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, Freetrade offers better pricing than Robinhood UK 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.
When comparing Freetrade and Robinhood UK in terms of available investment choices, Freetrade takes a slight edge. Both platforms allow users to trade shares, but Freetrade further distinguishes itself by offering ETF and investment trust trading, which Robinhood UK lacks. Neither broker provides options for crypto trading, spread betting, CFD trading, funds trading, or trading of corporate and government bonds. These limitations may influence investors seeking a broader range of investment products.
In terms of ratings and rankings, Freetrade stands out with a commendable four-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, compared to Robinhood UK's three-star rating. Among 18 brokers evaluated, Freetrade holds the 13th position for its offering, whereas Robinhood UK is unranked. For investors in the UK market, these distinctions can be crucial factors when choosing a broker to meet specific investment needs and preferences.
| 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.
When comparing the mobile apps of online brokers Freetrade and Robinhood UK, both platforms offer applications compatible with iPhone and Android devices, providing flexibility and convenience for users. Freetrade's mobile app holds a commendable 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 8th among 18 brokers. Robinhood UK also shares a 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, although it doesn't appear in the specific rankings for mobile apps. Both apps are well-suited for investors looking for user-friendly and highly accessible trading solutions on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources of Freetrade and Robinhood UK, both platforms lack educational client webinars, whether live or on-demand. However, Freetrade offers education on share trading, funds, and retirement, presenting a more comprehensive range of topics for novice investors. In contrast, Robinhood UK provides education on share trading only, with no resources dedicated to funds or retirement. Both brokers receive a rating of 3.5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com. Despite having identical ratings, Freetrade stands at #9 in their ranking among 18 brokers, while Robinhood UK remains unranked.
| 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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