Best stock trading apps UK for 2024

We continuously analyse fees and features of all UK trading apps and our experts update the top picks regularly.

We’ve analysed all 34 of the UK’s most popular share trading apps on factors such as their fees and the range of stocks you can trade (more on our scoring below) and we’ve picked out the ones that excel in particular categories. So if you want global stock markets at your fingertips or you just want a cheap, beginner-friendly trading app, it’s all here.

Best trading apps for 2024

Best for 0% commission stocks
eToro Free Stocks logo
Finder Award
Go to site
Capital at risk. Other fees apply.
Copy picks from top traders
Commission-free stock trades
Receive dividend payments
Invest in fractional shares
Best for US shares
CMC Invest share dealing account logo
Finder Award
Go to site
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Try Plus free for 3 months
0% commission on trades
Choose from 3000+ stocks
Real-time live pricing
Best for fractional shares
XTB logo
Go to site
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Personalised market updates
Commission-free trading
Invest in fractional shares
Over 5,400 stocks & ETFs

Our top pick for 0% commission

eToro logo
★★★★★
Finder score
Go to site
Capital at risk. Other fees apply.
eToro is our pick for the best 0% commission stock-trading app because it’s free to use and there’s no commission to pay when buying or selling stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

What sets it apart from other 0% commission stock-trading platforms is that its “Smart Portfolios” - ready-made thematic portfolios created by eToro's expert analysts - come with no commissions or management fees. And, it’s highly-popular CopyTrader feature, which allows you to copy trades from other investors, is also free.

There are a few additional fees that you need to be aware of, such as a $5 withdrawal and 0.5% foreign exchange (FX) fees. Unfortunately, you have to pay an FX fee every time you deposit or withdraw money, unless you are a Diamond member, because eToro is all denominated in US dollars. There’s also an initial $100 deposit to bear in mind as well as a $10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months with no login or trading activity.


“I’m a big fan of the News Feed and CopyTrader social features. They’re a great way to get inspiration and learn from successful traders.”

Our top pick for ETFs

IG logo
★★★★★
Finder score
On IG, there are over 13,000 shares, funds and investment trusts, including over 2,000 UK and 3,000 international exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that you can invest in. ETFs are a type of security containing a whole bundle of assets, and are listed on stock exchanges. ETFs are great investments for beginners because you get diversity built in, and they’re an easier way to invest in whole sectors and markets. They allow you to invest in lots of different stocks with a single transaction, which can also lower your trading fees.

IG is a great provider to choose if you want to learn how to invest. It helps you gain knowledge from a few different angles. When we tried it out, we particularly liked the free demo account. You can figure out how to trade the same way you’d learn any skill - by having a go and practising. The demo account is risk free as it uses virtual money, but works in exactly the same way as the real thing. Once you’ve got the knack of it, you can get going with real money if you decide you want to go ahead.

IG’s platform is an all rounder — you can invest in an ISA, SIPP, and a general investment account (GIA). For beginners, it has ready-made portfolios, as well as individual shares for those that want to pick their own stocks. There are some additional investment types for experienced investors as well - it’s a platform with plenty of depth.

So many options can be a bit overwhelming for beginners, but IG provides good tools to help you learn and grow as an investor.


“If you want a massive range of investments, IG is hard to beat. This is my go-to trading app if I’m looking for rarer assets that can be hard to find elsewhere.”

Our top pick for US shares

CMC Invest logo
★★★★★
Finder score
Go to site
Capital at risk
CMC Invest is a relatively new share dealing platform, but it’s already making waves.

If you’re interested in US stocks, we think there’s no place better to invest. The platform now has a huge roster of US stocks - over 3,000! There’s also no commission to pay when trading US shares, which is why we’ve made CMC Invest our top pick for investing across the pond.

Along with being the best trading app for US shares, CMC Invest continually adds new features and tools, quickly establishing itself as a firm favourite amongst retail investors in the UK. There’s no minimum deposit, and you can even earn 2% uncapped interest on idle cash.

CMC Invest offers a free Core plan or a paid Plus plan and will soon provide a premium plan which will include SIPPs. Unlike some platforms, CMC allows you to invest in the full range of stocks with the free plan. But, if you want to use an ISA or access more in-depth analysis tools for researching US and UK shares, you should check out the Plus subscription.


