IG: 17,000+ markets, full ISA + SIPP wrappers and the deepest research toolset on this list

Community Rating: 4.4 (60 ratings) Have Your Say →

IG Group plc (LSE: IGG, FCA FRN 195355) is a UK-headquartered FTSE-listed broker founded in 1974. The investing side covers Stocks & Shares ISA, SIPP, General Investment Account and Junior ISA on one login, with 17,000+ tradable markets including shares, ETFs, funds, investment trusts and bonds.

I funded an IG ISA with £500 on 1 September 2025. UK share dealing commission is £3 per trade (waived to zero on US share trades for clients placing 3+ trades a month). FX conversion is 0.50% on US trades. 1-business-day GBP withdrawal. Phone support averaged 12 minutes wait during testing.

IG trading app showing US Tech 100 trade demo on 26 January 2026
IG trading app tested 26 January 2026: US Tech 100 buy signal at 25,485 with target 25,820 and stop 25,335.

Pros (investing lens)

  • ISA + SIPP + GIA + Junior ISA wrappers all on one login
  • 17,000+ markets (widest of five)
  • FTSE-listed parent (IGG) with audited annual accounts
  • Same FCA-authorised account also covers spread bet and CFD if needed

Trade-offs (investing lens)

  • £3 UK share dealing commission (Trading 212 is free)
  • 0.50% FX fee on US trades compounds for active US-share buyers
  • App is feature-dense, can overwhelm first-time investors
  • Phone support averaged 12 minutes wait during testing

What do IG's costs look like on a £25,000 portfolio?

For a UK-only investor placing 12 trades a year inside an ISA: 12 × £3 dealing commission = £36/year. No platform fee on the Shares ISA above £15,000. Custody charge of 0.25% applies on smaller balances (waived above £15,000). For a US-focused investor at the same portfolio size: dealing is free on US trades above 3 trades/month, but the 0.50% FX fee on a £25,000 US allocation costs ~£125 each way at the conversion boundary. Mid-table costs overall: cheaper than Saxo and Interactive Investor on small portfolios, more expensive than Trading 212 on UK shares.

Who should pick a different UK investment app?

Beginners with small balances and UK-share focus should pick Trading 212 (free ISA, £1 minimum, no dealing commission). Portfolios above £50,000 should pick Interactive Investor's flat-fee model. Multi-asset traders wanting bonds, futures and DMA should pick Saxo.

Visit IG Read Full Review

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

eToro: the only UK app with social CopyTrader letting you mirror experienced investor portfolios

Community Rating: 4.1 (38 ratings) Have Your Say →

eToro Group Ltd (FCA FRN 583263) is an Israeli-headquartered multi-asset platform founded in 2007. The UK arm offers real share dealing across 5,000+ stocks alongside CFDs, ETFs and crypto. Signature feature: CopyTrader, which mirrors selected investors' portfolios automatically. eToro launched a UK Stocks & Shares ISA wrapper in 2025, adding tax-efficient share dealing alongside the existing General Investment Account.

I funded eToro with £500 on 1 September 2025. Commission-free real share dealing (no platform fee for the Invest account). The catch: GBP converts to USD internally at a 50bps spread that applies on every contribution and disposal, including inside the new ISA wrapper.

eToro app Bitcoin order filled confirmation tested January 2026
eToro app tested January 2026: live order-filled confirmation with purchase price, units and order completion status.

Pros (investing lens)

  • CopyTrader: only UK app with social portfolio mirroring
  • Commission-free real share dealing
  • 5,000+ US and global stocks on one account
  • Dual FCA permissions (investment firm + cryptoasset register)
  • UK Stocks & Shares ISA wrapper launched in 2025

Trade-offs (investing lens)

  • GBP to USD internal conversion adds hidden 50bps spread (applies in ISA too)
  • £4 GBP withdrawal fee (only platform charging one)
  • 2-business-day GBP withdrawal (slowest of five)

Does eToro's new UK ISA actually change the calculus?

Partially. The ISA wrapper itself is genuinely tax-free in the standard way (no CGT on disposals, no Income Tax on dividends, £20,000 annual allowance), but the GBP-to-USD conversion spread of ~50bps still applies on every contribution and every withdrawal. On a £10,000 ISA contribution that's roughly £50 of friction not visible as a line-item fee. Worth the ISA wrapper anyway for tax-efficient long-term holds, but if you're optimising every basis point Trading 212's GBP-native ISA at 0.15% FX is cheaper for US-share-heavy portfolios. eToro still wins for anyone wanting CopyTrader inside an ISA.

