Updated October 21, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
Plum vs Trading 212
Plum
Trading 212
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | PlumReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Trading 212ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £2 | £1Lower |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)Covers more |
| Platforms | Mobile app | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
Same on both: 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 8.9.
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Founded is lower at Trading 212: 2006 vs 2016.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Trading 212: £1 vs £2.
- Markets: only Plum offers Funds.
- Markets: only Trading 212 offers Forex, CFDs.
- Platforms: only Plum offers Mobile app.
- Platforms: only Trading 212 offers Trading 212 App, Web Platform.
- Account types: only Plum offers Lisa.
- Account types: only Trading 212 offers Joint.
Our verdict on each
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.
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 | Plum | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Costs are the strongest suit: account fee £0, stock trade fee £0, management fee 0.15% to 0.6%. | 9.3Stock trade fee of £0 and account fee of £0, with no inactivity charge of £0 and a minimum deposit of £1. |
| Offer | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Trust | 8.5 | 9.4Higher |
Licences and countries
| Country | Plum | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32 |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Plum | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Savings | 563 of 1492 | 241 of 1492 |
| Savings accounts | 372 of 658 | 166 of 658 |
| Investing | 243 of 654 | 110 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 176 of 358 | 75 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 9 of 25 | 4 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 6 of 23 | 2 of 23 |
Also worth a look
Hargreaves Lansdown has minimum deposit at £0, against £2 for Plum and £1 for Trading 212.
Hargreaves Lansdown reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Plum | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Plum Fintech Limited | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Founded | 2016 | 2006Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Help centreCovers more | Help centre |
Savings
| Fact | Plum | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 3.05% to 3.65% | Not confirmed |
| Rate type | Variable | Variable |
| Deposit protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Access terms | Same day access, no lock-in, no notice period | Flexible Cash ISA with instant access; withdraw and add money at any time, interest paid monthly |
| Monthly fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Account kind | Easy access | ISA |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Plum | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.15% to 0.6% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum investment | £1 | Not confirmed |
| Portfolio types | ETF, Cash | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Plum | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £2below 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 |
Median across 24 listed providers.
Pros and cons
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.
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
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.
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 | Plum | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
Questions about each
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.
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
Plum
Trading 212