"My favourite feature on the app is the ability to set personalised ESG preferences to match my views.”

Our top pick for fractional shares

XTB logo
★★★★★
Finder score
Go to site
Capital at risk
XTB is our choice of best trading app for fractional shares mainly because you can buy fractional shares of both US and UK companies, with no commission fee.

Very few investing platforms let you invest in fractional shares of UK stocks. On top of this, we picked XTB because it’s free to open and hold an account, and it scored highly in a number of other areas when we tested and used the app to invest. It received a highly commended award in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2024 with 100% of customers saying they'd recommend the platform to a friend.

With just a £10 minimum trade on stocks, you can invest in more than 3,000 fractional shares from 16 global exchanges, including over 300 ETFs. You’re also able to build “investment plans” using ETFs. Just click on the “save” tab in the app and then you can invest in fractional shares of an ETF portfolio based on your choice of funds and chosen allocations.

We did find that the XTB mobile trading app is probably best-suited to intermediate investors, but you can open a free demo account to learn the ropes.


“The best attribute is the fact you can buy fractional shares of UK companies - a rare feature among stock trading apps.”

Our top pick for ready-made and managed portfolios

InvestEngine logoAward Badge
★★★★★
Finder score
Go to site
Capital at risk
InvestEngine has quickly made investors take notice with its extremely low fees for exchange-traded funds (ETFs). It’s our top pick for ready-made and managed portfolios because it offers excellent value compared with other robo-advisors. And the app is a joy to use. It was a joint winner in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2024 with 97% of customers saying they'd recommend the platform to a friend.

You can create a free DIY portfolio or make the most of its low-cost robo-advisor service for a fixed 0.25% fee. There’s a healthy collection of over 600 ETFs on offer, tracking assets and markets from across the globe.

InvestEngine also lets you quickly see an ETF’s ESG credentials if that’s your jam. If not, you’ll still enjoy the portfolio “look-through” feature to see the inner details of the companies, sectors, and regions you’re investing in.

We found that using the app’s one-click portfolio rebalancing makes managing your DIY portfolio a piece of cake.


“The 'look-through' feature lets you check under the hood of an ETF investment. This means it’s really straightforward to see where your money’s going in an ETF portfolio.”

Our top pick for customer satisfaction

Hargreaves Lansdown logoAward Badge
★★★★★
Finder score
Go to site
Capital at risk
Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) was a joint winner in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2024, and has now won 3 years in a row. An impressive 97% of its customers in our satisfaction survey said they’d recommend HL to a friend. It’s known for great service and great features, none of which comes cheap.

With HL, you can invest in an ISA, a SIPP, and a JISA/junior SIPP, if you have children you’d like to invest for. HL has a trading fee of £11.95 (or £5.95 for frequent traders), which is higher than many of its rivals. If you’re trading less than £1,000, you could end up paying more in fees than you make in profit.

But, in return for the pricier commissions, you get significantly more features and better customer service. You can access detailed information about investments, and guides that can help you make better trading decisions. The HL app lets you keep track of your investments from anywhere in the world - from your bed to the top of Mount Everest (assuming you have the mobile data).


"HL’s main strength lies in its customer service, but I think the revamp of its platform several years ago has also made the investing experience much smoother.”

Our top pick for safety and security features

interactive investor logo
★★★★★
Finder score
Go to site
Capital at risk
interactive investor (ii) is one of the most trusted brand names in the investing industry, and for good reason.

It’s not the cheapest investing platform available, but if safety and security are your main concerns, ii takes this seriously.

The platform is our top pick for safety features because it scored flawlessly against our security criteria. Features like 128-bit SSL encryption, constant system monitoring, and biometric login provide some peace of mind.

You can also draw comfort from the fact that ii has been around for over 30 years and is now part of a FTSE 250 firm, abrdn.

“One of ii’s biggest strengths lies in the expert research and insights, allowing a much more - dare I say - interactive experience.”

Our top pick for low fees

Trading212 logo
★★★★★
Finder score
Read Trading212's review
Capital at risk
Trading 212 is our top pick for low fees because it’s a hard platform to beat when it comes to offering the lowest fees to investors.

