Freetrade Review 2026
Freetrade brought commission-free investing to the UK and remains one of the simplest ways to own shares. All plans — including the free Basic tier — trade UK and US stocks, ETFs and investment trusts at £0 commission, and unusually, the free plan includes both a Stocks & Shares ISA and a SIPP. The cost to watch is currency conversion: 0.99% on the free plan when you buy US shares, reduced to 0.59% or 0.39% on the paid Standard (£5.99/month) and Plus (£11.99/month) subscriptions.
Reviewed by Yaniv Barshaf · Fees verified June 2026 · Our methodology
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Best overall: Freetrade
Freetrade is a strong free home for UK investors who want an ISA — and especially a SIPP — at zero platform cost, as long as US-stock trading stays occasional or you upgrade a plan to cut the FX fee.
Get started with FreetradeCapital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.
Fees
- stock Commission: £0 commission on all UK & US stocks, ETFs and investment trusts (all plans)
- withdrawal: Free standard withdrawals; £5 for same-day withdrawal
- inactivity: None
- conversion: FX fee on non-GBP trades: 0.99% (Basic), 0.59% (Standard £5.99/mo), 0.39% (Plus £11.99/mo)
- spread: No added spread markup; FX conversion is the main dealing cost on foreign shares
Who Freetrade is best for
Freetrade suits UK beginners who want to own real shares inside a free ISA, and pension savers drawn by the free SIPP — a rarity at this price. It is a weaker fit for frequent US-stock traders on the free plan, where the 0.99% FX fee bites on every dollar trade, and for advanced traders who want research tools, as the app stays deliberately simple.
Freetrade fees in plain English
Trading is commission-free on every plan, there is no inactivity fee and no minimum deposit, and standard withdrawals are free (same-day withdrawal costs £5). The real cost is the FX fee on non-GBP trades: 0.99% on Basic, 0.59% on Standard and 0.39% on Plus. That subscription maths matters — a Standard plan costs £71.88 a year, which only pays for itself if you convert enough currency to save more than that versus the Basic rate. UK-only investors can genuinely invest for almost nothing.
Safety and regulation
Freetrade is authorised and regulated by the FCA, and eligible client assets are protected by the FSCS up to £85,000 if the firm fails. Client money is held under UK client-asset rules. As always, regulation and compensation cover firm failure, not market losses — your capital remains at risk.
How Freetrade compares on cost
Against Trading 212, Freetrade wins on the free SIPP but loses on FX: 0.99% versus 0.15% is a wide gap for anyone buying US shares regularly. Against eToro, Freetrade is cheaper for straightforward UK investing — no per-trade commission, no withdrawal fee, and an ISA eToro lacks. Use our fee calculator to see the annual difference for your own trading pattern.
Pros and cons
Freetrade
Pros
- +Zero-commission trading on all stocks, ETFs and investment trusts
- +Free Basic plan includes a Stocks & Shares ISA and SIPP with no monthly fee
- +No inactivity fee and no minimum deposit
- +US fractional shares available on every plan
Cons
- −0.99% FX fee on the free plan makes frequent US trading relatively costly
- −Lower FX rates and better cash interest are locked behind paid subscriptions
- −£5 charge for same-day withdrawals
Freetrade
Best free ISA and SIPP for commission-free UK investing
Capital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.
Compare Freetrade head-to-head
Freetrade vs alternatives
| Feature | Freetrade | eToro | XTB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Stock commission | £0 commission on all UK & US stocks, ETFs and investment trusts (all plans) | $1–$2 per stock trade (varies by country/exchange); ETFs 0% | 0% up to €100k monthly turnover, then 0.2% (min €10) |
| Withdrawal fee | Free standard withdrawals; £5 for same-day withdrawal | $5 per withdrawal on USD accounts ($30 min); free on GBP/EUR accounts | Free above €100 (some entities charge €10 below €100) |
| Inactivity fee | None | None (eToro removed the inactivity fee in 2026) | €10/month after 1 year inactive with no deposit in 90 days |
| Min deposit | $0 | $50 | $0 |
| Fractional shares | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes | Yes |
| Regulators | FCA | FCA, CySEC, ASIC | FCA, CySEC, KNF |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Freetrade safe and legit?
Freetrade is regulated by FCA and has operated since 2016. All investing carries risk of loss.
What are Freetrade's fees?
Stock commission: £0 commission on all UK & US stocks, ETFs and investment trusts (all plans). Withdrawal: Free standard withdrawals; £5 for same-day withdrawal. Inactivity: None.
What is the minimum deposit for Freetrade?
The minimum deposit is $0.
Freetrade
Best free ISA and SIPP for commission-free UK investing
Capital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.