Intro and winners
Find below the strengths of the best brokers available in the United Kingdom, updated for 2024:
- Interactive Brokers is the best international online brokers in the United Kingdom in 2024. - Low trading fees and high interest on cash balances. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
- Saxo Bank - Great trading platform. Outstanding research. Broad product portfolio. Interest paid on uninvested cash.
- eToro - Free stock and ETF trading. Seamless account opening. Social trading.
- XTB - Commission-free stocks and ETFs (for trades up to €100k per month). Free and fast deposit and withdrawal. Easy and fast account opening. High interest paid on cash.
- Charles Schwab - Free stock and ETF trading. Outstanding research. Great customer service.
- Lightyear - Commission-free ETF and low commission on stock trades. High interest on uninvested cash. Quick account opening. Easy-to-use mobile trading platform.
- Interactive Investor - User-friendly trading platforms. Fast and easy deposit and withdrawal. Interest on cash balances.
- Trading 212 - Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free. Quick and easy account opening. Great trading platforms. Pays interest on uninvested cash.
- Plus500 - Well-designed platform. Great account opening. Quick and helpful customer support.
- Oanda - Great trading platforms. Outstanding research tools. Fast and user-friendly account opening.
- Intro and winners
- International online brokers key info
- Fee comparison at the best UK online brokers
- Other fees at international online brokers
- Financial market regulation and safety in the United Kingdom
- Taxation of trading in the United Kingdom
- Our assessment of best international online brokers for residents in the United Kingdom in 2024
- Interactive Brokers
- Saxo Bank
- eToro
- XTB
- Charles Schwab
- Lightyear
- Interactive Investor
- Trading 212
- Plus500
- Oanda
- Didn't find the best broker for you?
- How did we select the best international online brokers in the United Kingdom in 2024?
- FAQ
International online brokers key info
While local UK brokers might be better known in Britain, there are several benefits when using an international broker. For instance, these international online brokers offer a broad range of markets and asset classes and are suitable for beginners and experienced traders alike. Their services are often cheaper than the prices of their local competitors. Besides having these adventages you also don’t need to let go of tax efficient ways to invest (such as ISA or SIPP accounts) as some of these international brokers also offer a wide selection of local products. However, if you are specifically looking for brokers that offer ISA accounts, check out our top recommendations here.
While many international online trading brokers offer an excellent service, the ones in our top 5 list go the extra mile.
Broker | Overall score | Minimum deposit |
---|---|---|
Interactive Brokers | 4.9 /5 | $0 |
Saxo Bank | 4.9 /5 | $0 |
eToro | 4.8 /5 | $10 |
XTB | 4.8 /5 | $0 |
Charles Schwab | 4.6 /5 | $0 |
Lightyear | 4.6 /5 | $0 |
Interactive Investor | 4.6 /5 | $0 |
Trading 212 | 4.5 /5 | $1 |
Plus500 | 4.5 /5 | $100 |
Oanda | 4.5 /5 | $0 |
Popularity of the best online brokers in the United Kingdom
Interested in what others think? Here's how many people chose these brokers at BrokerChooser in the last 6 months.
Fee comparison at the best UK online brokers
In most cases, the key broker selection criteria is how much you have to pay for a trade in spreads, commission and other trading costs, so we collected the most important fees for you in the table below.
Broker | US stock | UK stock |
---|---|---|
Interactive Brokers | $1.0 | $3.8 |
Saxo Bank | $1.6 | $3.8 |
eToro | $0.0 | $0.0 |
XTB | $0.0 | $0.0 |
Charles Schwab | $0.0 | - |
Lightyear | $1.0 | $1.3 |
Interactive Investor | $5.0 | $5.0 |
Trading 212 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
Plus500 | - | - |
Oanda | $0.0 | - |
Other fees at international online brokers
Non-trading fees are charges not directly related to a given trade and typically include the account maintenance fee, deposit/withdrawal fees, and the inactivity fee.
