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.
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, eToro offers better pricing than Freetrade 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.
eToro and Freetrade both let UK investors buy shares, ETFs and investment trusts. eToro also offers crypto and CFD trading, which Freetrade does not. If you want funds or government bonds (gilts), Freetrade has them, while eToro does not. Neither platform offers corporate bonds or advisor services.
For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both eToro and Freetrade at 4.5 stars. In the site’s league table of 21 brokers, eToro ranks 15th and Freetrade 17th. In short: pick eToro if you need crypto or CFDs, and Freetrade if you want funds and gilts.
| Feature |
eToro
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Freetrade
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
eToro vs Freetrade for trading tools in the UK: eToro offers far deeper charting, with 9 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, plus index and stock overlays. Freetrade does not offer drawing tools, indicators, or overlays. Neither broker shows corporate events on charts or lets you add notes. Both provide a browser-based platform and price alerts, but only eToro supplies real-time market data.
For UK investors who rely on charts and live prices, eToro will feel more capable. If you mainly place basic trades and just want web access and alerts, Freetrade can cover the essentials. Always check the latest features before choosing.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 9 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | 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 investors comparing mobile trading apps, both eToro and Freetrade offer iPhone and Android apps for trading on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro’s app earns 5 stars and ranks 5th out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Freetrade’s app earns 4.5 stars and ranks 12th, giving eToro the edge for mobile performance.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
eToro vs Freetrade for beginner education: UK investors won’t find live or on‑demand webinars at either broker, but both offer learning on share trading. Freetrade goes further with content on funds and retirement, while eToro focuses on shares. Despite that, UK.StockBrokers.com rates eToro higher for beginner education (5 stars, ranked 11th of 21) than Freetrade (4 stars, ranked 16th). Choose eToro for top-rated starter material on shares, or Freetrade if you want extra guidance on funds and retirement.
| 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.
eToro vs Freetrade for UK market research: both brokers let you view your portfolio allocation by asset class, and neither offers research reports for funds. eToro has the edge with built-in shares research and ETF research, while Freetrade does not provide research on shares or ETFs. Neither platform includes research on funds or bonds.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| 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
|
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 | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| 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) | |||
| 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 | N/A | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £59.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | N/A | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £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 | 9 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | eToro | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| 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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