Trading 212 review

How we rated Trading 212's investment features

Trading 212 is a popular commission-free investing app, known for its diverse range of assets and low fees. Trading 212 provides access to an extensive selection of over 12,000 global stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from 8 major exchanges.

Trading 212 is one of the UK’s most popular trading apps for beginner investors. For new investors, the main draw of Trading 212 is the fee-free stocks and shares ISA. We’ve compiled the key features of Trading 212, including details about its demo account, whether there truly are no fees and what Trading 212 customer reviews say.

Expert test: I tried out Trading 212's investing app

George Sweeney

Deputy editor

There's plenty to like about Trading 212. I'm a big fan of the low fees for buying shares and holding an account (including a free stocks and shares ISA). Also, using the app to research stocks and invest is a pleasure. I was suprised by how much is packed into the Trading 212 platform. A personal highlight is the ability to create Pies, which are like mini-portfolios you can share, copy or discuss with other investors.

Trading 212 fees

Trading 212 charges no commission for buying or selling stocks, and there are minimal other fees to be aware of.

If you decide to buy US or international stocks, you’ll need to pay an 0.15% FX fee, which is great value compared to most other platforms.

You’ll also still have to pay UK stamp duty (like with other platforms for some investments), and things like exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and investment trusts will have ongoing fees. But neither of these are under Trading 212’s control.

There’s not much more to be said in the way of fees, which is why Trading 212 scored almost perfectly in our assessment of its costs.

Trading 212 investment choice and stocks

Trading 212 allows you to invest in top shares on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), plus access to stocks from the two biggest US exchanges – the Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) along with a number of options in European markets.

There are over 2,000 options for ETF investing, and you can also use investment trusts for an expertly managed investment approach.

One of the coolest things about Trading 212 is the “pies” feature. This allows you to build and create your own portfolio (pie) using whatever mix of assets you like. You can then set your desired allocation and invest whenever you want.

Or use the “AutoInvest” feature to automate your pie process. Another piece of this pie action is the option to view and copy pies from other investors. Additionally, Trading 212 offers automatic reinvestment of dividends and the option to adjust slice proportions and rebalance portfolios with ease.

The minimum deposit for the Trading 212 app is £1, and the minimum investment you can make is £1 with fractional shares. Trading 212 is also one of the only platforms available with the option to buy fractional UK shares.

Is Trading 212 safe?

As you’d expect, Trading 212 is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It’s also a member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) so your deposits up to £85,000 are protected should Trading 212 go bust.

The Trading 212 app also comes with plenty of security features and ring fencing of funds to keep your portfolio secure.

Although as always when you invest, your capital is at risk.

Trading 212 account types and products

Trading 212 has 3 products to choose from:

• Trading 212 Invest. A general investment account (GIA) with no platform fees and zero commissions. This might be what you’d use if you’d used up your ISA allowance of £20,000. (Read our full stocks and shares ISA guide if you need to get clued up on ISAs).
• Trading 212 ISA. This is the same as the invest account, but it has a tax-free ISA wrapper. That means you can invest up to £20,000 in the 2023/2024 tax year and pay no tax on most profits and any money withdrawn doesn’t impact your income tax.
• Trading 212 CFD. This is a much riskier way of trading — contracts for difference (CFDs) allow you to trade contracts based on asset price movements. The key thing is that your money is leveraged, so you could gain or lose much more than you’re putting in.

Trading 212 Invest

Trading 212’s Invest product allows you to invest in stocks and shares without paying any commission. Here are the key features:

• Start with as little as £1
• Zero investing commissions.
• Unlimited instant trades
• Fractional shares are available
• FX fee of 0.15% for international stocks
• You may need to pay UK dividends or capitals gains tax (CGT) if you breach your yearly allowances

Trading 212 ISA (individual savings account)

Trading 212’s stocks and shares ISA allows you to do everything its Invest product does but with the added benefit of paying no UK tax on profits or dividends when investing up to £20,000 in the 2023/2024 tax year.

So, with the Trading 212 ISA, these are the main things to know:

• Like any ISA, you can invest up to £20,000 in the 2023/2024 tax year with mostly tax-free profits
• You’ll pay no administration charges
• Zero commissions for trades
• There are no charges for dividend reinvestment
• The ability to buy fractional shares and a low FX fee of 0.15% for international stocks

Trading 212 CFD

Instead of trading shares, you can trade a CFD. This is kind of like betting on the direction the stocks will move instead of buying real stocks.

Here are the available instruments with Trading 212’s CFD account:

• Stocks. Movements in the value of stocks, like Apple, Tesla and Lloyds.
• Forex. Trade on 150 major foreign exchange pairs with tight spreads.
• Indices. Price fluctuations for major indices, such as Nasdaq, S&P 500 and UK100.
• Commodities. Buy or sell derivatives linked to commodities such as cocoa, cotton, coffee, gas, oil and sugar, among others.

Features of the Trading 212 CFD account include:

• Zero commissions
• Tight spreads
• Stop Loss and Take Profit
• Negative balance protection
• Instant execution
• 0.5% FX fee

CFDs are complex and risky. If you’re new to CFD trading, then we have a guide that could help.

