Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Freetrade vs XTB
Where Freetrade and XTB differ
| Compare |  Freetrade |  XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1 | €0 |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | €0 |
| Account fee | £0 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNFCovers more |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.99% | 0.5%Lower |
| Platforms | App, Web | XStation 5, XStation Mobile |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Jisa | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:30 |
| Interest on cash | 1% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- XTB scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.8.
- Regulators: only XTB offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), KNF.
- Founded is lower at XTB: 2002 vs 2016.
- XTB is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at XTB: 0.5% vs 0.99%.
- Markets: only Freetrade offers Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only XTB offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Platforms: only Freetrade offers App, Web.
- Platforms: only XTB offers XStation 5, XStation Mobile.
- Support channels: only Freetrade offers Help centre.
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.
XTB
XTB suits retail traders who want to hold stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto under one Cyprus-based account without a monthly charge. The account fee is €0, deposits cost nothing, and CySEC, FCA and KNF authorisations sit behind a legal entity founded in 2002.
Score breakdown
| Area | Freetrade | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Stock trade fees of £0 and an account fee of £0 sit alongside a 0.99% currency conversion charge. | 9.1Higher |
| Offer | 9.1A UK platform with isa, sipp and jisa accounts, plus a demo account, fractional shares and stocks, etfs and bonds. | 9.3Higher |
| Trust | 8.5 | 9.6Higher |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Freetrade | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ||
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 259400HM2TR4U3LF5D43 |
| Poland | Not confirmed |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Freetrade | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
If neither fits
willbe has currency conversion fee at 0.3%, against 0.99% for Freetrade and 0.5% for XTB.
willbe reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Freetrade | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 179 of 471 | 3 of 471 |
| Brokers for beginners | 49 of 88 | 1 of 88 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Freetrade | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app, Demo account | Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Audience | Beginners | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Freetrade Limited | XTB Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Founded | 2016 | 2002Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Freetrade | XTB | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10above the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77%highest quarter | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.99%highest quarter | 0.5%above the median | 0.45% |
| Interest on cash | 1%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 47 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.
XTB
Pros
- Account fee of €0 on the standard account, and stock trades cost €0.
- Minimum deposit of €0, so the account opens without a funding floor.
- Regulated by CySEC, the FCA and KNF across Cyprus, the UK and Poland.
Cons
- An inactivity fee of €10 applies, unlike eToro, which has no such charge.
- Forex and CFD trading is not cost free: fx trading costs 0.5%.
- CFDs carry a high proportion of losing retail accounts, and XTB's own figure is 77%.
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
XTB
Who it suits
- Retail traders in the UK and Europe who want stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto in one account
- Beginners who want a demo account and a mobile app before committing money
- Cost conscious traders who will not hold a balance large enough to trigger the inactivity fee
Who should look elsewhere
- Vantage, if a small minimum deposit of $5 suits a smaller starting balance better
- CFI, for traders who want forex and CFDs without paying an fx charge of 0.5%
- Anyone who plans to hold an idle balance for a long period, given the inactivity fee of €10
Country by country
| Country | Freetrade | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
XTB
What does XTB charge to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is €0, so there is no monthly or annual cost to keeping the account open. A stock trade costs €0 on the same account. The only recurring charge to watch is an inactivity fee of €10 for traders whose balance sits idle.
Is there a minimum deposit at XTB?+
The minimum deposit is €0, which means the account can be opened and funded with a small amount. It is a lower floor than the $5 asked by Vantage, so it suits a trader testing the platform before scaling up.
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