Broker | Account fee | Inactivity fee |
---|---|---|
Interactive Brokers | ||
Saxo Bank | ||
eToro | ||
XTB | ||
Charles Schwab | ||
Lightyear | ||
Interactive Investor | ||
Trading 212 | ||
Plus500 | ||
Oanda |
Financial market regulation and safety in the United Kingdom
The main authority in the UK overseeing financial markets is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA is a globally acknowledged authrity and widely considered a top-tier regulator. Brokers that operate under the surveillance of the FCA are very trustable. If a UK resident opens an account at a broker that operates under the FCA, their account will be held under the FCA entity. The brokers we recommend for UK residents are mostly regulated by the FCA.
Brokers that accept UK clients must be either authorized or regulated by the FCA. This will protect you from ending up with a scam broker. You can check whether your broker is registered with the FCA by entering the registration number of the broker in question (you will find it at the bottom of the broker's website) on the FCA website.
UK residents are entitled to investor protection under a system operated by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The current investor protection amount is £85,000 per person. This means that if your broker becomes insolvent, the FSCS will pay up to £85,000 to any customers of the firm who have lost money as a result. The FSCS also provides compensation for other types of investments, such as insurance policies.
Taxation of trading in the United Kingdom
Profits from trading are taxed as capital gain in the United Kingdom. Capital gains up to an annual limit of £12,300 (as of 2023) are tax free. If the profit you make when you sell your shares or any other assets (i.e. forex, crypto, CFD) exceeds £12,300 in the given tax year, you will need to pay capital gains tax. The capital gains tax rate varies between 10% and 28%, depending on the asset you sell.
If you are trading as an individual, any profits you make from trading will be subject to income tax. The rates of income tax vary depending on the amount of income earned, but they range from 20% to 45%. Income tax is payable on profits earned above the personal allowance threshold, which is currently set at £12,570.
If you are trading in shares or other securities, you may be liable to pay stamp duty on certain transactions. The rate of stamp duty on shares is currently set at 0.5% for the tax. You pay stamp duty at 1.5% if you transfer shares into some depositary receipt schemes or clearance services, when the shares are transferred to a service operated by a third party like, for instance, a bank.
Keep in mind that if you have an Individial Savings Account (ISA) or Self-invested personal pension (SIPP) account, the rules are different. You don’t need to pay income tax, tax on dividends or capital gains tax on the investments within your stocks and shares ISA. Also, your money grows free from dividend tax, capital gains tax and income tax in a SIPP account. Investments held outside of a tax wrapper such as a SIPP or ISA account are subject to dividend tax.
Our assessment of best international online brokers for residents in the United Kingdom in 2024
At BrokerChooser we do our best to make it easier for you to compare and select the best broker for your needs. Here is a summary of our scores in the most important aspects of these trading platforms' services.
Broker | Overall score | Fees score |
---|---|---|
Interactive Brokers | 4.9 /5 | 4.3 /5 |
Saxo Bank | 4.9 /5 | 3.0 /5 |
eToro | 4.8 /5 | 4.0 /5 |
XTB | 4.8 /5 | 4.5 /5 |
Charles Schwab | 4.6 /5 | 3.9 /5 |
Lightyear | 4.6 /5 | 4.8 /5 |
Interactive Investor | 4.6 /5 | 3.3 /5 |
Trading 212 | 4.5 /5 | 3.8 /5 |
Plus500 | 4.5 /5 | 3.7 /5 |
Oanda | 4.5 /5 | 4.1 /5 |
If you are unsure how brokerage fees are charged, check out this article on the various fees, charges and costs.
And now, let's see the top international online brokers for 2024 for residents in the United Kingdom in detail one by one, starting with the winner, Interactive Brokers.
Recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
Interactive Brokers snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $0 |
Fees class | Low |
Deposit method | Bank transfer |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1-3 days |
Inactivity fee | No |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of Interactive Brokers services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research
Saxo Bank snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $0 |
Fees class | Average |
Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1 day |
Inactivity fee | No |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of Saxo Bank services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for traders interested in social trading (i.e. copying other investors’ trades) and zero-commission stock trading
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Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply. For more information, visit eToro.
eToro snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $10 |
Fees class | Low |
Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, eToro Money, Neteller, Skrill, Trustly, iDEAL, Przelewy 24, RapidTransfer, Klarna, Giropay |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, eToro Money, Neteller, Skrill, Trustly, iDEAL, Przelewy 24, RapidTransfer, Klarna, Giropay |
Withdrawal fee | $5 |
Time to open account | 1 day |
Inactivity fee | Yes |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of eToro services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for forex and CFD traders looking for low fees and great deposit/withdrawal service
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81% of retail CFD accounts lose money
XTB snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $0 |
Fees class | Low |
Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, Paysafe, Skrill, ecommpay, PayU, PayPal |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1 day |
Inactivity fee | Yes |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of XTB services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service
Charles Schwab snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $0 |
Fees class | Low |
Deposit method | Bank transfer |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1 day |
Inactivity fee | No |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of Charles Schwab services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for investors and beginners looking for high interest rates on cash, a simple but great mobile platform, and low fees
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Capital at risk
Lightyear snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $0 |
Fees class | Low |
Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, iDeal |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1 day |
Inactivity fee | No |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of Lightyear services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for beginners and investors focusing on the UK market
Interactive Investor snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $0 |
Fees class | Average |
Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1 day |
Inactivity fee | No |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of Interactive Investor services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for equity investors and CFD traders looking for easy-to-use trading platforms
Trading 212 snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $1 |
Fees class | Low |
Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, OnlineBankingPL, Giropay, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct eBanking, Apple / Google Pay, PayPal, iDEAL |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, OnlineBankingPL, Giropay, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct eBanking, Apple / Google Pay, PayPal, iDEAL |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1 day |
Inactivity fee | No |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of Trading 212 services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for experienced traders looking for an innovative platform and a great user experience
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82% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Plus500 snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $100 |
Fees class | Low |
Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Google Pay, Apple Pay, iDeal, POLi, PayNow, Blik, BPay, Klarna, GiroPay |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Google Pay, Apple Pay, iDeal, POLi, PayNow, Blik, BPay, Klarna, GiroPay |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1 day |
Inactivity fee | Yes |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of Plus500 services, check out our review for 2024 |
Recommended for forex traders who value a user-friendly platform and great research tools
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78.3% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Oanda snapshot | |
---|---|
Minimum deposit | $0 |
Fees class | Low |
Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller |
Withdrawal method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller |
Withdrawal fee | $0 |
Time to open account | 1-3 days |
Inactivity fee | Yes |
Read review | For a detailed analysis of Oanda services, check out our review for 2024 |
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How did we select the best international online brokers in the United Kingdom in 2024?
- We checked whether the broker is regulated by a trusted regulator,
- Compared fees (including spreads, withdrawal fees, commissions),
- We checked and compared every aspect of their services,
- Opened an account and tested the platform (charting, features, usability) with real money.
Our expert team has done all the work for you, and reviewed brokers based on BrokerChooser's unique methodology.
FAQ
Which is the best broker for international stocks in the UK?
Most of the brokers in our top list of online brokers for UK citizens grant you access to international stock markets, but the absolute best according to our methodology is Interactive Brokers due to its high degree of safety and broad spectrum of markets and instruments.
Is eToro safe in the United Kingdom?
Yes, eToro operates under the supervision of several top-notch national regulators, includeing the FCA in the UK, ASIC in Australia and CySEC in Cyprus. eToro's UK clients are also entitled to investor protection of up to £85,000 per person.
How do I find a broker in the United Kingdom?
Firs, you need to narrow down the selection to brokers that allow UK residents to open an account. The next step is to decide what products you plan to invest in or trade. From there, all you need to do is verify the safety of the broker and then open an account. Check out our broker finder tool to pick the best broker tailored to your investment needs.