Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Freetrade vs eToro, 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 eToro 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.
Comparing Freetrade vs eToro for UK investors: both brokers let you buy and sell shares, ETFs, and investment trusts. eToro adds crypto and CFD trading, while Freetrade does not. Freetrade offers funds and UK government bonds (gilts), which eToro doesn’t. Neither platform offers corporate bonds or adviser services.
On investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both Freetrade and eToro at 4.5 out of 5 stars. In a field of 21 brokers, Freetrade ranks 9th and eToro 11th. Choose eToro if you want crypto and CFDs; choose Freetrade if you want funds and gilts, with either working well for shares, ETFs, and investment trusts.
| Feature |
Freetrade
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eToro
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Freetrade vs eToro for trading tools: Freetrade’s charts are basic, with no drawing tools or technical indicators, and you can’t add notes, corporate events, or index/stock overlays. eToro offers richer charting, including 9 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, plus index and stock overlays; like Freetrade, it doesn’t display corporate events or support chart notes.
Both online brokers provide a browser-based platform and let you set price alerts. If live pricing matters, eToro supplies real-time market data, while Freetrade does not. In short, UK traders who want advanced charting will find more tools on eToro, while Freetrade may suit those who prefer a simpler setup.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 106 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
Freetrade vs eToro for UK retirement accounts: both offer a Stocks & Shares ISA for tax-efficient investing, but only Freetrade also provides a SIPP for building a personal pension, while eToro does not. If you want both an ISA and a SIPP in one place, Freetrade may suit you; if you only need an ISA, either platform could work—compare fees and features before you decide.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
UK investors comparing mobile trading apps will find that both Freetrade and eToro offer iPhone and Android apps. Based on UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro’s mobile app is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #4 of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Freetrade’s app scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #7 of 21. eToro edges ahead on ratings and ranking, though Freetrade remains a solid, easy-to-use choice for trading on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Comparing Freetrade vs eToro for beginner investor education in the UK: neither broker offers educational webinars or on‑demand recordings, and both provide content on share trading. Freetrade goes further with education on funds and retirement, which eToro lacks. However, UK.StockBrokers.com rates eToro higher for beginner education (5 stars, ranked 7th of 21) than Freetrade (4 stars, ranked 13th), making eToro the stronger overall pick despite Freetrade’s broader topic coverage.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
Freetrade vs eToro for UK investors: both platforms let you view your portfolio allocation by asset class, and neither offers research reports for funds or dedicated research on funds or bonds. However, eToro provides research on shares and ETFs, while Freetrade does not. If you only need a clear view of your asset mix, either will do; if built-in research on shares and ETFs matters, eToro is the better fit.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | No | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Freetrade or eToro? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Freetrade to be a better trading platform overall.
Overall Freetrade is a great platform to help you get to grips with investing. Costs are low, and its user-friendly mobile app offers great investment inspiration. Sophisticated investors, however, may find that other platforms offer a wider range of investment options and tools.
| Feature |
Freetrade
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eToro
|
|---|---|---|
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Freetrade vs eToro: eToro offers crypto trading, while Freetrade does not.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Freetrade | eToro | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Freetrade | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Freetrade | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £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 | £59.88 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £59.88 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £59.88 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £59.88 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | N/A | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Freetrade | eToro | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Freetrade | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 106 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | Freetrade | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | No | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Freetrade | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Freetrade | eToro | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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