Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Freetrade vs Robinhood UK, 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, Robinhood UK 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 - Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Freetrade would cost £1 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 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.
Freetrade and Robinhood UK both provide opportunities for share trading, making them accessible options for those looking to invest in the stock market without fuss. However, when it comes to the broader range of investment choices, Freetrade edges ahead with its offering of ETF and investment trust trading, which Robinhood UK does not currently support. Neither platform offers options like crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, maintaining their focus more traditionally on stock and basic investment opportunities.
When evaluated by UK.StockBrokers.com, Freetrade receives a rating of 4 stars compared to Robinhood UK's 3 stars for their investment choices. In terms of ranking among 18 brokers, Freetrade holds the 17th spot, slightly ahead of Robinhood UK, which is positioned at 20th. This suggests that while both platforms provide essential functions for straightforward investment, Freetrade offers a slightly broader selection for those interested in ETFs and investment trusts.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | No |
| Funds | No | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing the trading tools of Freetrade and Robinhood UK, both platforms fall short in certain areas such as the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends on charts. Neither platform currently supports drawing tools for charting. However, Robinhood UK has a slight edge when it comes to technical indicators, offering three as opposed to Freetrade's none. Both services lack functionalities such as adding notes, index overlays, and stock overlays to their charts, which might be a consideration for users seeking more comprehensive charting capabilities.
On the brighter side, Freetrade and Robinhood UK both provide browser-based trading platforms, making it convenient for users who prefer to manage their trades on a computer. In terms of real-time updates, both brokers offer stock price alerts and real-time market data, ensuring traders can stay informed of market movements as they happen. Despite the limited charting tools, these features could be attractive to new and casual investors looking for straightforward trading solutions.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 3 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing the online brokers Freetrade and Robinhood UK, it's important to consider their retirement account offerings. Freetrade stands out by providing both ISA and SIPP accounts, making it a solid choice for UK investors looking to manage their retirement savings with tax-efficient options. In contrast, Robinhood UK currently does not offer ISA or SIPP accounts, which might limit its appeal for those seeking these specific retirement savings tools. Whether planning for the future or seeking tax advantages, Freetrade's inclusion of ISA and SIPP accounts offers more flexibility for UK investors compared to Robinhood UK.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Freetrade and Robinhood UK both offer user-friendly iPhone and Android apps, making them accessible to a wide range of investors looking to trade on the go. Each app receives a commendable rating of 4 out of 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, indicating strong functionality and user satisfaction. In terms of mobile app rankings among 18 brokers reviewed, Freetrade is placed slightly higher at 12th position, while Robinhood UK follows closely at 13th. Whether you're using an iPhone or Android device, both Freetrade and Robinhood UK provide reliable platforms for managing investments conveniently from your smartphone.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors offered by Freetrade and Robinhood UK, both platforms lack client webinars and on-demand archived educational sessions. However, Freetrade provides educational content on share trading, funds, and retirement, whereas Robinhood UK only covers share trading. Despite these differences in educational topics, both platforms receive a 3.5-star rating for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com. In overall rankings, Freetrade is positioned at #16 out of 18 brokers for beginner education, while Robinhood UK is ranked at #20, highlighting that both could improve their educational offerings for novice investors.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Freetrade and Robinhood UK for their market research features, it's notable that both platforms do not provide research reports for funds, CFDs, or bonds. However, they each deliver valuable insights for shares and ETFs. A distinct advantage that Freetrade holds over Robinhood UK is the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, which can offer investors a clearer picture of their diversified investments. In essence, while both brokers cover similar ground concerning shares and ETFs research, Freetrade offers a bit more clarity in portfolio organization.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Freetrade or Robinhood UK? 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.
| Feature |
Freetrade
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Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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Both Freetrade and Robinhood UK are online brokers that do not offer crypto trading, providing users with alternatives focused on traditional stock investments without the option for cryptocurrency transactions.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Freetrade | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | Freetrade Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Freetrade | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | No | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | No | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Freetrade | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| 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 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Freetrade | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| Platforms & Tools | Freetrade | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 3 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Freetrade | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Freetrade | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Freetrade | Robinhood UK | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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