Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Freetrade vs Trading 212
Where Freetrade and Trading 212 differ
| Compare |  Freetrade | Trading 212 ReviewSee 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).
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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 who want to buy shares, ETFs, bonds and funds without paying a dealing charge or an annual account fee. Regulation sits with the Financial Conduct Authority and holdings are covered by the FSCS, though a currency conversion fee of 0.99% applies and support runs on email, chat and help centre only.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK and European beginners who want flat costs: a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of £0 and an ISA, SIPP and joint account. Forex and CFDs share the same menu, so the easy entry is the reason to look closer, not to trade heavily.
Score breakdown
| Area | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Stock trade fees of £0 and an account fee of £0 sit alongside a 0.99% currency conversion charge. | 9.3HigherCharges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. |
| Offer | 9.1A UK platform with isa, sipp and jisa accounts, plus a demo account, fractional shares and stocks, etfs and bonds. | 9.2Higher |
| Trust | 8.5 | 9.5Higher |
What each covers
| 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 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 171 of 490 | 74 of 490 |
| Investment platforms and apps | 36 of 85 | 18 of 85 |
| Brokers for beginners | 49 of 88 | 28 of 88 |
| Stocks and shares ISA providers | 9 of 21 | 2 of 21 |
| SIPP providers | 8 of 22 | 2 of 22 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ||
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32 |
What it costs in practice
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.
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 centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Freetrade | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1lowest quarter | £1lowest quarter | £25 |
| 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 | 3% |
Median across 34 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Freetrade
Pros
- Dealing commission of £0 and an account fee of £0 keep the running cost of an ISA, SIPP or Junior ISA low.
- Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK, with protection stated as FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
- Fractional shares and a demo account let you size positions in small amounts and practise before committing money.
Cons
- A currency conversion fee of 0.99% applies whenever you hold investments in more than one currency.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line listed for account or transfer questions.
- The account range is limited to isa, sipp and jisa, so there is no general investment account for shares outside a wrapper.
Trading 212
Pros
- Nothing to pay for holding or for going quiet: the account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0.
- Trading shares costs £0, the same stock trade fee eToro lists at $0, so the trade price is not the reason to move.
- The entry of £1 sits under the $5 Vantage asks for, which matters for a first transfer.
Cons
- The market list pairs shares and ETFs with forex and CFDs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a platform aimed at beginners, beginners, also carries leveraged products.
- The fee sheet is the easy part: retail accounts lose money at 70.15% across the brokers compared, and a £0 trade cost does not remove that risk.
- The money side runs through Trading 212 Markets Ltd in Cyprus, registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so a UK saver is dealing with a Cyprus entity alongside the UK one.
Who each suits
Freetrade
Who it suits
- UK beginners opening a stocks and shares ISA or Junior ISA with small monthly amounts
- Long-term investors who want to hold a simple share and ETF portfolio without a dealing charge
- SIPP holders who prefer an app and web platform to a phone-only service
Who should look elsewhere
- People who need a general investment account outside a tax wrapper
- Investors who trade frequently in several currencies, because the 0.99% conversion fee applies each time
- Anyone who wants to speak to support by phone, as support runs on email, chat and help centre only
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners and small regular investors who want a low bar to entry, since the minimum deposit is £1 and the app and demo account in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app support a cautious start.
- UK and European savers who care about holding cost, because the account fee of £0 and the inactivity fee of £0 leave the account free to sit and free to open.
- Savers who want a tax-wrapped and shared holding together, since isa, sipp and joint covers an ISA, a SIPP and a joint account under one provider.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for forex and CFD traders who want a deeper market list: Trading 212 stops at stocks, etfs and forex, while eToro and Vantage cover more of the leveraged side.
- Not for anyone who needs a no-cost opening: CFI takes a minimum deposit of $0 against the £1 asked here.
- Not for savers who want a bigger spread of wrappers: the account range is listed as isa, sipp and joint, which does not stretch to every tax-sheltered account type.
Country by country
| Country | Freetrade | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Freetrade
How much does it cost to buy shares on Freetrade?+
The dealing charge is £0 and the account fee is £0. Those two cover the trading and holding side of a stocks and shares ISA, SIPP or Junior ISA. The charge that appears is currency conversion at 0.99%, which only shows up if part of your portfolio sits in another currency.
Who regulates Freetrade and is my money protected?+
Freetrade Limited is regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority, with register reference 783189. Protection for eligible holdings is stated as FSCS up to GBP 85,000, which is the ceiling the scheme pays if the firm cannot return your money. It covers firm failure rather than market losses.
Trading 212
What is the minimum deposit to open a Trading 212 account?+
The published minimum deposit is £1, low enough to open and fund in one step. That entry sits under the €4.64 level seen across the brokers compared here, and under the $5 Vantage asks for, so a small first transfer is enough to get going.
Does Trading 212 charge for keeping an account open or leaving it idle?+
The account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0, so neither holding the account nor letting it sit dormant is billed on the published sheet. The €10 inactivity level across the brokers compared sits well above that floor, which is where dormant-account charges usually show up.