IG Group Review
Saxo Markets Review
eToro Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Trading 212 Review
Hargreaves Lansdown Review
DEGIRO ReviewFreetrade Review
Written by Steve Miley, Blain Reinkensmeyer
Edited by Carolyn Kimball
Fact-checked by Steven Hatzakis
Freetrade is known for its low-cost, commission-free model allowing traders fractional shares, with regulation from the FCA. It also offers good-quality education accompanied by a solid, user-friendly, gamified mobile trading app.
Although Freetrade has low costs and pricing, there are a few negatives. Investment options and research are limited. They also lack an online trading platform, which is only in beta mode for Freetrade Plus members as of this writing. Hence, Freetrade lagged industry leaders in our review of best trading platforms in the U.K. Our take: Freetrade is one to watch for the future.
-
Minimum Deposit:
£0.0 -
ISA:
Yes -
SIPP:
Yes
Freetrade pros & cons
Pros:
- Hardly any hidden costs or fees and zero commission for trading major U.K. and U.S. shares (there is a forex fee for non-GBP deposits of spot + 0.45%).
- ETFs, stocks, investment trusts, fractional shares, REITs, and SPACs are all available to trade.
- Moderate educational offering.
- Easy-to-use mobile trading app.
Cons:
- Limited research available, apart from market news and an emailed newsletter, Honey.
- Online trading platform is in beta and only available for Freetrade Plus members at time of publication.
- You cannot invest in bonds or funds.
Freetrade stock app tour
Methodology
For the 2022 StockBrokers.com U.K. Review, we assessed, rated, and ranked 11 U.K. share dealing platforms over a 10-week time period. Each broker was exhaustively tested on all available platforms and graded on 53 different variables. In total, over 17,000 words of research were produced.
Our rigorous data validation process yields an error rate of less than .001% each year, providing site visitors with quality data they can trust. Our team.
Compare Freetrade Competitors
Select one or more of these brokers to compare against Freetrade.
Show allAbout the Editorial Team
With 30 years of experience in institutional financial markets, Steve has won multiple awards from Technical Analyst Magazine, including "Best Independent Fixed Income" and "Best FX Research." In addition to his work with StockBrokers.com, Steve is the founder of The Market Chartist, where he provides market research for institutional clients; and is editor-in-chief for FXExplained.co.uk.
Blain Reinkensmeyer has 20 years of trading experience with over 2,500 trades placed during that time. He heads research for all U.S.-based brokerages on StockBrokers.com and is respected by executives as the leading expert covering the online broker industry. Blain’s insights have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the Chicago Tribune, among other media outlets.
Carolyn Kimball is managing editor for Reink Media and the lead editor for the StockBrokers.com Annual Review. Carolyn has more than 20 years of writing and editing experience at major media outlets including NerdWallet, the Los Angeles Times and the San Jose Mercury News. She specializes in coverage of personal financial products and services, wielding her editing skills to clarify complex (some might say befuddling) topics to help consumers make informed decisions about their money.
Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Research for ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. Steven is an active fintech and crypto industry researcher and advises blockchain companies at the board level. Over the past 20 years, Steven has held numerous positions within the international forex markets, from writing to consulting to serving as a registered commodity futures representative.