Along with zero trading commissions, Trading 212 has no platform fee (or any added cost to use an ISA) and a competitive FX fee of 0.15%.

Aside from liking its low fees, we were impressed by the overall feel and look of the trading app. The platform is to the point and presents all the essential information investors need to know. And it’s colourful, too.


"The low fees are obviously attractive, but my Trading 212 highlight is that you can create your own mini-portfolios, called 'pies' - making it fun to create, share or copy investment ideas.”

Our top pick for beginners

Freetrade logo
★★★★★
Finder score
Read Freetrade's review
Capital at risk
Freetrade is a modern take on investing, known for its hot pink app and low fees. It’s aimed at beginners who want to dip their toes into the choppy waters of the stock market. When our experts tried it out, we found it was super easy to negotiate our way around, find investments and make trades. With 4.5 stars out of 5, and a simple, easy design, it was the best investment app for beginners in our analysis.

Freetrade’s fees are its main draw - you can trade with zero commission on a huge selection of shares, including US stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and investment trusts. It charges between 0.39% and 0.99% in FX fees for overseas shares. And if you want to invest in an ISA, you can get one with its “Standard” plan from £5.99 a month (or £59.88 per year). If you want a SIPP, you can get the "Plus" plan for £11.99 a month (or £119.88 per year).

Freetrade’s tools allow investors to better understand the stocks they're buying and cover price targets, analyst ratings and additional stock fundamentals. It’s also trialling a desktop trading platform. These added tools make Freetrade suitable for more experienced investors as well as beginners.




“Freetrade’s app design and interface is so easy to use, I always recommend it to my friends and family if they’re just starting to invest and want to keep things simple.”

Our top pick for social and community features

WeBull logo
★★★★★
Finder score
Capital at risk
If you’re interested in a more social and community-focused investing experience, Webull ticks a lot of boxes.

After we tested out all the major trading apps, Webull was our top pick for connecting with like-minded investors. We liked having the option to create posts and polls on the main feed and engage in constructive investing-related gossip with other users.

Along with enabling you to follow and connect with your fellow “Webullers”, the free app is jam-packed with plenty of tools and in-depth analysis to help you sharpen your trading skills.

Webull won the 2023 Finder Investing Innovation Newcomer Award, judged by an expert panel, who felt it offered excellent features in an affordable package.


"For an app that’s free to use, it’s pretty mindblowing how much Webull offers UK investors and I’ll often jump into the app purely to get some US stock analysis insights.”

How to choose the best trading app

Stock trading apps can offer a cheap, quick and easy way to get investing and they often come with lots of useful tips and educational material. But with convenience also comes an extra degree of risk. Before you reach for your phone and download an app, it's important to do your research first.

You need to consider your appetite for risk, level of experience and willingness to learn about trading - as well as the type of investments that you want to make. And don’t forget the fees. While they may not appear to be much, costs can really add up and eat into your returns.

Best trading app features: Latest video round-up March 2024

We give a monthly round-up of all the latest new features, product launches and news from the top trading apps in the UK right now.

Best trading app providers for customer satisfaction 2024

We asked people who’d used a share dealing platform within the previous 12 months to rate their satisfaction with the service they received and whether they’d recommend the provider to a friend. Our independent survey of 750 share dealing customers was carried out in December 2023.

We have shown both survey results for the brands listed in the table below and used these ratings to decide the winners of our awards. Where there was a draw on the satisfaction score, we used the “would recommend” percentage as a tie-breaker.

RankTrading appOverall satisfactionWould recommend
1Hargreaves Lansdown★★★★★97%
1InvestEngine★★★★★97%
2XTB★★★★★100%
3Revolut★★★★★96%
4eToro★★★★★93%
5Trading 212★★★★★90%
6AJ Bell★★★★★95%
7Fidelity★★★★★93%
8interactive investor★★★★★91%
9Vanguard★★★★★90%
10Barclays★★★★★87%
11Bestinvest★★★★★91%
12Nutmeg★★★★★87%
13Wealthify★★★★★85%
14Freetrade★★★★★83%
15Moneybox★★★★★79%
16IG★★★★★87%

Share dealing scores

★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our customer satisfaction scores are based on a survey of 750 customers carried out in December 2023.

