{"id":283177,"date":"2020-02-13T09:26:33","date_gmt":"2020-02-13T09:26:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?p=283177"},"modified":"2025-07-21T13:04:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T12:04:28","slug":"stake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/share-trading\/share-trading-reviews\/stake","title":{"rendered":"Stake investing app review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stake alternatives<\/h3>

In September 2024, Stake announced that it was closing down its operations in the UK. If you\u2019re looking for alternative trading apps, check out our guide to the UK\u2019s best trading platforms<\/a>. If you\u2019re an existing Stake account user, then as things stand you\u2019ll find your account moved across to Freetrade<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/article>

\n How we rated Stake's investment features\n <\/h2>\n
Feature<\/th>Rating<\/th>Details<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Fees<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n8.2<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nGreat\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td>Stake offers quite good value for investors but it\u2019s not the cheapest place to invest.<\/td><\/tr>
Investment choice<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n8.3<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nGreat\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td>It offers plenty of US stocks, but is limited in the investments available.<\/td><\/tr>
Safety and security<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n6.3<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nStandard\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td>Overall, Stake offers a secure place to invest but the only concern is lack of FSCS protection.<\/td><\/tr>
Account types and products<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n5.8<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nStandard\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td>The platform is limited when it comes to account types, with only a GIA.<\/td><\/tr>
Ease of use<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n8.6<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nGreat\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td>Stake offers an investing experience that most users seem happy with.<\/td><\/tr>
Tools, resources and features<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n6.7<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nStandard\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td>Stake offers a limited range of tools and additional features.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Stake lets you invest in thousands of US stocks and ETFs with its mobile and desktop apps. It has a range of features designed to help you along the way. Stake has 2 tiers to choose between: Stake and Stake Black. We\u2019ve summed up the features of the different tiers available and some pros and cons of Stake.<\/p>

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Hands-on test: I tried out Stake's investing app<\/div>\n
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\"Stake offers a pretty good investing app, it\u2019s pretty slick in terms of how it looks and feels. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not the cheapest option for investing in US stocks and I don\u2019t love the Stake investing app to the degree that I\u2019d need to to warrant the extra fees. <\/p>

Some investors may prefer Stake\u2019s interface and be happy to pay the small commissions but I think there are some better (and cheaper) options out there.\"<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n George Sweeney, DipFA\n <\/a>\n

Deputy editor<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n Stake fees\n <\/h2>\n
Fees score<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n8.2<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nGreat\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td><\/tr>
Platform fee<\/th>Stake<\/b> \u00a30
Stake Black<\/b> \u00a38.50\/month (or \u00a390 yearly)<\/td><\/tr>
UK shares<\/th>N\/A<\/td><\/tr>
US stocks<\/th>$3 (0.1% for trades over $30,000)<\/td><\/tr>
International shares<\/th>N\/A<\/td><\/tr>
Funds\/ETFs<\/th>$3 (0.1% for trades over $30,000)<\/td><\/tr>
Foreign exchange (FX) fee<\/th>0.5% ($2 minimum)<\/td><\/tr>
Regular investing<\/th>No<\/td><\/tr>
Withdrawal\/deposit fee<\/th>Deposits<\/strong> \u00a30 (0.5% FX fee applies to deposits\/withdrawals, and additional 0.5% for instant funding)
Withdrawals<\/strong> $2 (minimum withdrawal $10)<\/td><\/tr>
Inactivity fee<\/th>\u00a30<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Stake offers pretty low fees for investing in US stocks but some of the best trading apps<\/a> are cheaper (or free). And there are a few little charges scattered around Stake that are worth being aware of. <\/p>

With the free Stake account, there\u2019s no platform fee, but there is a $3 commission to pay when buying or selling stocks and ETFs. For any high rollers who make trades worth more than $30,000 \u2013 the commission is 0.1%.<\/p>

Another slight drag with Stake is that although the 0.5% FX fee is quite competitive, the $2 minimum fee isn\u2019t ideal if you wanted to make smaller deposits to buy fractional shares<\/a>. Rather than paying the FX when you make trades, you\u2019ll pay it on deposits and withdrawals as the accounts are denominated in USD.<\/p>

There\u2019s also an additional 0.5% (\u00a32 minimum) for instant deposits. And, a cheeky $2 withdrawal fee that\u2019s buried in the smallprint as a \u201cbank processing\u201d fee (with $10 minimum withdrawals).<\/p>

If you want a Stake Black account, you\u2019ll need to pay a \u00a38.50 monthly account fee (or \u00a390 yearly), but will also get more advanced trading features.<\/p>

\n Stake investment choice and stocks\n <\/h2>\n
Investment choice score<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n8.3<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nGreat\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td><\/tr>
Asset options<\/th>2+<\/td><\/tr>
Markets<\/th>1+<\/td><\/tr>
Number of investments<\/th>6,000+<\/td><\/tr>
Number of ETFs\/funds<\/th>1,500+<\/td><\/tr>
Fractional shares<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Minimum deposit<\/th>\u00a350<\/td><\/tr>
Minimum investment<\/th>$1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Stake focuses purely on US-listed stocks and this is one of the biggest limitations with the trading app.<\/p>

It may suit those who want to concentrate on US stocks and ETFs, there are more than 6,000 available, but investors looking to trade UK shares or investments from further afield will need to look elsewhere.<\/p>

