Updated September 29, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
Freetrade vs Trading 212
Freetrade
Trading 212
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | FreetradeReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Trading 212ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Platforms | App, Web | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Jisa | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.99% | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | 1% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Minimum deposit (£1), Stock trade fee (£0), Account fee (£0), Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Trading 212 scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.8.
- Regulators: only Freetrade offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Founded is lower at Trading 212: 2006 vs 2016.
- Trading 212 is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Freetrade offers Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only Trading 212 offers Forex, CFDs.
- Platforms: only Freetrade offers App, Web.
- Platforms: only Trading 212 offers Trading 212 App, Web Platform.
- Account types: only Freetrade offers Jisa.
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.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK beginners who want to start small and pay nothing to hold or trade. Stock trades cost £0, the account fee is £0, deposits start at £1, and help runs through help centre only, with no phone or chat route for anyone who needs a person.
Score breakdown
| Area | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Both charges sit at the floor: account fee £0, stock trade fee £0, ranked 1 of 166. | 9.3HigherStock trade fee of £0 and account fee of £0, with no inactivity charge of £0 and a minimum deposit of £1. |
| 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 | 9.4Higher |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Account types | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Joint | No | Yes |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
Cost in a real example
A year: 5,000 invested, 4 US stock trades a month
Freetrade
£0
48 × £0 + 1 × £0
Trading 212
£0
48 × £0 + 1 × £0
Both come to the same total.
Excludes currency conversion fee (not stated by Trading 212). Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Sources behind this comparison
Freetrade
- freetrade.io: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Trading 212
- en.wikipedia.org: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- helpcentre.trading212.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 273 of 654 | 110 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 197 of 358 | 75 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 11 of 25 | 4 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 8 of 23 | 2 of 23 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app, Demo account | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Freetrade Limited | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Founded | 2016 | 2006Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more | Help centre |
Savings
| Fact | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Variable |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | Flexible Cash ISA with instant access; withdraw and add money at any time, interest paid monthly |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | ISA |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Freetrade | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1below the median | £1below 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.
Trading 212
Pros
- Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so holding a portfolio costs nothing
- The inactivity fee is £0, so a dormant account is not quietly charged
- The minimum deposit is £1, far below the €10 bunq asks
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, so there is no live phone or chat route
- Trading 212 Markets Ltd is authorised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission on MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so the Financial Conduct Authority is not the only supervisor involved
- Markets cover stocks, etfs and forex, which leaves funds, bonds and options outside the range offered here
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.
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners opening a first UK investing account
- Savers who want tax-free cash in a flexible Cash ISA
- Small regular investors using fractional shares in small amounts
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants a phone line, since support runs on help centre only
- Readers wanting a lower entry amount than £1, since CFI asks $0
Country by country
| Country | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
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.
Trading 212
How much does it cost to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is £0 and the stock trade fee is £0, so there is no charge to hold or to trade. It ranks 1 of 142 on account fee in our data. The only other cost line recorded is the inactivity fee at £0.
What is the smallest amount I can start with?+
The minimum deposit is £1, which puts the entry point low. That ranks 83 of 218 on our minimum deposit data. For comparison, bunq asks a minimum deposit of €10, so Trading 212 asks less of a first deposit than bunq does.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Freetrade
Trading 212