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.
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, IG 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 - IG would cost £0 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year.
120 trades per year - IG 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 - IG would cost £0 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.
For UK investors evaluating online brokers, IG and Freetrade both stand out with appealing investment options, yet each caters to different preferences. IG offers an extensive array of choices that include share trading, ETFs, CFD trading, and investment trusts, earning it a commendable 4.5-star rating for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com. Ranking 11th out of 21 brokers, IG's platform is suitable for those looking for a variety of trading instruments like ETFs and investment trusts.
Conversely, Freetrade also facilitates share and ETF trading, along with access to investment trusts, attributing to its strong user appeal. It holds a slightly lower rating of 4 stars for investment choices, and ranks 17th among 21 brokers according to UK.StockBrokers.com. While Freetrade might not offer certain investment vehicles like CFDs, it remains a popular option for those seeking a streamlined, user-friendly experience with core investment offerings.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | ||
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of IG and Freetrade, IG stands out with a broad range of features that cater to avid traders. IG provides the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, enhancing the depth of market analysis. Additionally, IG boasts 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators, allowing users to customize their charting experience for precise technical analysis. IG users can also add notes to charts, aiding in tracking and strategy development. Both IG and Freetrade offer browser-based trading platforms and the ability to set up alerts for stock price updates, as well as real-time market data, ensuring traders stay informed.
On the other hand, Freetrade presents a more basic approach to trading tools. It does not support the display of corporate events on charts nor does it offer any drawing tools or technical indicators. While Freetrade offers a browser-based platform and real-time data similar to IG, the absence of features like chart notes and technical customization may influence more advanced traders to lean towards IG for a more comprehensive trading toolkit.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
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.
Both IG and Freetrade offer mobile apps available for iPhone and Android users in the UK, catering to those who prefer trading on the go. In terms of app ratings and rankings, IG leads the pack with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the impressive position of #2 out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Freetrade holds a 4-star rating, placing it at #12. For those prioritizing app quality and ranking in their online trading experience, IG offers a highly rated option, whereas Freetrade presents a slightly more modest alternative.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK looking for educational resources from online brokers, IG and Freetrade offer distinct options. IG provides educational client webinars and archives them for on-demand viewing, covering topics including share trading and retirement, with a top 5-star rating and a #1 rank for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com. In contrast, Freetrade, while covering share trading, funds, and retirement, does not offer webinars, reflected in its 3.5-star rating and #16 ranking. This makes IG a superior choice for those seeking comprehensive, easily accessible educational content to jumpstart their investing journey.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of IG and Freetrade for UK investors, several key differences emerge. IG excels in providing comprehensive research reports for shares, ETFs, and CFDs, making it a strong choice for those looking to delve into detailed analyses, including research reports for funds. In contrast, while Freetrade lacks research reports for funds, it supports investor awareness by offering clear insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with IG. Both platforms offer research capabilities for shares and ETFs, but if you're interested in CFDs, IG is the option to consider. Neither platform offers dedicated research for funds or bonds, so if those areas interest you, additional resources may be necessary.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | 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 |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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While IG provides the option for cryptocurrency trading as part of its comprehensive range of investment products, Freetrade does not currently offer cryptocurrency trading, making IG a more suitable choice for investors specifically interested in the crypto market.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Mobile App |
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| Review | IG Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | |||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | |||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | |||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | ||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| 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) | £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 / £96 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 / £96 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 / £96 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 / £96 | £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 - £8 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 - £8 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| 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 | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | |||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
| Education | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | Freetrade | |
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| Review | IG Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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