Best CFD trading and spread betting platforms

If you’re looking for the best places to trade, we’ve got you covered. Find out our expert opinion on the best CFD trading platforms available to UK investors.

George Sweeney, DipFA's headshot

By

George Sweeney, DipFA

Updated

Fact checked
CFDs and spread bets are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51%-74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Choosing a contract for difference (CFD) platform or spread betting broker requires a careful balance between low trading costs, robust regulatory security, and advanced trading mechanics.

To help you cut through marketing jargon and find the CFD trading app that matches your experience level and trading style, we’ve tested and evaluated the UK’s leading platforms using our comprehensive, data-driven Finder scoring framework. Check out our best CFD trading platforms below.

Finder’s best CFD trading apps in the UK for 2026

Best overall

Capital.com logo
9.8Excellent
Capital.com CFD
9.8Excellent
5,500+
7
(Forex, shares, indices, commodities, bonds, ETFs, interest rates)
£20

65% of retail CFD accounts lose money

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Why we like it

Capital.com stands out as our best overall CFD platform because it achieved the highest overall Finder score, offering an exceptional balance of comprehensive market access and a competitive fee structure. It eliminates trading commissions on share CFDs and does away with annoying administrative charges like platform fees or inactivity charges. With more than 5,500 instruments spanning 7 distinct asset classes, you’ll rarely run out of trading options. Capital.com's negative balance protection means that if adverse market movements result in your account balance falling below £0, it would be automatically reinstated to £0. Best of all, UK traders can benefit from the option to spread bet alongside trading traditional CFDs, all powered by a seamless, native integration with premium TradingView charting tools and built-in AI functionality.

Pros

  • Over 5,500 tradable instruments
  • Spread betting for UK traders
  • AI search integration
  • Deep native premium TradingView integration
  • Zero inactivity, deposit, or withdrawal fees
  • Excellent support via WhatsApp and phone
  • Negative balance protection

Cons

  • Average GBP/USD spread of 1.3 pips is slightly wide
  • Interface is optimised for intermediate traders rather than absolute beginners
  • Algorithmic execution is routed through external bridges

Best for spread betting

Spreadex logo
8.6Great
Spreadex
8.6Great
10,000+
8
(Forex, shares, indices, commodities, options, bonds, ETFs, interest rates)
£5

64% of retail CFD accounts lose money

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Why we like it

Spreadex is our top pick for spread betting, because it offers a huge range of markets and assets at a competitive price point. UK spread bettors can trade on all 10,000+ available instruments across roughly 8 asset types, making it an extremely diverse place to deploy this tax-efficient trading strategy.

Alongside financial markets, Spreadex also offers a separate standalone platform built for sports spread betting. It’s the sheer versatility of Spreadex’s spread betting offering that makes it stand out from the pack, but it also offers excellent value. There are no platform fees or inactivity fees and it offers some of the tightest spreads around on popular markets.

Pros

  • Spread betting on over 10,000+ instruments
  • 8+ different asset types to spread bet
  • Standalone sports spread betting platform
  • Tight spreads across popular markets
  • No platform fee or inactivity fee
  • Chart integration with TradingView

Cons

  • Not an ideal platform for complete beginners
  • No demo account to practise
  • Difficult to connect third party APIs
  • Lack of AI trading tools
  • No MetaTrader integration
  • Basic education materials

Best for beginners

eToro logo
8Great
eToro CFD
8Great
5,000+
5
(Forex, shares, indices, commodities, ETFs)
$50
Go to site

51% of retail CFD accounts lose money

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Why we like it

eToro is our top pick for beginners because it takes the complexity out of CFD trading by wrapping it in its intuitive, social-first platform. Instead of getting lost in high-level data screens, beginners can use eToro’s unique CopyTrader ecosystem to find, follow, and automatically copy successful traders in real-time. It offers a constructive environment to learn the ropes, complete with a virtual demo portfolio to practice your trading strategies safely. With over 5,000 instruments and commission-free stock trading, it offers plenty of room to grow as your confidence builds.

Pros

  • Highly intuitive social trading platform for beginners
  • CopyTrader tool to replicate experienced investors
  • Zero commission on stock trading
  • Over 5,000 instruments to trade
  • Free unlimited virtual demo account
  • Training materials through the eToro Academy

Cons

  • No tax-free spread betting option
  • Flat $5 withdrawal fee and $30 minimum withdrawal for USD
  • GBP/USD spread is relatively wide at 1.5 pips
  • Advanced traders may find the platform too simple

Best for shares & indices

XTB logo
9.4Excellent
XTB CFD
9.4Excellent
10,000+
5
(Forex, shares, indices, commodities, ETFs)
£1

74% of retail CFD accounts lose money

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Why we like it

XTB is our top choice for trading global shares and stock indices due to its incredibly cheap fees and massive catalog of instruments. It offers access to over 10,000 assets, allowing you to dive into specific markets and indices with zero commission on share CFDs. The platform runs on the highly customisable and ultra-fast xStation 5 platform, a proprietary piece of trading software which is packed with built-in stock scanners, real-time news, and advanced charts. Combined with zero platform fees, and plenty of straightforward functionality, it’s an extremely cost-effective hub for equity-focused traders.

