Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Barclays vs Freetrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, Barclays offers better pricing than Freetrade for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - Barclays would cost £105 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
12 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
36 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
120 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
3 fund trades per year - Barclays would cost £0 per year, while Freetrade would cost £1 per year.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
Barclays and Freetrade both offer share and ETF trading options, providing investors in the UK a range of choices to build their portfolios. While Barclays extends its services to include funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts, Freetrade focuses on simpler options, also offering investment trusts but not branching into bonds or funds trading. Notably, Barclays offers advisory services, allowing investors to benefit from tailored advice, which is not available with Freetrade.
When it comes to user ratings, Barclays shines with a five-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its versatile investment choices, placing it at a commendable 9th position among 21 brokers. Freetrade, while still highly regarded with four stars, ranks 17th, reflecting its more streamlined approach. Each platform caters to different investment needs and preferences, making them both viable options for UK investors.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the charting tools of Barclays and Freetrade, UK investors will find that both platforms fall short on certain advanced features. Neither Barclays nor Freetrade provide the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, or dividends on their charts. Similarly, both platforms lack drawing tools and technical indicators, which can limit more detailed analyses. Neither allows users to add notes, index overlays, or stock overlays to their charts. However, both Barclays and Freetrade do provide browser-based trading platforms, offering convenient online access for executing trades.
Despite these shared limitations, Freetrade does offer a distinct advantage for active traders by providing real-time market data, whereas it's unclear if Barclays offers this feature. Both platforms enable users to set up alerts for stock price updates, which is a valuable tool for staying informed about market movements. In essence, while both Barclays and Freetrade have room for improvement in enhancing their charting features, Freetrade's real-time data and stock price alerts make it slightly more appealing for those eager to make quick investment decisions based on the latest market conditions.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
When comparing online brokers Barclays and Freetrade for retirement planning in the UK, both firms conveniently offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) to their customers. These accounts are essential for those looking to save and invest efficiently, allowing you to manage your investments with tax advantages. Barclays and Freetrade provide flexible options for maintaining your retirement savings through either an ISA or SIPP, offering you the opportunity to tailor your investment strategy to meet your long-term financial goals. With both platforms at your disposal, UK investors can easily find a suitable solution for their retirement planning while benefiting from user-friendly online services.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both Barclays and Freetrade offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring seamless trading experiences from your smartphone. When it comes to user satisfaction, Freetrade stands out with a 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, indicating a smoother and more reliable mobile app experience. Conversely, Barclays trails with a 2.5-star rating, placing it at the bottom of the list in the 21-broker ranking for mobile apps. Positioned at #12, Freetrade is recognized as a favorable choice among traders, while Barclays occupies the last spot at #21, suggesting areas for improvement in its mobile app performance. Whether you prioritize intuitive interfaces or app reliability, these ratings highlight Freetrade's edge in mobile trading access.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing the educational resources of Barclays and Freetrade, both offer valuable insights into share trading, funds, and retirement. Barclays stands out with a higher rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 10th among 21 brokers, while Freetrade trails slightly with a 3.5-star rating and a 16th place rank. Addressing different learning needs, Barclays provides educational client webinars, although these are not available on-demand, whereas Freetrade currently does not offer webinar resources. Both platforms strive to support new investors, yet Barclays has an edge in comprehensive educational offerings and availability.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | ||
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features offered by online brokers Barclays and Freetrade, UK investors will find distinct differences in their services. Barclays excels by providing research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds, offering a comprehensive suite for those keen to dive deep into their investment analysis. Both platforms allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, aiding in easy tracking and diversification of investments. However, while Freetrade matches Barclays in providing research for shares and ETFs, it falls short on offering dedicated research for funds and bonds, which could be a consideration depending on your investment interests.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Barclays or Freetrade? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Barclays to be a better trading platform overall.
Barclays Smart Investor offers a wide range of investments and accounts and is a good value for those with a midsize portolio who like flat fees. On the downside, it can be complicated to open an account as a non-Barclays bank customer, and you can’t buy or sell investments through the app if you don’t have a Barclays bank account.
| Feature |
Barclays
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Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Mobile App |
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Barclays currently does not offer crypto trading capabilities, while Freetrade also does not support crypto trading, making both online brokers unsuitable for investors looking to trade cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Barclays | Freetrade | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Barclays | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Barclays | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £6 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £105 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £147 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £291 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £795 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £525 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £525 - £650 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £650 - £850 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £850 and up | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £6 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £6 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Barclays | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Barclays | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | |||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | |||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | Barclays | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Barclays | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | |||
| Client Webinars (Archived) |
| Overall Summary | Barclays | Freetrade | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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