Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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, XTB 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.
XTB vs Freetrade for UK investors: both offer share dealing and ETF trading, and neither supports crypto, corporate bonds, or adviser services. XTB stands out by offering CFD trading, while Freetrade focuses on classic investing with access to funds, UK government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts.
For investment choice scores, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both at 4.5/5. In its 21-broker table, XTB ranks 13th and Freetrade 17th. Choose XTB if you want CFDs alongside shares and ETFs; choose Freetrade if you prefer funds, gilts, and investment trusts without CFDs.
| Feature |
XTB
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Freetrade
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| 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.
Comparing trading tools, XTB offers far richer charting. You can display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends), add notes, and apply index or stock overlays. It also includes 4 drawing tools and 13 technical indicators. Freetrade keeps charts basic with no drawing tools, no indicators, and no events or overlays. Both brokers provide a browser-based platform.
For alerts and data, Freetrade lets you create price alerts, while XTB does not. XTB offers real-time market data; Freetrade does not. Choose XTB if you want feature-packed charts and live prices, or Freetrade if simple trading with alerts is your priority.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing XTB and Freetrade in terms of available retirement accounts for UK investors, both brokers offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), providing a tax-efficient way to invest your money. However, when it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), only Freetrade offers this option, while XTB does not. This distinction makes Freetrade a more versatile choice for those specifically looking to invest in their retirement through a SIPP.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Comparing online brokers in the UK, both XTB and Freetrade offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, each app earns 4.5 out of 5 stars, but XTB ranks higher for Mobile Apps (#6 of 21) than Freetrade (#12 of 21). If you want strong iOS and Android options with a higher overall placement, XTB has the edge, while Freetrade remains a dependable pick.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing investor education at online brokers XTB and Freetrade: neither offers client webinars or on‑demand archives, and both cover share trading. XTB’s education does not include funds or retirement, while Freetrade provides content on both. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, XTB is rated 4.5/5 and ranked 9th of 21, ahead of Freetrade’s 4/5 rating and 16th place. In short, pick Freetrade for broader topic coverage, or XTB if you want higher-rated learning quality.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors comparing market research features, XTB offers research on shares and ETFs, while Freetrade does not. Freetrade does provide a portfolio allocation view by asset class, which XTB lacks. Neither broker offers fund research reports, and both are missing research on funds and bonds.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, XTB or Freetrade? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found XTB to be a better trading platform overall.
XTB has set itself up as a strong competitor in commission-free share trading. Its low fees and solid educational content will make XTB particularly attractive to newer investors. It does not, however, offer an ISA or SIPP.
| Feature |
XTB
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Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
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While both XTB and Freetrade do not offer cryptocurrency trading, investors can explore other financial instruments and assets available on these online brokerage platforms to meet their trading and investment needs.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | Freetrade | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | XTB | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | XTB | 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 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £59.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Freetrade | |
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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | XTB | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | XTB | Freetrade | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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