Intro and winners
Find below the strengths of the best stock trading apps available in the United Kingdom, updated for 2024:
- eToro - the best stock trading app in the United Kingdom in 2024. Free stock and ETF trading. Seamless account opening. Social trading.
- Robinhood - Free US stock and ETF trading. Great mobile and web trading platforms. Fast and fully digital account opening. Interest paid on uninvested cash.
- Webull - Free stock/ETF trading and high 5% interest on uninvested cash. Fast and easy account opening. Great trading platforms.
- Trading 212 - Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free (other fees may apply). Quick and easy account opening. Great trading platforms. Pays interest on uninvested cash in an investment account.
- Saxo - Great trading platform. Outstanding research. Broad product portfolio. Interest paid on uninvested cash.
- Freetrade - Free stock and ETF trading. Easy and fast account opening. Great mobile trading platform.
- Interactive Brokers - Extremely low fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
- Lightyear - Commission-free ETF and low commission on stock trades. High interest on uninvested cash. Quick account opening. Easy-to-use mobile trading platform.
- Oanda - Great trading platforms. Outstanding research tools. Fast and user-friendly account opening.
- 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.
App features of the best stock trading apps in the United Kingdom
| Broker | Mobile two-step authentication | Mobile search function |
|---|---|---|
| eToro | Great | |
| Robinhood | Great | |
| Webull | Great | |
| Trading 212 | Great | |
| Saxo | Great | |
| Freetrade | Great | |
| Interactive Brokers | Great | |
| Lightyear | Great | |
| Oanda | Great | |
| XTB | Great |
Stock trading fees
The fees you pay for a trade play a critical role in selecting a broker. While trading fees are super important in our rankings, they aren't the only ones. Although we prioritize low-cost or even zero-fee brokers, our experience tells us that the cheapest option isn't always the best choice. We collected the most important fees for you in the following interactive table. Based on industry standards, we consider these fees to be low or acceptable.
| Broker | US stock | UK stock fee |
|---|---|---|
| eToro | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| Robinhood | $0.0 | - |
| Webull | $0.0 | - |
| Trading 212 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| Saxo | $1.6 | $3.8 |
| Freetrade | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| Interactive Brokers | $1.0 | $3.8 |
| Lightyear | $1.0 | $1.3 |
| Oanda | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| XTB | $0.0 | $0.0 |
Non-trading fees
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. Check out the following interactive table to see the fees applied by these top brokers.
| Broker | Inactivity fee | Withdrawal fee |
|---|---|---|
| eToro | $5 | |
| Robinhood | $0 | |
| Webull | $0 | |
| Trading 212 | $0 | |
| Saxo | $0 | |
| Freetrade | $0 | |
| Interactive Brokers | $0 | |
| Lightyear | $0 | |
| Oanda | $0 | |
| XTB | $0 |
Market coverage of the best stock trading apps
| Broker | Stock markets (#) | ETFs (#) |
|---|---|---|
| eToro | 17 | 420 |
| Robinhood | 5 | 2,300 |
| Webull | 5 | 3,300 |
| Trading 212 | 15 | 1,800 |
| Saxo | 50 | 7,000 |
| Freetrade | 11 | 700 |
| Interactive Brokers | 90 | 13,000 |
| Lightyear | 7 | 180 |
| Oanda | 5 | - |
| XTB | 17 | 366 |
Mobile trading and stock apps
The explosion of investment apps has gone hand in hand with the way people like to handle their money these days - we're talking smartphones and tablets.
Stock trading and robo-advisor platforms are totally in on the action, making their apps super sleek and user-friendly. The desktop platforms of online brokers used to have all the bells and whistles, but now, their mobile apps have also become equally efficient in terms of what they can do for you.
And when it comes to proliferation, the numbers are through the roof. It seems that the pandemic in 2020 has prompted millions of people worldwide to start trading stocks online and service providers have rushed to meet this demand.
A stock trading app will allow you to access the stock market from a mobile device. You can buy and sell shares in Apple (APPL), Google (GOOGL) or your secret pick with the touch of a few buttons.
A really good stock trading app will have additional features such as price alerts, searching for various stocks easily, as well as educational and research resources.
Given the multitude of choices when it comes to trading apps, you may feel lost as to which one you should select. To make your life easier, we live tested and researched dozens of such services to come up with the best ones in the industry.
Key features of stock trading apps
Stock trading apps at brokers, designed to make trading and investment on the go more convenient, come with a range of key features that cater to ease of use, accessibility, and functionality. Here are some of the prominent features you should look for in the best stock apps:
- Secure transactions: a reliable app must prioritize the security of financial transactions, employing encryption and authentication measures to ensure safe fund transfers and trades.
- Real-time quotes and charts: Access to real-time market data, stock prices, and interactive charts empowers users to make informed trading decisions on the spot.
- User-friendly interface: intuitive interfaces optimized for mobile devices, making navigation and trading easy even for those new to investing.
- Account management: you should be able to create, manage, and monitor your trading accounts directly from the app. This includes viewing account balances, transaction history, and open positions.
- Order placement: as a default, the app should offer various types of orders, such as market orders, limit orders, and stop-loss orders.
- Alerts and notifications: personalized alerts for price movements, news updates, or specific events can help you stay on top of your investments even when not actively using the app.
