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, IG 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.
IG vs Freetrade: both let UK investors trade shares, ETFs, and investment trusts, and neither offers corporate bonds or adviser services. The big differences are product range: IG supports crypto trading and CFD trading, while Freetrade does not; Freetrade offers funds and UK government bonds (gilts), which IG does not.
On ratings, UK.StockBrokers.com scores IG at 5 stars and ranks it 11th of 21 brokers for investment choices, while Freetrade earns 4.5 stars and ranks 17th. Choose IG if you want access to crypto and CFDs; pick Freetrade if you prioritise funds and gilts alongside straightforward share dealing.
| 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 |
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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
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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.
IG vs Freetrade for UK mobile trading: both offer iPhone and Android apps, but IG’s app holds a higher 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com (vs Freetrade’s 4.5 stars) and ranks #2 out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Freetrade ranks #12. If you want the higher-rated option on iOS or Android, IG leads; if you prefer a still well-rated app, Freetrade remains a solid choice.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Comparing beginner education at UK online brokers, IG leads with live educational webinars and an on-demand archive, plus content on funds and retirement (but not share trading), earning 5/5 stars and ranking 1st of 21 on UK.StockBrokers.com. Freetrade lacks webinars or replays, but covers share trading, funds and retirement; it holds 4/5 stars and ranks 16th of 21. For watch-back webinars and top-rated learning resources, IG is stronger; for straightforward guides on shares alongside funds and retirement, Freetrade also serves beginners well.
| 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 |
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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.
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IG
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Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
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IG vs Freetrade: IG supports cryptocurrency trading, while Freetrade does not, making IG the better fit for investors seeking crypto exposure.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Freetrade | |
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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 | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
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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 | 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 | |
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| Review | IG Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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