It’s also worth checking out our guide to CFD trading risks.

Trading 212 ease of use

Trading 212 scored well in our ease of use assessment. We particularly like that there are a few ways to get hold of the support team and invest using either the mobile app or on the desktop.

On the App Store, Trading 212 scores an impressive 4.6 out of 5, and on Google Play it has a 3.9 out of 5 (as of February 2024).

Trading 212 customer reviews

Trading 212 did well in our 2024 customer satisfaction survey, with 90% of its customers saying they’d recommend the platform.

Feedback included praise for its reliable and accessible service, and many customers described Trading 212 as “easy to use”.

One customer commented: “It offers a very straightforward way to buy and sell shares with minimal commission.”

Not all comments were totally positive. Another customer felt “exchange rate changes and effects on investment were not explained” by Trading 212.

On Trustpilot, users are also positive about the brand – Trading 212 has a high 4.6 out of 5 rating, classed as “excellent” (last updated: February 2024).

Trading 212 tools, resources and features

Trading 212 has lots on offer in the way of features and tools. Alongside basic financials and key ratios for stocks, you can also access and use:

• Watchlists
• Price alerts
• News feed and social investing communities
• ESG screening
• Pies and AutoInvest (including ready-made pies to copy)
• Learning guides
• A range of order types
• Demo account

There’s plenty packed into the Trading 212 platform, especially when you consider it’s free to use and there’s no cost to hold an account and access all these features and resources.

If you want to test out the platform before investing with real money, you can use a demo account (known as practice mode).

Trading 212 practice mode

Trading 212 has a demo feature on the site and app that allows you to test the platform with £50,000 of fake money. It’s fun to play around with to get a feel of the site and how it works before committing actual money to your investments.

You can “buy” anything that you can in the regular app. This lets you see how the investments fluctuate over time. It’s a useful learning tool to get a feel for investing as a whole.

Trading 212 has a strong focus on teaching people about the basics of investing and how to use the platform. It has a YouTube channel with hundreds of videos to teach you about share dealing and some handy guides on the basics and terminology.

It also has the demo feature for CFD trading, but if you don’t have much exposure to CFDs, then this can be overwhelming and may put you off investing altogether. But if CFDs are what you’re after, it’s worth dipping your toes in with the practice mode to start understanding how it works.

Real money

Once you reckon you’ve played around with fake money enough, you select “switch to real money”. It will take you through some basic information, such as your contact details and some basics on your income and savings. Select the accounts and currency you want to trade in, and you’re good to go.

When buying shares, you can choose how many you want, and the app gives you the cost in your chosen currency, which is helpful. You have the choice to create limit orders. This allows you to enter the maximum you’re willing to go to when buying shares. If the stock prices drop below this amount before the end of the day, it will automatically place the order for you. You can also do this when selling shares by entering the minimum you’re willing to sell for.

Trading 212 Invest vs CFDs: What’s the difference?

CFD trading is a lot more complex than investing in stocks. When you trade CFDs, you speculate on the movements in value rather than purchase the underlying asset or share.

This means you’re not entitled to receive dividends, as you never own the shares. It does mean you can take advantage of prices going down in value as well as up.

There’s more complexity to this than just the contract, as CFDs allow for leverage (which means borrowing money to hold larger trade positions).

Trading 212 Invest vs ISA: What’s the difference, and which should I go for?

These 2 accounts are virtually identical.

If you don’t have a stocks and shares ISA already, you should consider opening a Trading 212 ISA and take advantage of the tax benefits that come with it.

If you do have a stocks and shares ISA and have paid into it this year, you’ll need to open up the Trading 212 Invest account, because you’re not allowed to pay into more than one type of ISA per year.

Remember, every UK adult is also allowed £6,000 of potential gains (in the 2023/2024 tax year) as a tax-free capital gains tax (CGT) allowance. This means your first £6,000 of capital gains (i.e., growth of your investments) won’t be subject to tax. Once you exceed £6,000, you’ll start paying tax unless you’re using an ISA. You may also have to pay tax on any dividends over £1,000 each year.

Frequently asked questions

• Is Trading 212 FSCS protected?

  Yes, Trading 212 is FCA-regulated and is a member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This means your deposits up to £85,000 are fully secure and protected should something happen to Trading 212.

• Is Trading 212 legit?

  Yes, Trading 212 is a fintech company with over 2 million funded accounts and £3 billion in client assets and cash. The platform is fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

• Is Trading 212 good?

  We found using the Trading 212 platform extremely functional and straightforward to learn. You can even try the practice mode if you want to get a feel for it first. Considering there are no fees to pay for holding an account and trading, it’s an excellent service. The platform recently added some social features and the ability to invest in pre-set portfolios (called pies). Overall, Trading 212 is up there with one of the best free trading platforms available.

• Where is Trading 212 based?

  Trading 212 has registered offices in London and Cyprus.

• How long is the Trading 212 waitlist?

