Investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has quickly become one of the most popular ways for people to invest. So much so, the number of ETFs worldwide has grown by over 3,000% from just 276 options in 2003 to 8,754 funds by 2023. It’s a cheap and effective way to invest that’s taken the investment world by storm.
And with more choice, some platforms have made ETFs a core part of their offering. To help you navigate the fund marketplace, we’re going to explore the best brokers, platforms and investing apps in the UK for ETF investing.
InvestEngine is our top pick for cheap ETF investing because it costs nothing to open and hold an account when picking your own portfolio of ETFs.
There's also no commission fee to buy or sell ETFs, and on top of all that, you can even use a free stocks and shares ISA for your ETF portfolio. When it comes to cheap, it's pretty hard to beat free.
However, if you don't want to pick your own ETF portfolio, the managed portfolios cost a competitive 0.25% annual fee, which is lower than most robo-advisors. Aside from the cheap fees, InvestEngine is packed with loads of ETF-specific investing features because this platform is designed for, and offers, nothing but ETFs.
| Price per trade | £0 |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | £100 |
| Offer | Get a Welcome Bonus of up to £50 when you invest at least £100 with InvestEngine. T&Cs apply. |
Our top pick for 0% commission ETF investing is CMC Invest because there are over 400 to choose from and there's no commissions or platform fees (with the Core plan).
Along with 0% commission ETF investing, CMC Invest also offers some excellent features like personalised ESG preferences and analyst insights from Morningstar.
As well as commission-free ETF investing, you can also buy stocks from the US and the UK with no commissions if you decide to expand your investing horizons.
| Price per trade | £0 |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | £0 |
| Offer | Earn up to £1,000 when you transfer before 5 Aug 2024. Plus, get 12 months free when you switch to Premium plan. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk. |
There's no platform fee or commissions when using XTB's mobile trading app and it also recently introduced free “investment plans”. This feature lets you build an ETF portfolio and then automatically invest from just £15 on an ongoing basis to help you reach your goals.
Whether you want to trade ETFs frequently, or build a long-term ETF portfolio, XTB's low-cost mobile trading platform is an excellent option.
| Price per trade | £0 |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | £0 |
| Offer | Earn up to 5.2% interest on uninvested cash. |
Saxo is our top pick for ETFs because it's got more exchange-traded funds (ETFs) than you can shake a stick at. No, seriously, there are over 7,000 available on the platform.
On top of the huge catalogue of ETFs, what makes Saxo our best option for ETF investing is because of the international diversity available. You'll find yourself swimming comfortably in international waters - take your pick of ETFs from over 30 global exchanges. Also, Saxo's new pricing structure has made the platform more affordable to the everyday investor and not just big-time traders with deep pockets.
The exact fee you pay for an ETF will depend on the exchange location. But for UK-listed ETFs, the fee is 0.08% (with a £3 minimum). Or US ETFs cost just $0.015 per share (with a $1 minimum). Keep in mind there are other fees to think about like a foreign exchange (FX) fee of 0.25% along with a 0.12% Saxo platform fee.
| Price per trade | £3 |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | £0 |
| Offer | Get up to £200 back in online trading fees during your first 3 months with our exclusive Finder offer. T&Cs apply. |
Our best pick for fractional ETFs is Trading 212. We like Trading 212 for buying smaller pieces (fractions) of ETFs because you can invest with just £1.
Also, Trading 212's “pies” feature means you can design and build multiple ETF portfolios on a fractional basis and invest regularly (or sporadically if you prefer). You can also copy other investor's ETF pies if you don't want to pick your own funds.
Along with the excellent fractional ETF investing options, there's no platform fee and you can even hold your ETFs in a stocks and shares ISA for free.
| Price per trade | 0% |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | £1 |
interactive investor (ii) is our best pick for ESG ETF investing because of the unique information and research it provides.
The standout ESG feature is the ii ACE 40, which is the UK's first rated list of sustainable investments. There are more than 200 sustainable investment options on ii. This research analyses and picks out the 40 best-in-class funds using expert insights.
And if you're wondering what ACE means, the acronym stands for: avoids, considers and embraces.
| Price per trade | £3.99 (free regular investing) |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | £0 |
| Offer | Enter a prize draw to win £100,000 if you open an ii Trading Account by 31 July and deposit £5,000 min. T&Cs apply. |
If you want to get inspiration from other traders and investors, eToro is our best pick for social ETF investing.
It offers a free, CopyTrader feature, which lets you mirror the ETF trades of successful investors. Or, you can peruse the News Feed to get ETF investing insights and thoughts - perhaps even sharing your own ideas.
It's free to open and hold an account with eToro and there's no commission to buy or sell ETFs on the platform.
| Price per trade | £0 on stocks |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | $100 |
Freetrade is our best ETF broker for beginners because of the simple reason that the platform is so beginner friendly.
Everything from the sign up process to funding your account and buying an ETF is so straightforward, making the app extremely accessible for beginners.
Along with being easy to use, Freetrade also offers a free “Basic” plan, which has no platform fee and still gives you access to a huge range of ETF investments - all commission-free.
| Price per trade | £0 |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | £0 |
Nutmeg's our best pick for ready-made and managed ETF portfolios because it has a well-designed platform, plus, the largest range of ETF portfolios among robo-advisors.
Nutmeg pretty much paved the way for ETF-based robo-advisors, and it's always innovating and expanding its investment catalogue - recently introducing thematic investment options.
Along with the wide range of ready-made ETF portfolios, Nutmeg also offers a wide range of account types. These allow you to invest in ETFs in a tax-efficient way for no added cost.
| Price per trade | £0 |
|---|---|
| Min. initial deposit | £500 |
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide explaining what to think about when trying to pick the best ETF broker for your needs:
This is probably a toss-up between InvestEngine and Trading 212. It depends on what you’re looking for in a cheap ETF broker, but both these platforms are free, have no ETF commissions, and there’s no added cost to use a stocks and shares ISA wrapper.
However, when picking the best ETF trading app or platform, remember that fees aren’t the only thing to look out for. Find the best broker for your ETF investing strategy. Cheap ETF brokers can be really useful, but it depends on how you plan to invest.
Using a broker that offers ETFs and other types of investments can be useful if you want to expand and diversify into other areas. So, you may want to use a brokerage that has other options in case you need them. You can always try out a platform and move (or open an account elsewhere) if you decide you want to access a wider range of investments.
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.
George Sweeney DipFA
Deputy editor
Danny Butler
Lead publisher
Louise Bastock
Editor
Alice Guy
Investment and tax writer
Zoe Stabler DipFA
Former senior investment writer
Liz Edwards
Editor-in-chief
Once you’ve picked the best ETF broker for your investing strategy, the next steps include:
There are loads of broker options out there for investing in ETFs in the UK. Once you’ve decided how you plan on investing, this will help narrow down the best ETF broker or platform for your strategy.
Each ETF broker will have strengths and weaknesses, so it’s all about finding the best ETF trading platform for your goals and individual style of investing in funds.
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.
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