Who should pick a different UK investment app?

Anyone wanting a SIPP should pick IG or Interactive Investor (eToro UK does not offer one). Anyone wanting cheap UK share dealing without FX drag should pick Trading 212. Anyone with a portfolio above £50,000 should look at Interactive Investor's flat-fee model.

Visit eToro Read Full Review

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 50% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Interactive Investor: flat-fee pricing makes it the cheapest UK platform above £50,000 portfolio size

Community Rating: 3.6 (31 ratings) Have Your Say →

Interactive Investor (abrdn-owned, FCA FRN 141282) is the UK's second-largest investment platform by assets under administration. Flat-fee model: £4.99/month (Investor Essentials, ISA + GIA), £11.99/month (Investor, adds SIPP), £19.99/month (Super Investor). Junior ISA available.

I opened an Interactive Investor ISA with £500 on 1 September 2025. Share dealing commission is £3.99 per trade. The flat-fee model is the structural differentiator: on a £100,000 portfolio, IG's percentage-style fees compound much faster than ii's £11.99/month. The break-even is around £50,000 portfolio size.

Interactive Investor ISA desktop dashboard tested during the platform comparison
Interactive Investor ISA desktop dashboard tested October 2025: flat-fee account covering ISA / SIPP / GIA / Junior ISA on one login.

Pros (investing lens)

  • Flat-fee model wins above £50,000 portfolio size
  • ISA + SIPP + Junior ISA + GIA all available
  • Free regular investing plan (no dealing commission on direct debit)
  • UK's second-largest platform by AUA

Trade-offs (investing lens)

  • 1.50% FX fee on US trades (worst of five)
  • Flat fee is bad value below £20,000 portfolio (Trading 212 free wins)
  • App less polished than IG or Trading 212
  • SIPP requires the £11.99/month tier (not Essentials)

When does Interactive Investor's flat fee actually save you money?

The break-even maths against IG's percentage-style fees is roughly £50,000 portfolio size for the Investor tier (£11.99/month = £143.88/year). Below £50,000, IG's 0.25% custody cap and per-trade commissions usually come in cheaper. Above £100,000, ii's flat fee beats IG by hundreds of pounds a year and beats Hargreaves Lansdown's 0.45% AUM platform fee by thousands. The break-even shifts lower if you trade frequently (because ii's free regular-investment plan removes the £3.99 commission on direct-debit purchases). Worth running your own numbers if your portfolio is between £30k and £80k.

Who should pick a different UK investment app?

Beginners and small portfolios should pick Trading 212 (free ISA, £1 minimum). Active traders wanting research depth and a CFD wrapper should pick IG. US-share-focused investors should pick Saxo (0.25% FX fee vs ii's 1.50%) or Trading 212 (0.15%).

Visit Interactive Investor Read Full Review

Trading and investing involve risk. The value of your investments can go up or down, and you may lose all or part of your capital. These products may not be suitable for all investors. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved

Saxo: 70,000+ instruments across stocks, bonds, ETFs and futures with the lowest FX fee on this list

Community Rating: 3.5 (27 ratings) Have Your Say →

Saxo Bank A/S is a Danish-headquartered investment bank founded in 1992 (FCA FRN 551422). The UK arm offers 70,000+ instruments across stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, futures and options. SaxoTraderGO (web) and SaxoTraderPRO (desktop) provide professional-grade tooling.

I opened a Saxo Classic account with £500 on 1 September 2025. UK share dealing 0.08% (minimum £3 per trade). FX fee 0.25% (lowest of five on this list). No native UK Stocks & Shares ISA; SIPP available via partner platform.

SaxoTrader AMD trade ticket with watchlist, chart and positions panel tested February 2026
SaxoTrader tested February 2026: AMD trade ticket sitting alongside live watchlist, chart and open positions panel.

Pros (investing lens)

  • 70,000+ instruments (widest catalogue of five)
  • 0.25% FX fee (lowest of five)
  • SaxoTraderPRO is the professional-grade desktop platform on this list
  • Bonds, futures and options all available alongside shares

Trade-offs (investing lens)

  • No native UK Stocks & Shares ISA wrapper
  • SIPP only via partner platform (not direct)
  • 2-3 business day GBP withdrawal (slowest of five)
  • Tiered pricing (Classic / Platinum / VIP): best fees gated to higher balances

Is Saxo's tiered pricing worth the upgrade?

