Last Updated on June 13, 2023

Founded in 1801, the London Stock Exchange is one of the oldest exchanges in the world. As of March 2021, the London Stock Exchange had the total value of markets listed on its platform as £3.8 trillion. In 2019, 2.2 million people subscribed to UK shares and stocks ISA accounts. Individuals own 13.5% of UK shares, and the rest are owned by companies and institutions like investment firms and banks. It’s evident that stock market trading is prevalent in the UK, therefore can be beneficial to trade reputable stock trading apps.

Our team of experts has carefully analysed the various stock trading apps in the UK and developed a list of the best ones. We looked at the features, fees, benefits and downfalls of every stock trading app. We have also categorised the apps depending on the category they excel in the most. What follows is a list of the best stock trading apps in the UK.

Top stock trading apps available in the UK

2022 is the best time to start earning money on online trading platforms. And, the best place to start is on the best stock trading apps in the UK. These let you trade anything from penny stocks to asset classes on your way to financial independence.

Here are some of the best stock trading apps in the UK:

1. eToro
2. IG
3. Hargreaves Lansdown

These apps should give you the ability to buy and sell shares with little to no commissions. They should also help you research your investments, track your portfolio, and make transactions user-friendly. And, these four check all the boxes. Now let’s take a closer look at each of these apps.

eToro: Best Trading App For Social Trading

With eToro, you have the privilege of buying and selling various financial instruments ranging from currencies, bonds, currencies and exchange-traded funds, without being charged any commissions. The stock app has advanced charting tools and the most extensive stock exchanges in the world. Creating an account is free, and you enjoy unlimited trading with all financial instruments.

This online trading platform also boasts its zero commission system, giving you full access to your earnings. Unlike most online brokers, eToro does not charge you when you buy or sell shares through them. It even absorbs Stamp Duty and Financial Transaction Tax whenever applicable. 

Aside from these, the most sought-after feature eToro brings to the table is its “Education” system. This will keep experienced traders in the loop about all the relevant news they need to know about the investment industry. And, their “Academy” is made specifically to teach new traders everything they need to know about the market. 

Pros:

• Commission-free trades.
• Detailed verification process.

Cons:

• Mandatory withdrawal fees.
• Fairly complex trading platform.

VISIT ETORO

*all trading involves risk

IG: Best Stock Trading App For Advanced Traders

If you are looking for an all-rounder stock trading app, go to the IG stock trading app. They have investment, pension and ISA accounts. They offer their clients spread betting, individual shares, contracts for difference and ready-made portfolios. The features of the app make it suitable for both experienced and novice investors. They have additional resources where users can learn more about trading. The IG Academy is an online platform that contains guides, quizzes and videos on specific trading topics.

Pros:

• Suitable for both experienced and novice investors.
• The fees are low.
• Easy management of investments from the mobile app.

Cons:

• You are charged fees even if inactive.
• The process of opening an account is slow.

IG Fees:

Price per trade	UK: £8 US: £10 EU: 0.1% (min €10)
Frequent trader rate	UK: £3 US: £0 EU: 0.1% (min €10)
Annual custody fee	£96 (can be reduced by trading)
Bonds fee	N/A
ETFs fee	£3.00
Investment trusts fee	£8.00
Phone dealing fee	£40.00

Hargreaves Lansdown: Trading App for Novice Investors

Just like IG, the Hargreaves Lansdown stock trading app is an all-rounder trading app. Their ISA and SIPP accounts are all on offer. You might find the platform more expensive if you don’t trade often. They also provide a lot of information and guides, which help users make informed trading decisions. As long as you have an internet connection, you can track all your investments using the Hargreaves Lansdown mobile app from any location in the world.

Pros:

• A wide variety of products, including SIPP and ISAs.
• Cheaper for frequent, large amount traders.
• No platform fee.
• Easy and convenient trading from the mobile app.
• Very resourceful with a vast knowledge base for investors.

Cons:

• The EFT fees can be pretty high.
• If you are trading small amounts, it’s very costly.
• Lacks a demo account.

Fees:

Price per trade	£11.95
Frequent trader rate	£5.95
Annual custody fee	0.45%
Bonds fee	£11.95
ETFs fee	£11.95
Investment trusts fee	£11.95
Phone dealing fee	£20 - £50

Interactive Investor: Best Stock App for Funds Investment

This stock trading platform has nine different accounts for investors, where you can manage your investments and those of your family on the platform with one flat fee. The available financial instruments are shares, exchange-traded funds, funds, venture capital trusts, gilts, investment trusts and bonds. Investors have access to more than 3,000 funds. The platform has a screen tool which helps investors search for specific funds and get more information. You can also access insights, news and lists of popular funds.

Pros:

• Various products to choose from including SIPP and ISAs.
• Refundable platform fee.
• More affordable if you trade more.
• A vast number of available funds.
• The mobile app allows easy and convenient trading.

