- Experts commend Freetrade for its low-cost investment options, particularly for beginners, highlighting its commission-free trading and the ability to purchase fractional shares. The app is noted for its user-friendly interface, although some limitations exist, such as the lack of desktop access on basic plans and foreign exchange fees for certain transactions.
- Across 1,339 user reviews on Good Money Guide, averaging 4.6/5, users frequently praise Freetrade for its ease of use, low-cost trading, and accessibility for beginners. However, some users express concerns about the limited range of free products and the necessity of upgrading for full access to features. Additionally, while many appreciate the app’s functionality, there are criticisms regarding customer support and the overall competitiveness of fees.
Customer Reviews
Bilbs @ 04/29/2019 10:07
Excellent product with great UX and a business model that is well aligned with its customers.
Daniel Element @ 04/29/2019 10:08
Amazing and easy to use platform
David Blackett @ 04/29/2019 10:19
I may not be investing huge money but I am having fun being incharge of what happens to my money whatever happens to it. Hoping to learn from what I am doing now to when I invest more in the future.
Daniel @ 04/29/2019 10:57
Absolutely amazing platform very user friendly, easy to use.
I have never experienced such a high quality of customer service and support. Free trade make you feel so very important, I cannot fault any part of the service given.
Sergio Soares @ 04/30/2019 03:58
Freetrade brought us the freedom of investment without fees. A most have in an era where each £ counts
Harry @ 04/30/2019 06:22
Removes the ridiculous cap/fee on individual transactions, and opens up individual investors to capital markets. Allows affordable transactions for the everyday person, and removes the requirement tonotherwise pay 0.7% fee for a robo manager if you want to invest small sums. Fair pricing for the many, in an easy to use manner.
James Kirby @ 04/30/2019 07:09
Freetrade really does open up trading up to everyone. For years, from the perspective of your average retail investor, it has been such a daunting world to step into. Freetrade provides an easy to use, intuitive app that is already shacking the competition into action. Did I mention, trading is free…..
Leonard Burger @ 04/30/2019 07:10
Thanks to Freetrade IÔÇÖve started diversifying my small portfolio with ease and on my own terms. Keep it up guys!
Viraj @ 04/29/2019 05:04
This platform will disrupt the way millennials invest in the UK and Europe!
Sean Read @ 04/29/2019 02:39
ThereÔÇÖs so many things I could say about Freetrade but seeing as I donÔÇÖt want to lead readers on a tangent. The service is superb, the application has been developed beautifully, everybody IÔÇÖve talked to who works for customer service has a great charm to how they deal with customers, which lead me to invest in the company, IÔÇÖve learned so much and have so much faith in the company and IÔÇÖm 100% certain they will thrive. Give them a go even if youÔÇÖre a newbie, youÔÇÖll be pleasantly surprised.
Guillaume @ 04/29/2019 02:42
Great mobile user interface and fully transparent about the fees. Lowest cost and showing enormous potential for the future. Puts the customer first. Hargreaves Lansdown and others should be worried.
Makes you want to invest without having concerns about shady practices seem at other online brokers.
James Flavin @ 04/29/2019 02:43
Makes trading shares very easy
Justin @ 04/29/2019 02:56
Quite simply, the app is beautifully designed and the fees are simple and transparent (in many cases, free!). In a world where incumbents are gouging their customers, Freetrade is doing the opposite and enabling anyone and everyone to invest to grow their savings. They bring trust into an industry that consumers no longer trust and the customer support is second to none!
Will @ 04/29/2019 03:44
Freetrade has revolutionised the archaic, traditional stockbroking industry. The opportunity for free trades and a transparent charging structure finally makes investing accessible for the masses.
Will @ 04/29/2019 03:46
Great business model, customer service and community. Love using Freetrade and have highly recommended them to many friends and family.
Zag @ 04/29/2019 02:35
Great app that lets you invest in stocks really easily. The interface is wonderful and the fees either non existent or very low for things like ISA’s. It would be good to have more stocks but they are working on that each week. Overall its an excellent app that is sure to disrupt the incumbents.
Nathan ferguson @ 04/29/2019 02:33
I like the app itÔÇÖs nice and simple to use the free trade option is a bonus and itÔÇÖs easy to navigate around the app little bits they could work on but overall itÔÇÖs a decent app
Richard Knight @ 04/29/2019 02:22
Wanting to invest in particular shares each month I’ve always been put off by high per transaction costs of legacy brokers. Not anymore! I can buy any amount of a companies shares and either can buy them for free or instantly for just ┬ú1 per transaction. The app looks great too and more shares are being added and available to invest all the time!