- Demo account: if you are a beginner, look for apps that offer virtual trading so you can practice trading strategies without risking real money.
And now, let's see the top stock trading apps in detail one by one, starting with the winner, eToro.
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| eToro snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Traders interested in social trading (i.e. copying other investors’ trades) and zero-commission stock trading |
| Minimum deposit | $10 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 4.9 stars |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | Yes |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of eToro services, check out our review for 2024. |
| Robinhood snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Beginners and buy-and-hold investors focusing on the US stock market |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | No |
| Mobile platform score | 5.0 stars |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Robinhood services, check out our review for 2024. |
| Webull snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for zero-commission trading and easy platforms |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 5.0 stars |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Webull services, check out our review for 2024. |
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When investing, your capital is at risk
| Trading 212 snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Equity investors looking for easy-to-use trading platforms |
| Minimum deposit | $1 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 4.9 stars |
| 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. |
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64% of retail CFD accounts lose money
| Saxo snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $1.6 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 5.0 stars |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Saxo services, check out our review for 2024. |
| Freetrade snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Long-term investors on the hunt for low fees and focusing on the UK and US markets |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | No |
| Mobile platform score | 4.7 stars |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Freetrade services, check out our review for 2024. |
| Interactive Brokers snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $1.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 4.3 stars |
| 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. |
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Capital at risk
| Lightyear snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Investors and beginners looking for high interest rates on cash, a simple but great mobile platform, and low fees |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $1.0 |
| Demo account | No |
| Mobile platform score | 4.9 stars |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Lightyear services, check out our review for 2024. |
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75% of retail CFD accounts lose money
| Oanda snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Forex traders who value a user-friendly platform and great research tools |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 4.9 stars |
| 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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76-83% of retail CFD accounts lose money
| XTB snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for | Forex and CFD traders looking for low fees and great deposit/withdrawal service |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 4.4 stars |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | Yes |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of XTB services, check out our review for 2024. |
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How did BrokerChooser select the best stock trading apps in the United Kingdom?
- We checked whether the broker is overseen by a trusted regulator,
- Checked if it has a superb mobile trading platform,
- Compared stock fees and non-trading fees (e.g. currency conversion, withdrawal or inactivity),
- Compared the number of equity markets,
- Checked minimum deposit requirements,
- Opened an account and tested the platform (charting, features, usability, customer service).
Save hours of research!
Our expert team has done all the work for you, and reviewed brokers based on BrokerChooser's unique methodology.
BrokerChooser evaluates 9 key areas for all brokers including fees, safety, ease of account opening, education, and trading platforms. We check more than 600 criteria for each broker and fine-tune our methodology every year based on our own and our users' experiences. We have more than 100 brokers reviewed on our site and our team of analysts examines more than 60,000 data points overall.
FAQ
Are stock trading apps safe?
Mobile stock trading apps use the same security protocols and therefore are just as safe as their web-based counterparts. Many stock trading apps require two-step authentication, where you receive a one-time password or a similar prompt after entering your ID and regular password. A growing number of mobile trading apps also use biometric authentication (such as fingerprint readers) to make the login process more convenient without compromising security.
What's the difference between mobile and desktop trading apps?
Mobile trading apps are great for trade execution on the go, especially in cases when you need to react to market-moving news while away from your computer. By contrast, desktop trading apps are better suited for more sophisticated analysis, such as editing trendlines or charts. Otherwise, the mobile and web/desktop trading interfaces of most brokers look very similar and have almost the same functionality.
What are the advantages of stock trading apps?
The main appeal of investing apps for stock trading is all about convenience and accessibility. These apps have harnessed the lightning-fast strides in mobile tech to create a seamless investing and trading experience.
Your mobile phone is now your gateway to seizing trading opportunities, keeping an eye on market twists, and tracking investments like a pro, no matter where you are. No need for a fancy trading setup with multiple screens anymore. The competition between brokers and the emergence of fresh apps and platforms mean the playing field is levelled, costs are friendlier, and learning curves are gentler.
What are the disadvantages of stock trading apps?
While investing apps offer a range of benefits, there are also some drawbacks to consider, such as impulsive trading (the ease of mobile trading can lead to making rash trades without a solid strategy), risk of overtrading (the convenience of trading on-the-go might encourage frequent trading, which can lead to higher transaction costs, taxes, and potential losses over time), market noise (constant access to market data through an app can lead to information overload, making it challenging to distinguish between significant market shifts and short-term fluctuations) or dependence on technology (technical glitches or network issues can disrupt trading, potentially causing missed opportunities or trades executed at unfavorable prices).
Which stock trading app should I use as a beginner?
In addition to low fees and a user-friendly mobile interface, beginners can also benefit greatly if a broker has excellent educational material, as well as tools such as a demo account. The best way to start your journey in the world of investing is by learning. A great starting point is our education page, where you can find a lot of useful learning materials and some tips on how to start investing. To find the best online broker for your level of expertise and risk tolerance, use our find my broker tool.
Want to learn more about stock investing/trading?
Check out these articles written by our broker and trading experts:
Everything you find on BrokerChooser is based on reliable data and unbiased information. We combine our 10+ years finance experience with readers feedback. Read more about our methodology.