Cons:

• Very costly for trading in small amounts.

Interactive Investor Fees:

Price per trade	£7.99 (with one free trade each month)
Frequent trader rate	N/A
Annual custody fee	£119.88 (£9.99 monthly)
Bonds fee	£40.00
ETFs fee	£7.99
Investment trusts fee	£7.99
Phone dealing fee	£49.00

DEGIRO: Best Stock Trading App for Global Trading

If you are an international trader, then DEGIRO is one of the best stock apps for you. The app has more than 50 stock exchanges in more than 30 countries around the world. Even though the fee structure is complicated, it’s cheaper for international financial instruments than other global stock trading platforms. The best feature about international shares is that you have the freedom of diversifying your investments geographically. With DEGIRO, you can invest in ETFs, shares and bonds, which can help to diversify your investment portfolio. Sadly with DEGIRO, you can’t invest in the following financial instruments: pension products and ISAs.

Pros:

• Access to the international market and millions of shares.
• Low fees for international trading.
• The mobile app allows fast and easy access to your portfolio at all times.

Cons:

• Complicated fee structure.
• No education-related resources.
• No pension products or ISA stocks and shares.

DEGIRO Fees:

Annual custody fee	€0
Bonds fee	€0
ETFs fee	€2.00
Investment trusts fee	€7.50
Phone dealing fee	€10.00

Fidelity: Easy To Use

Fidelity offers popular stocks and shares. You can pick any of the Fidelity products to trade: ISAs, SIIP, or junior products. They even have a junior SIPP for organized investors who want to invest on behalf of their children. It has the most user-friendly platform with a simple layout and a step-by-step approach for its users. Novice investors are given plenty of investment options based on the user’s investment goals and risk profile.

Pros:

• The platform is simple and easy to use.
• Guidance and resourceful trading tools available for users.
• Plenty of investment options.

Cons:

• The onboarding process is slow.

Fidelity Fees:

Price per trade	£10
Frequent trader rate	N/A
Annual custody fee	£10
Bonds fee	£10
ETFs fee	£10
Investment trusts fee	£10
Phone dealing fee	£30

Trading 212: Best Stock Trading App for Research

Are you a novice in trading and want to learn the art of stock trading while still investing? Trading 212 offers you all this on one platform. It has all the tools you need to know about stock market trading and how trading works. The “learn” tab on the platform has plenty of resourceful information indexed alphabetically. Novice traders can also use the demo version, which allows you to trade in virtual funds. The site also provides users with advanced charting tools available in both mobile and desktop options.

Pros:

• Free to use, the platform has no trading fees.
• Demo version allows users to practice without investing money.
• Plenty of resources and educational materials for learning.
• Available in both web browser and mobile apps.

Cons:

• The platform lacks lifetime ISA, junior ISA and personal pension.
• The demo tutorial isn’t comprehensive.

Charles Schwab

This mobile trading platform is a great choice for all levels of traders. It doesn’t require a minimum balance on your account and has no recurring fees. Charles Schwab also allows you to trade in just about any investment accounts available. 

Its mobile application is also very easy to understand. The interface makes it easy to view your account, position, and balance. And, its newest feature, the Schwab Assistant, allows you to make trades, set alerts, and get quotes using voice control. 

And with its partnership with other industry leaders, more improvements will come in no time.

Capital: Trading App For Beginners 

This is another platform that is excellent for beginners. Its user-friendly interface and accessibility make it perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to trade. It has very low deposits and tons of options to help you get started. Plus, with the help of their innovative AI-powered platform, choosing what to invest in has never been easier. 

Thanks to its low initial investment, Capital.com is accessible even for new investors who want to try it out. It also has great customer service available in 13 languages 24/7. Its User Interface is also very friendly, and signing up takes about 3 minutes.

Aside from these, it offers a whole host of deposit options from PayPal, Apple Pay, and several other convenient deposit methods. And most importantly, it hosts one of the best free educational materials with its wide range of videos, lessons, and quizzes aimed at helping you improve your trading skills and knowledge. 

Capital.com offers one of the biggest ranges of stock CFDs around. With over 4,000 choices, you will find the best stocks in the market through this online trading platform. You may have to pay a small fee for each trade, but this is offset by the possible earnings you can get from all the investment options it offers.

Pros:

• Free to use.
• Simple and easy setup.
• Wide range of stocks.
• No trade limits.
• Detailed verification process.

Cons:

• Fees on all leveraged CFD or short orders.

Robinhood

Robinhood is an up-and-rising choice for investors. As of mid-2020, it has over 10 million users and is poised to be a market leader as time goes on. Its user base may be focused on the US market for now, but its growth guarantees its expansion to the UK market.

Pros and Cons of Trading Stocks Online

Online trading is a great way to earn money for increasingly more people. As it grows in popularity, more and more people fall to the risks that come with it. It’s undeniable that several obvious pros are very attractive, but if you want to succeed in this market, you also need to know the cons. 

