Updated October 21, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
Freetrade vs Plum
Freetrade
Plum
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | FreetradeReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | PlumReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1Lower | £2 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, FundsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Funds |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority |
| Platforms | App, Web | Mobile app |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Jisa | ISA, SIPP, Lisa |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.99% | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | 1% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Stock trade fee (£0), Account fee (£0), Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000).
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Key differences
- Plum scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.8.
- Regulators: only Freetrade offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Plum offers Financial Conduct Authority.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Freetrade: £1 vs £2.
- Markets: only Freetrade offers Bonds.
- Platforms: only Freetrade offers App, Web.
- Platforms: only Plum offers Mobile app.
- Account types: only Freetrade offers Jisa.
- Account types: only Plum offers Lisa.
- Support channels: only Freetrade offers Chat.
Our verdict on each
Freetrade
Freetrade suits UK beginners and anyone opening an ISA or a pension, since dealing carries no charge and the platform is built for small, regular buys. Its overall score of 3.3 is held back by a narrow market list and support without a phone line.
Plum
Plum suits beginners in the UK who want to start small and pay nothing to deal, with a minimum deposit of £2. The trade-off is a short market list, confined to stocks, etfs and funds, and an overall score of 6.5 that leaves the case resting on price rather than choice.
Score breakdown
| Area | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Both charges sit at the floor: account fee £0, stock trade fee £0, ranked 1 of 166. | 9.3HigherCosts are the strongest suit: account fee £0, stock trade fee £0, management fee 0.15% to 0.6%. |
| Offer | 9.0HigherAccounts listed are isa, sipp and jisa, features cover fractional shares, mobile app and demo account, and the minimum deposit is £1. | 8.9 |
| Trust | 8.5 | 8.5 |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Lisa | No | Yes |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
How they place
| Ranking | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 273 of 654 | 243 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 197 of 358 | 176 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 11 of 25 | 9 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 8 of 23 | 6 of 23 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Available in 1 country for both.
Also worth a look
Hargreaves Lansdown has minimum deposit at £0, against £1 for Freetrade and £2 for Plum.
Hargreaves Lansdown reviewSources behind this comparison
Freetrade
- freetrade.io: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Plum
- withplum.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- finextra.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app, Demo accountCovers more | Fractional shares, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Freetrade Limited | Plum Fintech Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2016 | 2016 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Savings
| Fact | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | Not confirmed | 3.05% to 3.65% |
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Variable |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | Same day access, no lock-in, no notice period |
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | Easy access |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0.15% to 0.6% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | £1 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF, Cash |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Freetrade | Plum | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1below the median | £2below the median | £15 |
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | £0at the median | £0 |
| Account fee | £0at the median | £0at the median | £0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.99%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 0.4% |
| Interest on cash | 1%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 2.875% |
Median across 77 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Freetrade
Pros
- Dealing is commission free: the stock trade fee is £0 and the account fee is £0, so keeping the account open costs nothing in fees.
- A minimum deposit of £1 lets a position build up gradually, and cash waiting to be invested earns 1%.
- The account list is isa, sipp and jisa, so a pension, a tax-sheltered investment account and a junior account sit under the same login.
Cons
- Currency conversion costs 0.99%, where the typical fee across ISA and SIPP listings is 0.75%, putting it at the pricier end of that set for anyone buying in dollars or euros.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line among them, which is awkward when a position is moving fast.
- The market list stops at stocks, etfs and bonds, so anyone wanting forex or derivatives finds fewer instruments here than at a trading-focused broker.
Plum
Pros
- Fractional shares are offered, so £2 is enough to hold a slice of a company rather than whole shares.
- Eligible money is covered by the protection scheme, with the ceiling given as FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
- The account types cover isa, sipp and lisa, so investing, retirement saving and a home deposit pot sit with the same provider.
Cons
- Markets stop at stocks, etfs and funds, so there is no dealing in listed bonds, overseas currency or crypto through the account.
- Help runs on email and help centre only, so a stuck withdrawal or transfer has no phone route.
- Managed portfolios charge 0.15% to 0.6%, which takes a slice from every pot you hand over.
Who each suits
Freetrade
Who it suits
- Beginners taking small first steps, since the stated audience is beginners and fractional shares plus a demo account sit in fractional shares, mobile app and demo account.
- ISA and pension savers who want isa, sipp and jisa under a single login with a minimum deposit of £1.
- Cost-focused investors, for whom an account fee of £0 and a stock trade fee of £0 keep holding inexpensive.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants everyday banking rather than isa, sipp and jisa: bunq is a bank account with a minimum deposit of €10, so it fits savers who need a current account, not a dealing platform.
- Traders who want a market range wider than stocks, etfs and bonds: CFI is the one to weigh instead, with a minimum deposit of $0.
- People after a lender rather than an investment account: Fiesta Credito MX is regulated by CONDUSEF, so it serves borrowing in Mexico rather than investing in the UK.
Plum
Who it suits
- Beginners in the UK who want to begin with £2 and see share dealing in plain terms.
- Investors building an ISA or pension habit on a phone, since access runs through Mobile app.
- Anyone happy with a market list of stocks, etfs and funds for a starter portfolio.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro is the place to check if the market list here, stocks, etfs and funds, is too tight for what you want to trade.
- bunq if you are starting from a €10 minimum rather than buying shares.
- cfi if you want no minimum deposit, since its floor is $0 against £2 here.
Country by country
| Country | Freetrade | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Freetrade
What does it cost to hold and trade shares?+
The account fee is £0 and the stock trade fee is £0, on a commission-free model, so opening and holding an account adds no charge. The cost that does appear is currency conversion at 0.99% whenever you buy or sell something priced in another currency. Budget for that if your holdings are not all in sterling.
How much do I need to start investing?+
The minimum deposit is £1, which keeps the entry point low. Cash waiting to be invested earns 1%, so the balance is not idle while you decide what to hold. A small starting amount suits regular contributions rather than a single lump sum, and the account fee adds nothing to the running cost.
Plum
What does it cost to trade and hold with Plum?+
Dealing is commission-free and the stock trade fee is listed as £0. The account fee is £0 and the monthly subscription is £0, so holding an account costs nothing. Managed portfolios are the exception, charging 0.15% to 0.6% on the money you put into them. That covers the charging picture on the investment side.
Is my money protected if something goes wrong?+
Eligible investments sit under the protection scheme, and the stated ceiling is given as FSCS up to GBP 85,000. Cash held in the app is listed the same way under FSCS up to GBP 85,000. The figure is a limit rather than a promise of returns, and it applies to eligible money rather than to every balance on the account. Read the terms for the eligibility conditions before you rely on it.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Freetrade
Plum