- Experts highlight Trading 212 as a low-cost investment platform offering commission-free access to over 13,000 stocks and ETFs, with additional features like a Stocks ISA and SIPP. However, they note limitations such as the absence of regular mutual funds and occasional issues with customer service.
- Across 10 user reviews on Good Money Guide, averaging 4.6/5, customers frequently commend the app’s ease of use, educational resources, and efficient trading without fees. However, some users express frustration with customer service, particularly regarding account verification issues.
Trading 212 Expert rating
Our expert rating is the average of the areas listed here, each scored out of 5 by our team.- Pricing5.0
- Market Access4.5
- App & Platform4.5
- Customer Service4.0
- Research & Analysis4.0
Pros
- Commission-free trading
- No account fees
- Access to a Stocks ISA and SIPP
Cons
- Basic platform compared to other providers
- No regular mutual funds available
- Customer service can be patchy
See full expert review
Our verdict
Verdict: Trading 212 offers commission-free access to over 13,000 stocks and ETFs. There is a Stocks ISA and a SIPP available for investors while those looking to save can access a Cash ISA. Trading 212 is a low-cost investment platform that offers access to stocks, ETFs, contracts for difference (CFDs), and more. Founded in 2004, it launched in the UK in 2013. Today, it has five million funded accounts globally and around £25 billion in client assets. Since 2016, its app has been the UK’s number one trading app.
What does Trading 212 offer?
– Special Offer: Deposit £1 & receive a free fractional share worth up to £100. Capital at risk. Refer a friend/sponsored link. T&Cs apply.
– Cash ISA Bonus Rate: Currently 3.6% variable + 1yr 1.41% bonus (new customers only). Sponsored link. T&Cs apply.
Trading 212 offers access to a broad range of stocks and ETFs across 16 exchanges. In total, there are over 13,000 stocks and ETFs available on the platform.
Additionally, it offers access to a range of features that many traditional investment platforms don’t offer such as:
- Commission-free trading
- Fractional shares (you can buy fractions of shares)
- 24/5 trading
- Investment pies: A pie is a diversified portfolio that invests automatically for you but note, this is an execution only service meaning the management is down to you ● A debit card with no FX fees, issued by Paynetics
What accounts are available on Trading 212?
Trading 212 currently offers a range of investment accounts including a regular investment account, a Stocks ISA, a Cash ISA, and a SIPP. We look at some of these accounts in more detail below.
Stocks ISA
With Trading 212’s Stocks ISA, you can invest in a broad range of stocks and ETFs commission-free, although other fees may apply. You can deposit up to £20,000 per year and there is no tax payable on investment gains or income but note, tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and regulations which may change.
Benefits of this account include:
- Access to 13,000 stocks and ETFs
- No account fees
- The ability to earn interest on your cash
- Low FX fees when trading international shares (0.15%)
- Access to ready-made portfolios
- Fractional shares
Overall, the Trading 212 Stocks ISA is a solid offering. It could be a good option for those looking to trade stocks and ETFs with no commissions.
Cash ISA
The Trading 212 Cash ISA offers a simple way to save money. You can deposit up to £20,000 per year and withdraw your money at any time.
Benefits of this account include:
- Attractive interest rates (3.6%* AER at the time of this review)
- Interest paid monthly
- No minimums
- No account fees
- FSCS protection up to £120,000
This ISA could be well suited to those who want a Cash ISA on the same platform as their investments. It may be possible to find higher interest rates elsewhere, however.
SIPP
Trading 212’s SIPP is a pension account. With this product, you can deposit up to £60,000 every year, however, you cannot access the money until age 55 (57 from 2028). Trading 212’s SIPP is operated and administered by Platform One.
Benefits of this account include:
- Tax-relief is provided on top of your deposits
- No tax on investment gains or income
- Access to 13,000 stocks and ETFs
- Commission-free trading
- Low FX fees (0.15%)
- No account fees
- Fractional shares
- Access to ready-made portfolios
Overall, this is a solid pension offering. There’s access to many investments and fees are very low.
Market access
Trading 212 offers access to UK stocks, international stocks, ETFs, investment trusts, and more. In total, there are over 13,000 global stocks and ETFs available on the platform which for most investors, is going to be more than enough options.
Those in the UK can also access CFDs. With CFDs, it’s possible to trade indices, commodities, forex, and stocks.
Where the platform falls short against traditional platforms, however, is mutual funds. Regular mutual funds are not available – only ETFs and investment trusts.
One other thing to point out is that the company executes through Interactive Brokers. It can take time to fill orders on small UK stocks.
