the latest technology and adhere to robust security protocols. If for any reason our security measures fail, like the banks, you’re protected up to certain limits by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
Yes, and we’d love to hear from you. You can contact our UK-based Customer Support team by phone on 0345 607 6001. Or, if you’re already an ii customer, you can send us a secure message when you log into your account.
Find out more on how to get in touch.
