- Experts commend Freetrade as an excellent investing app, particularly for those starting with smaller amounts, highlighting its zero-commission trading and accessibility to UK and US shares. The app is noted for its competitive pricing and the ability to buy fractional shares, although it has limitations such as a lack of desktop access on the basic plan and foreign exchange fees for certain trades.
- Across 1339 user reviews on Good Money Guide, averaging 4.6/5, customers frequently praise Freetrade for its user-friendly interface and efficient trading experience, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced investors. However, some users express frustration with customer service and specific account features, particularly regarding the accuracy of information related to Junior ISAs and foreign exchange fees.
Expert rating
Our expert rating is the average of the areas listed here, each scored out of 5 by our team.- Pricing5.0
- Market Access4.0
- Online Platform4.0
- Customer Service4.0
- Research & Analysis3.5
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
See full expert review
Our verdict
Freetrade has shaken up the UK retail investment market in recent years. Offering zero commissions on share trades, it has been stealing market share from legacy investment platforms with lower costs and better app functionality.
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.
Customer reviews
Customer ratings come from reviews left on this site. Every review is read and approved before it is published.Based on 1,339 reviews
- Excellent76%
- Very good13%
- Basic7%
- Poor3%
- Bad2%
Read customer reviews
Incorrect information led me to transfer two Junior ISAs
I specifically asked Freetrade in writing whether VUSA, EQQQ and VWRL could be bought fractionally inside a Junior ISA before transferring funds. Their team confirmed: “Yes, our Junior ISAs fully support fractional investing for ETFs, and VUSA, EQQQ, and VWRL are all available on our platform. You can absolutely set up a monthly recurring investment and automatically split it by your exact percentage allocation.”
Relying on that information, I sold investments I had set aside for my children in my Trading 212 pies, withdrew the proceeds, and opened/funded two Junior ISAs with Freetrade. After doing so, I discovered that UK/EU-listed ETFs such as VUSA, EQQQ and VWRL cannot actually be bought fractionally on Freetrade.
I have raised a formal complaint and will update this review once Freetrade provides its final response.
The best place to come and trade without pressure
Simple for any one who want start trading and invest
Leader
Simple and works. Great user interface makes it simple and clear to operate.
Efficient and cost effective
Their App is brilliant and so as web application for experience Investor. They are good for beginners and experience Investors equally. Their Forex charges are the lowest among peers.This is very important factor if you want to deal in US and Europe shares. When you have bigger portfolio,these cost plays big part in outperformance of your money in longer terms. CS is brilliant.
Excellent
Excellent
limited range of 'free' products
limited range of ‘free’ products
Its a good platform, easy…
Its a good platform, easy to access and trade on.
Easy to use
Easy to use
Excellent for low cost trading.
Excellent for low cost trading.
Simple, easy and cheap
Simple, easy and cheap
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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.
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