Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro 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, eToro 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 - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
12 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
36 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
120 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
3 fund trades per year - eToro would cost $50 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.
When it comes to investment choices, eToro and Freetrade cater to slightly different preferences, making each a contender in its own right among UK brokers. eToro stands out with its ability to offer share and crypto trading, as well as trading in ETFs and CFDs, providing a wide range of options for those interested in diversifying their portfolio with different asset types. Freetrade, on the other hand, tends not to delve into the crypto or CFD markets but does provide avenues for trading shares, ETFs, and investment trusts, appealing to investors who might prefer traditional stock market investments.
In terms of ratings, eToro takes a slight edge with a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices as compared to Freetrade's 4-star rating. Despite this higher rating, eToro is positioned 15th out of 18 brokers, while Freetrade is ranked 17th, indicating that both platforms have room for improvement. As two popular choices among UK investors, each platform offers unique elements that cater to different trading preferences, allowing potential users to select according to their specific investment style.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
For UK investors comparing eToro and Freetrade, both platforms offer basic functionalities for accessible trading and real-time market data, available across mobile and desktop. However, eToro stands out significantly in the realm of trading tools. With a diverse suite of 56 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, eToro provides extensive resources for traders to analyze and personalize their trading experience. Additionally, eToro allows users to add notes, index overlays, and stock overlays to charts, enhancing analytical capabilities for a more tailored trading approach.
In contrast, Freetrade focuses on simplicity and accessibility but lags behind in advanced charting features. It currently does not offer any drawing tools or technical indicators for charting, nor does it support the addition of notes or overlays to charts. While both eToro and Freetrade facilitate stock price alerts and deliver real-time market updates, investors looking for a richer suite of analytical tools may find eToro's offerings more appealing.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
For UK investors exploring online brokers, both eToro and Freetrade offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), providing tax-efficient investment opportunities. However, when it comes to retirement planning, the offerings differ significantly. eToro does not offer Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) accounts, potentially limiting options for those focused on long-term retirement savings. In contrast, Freetrade provides SIPP accounts, allowing investors to manage their retirement funds with more flexibility. This distinction makes Freetrade a more suitable choice for individuals prioritizing retirement savings in their investment strategy.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK traders seeking a user-friendly mobile trading platform, both eToro and Freetrade offer reliable apps for iPhone and Android devices. eToro's app is highly recommended, receiving a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and securing a commendable 5th place out of 18 brokers for mobile app performance. Meanwhile, Freetrade also presents a solid choice with its 4-star rated app, ranking 12th in the same category. These ratings reflect their user experiences and features, helping investors make informed choices about which platform suits their trading needs best.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK, both eToro and Freetrade provide educational resources on share trading, but there are notable differences in other areas. While neither platform offers educational webinars, eToro outshines Freetrade with a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranks at #11 out of 18 brokers. In contrast, Freetrade, although lower rated at 3.5 stars and ranked #16, offers additional educational content on funds and retirement, making it a potentially more comprehensive choice for those seeking knowledge in these specific areas.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features offered by eToro and Freetrade for UK investors, both platforms provide research on shares and ETFs, and allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class. However, neither offers research reports specifically for funds or bonds. A key difference lies in CFDs research, which is available through eToro but not Freetrade. Those seeking comprehensive analysis for CFDs might prefer eToro, while both platforms equally serve the needs of those focused on shares and ETF research.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | 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, eToro or Freetrade? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found eToro to be a better trading platform overall.
eToro offers a wide range of assets and instruments and is well-known for its ‘social trading’ approach. It has among the lowest fees and best mobile app experiences of brokers we tested in the U.K., and offers a great starting point for those new to stock trading. Our analysis finds it better suited to short-term traders than long-term investors.
| Feature |
eToro
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Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
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When comparing online brokers, eToro stands out by offering crypto trading, a feature not available on Freetrade.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | eToro | Freetrade | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | eToro | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | No | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | eToro | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | £1 | |
| 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) | £0 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | Freetrade | |
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| Platforms & Tools | eToro | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | eToro | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | eToro | Freetrade | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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