Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Freetrade vs Lloyds Bank, 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 Lloyds Bank 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.
Freetrade and Lloyds Bank both let you invest in shares, ETFs, funds, UK government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Neither offers crypto or CFD trading. Key differences: Lloyds Bank provides access to corporate bonds and offers advice services, while Freetrade does not.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, both score 4.5 out of 5 for investment choices. Lloyds Bank ranks 7th out of 21 brokers, and Freetrade ranks 9th. In short, Freetrade suits DIY investors focused on shares and funds, while Lloyds Bank is better if you also want corporate bonds and the option to get advice.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Comparing Freetrade and Lloyds Bank for trading tools in the UK: neither platform shows corporate events like earnings, splits, or dividends on charts, and neither supports index or stock overlays. Freetrade offers no drawing tools and no technical indicators, while Lloyds Bank lists 93 indicators and lets you add notes to charts. The number of drawing tools available with Lloyds Bank isn’t specified.
Both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and let you set price alerts, but neither offers real-time market data. If you want deeper chart analysis, Lloyds Bank’s indicators and note-taking give it the edge; if you only need basic web trading with alerts, either will do—just be aware of the data and chart limits.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 93 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Freetrade vs Lloyds Bank: both providers offer ISA accounts and SIPP pensions in the UK, so you can use either for tax‑efficient investing via an ISA and for long‑term retirement saving with a SIPP.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing mobile apps, both Freetrade and Lloyds Bank offer iPhone and Android apps; however, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Freetrade’s app higher at 4.5 out of 5 stars versus Lloyds Bank’s 3.5, and ranks Freetrade 7th out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps compared with Lloyds Bank at 14th, indicating Freetrade leads on mobile experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing Freetrade vs Lloyds Bank on education: neither broker offers client webinars or on-demand replays. Freetrade provides easy-to-read guides on share trading, funds, and retirement, while Lloyds Bank does not cover these topics. Despite this, both earn 4 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com. In the 21-broker ranking, Lloyds Bank sits 11th and Freetrade 13th—choose Freetrade if you want topic-led learning, or Lloyds Bank if a slightly higher overall placement is more important.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors comparing Freetrade vs Lloyds Bank on market research features, Lloyds Bank stands out for research coverage: it provides research reports for funds and offers shares, ETF, funds, and bonds research, while Freetrade provides none of these. However, Freetrade lets you see your portfolio allocation by asset class, a view Lloyds Bank does not offer. Choose Lloyds Bank if you prioritise research tools, or Freetrade if you value a clear asset allocation breakdown.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | No | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Freetrade or Lloyds Bank? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Freetrade to be a better trading platform overall.
Overall Freetrade is a great platform to help you get to grips with investing. Costs are low, and its user-friendly mobile app offers great investment inspiration. Sophisticated investors, however, may find that other platforms offer a wider range of investment options and tools.
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Freetrade
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Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
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Both Freetrade and Lloyds Bank do not currently offer options for crypto trading.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Freetrade | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Freetrade | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Freetrade | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £8 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £8 | |
| 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 | £59.88 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £59.88 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £59.88 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £59.88 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £9.50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £0 | £9.50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £35 |
| Broker Screenshots | Freetrade | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Platforms & Tools | Freetrade | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 93 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | ||
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Freetrade | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | No | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Freetrade | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Freetrade | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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