Mark E Lambourne @ 04/29/2019 02:19
Great to be able to buy and sell fee free!
Expert Review & Rating
Freetrade Won Best Investing App In The 2025 Good Money Guide Awards
Is Freetrade a good investing app?
Yes, Freetrade is a great investing app for those with a small amount of money who want a very low-cost way to start investing in UK and US shares and ETFs. As your portfolio grows you can upgrade for better execution and data. It’s most suited to medium and long-term investing.
Freetrade is one of the original and biggest commission-free investing apps in the UK. It now offers, GIAs, ISAs and SIPPs to over 1.5 million UK & European investors. It is possible to have a free account with end-of-day orders and limited stock data. Or you can upgrade to either a “standard” or “Plus” account for tax-efficient accounts, web access, reduced FX charges and most stock data.
Freetrade also won “Best Investing App” in the 2025 Good Money Guide Awards.
Freetrade offers a ‘freemium’ share dealing service and it’s mission is to get everyone investing by making it simpler and more affordable.
Founded in 2016, Freetrade launched its iOS app in the UK in October 2018, and since then it has grown at an impressive pace.
Freetrade’s popularity stems from two key features: commission-free trading for shares and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and the ability to buy fractional US shares. These features have made investing more accessible and cost-effective, especially for beginners.
It’s worth noting that Freetrade won the 2021 Good Money Guide award for ‘Best Commission-Free Stockbroker’. It also won the 2019 Good Money Guide ‘People’s Choice’ award.
Pricing:
With Freetrade you can buy stocks with zero commissions.
However, if you’re buying US or European stocks, you’ll need to pay foreign exchange (FX) fees. These fees vary depending on the ongoing plan you choose.
There are three options when it comes to plans. These are:
Freetrade Basic – Free
Freetrade Standard – £4.99 per month billed annually or £5.99 per month billed monthly
Freetrade Plus – £9.99 per month billed annually or £11.99 per month billed monthly
As for how Freetrade’s fees compare to other platforms, they are pretty competitive. But there are lots of variables to consider here including the type of plan you have, the type of stocks you invest in (i.e. UK vs US stocks), and how many trades you make per month.
If you just wanted to buy a few blue-chip UK shares within a General Investment Account, you could potentially pay no fees at all (you would have to pay Stamp Duty on trades).
However, if you wanted to buy and hold UK shares in a stocks and shares ISA, you would be looking at annual charges of at least £59.88.
That’s not particularly high but it can be beaten. AJ Bell, for example, offers an annual charge of 0.25% for ISAs and this is capped at just £42 per year (this doesn’t include any trades).
Market Access: In terms of accounts, Freetrade offers three options, a General Investment Account, a Stocks and Shares ISA and a SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension). But, to open a stocks and shares ISA or SIPP you need to sign up for a premium plan.
Pros
- Zero commission
- No fees for a basic account
- Fractional shares
- UK Treasury Bills
Cons
- App only on the basic plan (no desktop)
- 0.99% FX fee for the basic account
- Relatively early stage company
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Pricing
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Market Access
(4)
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Online Platform
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Customer Service
(4)
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Research & Analysis
(3.5)
Overall
4.1Leave A Review
Tell us what you think of this provider.
Freetrade FAQ
Overall, Freetrade is a good platform that offers a broad selection of investments and very competitive fees and charges. But it’s not perfect. And it’s not going to be the right platform for everybody. As always, the best platform for you will depend on factors such as the size of your portfolio, the investments you like to own, and the extra features you are looking for.
Freetrade is an independent, privately-owned company.
No. While Freetrade offers zero commissions on trades, you still need to pay Stamp Duty, FX fees, and annual charges (if you choose a premium plan).
When you buy UK stocks with Freetrade, the company deducts Stamp Duty at a rate of 0.5%. This does not apply to investment trusts or shares listed on AIM.
The minimum investment with Freetrade is currently £2.
Yes, it does. But you can only access this with a ‘Plus’ account.
There is always investment risk when you buy shares or ETFs. So, if you trade through Freetrade, it’s possible that you could lose money. However, the platform itself should be regarded as safe. It is regulated by the FCA, and accounts are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
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.
