Updated September 29, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
InvestEngine vs Trading 212
InvestEngine
Trading 212
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | InvestEngineReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Trading 212ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £100 | £1Lower |
| Markets | ETFs | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDsCovers more |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Corporate | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | 0% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Stock trade fee (£0), Account fee (£0), Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Trading 212 scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only InvestEngine offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Founded is lower at Trading 212: 2006 vs 2019.
- Trading 212 is licensed in 1 more country.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Trading 212: £1 vs £100.
- Markets: only Trading 212 offers Stocks, Forex, CFDs.
- Platforms: only InvestEngine offers Web, iOS, Android.
- Platforms: only Trading 212 offers Trading 212 App, Web Platform.
- Account types: only InvestEngine offers Corporate.
Our verdict on each
InvestEngine
InvestEngine suits UK beginners who want a small, set-and-forget ETF pot with nothing charged for holding or trading. The account fee is £0, the minimum deposit is £100 and the only recurring charge is a management fee of 0.25%. The trade-off is that you hold ETFs and nothing else.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK beginners who want to start small and pay nothing to hold or trade. Stock trades cost £0, the account fee is £0, deposits start at £1, and help runs through help centre only, with no phone or chat route for anyone who needs a person.
Score breakdown
| Area | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0 | 9.3HigherStock trade fee of £0 and account fee of £0, with no inactivity charge of £0 and a minimum deposit of £1. |
| Offer | 8.8Account fee of £0, stock trade fee of £0 and a minimum deposit of £100. | 8.9Higher |
| Trust | 8.3 | 9.4Higher |
What each covers
| Markets | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Account types | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Joint | No | Yes |
| Corporate | Yes | No |
What we checked
InvestEngine
- investengine.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- blog.investengine.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- help.investengine.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Trading 212
- en.wikipedia.org: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- helpcentre.trading212.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 298 of 654 | 110 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 217 of 358 | 75 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 15 of 25 | 4 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 11 of 23 | 2 of 23 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners | Beginners |
| Legal entity | InvestEngine (UK) Limited | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Founded | 2019 | 2006Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Help centreCovers more | Help centre |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.25% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum investment | £1 | Not confirmed |
| Portfolio types | ETF | Not confirmed |
Savings
| Fact | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Variable |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | Flexible Cash ISA with instant access; withdraw and add money at any time, interest paid monthly |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | ISA |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | InvestEngine | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £100above the median | £1below the median | £15 |
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | £0at the median | £0 |
| Account fee | £0at the median | £0at the median | £0 |
| Interest on cash | 0%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 2.875% |
Median across 44 listed providers.
Pros and cons
InvestEngine
Pros
- No account fee at £0 and no stock trade fee at £0
- Fractional shares and a mobile app let you invest small amounts regularly
- Choose from ISA, SIPP and corporate accounts
Cons
- A management fee of 0.25% still applies, unlike a free commission-free brokerage
- Markets are limited to ETFs, so individual shares are not an option
- Support runs on email and help centre only, with no phone line
Trading 212
Pros
- Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so holding a portfolio costs nothing
- The inactivity fee is £0, so a dormant account is not quietly charged
- The minimum deposit is £1, far below the €10 bunq asks
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, so there is no live phone or chat route
- Trading 212 Markets Ltd is authorised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission on MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so the Financial Conduct Authority is not the only supervisor involved
- Markets cover stocks, etfs and forex, which leaves funds, bonds and options outside the range offered here
Who each suits
InvestEngine
Who it suits
- Beginners who want to start small and add to the same pot each month
- Savers putting money into an ISA or SIPP for the long term
- Anyone who would rather hold a diversified basket than pick single shares
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who want to buy and sell individual shares
- Anyone who wants to speak to support by phone, since support runs on email and help centre only
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners opening a first UK investing account
- Savers who want tax-free cash in a flexible Cash ISA
- Small regular investors using fractional shares in small amounts
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants a phone line, since support runs on help centre only
- Readers wanting a lower entry amount than £1, since CFI asks $0
Country by country
| Country | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
Questions about each
InvestEngine
What does it cost to hold an InvestEngine account?+
The account fee is £0 and the stock trade fee is £0, so there is nothing charged for keeping the account open or for dealing. The one recurring cost is a management fee of 0.25% on the money you hold. Deposits and withdrawals are free.
What is the smallest amount I can invest?+
The minimum deposit is £100, and the smallest investment the platform advertises is £1. Fractional shares are supported, so you can hold a slice of a fund rather than a whole unit. That keeps the starting point low even though the opening deposit is set higher than at many rivals.
Trading 212
How much does it cost to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is £0 and the stock trade fee is £0, so there is no charge to hold or to trade. It ranks 1 of 142 on account fee in our data. The only other cost line recorded is the inactivity fee at £0.
What is the smallest amount I can start with?+
The minimum deposit is £1, which puts the entry point low. That ranks 83 of 218 on our minimum deposit data. For comparison, bunq asks a minimum deposit of €10, so Trading 212 asks less of a first deposit than bunq does.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
InvestEngine
Trading 212