Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
InvestEngine vs Trading 212
Where InvestEngine and Trading 212 differ
| Compare |  InvestEngine | Trading 212 ReviewSee 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).
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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 beginners who want their money spread across ETFs without picking shares themselves. Costs stay thin: an account fee of £0, a stock trade fee of £0 and a single portfolio management charge of 0.25%, with deposits and withdrawals free.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK and European beginners who want flat costs: a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of £0 and an ISA, SIPP and joint account. Forex and CFDs share the same menu, so the easy entry is the reason to look closer, not to trade heavily.
Score breakdown
| Area | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0 | 9.3HigherCharges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. |
| Offer | 8.8The isa, sipp and corporate account range wraps one ETF plan for savers and firms alike. | 9.2Higher |
| Trust | 8.4 | 9.5Higher |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ||
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32 |
Where these facts come from
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
How they place
| Ranking | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 187 of 490 | 74 of 490 |
| Investment platforms and apps | 41 of 85 | 18 of 85 |
| Brokers for beginners | 57 of 88 | 28 of 88 |
| Stocks and shares ISA providers | 13 of 21 | 2 of 21 |
| SIPP providers | 12 of 22 | 2 of 22 |
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 centre | Not confirmed |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | InvestEngine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.25% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum investment | £1 | Not confirmed |
| Portfolio types | ETF | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | InvestEngine | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £100above the median | £1lowest quarter | £25 |
| 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 | 3% |
Median across 34 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
InvestEngine
Pros
- An account fee of £0 and a stock trade fee of £0 leave almost nothing to pay for holding or trading.
- Investor protection is FSCS up to GBP 85,000, with the platform regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
- The platform list covers Web, iOS and Android, and fractional shares make small regular buys work.
Cons
- Shares are not among its markets (etfs), so the range stays on funds rather than a general dealing list.
- Support runs on email and help centre, with no phone number for urgent account questions.
- Cash waiting to be invested earns 0%.
Trading 212
Pros
- Nothing to pay for holding or for going quiet: the account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0.
- Trading shares costs £0, the same stock trade fee eToro lists at $0, so the trade price is not the reason to move.
- The entry of £1 sits under the $5 Vantage asks for, which matters for a first transfer.
Cons
- The market list pairs shares and ETFs with forex and CFDs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a platform aimed at beginners, beginners, also carries leveraged products.
- The fee sheet is the easy part: retail accounts lose money at 70.15% across the brokers compared, and a £0 trade cost does not remove that risk.
- The money side runs through Trading 212 Markets Ltd in Cyprus, registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so a UK saver is dealing with a Cyprus entity alongside the UK one.
Who each suits
InvestEngine
Who it suits
- Beginners who want a curated portfolio and can start from a minimum investment of £1.
- ISA and SIPP holders in the UK who would rather not pay an account fee.
- Investors who only need help by email and are happy to stay inside a single asset class.
Who should look elsewhere
- CFI, for anyone who wants to open with a minimum deposit of $0 rather than £100.
- Vantage, for anyone who wants a smaller entry point, since its minimum deposit is $5.
- eToro, for traders who want share dealing, because shares are not among its markets (etfs).
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners and small regular investors who want a low bar to entry, since the minimum deposit is £1 and the app and demo account in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app support a cautious start.
- UK and European savers who care about holding cost, because the account fee of £0 and the inactivity fee of £0 leave the account free to sit and free to open.
- Savers who want a tax-wrapped and shared holding together, since isa, sipp and joint covers an ISA, a SIPP and a joint account under one provider.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for forex and CFD traders who want a deeper market list: Trading 212 stops at stocks, etfs and forex, while eToro and Vantage cover more of the leveraged side.
- Not for anyone who needs a no-cost opening: CFI takes a minimum deposit of $0 against the £1 asked here.
- Not for savers who want a bigger spread of wrappers: the account range is listed as isa, sipp and joint, which does not stretch to every tax-sheltered account type.
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 a stock trade costs £0, so buying and holding leaves most of the pot intact. The only ongoing charge is the portfolio management fee of 0.25%, which is taken on the portfolio rather than per trade. Cash left uninvested earns 0%.
Is my money protected if the platform fails?+
The Financial Conduct Authority is the regulator named on the licence, and the platform states investor protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000. The account is run by InvestEngine (UK) Limited, a UK company, so UK rules and the protection scheme both apply to the account.
Trading 212
What is the minimum deposit to open a Trading 212 account?+
The published minimum deposit is £1, low enough to open and fund in one step. That entry sits under the €4.64 level seen across the brokers compared here, and under the $5 Vantage asks for, so a small first transfer is enough to get going.
Does Trading 212 charge for keeping an account open or leaving it idle?+
The account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0, so neither holding the account nor letting it sit dormant is billed on the published sheet. The €10 inactivity level across the brokers compared sits well above that floor, which is where dormant-account charges usually show up.