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Holly MackayFounder and CEO
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    Home • Compare Providers • Independent Provider Reviews • Freetrade

    Is Freetrade good for investing?

    Freetrade review by Boring Money

    Written by Boring Money

    24 Feb, 2026

    Freetrade

    Freetrade

    Freetrade

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    Investment expert's opinion

    Freetrade is a low-cost option for those who want an app-first investment platform that serves up both shares and funds. They offer crypto ETNs and share lending, which will appeal to some but also flashes some warning bells for the less confident to be careful about. The app is decent enough, but it is not the pioneer it was a few years ago, and has lost a bit of its differentiation. Low-cost, easy to trade, but the research and info is not as good as some peers.

    Holly MackayHolly Mackay
    Holly MackayFounder and CEO Boring Money

    *This is the view of investment expert Holly Mackay based on her first-hand customer experience as a test account holder. This does not constitute regulated advice. You can read more about Holly's investments here.

    Who is Freetrade?

    Freetrade was acquired by IG in January 2025. It was founded in 2015 by Adam Dodds and Davide Fioranelli. Freetrade was created to make investing “simpler and more affordable” and states its aim is to “break down barriers and open up stock market investing to everyone”. It currently boasts over 720,00 customers. Freetrade is a digital-only app and offers just three products - a Stocks & Shares ISA, a General Investment Account (GIA) and its own Freetrade pension (SIPP) - with a broad range of investment choices.

    Who is Freetrade good for?

    Freetrade is best for those who find trading a fun hobby and who want to build a portfolio. It will also suit cost-conscious investors with £30k+ that want to track and manage their investments on the go with a seamless app.

    Pros and cons

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    Investments

    Freetrade users can access a range of over 6,500 different investment options, including:

    UK and Foreign Shares

    Funds

    Investment Trusts

    ETFs

    Bonds

    Crypto ETN's

    Accounts

    Stocks & Shares ISA

    Pension (SIPP)

    General Investment Account (GIA)

    Lifetime ISA

    Junior ISA

    ✔

    ✔

    ✔

    X

    ✔

    Freetrade has a Stocks & Shares ISA, where you can invest up to £20,000 every year completely tax-free.

    There are over 6,500 shares and ETFs available with an ISA account, plus over 150 investment trusts. As noted though, there are no traditional funds available, so this may put off investors who prefer to build a portfolio with these in mind.

    Freetrade ISAs with a Standard plan also come with 2.5% interest on uninvested cash (up to £2,000) with a Standard plan. This goes up to 3.5% up to a maximum of £4,000 if you open an ISA with a Plus pricing plan. Other Standard plan features include advanced analytical tools to help you research your investments.

    Freetrade offers a pension, where you can invest up to £60,000 every tax year to put towards your retirement savings. Freetrade’s SIPP is only available with their Plus account, which costs £11.99.

    Users get access to the same wide range of 6,000+ investments (no funds though!) and 0% commission trading, which will suit those with larger portfolios who are keen traders. Individuals with smaller pension pots may find this £11.99 per month charge – or alternatively £119.88 annually – significantly eats into their savings and so may not be worth it on a cost basis.

    As part of the Plus pricing plan, Freetrade SIPPs come with some additional features. These include 3% interest (up to £4,000) on uninvested cash, the lowest FX charge of 0.39%, priority customer service, and advanced analytical tools to help you dig beneath the surface of what you’re investing in.

    GIA accounts are available across all pricing plans – Basic, Standard and Plus. Therefore you can open and run a GIA for free with the Basic subscription, with no trading fees, making it a very attractive option for investors who prefer General Investment Accounts.

    However, it’s important to remember that GIAs are not shielded from tax the way that ISAs are, so any returns or dividends you earn within a Freetrade GIA may be eligible for Capital Gains or Dividend Tax.

    Therefore, if you’re yet to use up your £20,000 annual ISA allowance, it may be a good idea to open a Stocks & Shares ISA instead of a GIA – although this would come with a minimum £5.99 per month charge as part of the Standard pricing plan. If low cost trumps all other concerns for you, then the GIA account could be a good fit – especially seeing as you get access to the same investments either way.

    Fees and charges

    The cost of investing with Freetrade depends on the type of pricing plan you choose – either Basic, Standard or Plus. Overall, Freetrade does not charge trading fees, but there are foreign exchange (FX) fees to be aware of for any international shares or investments.

    Pricing Plan

    Available Accounts

    Charge

    Trading Fee

    FX Fee

    Basic

    GIA, Stocks & Shares ISA, SIPP, JISA

    Free

    Free

    0.99%

    Standard

    GIA and Stocks & Shares ISA

    £5.99/monthly

    Free

    0.59%

    Plus

    GIA, Stocks & Shares ISA, SIPP

    £11.99/monthly

    Free

    0.39%

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    Customer Reviews

    Freetrade operates as a digital-only app. Customers generally find the app up to a high standard and easy to use, enabling users to “easily navigate through the available options”. However, some customers feel that the customer service could be better and there could be more educational material to support learning about investing.

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    Freetrade

    Your opinion matters!

    Leave a review for Freetrade

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    11 February 2026

    Excellent for investing, but no point to their customer service dept.

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    05 December 2025

    It�s a easy to use platform, but you have to invest more money than I can afford to see much return

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    05 December 2025

    They have an easy interface and trading is made simple

    See all reviews

    Most asked questions

    Is Freetrade safe?

    Cash savings with Freetrade are covered by the UK government’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which guarantees reimbursement up to the value of £120,000 per person in the event that Freetrade fails. Any amount above this threshold is unlikely to be covered. Investments with Freetrade, on the other hand, are not guaranteed - by their nature, investments can and will go up and down in value.

    Who owns Freetrade?

    Freetrade was acquired by IG Group Holdings plc (“IG”, “the Group”) in January 2025.

    Is the Freetrade app good?

    Freetrade is a mobile first provider, with a strong, clear interface that allows users to trade effortlessly. It has been noticeably designed with smartphone users in mind, successfully emulating the style and efficiency that mobile users have become accustomed to in their daily lives.

    The app has some handy features and a clear design. It is simple to navigate, with all necessary information easily accessible due to the tabs at the bottom of the screen. One slight criticism is the fund research, which can be frustrating to use and has limited features.

    Visit the Freetrade website for more information

    Glossary

    Not 100% sure you understand something we’ve written in this review?

    Discover jargon-free definitions of the most common words and technical terms used in the world of investing.

    Historically, money invested for more than five years grows more than cash savings. Remember that investments can also fall, so you might not get all of your money back. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change.

    Important stuffHolly and the team have worked in the finance industry for many years but we are not regulated to give you personal financial advice. For every story on this website about a good investment, or something which went up by 10% or made someone £200, we could also share a story about a bad investment, something which fell in value or lost someone £200. We aim to provide general information and pointers – and btw we are totally agnostic about which providers you might pick – but if you have complex affairs, want personalised advice or need specific recommendations, please look at advice pages and see if regulated digital or traditional financial advice would be the best solution for your needs. Boring Money Ltd is a limited company registered in England and Wales under registration number 09459832 and we have our registered office at 10 Lower Thames Street, London, England, EC3R 6AF.
    InformationHistorically, money invested for more than five years grows more than cash savings. Remember that investments can also fall, so you might not get all of your money back. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change.
    Boring Money Ltd is a limited company registered in England and Wales under registration number 09459832 and we have our registered office at 10 Lower Thames Street, London, England, EC3R 6AF.