How we score trading apps

We only consider apps that protect your money under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. We asked Brits what they care about when choosing a share trading app and our scoring reflects what they told us. All Our unique system cover 6 key categories that we believe are the essential building blocks of a great investing platform:

  • Fees
  • Investment choice
  • Safety & security
  • Account types & products
  • Ease of use
  • Tools, resources & features

There’s more about these in our full methodology.

Our scoring breakdown

We asked UK investors what matters most to them when choosing a platform, and used this when deciding what weight to give different factors in our scoring.

Why trust Finder’s scores?

Our scoring is based purely on data and was developed by our investment experts. So you can be sure that you’re getting our unbiased reasons for choosing the best trading apps.

Danny Butler
Lead publisher


Alice Guy
Investment and tax writer


Zoe Stabler DipFA
Former senior investment writer

Liz Edwards
Editor-in-chief

AS SEEN ON:
The Times logo
The Economist logo
Financial Times logo
Forbes logo
The Guardian logo
Reuters logo
Sky News logo
BBC logo
This is Money logo

Do you have to pay tax when using trading apps?

George Sweeney

Finder expert George Sweeney answers

Possibly, it depends on the success of your investments or trades. If you use a trading app to buy stocks or shares that pay dividends, you’ll have to pay tax on any income over £1,000. The percentage rate depends on your income tax band. Also, if you buy investments on your app and sell them for a profit, you’ll pay capital gains tax (CGT) on any gains over £6,000 (your tax-free allowance for the tax year 2023/24).

A simple way you can avoid these taxes entirely is to use a trading app with a stocks and shares ISA wrapper. Any investments or trades made within the wrapper are shielded from both dividend tax and CGT. You have a yearly ISA allowance of £20,000 that can be used for trading and investing, but not every platform or app offers these accounts.

What do people care most about when choosing a trading app?

We polled 733 Brits who use or plan to use trading apps, to ask their most important factors when choosing one. It was no surprise to see that fees top the list, with over 30% mentioning them. Fees are a major factor in our Finder scores. Lots of investors also want great customer service (25%) and a platform with a stellar reputation (22%), so we show you what users think, too.

However, over 30% of people weren’t sure what they care about most, and this is where our expertise comes in. If you don’t know what makes a great investing platform or what you’re specifically looking for, we’ve got plenty of resources to help you find an app that’s a great fit.

Finder's Investment Challenge 2023

Every year, we follow the most popular types of investments from the previous year to see how they perform against each other. By (fictionally) investing £1,000 in the 7 different types of investments that were the most popular from the previous year, the aim is to help understand the risk associated with different approaches

    Bitcoin is leading Finder's Investment Challenge in the last month of 2023, up 136% since the start of the year. If you had invested £1000 in Bitcoin at the start of 2023, this would be worth £2,358 as of 11 December 2023, an impressive gain of £1,358. Tesla is in second place in the challenge, with the same £1000 investment returning £2,114.

    All the content may be republished with a link to this page
    Press enquiries

Next steps once you’ve found the right trading app

Once you’ve decided on the right investing platform for your investing style, the next step is to sign up and open a share trading account.

To make the process as smooth as possible, you’ll want to have your bank and personal details to hand (including your NI number). Some trading apps will be able to get you up and running within minutes, but some may take a little longer.

If you’re looking to make your first investment but don’t know where to start, we have an investing for beginners hub with plenty of guides for first-time investors like you.

All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.

Trading app news & launches

More guides on Finder

4 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    DJune 8, 2023

    Are all these platform you have listed FCA check ? and trusted?

      AvatarFinder
      LizJune 8, 2023Finder

      Hi. All the platforms we list are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK, or deemed as authorised by the FCA. We include ratings from customers to show what they think of platforms they’ve used. Deposits on platforms which are based in the UK would be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme if the provider went bust, but that’s not the case for platforms based abroad, eg DEGIRO. More on this in the box about safety in our best trading apps guide.

    Default Gravatar
    michaelJune 6, 2023

    Is Tradervesta a reliable trading platform

      AvatarFinder
      LizJune 6, 2023Finder

      Hi Michael. This isn’t a platform we’ve reviewed. If you’ve decided to invest, we’d recommend choosing a trading platform that’s regulated by the FCA.

Go to site