The lack of other asset types isn\u2019t ideal, but Stake could still act as your one-stop-shop to invest in US stocks<\/a>. Keep in mind your first minimum deposit must be at least \u00a350.<\/p>

\n Is Stake safe and legit?\n <\/h2>\n
Safety and security score<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n6.3<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nStandard\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td><\/tr>
Biometric login\/2FA<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
FCA regulated<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
FSCS protection<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
SSL certificate<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Public company<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Stake is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and executes your trades through a 3rd party broker called DriveWealth. One major downside with Stake is that it doesn\u2019t come with Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection<\/a>.<\/p>

One upside is that for your US investments, because Stake\u2019s US broker-dealer, DriveWealth is FINRA regulated and a registered member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) \u2013 your US securities are protected up to the value of $500,000 (and $250,000 for cash claims) should Stake fail. <\/p>

Although as always when you invest, your capital is at risk<\/a>.<\/p>

\n Stake account types and products\n <\/h2>\n
Account types and products score<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n5.8<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nStandard\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td><\/tr>
General investment account (GIA)<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Stock and shares ISA<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Self-invested personal pension (SIPP)<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Lifetime ISA (LISA)<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Junior ISA (JISA)\/Junior SIPP (JSIPP)<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Business Account<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Interest on cash balances<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Unfortunately, Stake offers UK investors access only to a general investment account (GIA). This is common practice among international platforms launching in the UK and is definitely a downside compared with most UK-based share dealing platforms.<\/p>

So, you\u2019ll need to look elsewhere if you want to make the most of a tax-efficient \u201cwrapper\u201d like a stocks and shares ISA<\/a> for investments or a self-invested personal pension (SIPP)<\/a> for your retirement portfolio.<\/p>

With a Stake account, you can invest as much as you like. However, you should be aware that if your stock portfolio grows, any potential gains may be subject to tax.<\/p>

In the 2023\/24 tax year, you have a capital gains tax (CGT) allowance of \u00a36,000 \u2013 any profit over this amount could mean handing over some of those hard-won investing gains to the taxman.<\/p>

Similarly, if you hold any stocks or shares that pay dividends<\/a>, anything over \u00a31,000 could also be taxed. These allowances can change each tax year.<\/p>

You should also brush up on US tax rules. When you sign up and submit your W-8BEN<\/a>, you make a declaration that you\u2019re not a US tax resident, so you don\u2019t need to file a tax return there. However, dividends from US stocks will automatically be subject to a 15% withholding tax (WHT), but Stake will handle this on your behalf. But Stake does pass on some other small US taxes like a $0.01 SEC fee and a $0.01 TAF fee.<\/p>

\n Stake ease of use\n <\/h2>\n
Ease of use score<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n8.6<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nGreat\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td><\/tr>
Apple iOS rating<\/th>4.5\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Google Play rating<\/th>3.9\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Ways to contact customer service<\/th>Contact form<\/td><\/tr>
UI\/UX<\/th>Good<\/td><\/tr>
Desktop or mobile app<\/th>Both<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Stake scored fairly well in our ease of use assessment. The app has pretty positive reviews, however we\u2019re not big fans of the fact that you can only get hold of customer support through an online contact form. <\/p>

The app is well-designed and you\u2019re also able to invest using either the mobile app or the web desktop platform. On the App Store, Stake scores 4.5 out of 5, but on Google Play it has a lower 3.9 out of 5 (as of January 2024). <\/p>

\n Stake customer reviews\n <\/h2>\n
Score<\/th>Rating<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Trustpilot<\/th>1.9\/5<\/td><\/tr>
User reviews<\/th>3.7\/5<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Unfortunately, Stake scores a pretty lowly 1.9 out of 5, with a \u201cpoor\u201d rating on Trustpilot, but only from just over 100 reviews (as of January 2024).<\/p>

For other user reviews submitted to Finder, Stake scores 3.7 out of 5.<\/p>

\n Stake tools, resources and features\n <\/h2>\n
Tools, resources and features<\/th>\n\n\n\n\n\n6.7<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\nStandard\n<\/span>\n<\/span>\n\n<\/td><\/tr>
Analysis features<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Tools for investing\/trading<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Social features<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Learning resources<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Additional Features<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Stake offers a decent range of investing tools and analysis features but it\u2019s not the complete package. <\/p>

If you sign up for Stake Black, you do get access to more features but we\u2019re not entirely convinced it\u2019s worth the monthly fee. With Stake Black you get all the features of the free plan plus:<\/p>

<\/use><\/svg> Price targets.<\/strong> You can see what experts are valuing stocks at.
<\/use><\/svg> Pro level data.<\/strong> Full financial data on every company.
<\/use><\/svg> Analyst ratings.<\/strong> See what Wall St pros are saying about each stock.
<\/use><\/svg> Instant buying power.<\/strong> Your funds from sell trades can be invested right away.<\/p>

Here\u2019s a quick view of the two brokerage packs that Stake offers:<\/p>
Feature<\/th>Standard<\/th>Black<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Cost<\/th>Free<\/td>\u00a38.50\/month<\/td><\/tr>
Fractional shares<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Advanced order types<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>Trade on unsettled funds<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td>
Analyst ratings<\/th>Partial<\/td>Full<\/td><\/tr>
Company financials<\/th>Partial<\/td>Full<\/td><\/tr>
<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> \n
\n \"Expanded\n<\/div>\n\n