Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Bestinvest vs Freetrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Your capital is at risk.
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, Freetrade offers better pricing than Bestinvest for share dealing.
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.
Bestinvest and Freetrade both let UK investors buy and sell shares and ETFs. Each also offers access to funds and investment trusts, but not crypto, CFDs, or corporate bonds. If you want gilts (UK government bonds), Freetrade offers them while Bestinvest does not. If you value adviser services, Bestinvest provides them, whereas Freetrade does not.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, both brokers earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for investment choices. In the league table of 21 brokers, Bestinvest places 10th while Freetrade ranks 17th. In short, choose Freetrade for gilts, Bestinvest for advice, and either for straightforward share and ETF investing.
| Feature |
Bestinvest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Bestinvest vs Freetrade: for trading tools, Bestinvest clearly offers more for UK investors who use charts. Bestinvest includes 9 drawing tools, 36 technical indicators, the ability to add notes, and stock overlays. Neither platform shows corporate events on charts or supports index overlays, while Freetrade lacks drawing tools, indicators, notes, and overlays altogether.
Both Bestinvest and Freetrade provide a browser-based platform and let you set price alerts, but neither offers real-time market data. If you want simple viewing with alerts, Freetrade may be enough; if you prefer deeper chart analysis and technical study, Bestinvest is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Bestinvest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 36 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 9 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When considering online brokers for retirement accounts in the UK, both Bestinvest and Freetrade provide attractive options. Each broker offers Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing you to save without paying tax on returns, and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) for building your retirement fund. Both platforms cater to different investing styles and levels of experience, providing flexibility whether you're aiming to maximize your ISA contributions or diversify your SIPP portfolio. It's essential to weigh the specific features and benefits of each service to determine the best fit for your financial goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Bestinvest vs Freetrade: both UK online brokers offer iPhone and Android mobile apps, but their ratings differ. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Bestinvest’s app is rated 3.5 out of 5 and ranks 16th out of 21 brokers, while Freetrade’s app scores 4.5 out of 5 and ranks 12th. If you want a higher-rated mobile experience on iOS or Android, Freetrade edges ahead, though both provide full app access in the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Bestinvest vs Freetrade for beginner investor education in the UK: Bestinvest runs educational client webinars and archives them for on‑demand viewing, while Freetrade offers no webinars or archive. Both platforms cover share trading, funds and retirement, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Bestinvest higher for beginners (5/5 stars, 6th of 21) than Freetrade (4/5 stars, 16th of 21). If you want live and catch‑up lessons alongside topic guides, Bestinvest is the stronger choice; for basic learning on key topics, both will do.
| Feature |
Bestinvest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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.
For UK investors comparing market research tools, Bestinvest stands out with research on shares, ETFs and funds, plus detailed fund research reports, while Freetrade offers none of these research features and does not provide fund reports. Both platforms let you see your portfolio allocation by asset class, and neither includes bonds research. If in-depth research matters, Bestinvest is the stronger choice; if you only need basic allocation views, either platform will do.
| Feature |
Bestinvest
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Bestinvest or Freetrade? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Bestinvest to be a better trading platform overall.
Bestinvest is a very good broker that should appeal to a wide range of investors. Fees are competitive, particularly if you invest in funds or US shares, and the investment options are extensive. The Bestinvest platform is relatively easy to use and the offer of a free 45 minute session with a financial coach can be a useful starting point for newer investors. Bestinvest is also a great option for a Junior SIPP, as it is one of very few UK brokers offering children’s pensions and with a low entry point.
| Feature |
Bestinvest
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Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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Bestinvest and Freetrade, both online brokers, do not offer cryptocurrency trading options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Bestinvest | Freetrade | |
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| Review | Bestinvest Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Bestinvest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Bestinvest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £50 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 - £4.95 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 - £4.95 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 - £4.95 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £500 - £1,000 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £100 - £1,000 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £59.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £4.95 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £4.95 | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £4.95 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £4.95 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £30 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Bestinvest | 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) |
| Platforms & Tools | Bestinvest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 36 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 9 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Bestinvest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Bestinvest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Bestinvest | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | Bestinvest Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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