  Only investors outside the EU and the UK need to join the Trading 212 waitlist. So, if you’re based in the UK, you can join the platform without waiting.

• Which Trading 212 account is best for beginners?

  It’s best for beginners to use either Trading 212 Invest or Trading 212 ISA (tax-efficient). The Trading 212 CFD account is best avoided if you’re not an experienced investor who knows the inside outs of trading and markets.

• Is Trading 212 good for long-term investing?

  Yes, it can be a great long-term investing platform because of the low cost. It’s especially good if you use the Trading 212 ISA. Using this account means your investment portfolio can grow free from tax over the long run, allowing you to keep more potential profit.

• What is OCO Trading 212?

  An “OCO” order stands for “One-Cancels-the-Other”. It’s basically a trading tool you can use on the platform and involves placing both a stop order and a limit order at the same time. Whichever trade order executes first will take priority, and the other order is automatically cancelled.

• Does Trading 212 have an app?

  Yes. You can access Trading 212 in a web app, on a mobile app and through a browser extension. The mobile app is, by far, less overwhelming than the web application, but in general, it is pretty simple and nicely laid out.

• Is Trading 212 regulated?

  Yes. Trading 212 is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and your deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

• Can Trading 212 give me advice on what to buy and sell?

  No, Trading 212 is not authorised to give financial or investment advice.

• Can I lose more money than I deposit?

  You can only lose what is in your Trading 212 account.

• How does the'Invite a Friend' promotion work?

  If you have an active Trading 212 Invest or Trading 212 ISA account, then you can invite a friend to join Trading 212, and you’ll both get a free share. Your friend needs to fund their Trading 212 account with the minimum deposit.

• Does Trading 212 have an inactivity fee?

  No, there is no inactivity fee for the Trading 212 Invest and Trading 212 ISA accounts.

• Does Trading 212 allow you to reinvest your dividends?

  Yes. Dividend reinvestments are possible with Trading 212 and have no additional fees. The dividends that you receive are added as funds. You can decide whether you want to withdraw the dividends or reinvest them.

• Why does Trading 212 need my NI number?

  It’s a legal requirement for Trading 212 to ask you to provide your national insurance number. This is because stocks and shares are usually taxed by HMRC. The tax is called stamp duty reserve tax (or just “stamp duty”).

• What is leveraged trading?

  Leverage in CFD (Contract for Difference) trading refers to the ability to control a larger position with a smaller amount of capital. It allows traders to amplify their potential profits or losses by borrowing funds from a broker. However, it also increases the risk, as losses can exceed the initial investment.

• Can I transfer shares to Trading 212 from a different broker?

  At the moment, Trading 212 only supports cash transfers. If you wish to transfer your existing shares from a different broker to Trading 212, you will need to sell them and transfer the cash proceeds instead. Once the cash is transferred, you can use it to invest in stocks or other assets available on the Trading 212 platform.

• Is Trading 212 accepting new UK accounts now?

  Yes. Trading 212 started fully accepting customers from the UK again in August of 2022. Previously, due to a surge in demand triggered by the GameStop situation in early 2021, Trading 212 had temporarily paused the admission of new users and introduced a waiting list. However, after preparing the platform for more clients, they have resumed onboarding new customers from the UK without any waiting list.

• Is zero-commission trading really good for retail investors?

  Zero commission trading may not necessarily be beneficial if it encourages a short-term mindset instead of a long-term buy-and-hold approach. One of the key concerns with commission-free platforms is the potential for gamifying investing and attracting young traders who may take on inappropriate risks.

  Additionally, commission-free platforms often generate revenue through other means, such as offering complex derivative products like contracts for difference (CFDs). These products can amplify gains or losses and expose traders to significant risks. Regulators have imposed restrictions on trading CFDs to protect customers, but the fact remains that a large portion of users on platforms like Trading 212 and eToro engage in CFD trading. These platforms rely on spreads and interest swaps on CFDs as their main source of revenue, highlighting the potential conflict of interest between the platform’s profitability and the customer’s best interests.

  Ultimately, a long-term buy-and-hold strategy outperforms trading strategies most of the time. Therefore, investors would be well advised to think long and hard before believing they are smarter than the market and can outmanoeuvre its ups and downs.

• Does Trading 212 have an inactivity fee?

  Nope, which is great. Some trading platforms have a fee that you have to pay if you are inactive, but Trading 212 gives you plenty of breathing room.

• How does Trading 212 make money?

  Trading 212 makes money through the “spreads” between the buy and sell price for the CFD accounts on the platform. There is also a 0.5% FX fee for the CFD accounts. The stock trading accounts also have a 0.15% FX fee (but this is lower than most other platforms).

• Is Trading 212 really free?

  There are no commissions or platform fees when investing using Trading 212, but there is a small FX fee. This is a fee for converting the money you’re using to buy shares into the currency that the shares are in.

  So, for example – if you bought 100 shares of a company that cost US$4 per share, the total amount to convert would be US$400. You’d need to pay a currency conversion charge of 0.15%, which is US$0.60 (approximately less than 50p).