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 brokers let UK investors trade shares and ETFs, and both support investment trusts. IG also offers crypto trading and CFD trading, which Freetrade does not. Neither platform offers funds, corporate bonds, or gilts, and neither provides adviser services. Details about spread betting are not specified here for either broker.
On investment choices, IG stands out with a 5-star rating and a rank of 11th out of 21 brokers at UK.StockBrokers.com, while Freetrade holds 4 stars and ranks 17th. If you mainly want share dealing and ETFs, both fit the bill; if you also want access to crypto or CFDs alongside shares, IG is the stronger option.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| 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: IG offers far richer charting tools. IG lets you display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, add notes, and use index or stock overlays. It also includes 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators. Freetrade’s charts are basic by comparison: no events, notes, overlays, drawing tools, or indicators (0 in each case).
Both brokers provide a browser-based platform, real-time market data, and stock price alerts. If you want deeper chart analysis and annotations, IG fits the bill; if you only need a simple platform with live prices and alerts, Freetrade may be sufficient.
| 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.
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 UK beginners comparing IG vs Freetrade on investor education, IG offers live client webinars with an on‑demand archive, while Freetrade has no webinars. Topic coverage differs: IG includes funds and retirement but not share trading; Freetrade covers share trading, funds, and retirement. Independent ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com place IG at 5/5 stars and ranked #1 of 21 for beginner education, versus Freetrade at 3.5/5 stars and ranked #16 of 21, helping new investors choose the learning approach that suits them.
| 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 for UK market research: both brokers let you view portfolio allocation by asset class and offer shares and ETF research, while neither provides bonds research. IG adds research reports for funds, which Freetrade lacks; however, neither platform features a dedicated funds research section.
| Feature |
IG
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| 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
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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 | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| 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 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £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 | £0 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
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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 | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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