Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG 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 IG 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.
IG and Freetrade both let UK investors buy and sell shares, ETFs, and investment trusts. IG also supports crypto trading and CFDs, which Freetrade does not. Freetrade offers access to funds and UK government bonds (gilts), options that IG doesn’t provide. Neither platform offers corporate bonds or adviser services.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG at 5 stars (ranked 6th of 21) and Freetrade at 4.5 stars (ranked 9th of 21). If you want crypto and CFD exposure, IG is the better fit; if you prefer funds and gilts alongside straightforward share dealing, Freetrade may suit you more.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
|
|
Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
IG vs Freetrade: if you want richer charting tools, IG is the clear winner. IG lets you show corporate events (earnings, splits and dividends) on charts, add notes, and apply both index and stock overlays. It also includes 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators. By contrast, Freetrade doesn’t offer chart annotations, overlays, drawing tools or indicators, so it suits simpler, buy-and-hold checks rather than in-depth analysis.
Both brokers provide a browser-based platform and let you set price alerts. However, IG supplies real-time market data, while Freetrade does not. For UK traders who value technical analysis and timely data, IG fits best; if you only need basic price alerts and a web platform, Freetrade may be enough.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
For UK investors exploring online brokers for retirement accounts, both IG and Freetrade present appealing choices. IG provides Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), allowing users to manage their investments with tax efficiency. Similarly, Freetrade also offers ISAs and SIPPs, ensuring competitive versatility for those aiming to secure their financial future. With both platforms supporting these popular account types, investors can select either IG or Freetrade to wisely nurture their retirement funds.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
UK investors comparing the IG mobile app vs the Freetrade mobile app will find both available on iPhone and Android. UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG at 5 stars and ranks it #2 out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Freetrade earns 4.5 stars and ranks #7. If top-rated mobile trading matters most, IG takes the lead; if you’re happy with a well-reviewed option, Freetrade is also a good pick.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing online brokers IG and Freetrade for investor education, IG is stronger on webinars: it runs client sessions and offers them on demand, while Freetrade does not provide webinars. In topic coverage, both include funds and retirement; Freetrade also offers share trading guides, whereas IG does not. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG scores 5/5 and ranks 1st out of 21 brokers for beginner education, while Freetrade scores 4/5 and ranks 13th.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
IG vs Freetrade market research for UK investors: IG offers research reports for funds, research on shares and ETFs, and shows portfolio allocation by asset class, while Freetrade also shows allocation but lacks fund research reports and offers no research on shares, ETFs, funds, or bonds. Neither platform includes bonds research; IG provides fund reports but does not have a separate funds research section.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Freetrade? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Charges & Fees |
|
|
| Investment Choices |
|
|
| Mobile App |
|
|
| Website |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
IG vs Freetrade: IG supports cryptocurrency trading, while Freetrade does not, making IG the better fit for investors seeking crypto exposure.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | IG Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | 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 | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £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 | N/A | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Platforms & Tools | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | IG Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
Trading 212 Review
IG Group Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Freetrade Review
XTB Review
Hargreaves Lansdown Review
Saxo Review
eToro Review
Halifax Review
Vanguard Review
CMC Invest Review