Classic is what most retail clients open. Platinum kicks in at £50,000 balance and drops dealing commissions by 30-50% across the asset classes. VIP (£200,000+) gets bespoke pricing and a dedicated relationship manager. The upgrade only matters once you trade regularly at meaningful size: a buy-and-hold investor at £100,000 doesn't pay much more on Classic than on Platinum because the dealing fees are infrequent. An active multi-asset trader at the same balance saves several hundred pounds a year on Platinum. The tier shift is more about trade frequency than portfolio size in isolation.

Who should pick a different UK investment app?

Anyone wanting a native ISA wrapper should pick IG, Interactive Investor, eToro or Trading 212. Beginners should pick Trading 212 or IG. Anyone wanting social copy trading should pick eToro.

Visit Saxo Read Full Review

64% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Trading 212: free Stocks & Shares ISA, £1 minimum and commission-free real share dealing

Community Rating: 4 (1 rating) Have Your Say →

Trading 212 (FCA FRN 609146) is a UK-authorised broker offering real share dealing through a free Stocks & Shares ISA or general investment account. Mobile-first app, commission-free trading, fractional shares supported.

I opened a Trading 212 ISA with £100 on 1 September 2025. Real share dealing is genuinely commission-free with no platform fee. 0.15% FX conversion (lowest of five). Same-day GBP withdrawal. The standout for beginners: £1 minimum deposit and fractional dealing mean you can build a diversified portfolio with very small amounts.

Trading 212 mobile app order history showing realised profit and ETF purchases on 22 December 2025
Trading 212 mobile app tested 22 December 2025: order history with £814.04 realised profit and ETF purchases inside the free ISA.

Pros (investing lens)

  • Free Stocks & Shares ISA, no platform fee
  • Commission-free real share dealing
  • 0.15% FX fee (lowest of five)
  • £1 minimum + fractional shares = no barriers to start

Trade-offs (investing lens)

  • No SIPP wrapper (ISA + GIA only)
  • No Junior ISA
  • Customer support email-only (no phone line)
  • Research and analyst tools lighter than IG or Interactive Investor

Is Trading 212's free ISA actually free?

Yes on the headline. No platform fee, no dealing commission, no ISA admin charge. Trading 212 makes money on three quieter things: the 0.15% FX conversion fee on US trades, the spread on its CFD product (separate account, not the Invest/ISA), and uninvested cash interest (they pay clients ~4% but earn more on the underlying balance). For a UK-share-only investor inside the ISA, the cost is genuinely near zero. For a US-heavy portfolio the FX fee adds up: 0.15% each way means ~£30 per £10,000 round-trip in USD shares. Still the cheapest of the five for US-share investing.

Who should pick a different UK investment app?

Anyone needing a SIPP should pick IG or Interactive Investor. Anyone with a portfolio above £50,000 should look at Interactive Investor's flat-fee model. Anyone wanting research depth and analyst notes should pick IG. Multi-asset traders wanting bonds and futures should pick Saxo.

Visit Trading 212 Read Full Review

Trading and investing involve risk. The value of your investments can go up or down, and you may lose all or part of your capital. These products may not be suitable for all investors. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved. Sponsored link. To get free fractional shares worth up to 100 EUR/GBP, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link . Terms apply

How did I actually test these UK investment apps?

I funded all five apps with my own capital between 1 September 2025 and 28 February 2026. Real ISAs, GIAs and SIPPs opened where supported, real share trades placed in UK and US equities, FX conversion costs logged at each platform. No demo accounts, no press kits. Dom Farnell ran parallel test accounts to cross-check the results.

What I measured

Account setup time from email signup to first executable trade. UK share dealing commission per trade. US share dealing commission per trade. FX conversion fee on US trades (charged on both buy and sell). Platform fee (where applicable). Withdrawal time from request to bank confirmation. Phone support wait times and email response latency. ISA wrapper availability and the contribution flow.

What I almost got wrong during testing

I started this test ready to crown Trading 212 the overall winner because the commission-free real shares + free ISA combo looks unbeatable on paper. Then I checked the FX conversion cost on US trades and realised it's the single biggest hidden cost most platforms charge: 0.15% on Trading 212 (cheapest), 1.50% on Interactive Investor (worst). On a £5,000 US share purchase, that's £7.50 vs £75. For UK-only investing the FX cost doesn't apply. For US-heavy portfolios the FX cost compounds faster than any dealing commission. Always check the FX fee before the headline commission.