What are Trading 212’s fees
Trading 212’s fees are very competitive. Here’s a snapshot of its fee structure:
- Trading commissions – free
- Custody fee – free
- FX fees – 0.15%
- Deposits via bank transfers – free
- Deposits via cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay – free below £2,000 then 0.7% ● Withdrawals – free
Note when buying UK shares, you still have to pay Stamp Duty. This is 0.5% of the transaction value.
How does Trading 212 make money?
Trading 212 offers commission-free trading and also charges no custody fees. So, how does it make money?
Well, one source of revenue is CFDs – here it makes money from the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sell price of a CFD. Another source of revenue is interest on uninvested cash.
Who is Trading 212 regulated by and is it safe?
In the UK, Trading 212 is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In the unlikely event of a default, FSCS compensation is up to £120,000.
With Trading 212, your cash is held at some of the world’s largest banks where it is ring-fenced. This means that it is held separately to the firm’s money.
As for shares, Trading 212 works with The Bank of New York Mellon and IBKR to safeguard your assets. Here, shares are ring-fenced and completely segregated from the company’s assets.
So overall, the platform operates within safeguarding requirements. There are obviously risks that come with investing on the platform, however, especially if trading CFDs. App and platform
Trading 212 offers desktop access and an app. The app, which has a 4.7 rating in Apple’s App Store – tends to be more popular with customers.
Through the app, you can trade stocks and ETFs, check your account balances, analyse your portfolio and asset allocation, and research individual companies and ETFs. The interface is clean and suitable for both beginners and advanced investors.
One issue to be aware of, however, is that the company is constantly tweaking the app and desktop interfaces. Some users find this frustrating.
Added value and research
Trading 212 offers more investing information than a lot of other low-cost platforms. On its ‘Learn’ page, there are many educational articles.
That said, some topics are not explained that well. As a result, beginner investors could end up a little confused.
One handy feature on the platform is the Trading 212 Hotlist. This shows the most popular stocks among its customers.
On the downside, there doesn’t seem to be any investment research on the platform. The only source of investment ideas is the Hotlist.
Customer service
You can contact Trading 212 24/7 via the ‘contact us’ function in the app. This connects you with the T212 chat assistant who can connect you with an agent from the customer care team on chat.
It should be noted, however, that some users have complained about poor customer service. One common theme is withdrawals, these seem to be an issue for many users.
Please note, when investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Trading 212 Customer reviews
Customer ratings come from reviews left on this site. Every review is read and approved before it is published.Based on 10 reviews
- Excellent90%
- Very good0%
- Basic0%
- Poor0%
- Bad10%
Read customer reviews
Reliability
Easy visibility. Straightforward transfers in and out.
Educational
This app provides plenty of educational material and training exercises.
One Stop
Great one-stop shop for cash ISA, stocks ISA and debit card, with cashback. The app also performs well and is easy to use.
Efficient
Does not charge fee to buy equities
Fantastic!
The app is a great resource for learning the basics of investing before going ahead.
Convenient
Higher daily interest rate. Easy to use app.
Excellent
provide daily updates
Excellent
Daily updates
Customer Service is non existent
I would not recommend this app. I wasn’t able to give less than one star. I changed my phone and was asked verify my account again. This proved impossible and I am continually asked to upload my passport and photo. I’ve not been able to access my account for three weeks. Customer service is appalling – bots responding to you! I’ve now messaged and asked them to return my money and close my account. Lesson learned – I’ll stick with Aviva – at least you can speak to a human!
Simple, intuitive, safe
I started with a small amount with a growth and dividend strategy. I am now gaining over 10 percent growth and dividend reinvestment yearly. It is easy to use and although there is potential to lose. The new ai features and managed pies make it easy to start investing. Highly recommended. You can use my invite code for free shares, minimal investment.
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Richard is the founder of the Good Money Guide (formerly Good Broker Guide), one of the original investment comparison sites established in 2015. With a career spanning two decades as a broker, he brings extensive expertise and knowledge to the financial landscape.
Having worked as a broker at Investors Intelligence and a multi-asset derivatives broker at MF Global (Man Financial), Richard has acquired substantial experience in the industry. His career began as a private client stockbroker at Walker Crips and Phillip Securities (now King and Shaxson), following internships on the NYMEX oil trading floor in New York and London IPE in 2001 and 2000.
Richard’s contributions and expertise have been recognized by respected publications such as The Sunday Times, BusinessInsider, Yahoo Finance, BusinessNews.org.uk, Master Investor, Wealth Briefing, iNews, and The FT, among many others.
Under Richard’s leadership, the Good Money Guide has evolved into a valuable destination for comprehensive information and expert guidance, specialising in trading, investment, and currency exchange. His commitment to delivering high-quality insights has solidified the Good Money Guide’s standing as a well-respected resource for both customers and industry colleagues.