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.
In the UK, both Freetrade and Robinhood UK offer share trading options, allowing investors to buy and sell individual stocks. However, Freetrade gives investors additional opportunities by allowing trading of ETFs and investment trusts, which Robinhood UK does not provide. Neither platform supports crypto trading, spread betting, CFD trading, or the trading of funds, corporate bonds, or government bonds (gilts), and neither offers advisor services for their users.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Freetrade has a slight edge over Robinhood UK with a 4-star rating for investment choices, while Robinhood UK holds a 3-star rating. In the ranking of 21 brokers, Freetrade comes in at #17 for investment choices, while Robinhood UK is positioned at #20. This suggests that Freetrade offers a more diverse selection of investments compared to its US-based counterpart operating in the UK market.
| 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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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing Freetrade and Robinhood UK for their trading tools, both platforms provide a straightforward experience. Neither platform allows users to display corporate events like earnings, splits, or dividends on charts and they both lack drawing tools for charting. However, Robinhood UK stands out slightly by offering three technical indicators for charting, whereas Freetrade offers none. Additionally, both do not offer features such as adding notes, index overlays, or stock overlays to charts.
Both Freetrade and Robinhood UK are equal in providing browser-based trading platforms, enabling users to create alerts for stock price updates, and offering real-time market data to keep users informed. These shared features ensure that both platforms cater to modern investors who value timely information and accessibility, though Robinhood UK's extra technical indicators may appeal to those seeking more detailed charting capabilities.
| 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 online brokers Freetrade and Robinhood UK, UK investors will find key differences in their retirement account offerings. Freetrade provides both Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), allowing users to grow their investments tax-efficiently with options tailored to their future financial planning needs. In contrast, Robinhood UK does not offer ISAs or SIPPs, limiting its appeal to those looking to manage retirement savings. This makes Freetrade a more comprehensive choice for UK users seeking versatile investment accounts with a focus on long-term financial security.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Freetrade and Robinhood UK both offer iPhone and Android apps, making them accessible to users of both major mobile platforms. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, each app is rated 4 out of 5 stars, indicating high user satisfaction and performance. However, when ranked amongst 21 brokers for their mobile apps, Freetrade holds the slight advantage at the number 12 spot, just edging out Robinhood UK, which sits at number 13. This suggests both apps are quite comparable, offering similar features and usability for a seamless investing experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
In comparing beginner investor educational resources of Freetrade and Robinhood UK, both platforms do not provide educational client webinars or archived viewing options. However, each offers some guidance on share trading, with Freetrade extending its educational materials to include coverage on funds and retirement, areas in which Robinhood UK falls short. Both brokers receive an equal rating of 3.5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com, although Freetrade is positioned slightly higher, ranked 16th out of 21 brokers, compared to Robinhood UK's 20th place ranking. For UK investors looking to learn about diverse financial topics beyond share trading, Freetrade offers a broader range of educational content.
| 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 |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Freetrade and Robinhood UK for their market research features, users will find both platforms offer similar options with some key differences. Neither Freetrade nor Robinhood UK provide research reports for funds, CFDs, or bonds. However, both platforms excel in offering shares and ETFs research. Freetrade stands out by allowing users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with Robinhood UK. This makes Freetrade a better choice for investors keen on detailed portfolio analysis. Overall, both brokers offer comprehensive shares and ETFs insights, but Freetrade provides a useful tool for managing portfolio diversification.
| 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
|
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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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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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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