Download the full testing dataset

The data behind this page lives in the TIC dataset hub: see the UK Investing Platforms dataset for the full per-platform fee schedule, wrapper availability, withdrawal test timestamps, FCA Firm Reference Numbers and platform-level scores across 13 UK platforms tested.

Is UK investment app investing legal and safe?

Investing through a UK app is legal and FCA-regulated. Capital is still at risk, but the regulatory framework is well-established.

FCA authorisation and FSCS £85,000 cover

All five apps on this list hold FCA authorisation as investment firms: client money sits in segregated UK bank accounts, FSCS £85,000 cover applies to cash and cleared investment products if the platform fails. Real share holdings inside an ISA are also protected because the underlying shares are registered to your name via the broker's nominee structure. Verify any app's FCA FRN at register.fca.org.uk before funding.

How are UK investment app profits actually taxed?

The tax treatment flows from the wrapper, not the app.

ISA: tax-free disposals, tax-free dividends

Stocks & Shares ISA gains and dividends are exempt from CGT and Income Tax for UK residents, regardless of how much you make. £20,000 annual contribution allowance for 2025-26. No need to report ISA gains on Self Assessment.

SIPP: tax relief on contributions, tax-free growth

SIPP contributions get tax relief at 20% (basic rate) to 45% (additional rate). Investments grow tax-free inside the wrapper. Withdrawals from age 55 (rising to 57 in 2028) are taxed at marginal rate after the 25% tax-free lump sum. £60,000 annual contribution allowance.

General Investment Account: CGT on disposals, Income Tax on dividends

For 2025-26 the CGT rates are 18% basic and 24% higher (Autumn Budget 2024 alignment). The annual exempt amount is £3,000 (cut from £12,300 in 2022-23). Dividends taxed at 8.75% / 33.75% / 39.35% by income tax band, with a £500 dividend allowance.

So which UK investment app should you actually pick?

A note for first-time investors before the picks below. Trading 212 (free ISA, £1 minimum, commission-free dealing) is the lowest-friction starting point for small UK-share portfolios. IG wins the moment you need a SIPP, research depth or a wrapper that also covers spread bet and CFD.

IG for serious long-term investors with multi-wrapper needs

ISA + SIPP + GIA + Junior ISA all on one login, 17,000+ markets, FTSE-listed parent with audited accounts. Trade-off: £3 UK dealing commission, 0.50% FX fee, feature-dense interface.

Interactive Investor for portfolios above £50,000

Flat-fee £11.99/month covers ISA, SIPP, GIA and Junior ISA. Beats percentage-based platforms at scale. Trade-off: 1.50% FX fee on US trades, smaller portfolios pay relatively more per pound invested.

Compound interest growth on £100 monthly invested: £17,308 in 10 years, £52,093 in 20 years, £122,709 in 30 years at 7% annual return
Compound interest on £100/month at 7%: £17,308 after 10 years, £52,093 after 20, £122,709 after 30. The platform you pick matters; the years you stay in matter more.

FAQs

What's the best UK investment app for beginners?

Trading 212 on this test: free Stocks & Shares ISA, £1 minimum, fractional dealing, commission-free real shares. IG is the close second if you want research depth and might need a SIPP later.

How much money do I need to start investing through a UK app?

Trading 212 accepts £1, the lowest of the five. The other four accept varying minimums but a credible starter portfolio that absorbs the dealing costs needs £500 to £1,000 in practice.

Are profits from UK investment apps tax-free inside an ISA?

Yes. Disposals and dividends inside a Stocks & Shares ISA are exempt from CGT and Income Tax regardless of how much you make. £20,000 annual contribution allowance.

Which UK investment app has the lowest fees on US shares?

Trading 212 at 0.15% FX conversion plus zero dealing commission. Saxo at 0.25% FX. IG at 0.50% FX with zero commission above 3 trades/month. Interactive Investor at 1.50% FX is the most expensive of the five.

Can I hold a SIPP and an ISA on the same app?

Yes on IG and Interactive Investor (both offer ISA + SIPP on one login). Trading 212 offers ISA but no SIPP. Saxo and eToro offer neither natively for UK retail.

References