Pros

  • Over 10,000 global instruments available
  • Zero commission on share CFDs
  • No platform fees
  • Tight average GBP/USD spread of 1.1 pips
  • Low 0.5% FX conversion fee on international trades
  • Advanced proprietary xStation 5 trading platform

Cons

  • No tax-free UK spread betting
  • £10 per month inactivity fee after 1 year
  • Fewer asset classes than some multi-asset competitors
  • No native TradingView charting integration

Best for advanced traders

IG logo
9.5Excellent
IG CFD
9.5Excellent
15,000+
6
(Forex, shares, indices, commodities, options, ETFs)
£250
Go to site

68% of retail CFD accounts lose money

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Why we like it

IG offers the ultimate sandbox for advanced, programmatic, and high-volume traders. Boasting an unmatched market depth of over 16,000 instruments, it provides premium execution tools like guaranteed stop-loss orders to protect you from catastrophic weekend market gaps. For experienced traders, IG supports unrestricted REST and FIX API endpoints alongside deep charting setups like ProRealTime. It’s a powerhouse for executing sophisticated, automated strategies, though getting to grips with everything can take a while.

Pros

  • Over 16,000 tradable instruments across global markets
  • Unrestricted REST and FIX API support for algorithmic trading
  • Full order type depth
  • Ultra-tight average GBP/USD spread of 0.9 pips
  • Supports tax-free spread betting
  • Advanced charting via ProRealTime and external integrations

Cons

  • 0.1% ($0.02/share US) commissions on share CFDs
  • Complex multi-window interface can easily overwhelm beginners
  • Not an ideal platform for beginners
  • Could offer better research and learning tools
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George Sweeney, DipFA's headshot
Our expert says: Can I trade CFDs or spread bet inside a stocks and shares ISA or SIPP to protect my profits from tax?

"The short answer is no, but there is a major silver lining. You can’t trade CFDs or place spread bets inside a stocks and shares ISA or a self-invested personal pension (SIPP). However, UK traders have a unique, highly tax-efficient alternative – spread betting.

Because HMRC classifies spread betting as “betting” rather than traditional investing, all profits from spread betting are exempt from CGT and Stamp Duty."

George Sweeney, DipFA's headshot
Deputy editor

Frequently asked questions

Is CFD trading tax-free in the UK?

No, CFD trading is not tax-free in the UK. Any profits you generate from trading CFDs are subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT), though you can typically use any losses you incur to offset your taxable gains elsewhere.

If you're looking for a tax-free alternative, spread betting is a highly popular option in the UK because all profits are completely exempt from CGT and Stamp Duty.

What is the difference between CFDs and spread betting?

While both are derivative products that let you speculate on rising or falling prices without owning the underlying physical asset, they are treated differently for UK tax purposes.

When trading CFDs, you buy or sell a contract that exchanges the price difference of an asset between the opening and closing of your trade, which is subject to CGT. With spread betting, you bet a specific amount of money per point of movement in the asset's price, and all of your profits are entirely tax-free.

How do commission-free CFD platforms actually make money?

Even if a platform advertises zero commission and no account fees, trading is never entirely free. Brokers primarily make money through the "spread," which is the small, built-in price difference between the buy and sell price of an asset.

They also charge variable swap rates to cover the cost of holding leveraged positions open overnight, alongside currency conversion (FX) fees when you trade assets that are not denominated in your account's base currency.

Is my money safe with these CFD platforms?

Your funds are protected as long as you trade with a platform that is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, which includes all the platforms on this page.

Under FCA rules, brokers must hold all retail client money in segregated bank accounts that are completely separate from the company's own corporate cash. This ensures your money is safe if the broker goes bankrupt, with additional backup protection provided by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

But even with legit, authorised and regulated platforms, CFD trading is still a great way to lose money.

What does leverage mean and how does it work?

Leverage allows you to open a large trading position by putting down only a small percentage of the total trade value, which is known as your margin.

While leverage can significantly increase your profits if the market moves in your favour, it also heavily magnifies your losses if the market moves against you, which is why retail accounts come with built-in negative balance protection to prevent you from losing more than your account balance.

The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Defaqto. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
George Sweeney, DipFA's headshot
Deputy editor
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George is a deputy editor at Finder. He has previously written for The Motley Fool UK, Nasdaq, Freetrade, Investing in the Web, MoneyMagpie, Online Mortgage Advisor, Wealth, and Compare Forex Brokers. He's focused on making personal finance and investing engaging for everyone. To do this he draws from previous work and his Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA), sharing what he’s learnt. When he’s not geeking out about money, you’ll find him playing sports and staying active. See full bio

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George has written 327 Finder guides across topics including:
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