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 comparing online brokers eToro and Freetrade, it's evident that both platforms cater to diverse investor interests, but with distinct offerings. eToro excels in its variety of investment choices, notably offering share trading, cryptocurrency, ETF, and CFD trading. However, it lacks options for trading investment trusts and bonds. This broad spectrum enhances eToro's appeal, earning it a rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Freetrade also supports share and ETF trading, and uniquely includes investment trusts, offering a more focused yet slightly narrower range of options. It doesn't support crypto trading or CFDs, which might limit its appeal to those interested in broader market engagements. Consequently, Freetrade is rated 4 stars, reflecting solid but slightly limited investment opportunities compared to eToro.
Overall, eToro clinches the #9 spot out of 18 brokers for investment choices, surpassing Freetrade, which ranks at #13. This ranking underscores eToro's more extensive reach within the investment arena, balancing both traditional and modern trading avenues. On the other hand, Freetrade offers simplicity and a straightforward approach, appealing to investors who prioritize the stock market and investment trusts over cryptos and derivatives. Whether you're drawn to eToro's comprehensive array or Freetrade's straightforward selection, each platform provides unique investment pathways tailored to different trading preferences.
| 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.
When it comes to trading tools, eToro provides a robust set of features compared to Freetrade. eToro impressively offers 56 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators for enhancing the charting experience, whereas Freetrade offers none. Additionally, eToro allows users to add notes and overlay both indexes and stocks directly onto charts, options that Freetrade currently does not support. However, neither eToro nor Freetrade provides the capability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, or dividends on their charts. Both platforms do support browser-based trading, and each offers features like stock price alerts and real-time market data updates, ensuring traders stay informed.
For those who prioritize advanced chart management and comprehensive analyses, eToro might be the better choice, offering extensive customization options to tailor the trading experience to individual preferences. While Freetrade offers a more straightforward and basic approach, it may appeal to beginners or users looking for a minimalistic trading platform. Ultimately, the choice between eToro and Freetrade will depend on personal trading needs and experience levels.
| 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 |
When comparing online brokers eToro and Freetrade, both platforms offer ISA (Individual Savings Account) options, allowing users to invest with tax advantages. However, the key difference lies in their retirement account offerings. Freetrade provides SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) accounts, catering to those looking to save for retirement with more control over their investments. On the other hand, eToro currently does not offer SIPP accounts, so users seeking this retirement option would need to look elsewhere.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both eToro and Freetrade provide robust mobile applications available on iPhone and Android platforms, ensuring easy access and management of investments on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro's mobile app is rated an impressive 5 stars, placing it 5th among 18 brokers for mobile app quality. Meanwhile, Freetrade's mobile app is highly praised with a rating of 4 stars, securing the 8th spot in the same ranking. These ratings highlight eToro's slight edge in user experience and functionality over Freetrade in the competitive mobile trading arena.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing eToro and Freetrade for beginner investor educational resources, several distinctions emerge. Neither platform offers educational webinars or archived on-demand sessions, leaving new investors to rely on other learning materials. Both eToro and Freetrade provide education on share trading, but their offerings diverge in other areas. Freetrade extends educational support into funds and retirement topics, whereas eToro does not cover these areas. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro boasts a higher beginner education rating of 4.5 stars compared to Freetrade's 3.5 stars. However, in rankings among 18 brokers, Freetrade slightly edges out eToro, securing the 9th spot, with eToro coming in at 10th place.
| 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 between online brokers eToro and Freetrade, both platforms shine in providing information for portfolio allocation by asset class and offer research resources for shares and ETFs. However, neither offer research reports for funds or individual bonds. eToro stands out with its additional research capabilities by including CFDs, a feature Freetrade lacks. For users interested specifically in CFDs, eToro provides more comprehensive coverage, while for those uninterested in CFDs research, Freetrade offers a similar level of information for shares and ETFs.
| 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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|---|---|---|
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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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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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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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