Here is a quick outline of the pros and cons of online trading.

5 Advantages of online trading.

1. Access to trading tools. Almost all of the online trading platforms available offer an impressive array of tools meant to help you optimize your trades.
2. Monitor your investments. Online trading allows you to see how your trades and investments perform in real-time.
3. More control of your investments. Online trading allows you to make trades and adjust your investments immediately.
4. Lower Fees. Unlike traditional trading, the transaction costs in online trading are much lower here.
5. Avoid Brokerage Bias. Since you do not need to pass through brokers, you avoid the chance of falling into the biases of traditional brokers. 

Five disadvantages of online trading.

1. No personal connection with brokers. Since you are left to your own devices, getting input from experts becomes more difficult.
2. Internet-dependent. Since these trades are done online, you are at the mercy of your internet speed and connection.
3. Prone to buying errors. There may be times that you may end up investing twice in a certain stock because of issues with the mobile application.
4. Easy to invest too fast, too often. Since it’s easy to make investments, there’s a high risk of making bad investments.
5. Maybe addictive. Some people experience a high after making investments. Since this is similar to gambling, its risks are also found in trading. 

As with any investments, risks are unavoidable. These are commonplace with almost anything you put your money into. Remember to only trade in moderation and within your limits to make sure that you do not incur unnecessary losses.

VISIT ETORO

*all trading involves risk

 

A Beginner’s Guide to Online Trading:

With the advent of this rising market, several people are being enticed by the possible earnings from trading in the stock market. If you are one of them, you need to learn more about some of the market basics before getting started. 

Here are some of the few things you need to know before you decide on joining this industry: 

Which Online Trading Platform to Choose:

Take your time in reading about the reputation, fees, and reviews of each stock brokerage you’re looking at. You need to make sure to choose the best platform for your level. Most of the best stock apps available in the UK offer several resources on their website that give you this information, making it easier to choose. 

Why You Need to Research Stocks: 

Once you’ve chosen an online trading platform, you can start trading. The next thing to do is research which stocks are the best to invest in. This will be trickier, and this will be more of a trial and error process for you. But, if you are new to trading, many experts recommend starting with exchange-traded funds (ETFs) instead. 

Which Trades Are Right for You:

When you start trading assets, there are two trade options that you can utilize. Market orders and limit orders. These are perfect for beginners since the former allows you to execute trades immediately, while the latter gives you more control over your investments. Using both options will give you the relevant experience to be a better trader.

How to Make Your First Trade: 

To start trading, deposit your initial investment into your account. This may take some time before it becomes available, but you can start as soon as it reflects into your account. After this, all you need to do is select the trades you want and execute the trades you want to make.

Alternatives to Trading Stocks:

Other than trading stocks, there are other options you can try. An example of this is mutual stocks; these allow you to invest in several sections instead of a single fund. Robo-advisers are also another option. These are app-based investment services that use algorithms to automate investments. These are popular with beginners since they are easy to understand and have low fees.

How to start trading stocks with an App

To start trading stocks, you only need to follow these four easy steps:

1. Open an account. 
2. Make your initial deposit. 
3. Choose the stocks you want. 
4. Start Trading. 

Best Stock Trading Apps: Conclusion

There are many choices when it comes to stock trading apps. We think it’s essential to research different apps and platforms to find the right product for you and your level of trading skills. This article is an excellent place to start, and we hope it gives you a direction to go in when looking for the right software for you.

VISIT ETORO

*all trading involves risk

FAQ

What are penny stocks?

A penny stock is usually stock from a small company that sells for much less than common stocks. These usually go for no more than $1 a share and are highly speculative. These stocks aren't often found on online trading platforms, but a few still host them in their systems.

What is day trading?

Day trading is much like online investing, but it requires you to make trades as soon as the trading hours start and your stocks before the day ends. The repetition of this process is known as day trading and is an increasingly attractive choice for people who want to profit from small price movements in the market.

What kinds of stocks can I buy online?

You can buy just about any security online. You can buy almost any type of stock, bond, and mutual fund as long as your online trading platform allows you to invest in the stock.

Is there a limit to the shares I can buy?

Normally, there isn’t. There is no cap or trading limits for most mobile trading apps.

What are online brokerage rankings?

These rankings generally indicate the level of customer satisfaction these platforms get. Several sites make these rankings, and you should remember that these are usually unregulated.

How long can I hold my investment without fees?

Most stock trading apps do not charge you for holding your investments. Unless you trade on non-leverage BUY stock positions, you can hold your investment for as long as you like.

Can I trade stocks using a demo account?

Yes, the best online trading platforms allow you to practice trading for free by using a demo account. These accounts give you all the assets available on the platform and allow you to make real-time stock trades to help you earn skills and experience