Best Trading Apps UK 2026

After testing and comparing 8 UK trading apps, my top picks are eToro for beginners and copy trading, Capital.com for beginner CFD trading and spread betting, and IG for all-round trading. I compared spreads, commissions, FX costs, execution speed, order tickets, risk tools such as guaranteed stops, and access to platforms like MT4, TradingView and ProRealTime. I also looked at how each app handles opening, managing and closing trades on a phone.

How I tested and ranked these apps

I tested each of the 8 trading apps with a funded UK account in September 2026. I opened CFD, spread-betting and share positions, set stop-losses and guaranteed stops, and recorded the spread, margin and overnight costs shown before confirming each trade. I also tracked how spreads changed around the US jobs report (NFP) and the Bank of England and Federal Reserve rate decisions.

• 8 apps, 11 funded UK accounts
• £4,400 deposited
• 200 orders placed across four execution-speed tests
• Spreads recorded around 3 major news events
• 4 withdrawals tested
• Tested on iPhone and Android.

I then weighted costs 25%, order tickets and risk tools 20%, ease of getting started 15%, market and product range 15%, platforms and charting 15%, and execution 10%. Costs covered spreads, commission, FX and overnight funding. FCA authorisation was a must, not a scoring factor.

What are the best trading apps in the UK in 2026?

App	Best for	Real shares	CFDs	Spread betting	Demo	Product focus
eToro	Beginners & copy trading	✓	✓	—	✓	Shares + social/CFD
Capital.com	Beginner CFD trading	—	✓	✓	✓	CFDs/spread betting
IG	All-round trading	✓	✓	✓	✓	Multi-product
XTB	Charts & analysis	✓	✓	—	✓	Shares + CFDs
Pepperstone	Active/forex traders	—	✓	✓	✓	CFDs/forex
Trading 212	Low-cost share trading	✓	✓	—	✓	Shares + CFDs
CMC Markets	Advanced analysis	— (separate CMC Invest)	✓	✓	✓	Multi-product
Plus500	Simple CFD trading	— (separate Plus500 Invest)	✓	—	✓	CFDs

Trading apps aren’t all the same

If you want to…	You need to look for…
Buy and hold shares	Real share dealing
Invest in ETFs	ETF access
Trade forex	Forex/CFD account
Trade indices	CFDs or spread betting
Trade with leverage	CFD/spread-betting functionality
Copy other traders	Social/copy trading
Use an ISA	Stocks & Shares ISA
Use professional charting	TradingView/MT4/MT5/cTrader

Best trading apps UK Reviews

Below you’ll find my top-rated UK trading apps, starting with the best choice for beginners.

1. eToro  – Best for beginners and copy trading

eToro was the easiest of the eight platforms I tested for combining real-share trading with copy trading. Its CopyTrader functionality is the main reason it ranks highly for this use case, although the FX conversion charge and stock commission can make it more expensive than its “commission-free” positioning suggests.

Platform overview

Feature	Information
Best for	Beginners, social and copy trading
Trading products	Real stocks, ETFs, CFDs, crypto (real assets, not crypto CFDs, for UK retail clients)
Real shares	Yes
CFDs	Yes. Retail leverage capped at 30:1 on major FX, 20:1 on major indices, 5:1 on shares
Forex	Yes (CFDs)
Spread betting	No
Demo	Yes, $100,000 virtual portfolio
Minimum deposit	$50 first deposit (UK); $200 minimum to copy a trader
Trading fee	$1–2 per side on stocks, depending on exchange; £0 on ETFs
FX / spread	0.5% conversion in my test; CFD stock spreads 0.15%; overnight fees charged at 22:00 UK time, tripled at weekends
Platforms	eToro web and mobile app (proprietary only; no MT4/TradingView trading)
FCA regulated	Yes, eToro (UK) Ltd, FRN 583263
FSCS	Yes, up to £85,000 on eligible claims

What I tested: September 2026, I deposited £800 into a GBP account on a Samsung Galaxy S25 (Android 16, app v612.0.1), bought £300 of Lloyds shares and an S&P 500 ETF, previewed a £200 Amazon order, tried CopyTrader’s search, risk filters and copy stop-loss, opened a $1,000 EUR/USD CFD at 30:1 with a stop-loss, checked the overnight fee, used the $100,000 demo portfolio and withdrew £100.

What was it like trading on eToro?

I deposited £800 into a GBP account and started from the home feed, which looks more like a social network than a broker. I searched for Lloyds and bought £300 of real shares. The ticket was the shortest of any app I tested: amount, confirm, done. It showed a £1 commission and no currency charge, which is the right result for a UK stock bought from a GBP balance.

US stocks are where the charges add up. I previewed a £200 Amazon order and the ticket showed a $1 commission plus a £1 conversion charge at 0.5%. That’s clearly displayed but easy to miss if you’ve taken “commission-free” at face value. A round trip on the same order would cost roughly $2 in commission plus conversion in both directions.

CopyTrader is what separates eToro from every other app on this list. I filtered traders by risk score, maximum drawdown and average holding period, which cut out the high-return, high-volatility profiles that fill the default rankings. When I set up a copy, the flow asked for a copy stop-loss. That limits how much of the allocation you can lose if the trader has a bad run, and it’s the setting I’d tell any beginner to check first. The minimum to copy one investor was $200, so spreading money across three or four traders takes a meaningful deposit.

For the trading side, I opened a $1,000 EUR/USD CFD from the same balance. Leverage is set with a slider that stops at 30:1 for major forex. At that level, the ticket took about £25 of margin and showed a spread of 1 pip. The overnight fee was shown in the order details rather than on the main ticket, and I had to tap through to see it. The default stop-loss was set far away, so I dragged it closer before confirming. It’s a workable CFD ticket, but less informative than Capital.com’s, which shows your loss at the stop in pounds. Switching to the $100,000 demo portfolio took one tap from the profile menu, and it’s a sensible way to try CopyTrader before you commit $200.

How much does eToro cost?

eToro charges $1–2 per side on stock trades, £0 on ETFs and, in my test, 0.5% to convert GBP to USD. CFD positions add a spread (0.15% on stock CFDs) and overnight fees, which are tripled for positions held over the weekend. Withdrawals from a GBP account are free.

Who is eToro best for?

eToro is best for new traders who want to learn by copying experienced investors while keeping real shares in the same app. The risk filters and copy stop-loss make copy trading safer than just following the leaderboard.

Who should avoid eToro?

Avoid eToro if you want spread betting, MetaTrader or TradingView execution, or the lowest cost on frequent US trades. Anyone who wants an ISA should know that eToro’s ISA runs as a separate managed product.

Read the complete eToro review here.

2. Capital.com – Suited to beginners who want CFD trading with fast execution

Of the eight apps I tested, Capital.com was the quickest to start CFD trading or spread betting with. I placed my first trade 12 minutes after signing up, and every ticket showed my margin, loss at the stop and overnight fee before I confirmed. The trade-off is that you can’t buy real shares, and experienced traders may find it limited.

Platform overview

Feature	Information
Suited to	Beginner CFD traders and spread bettors
Trading products	CFDs and spread bets on indices, forex, shares and commodities; 5,500+ markets in my test
Real shares	No, for UK clients
CFDs	Yes
Forex	Yes
Spread betting	Yes
Demo	Yes
Minimum deposit	£20 (card)
Trading fee	£0 commission; costs are in the spread plus overnight funding
FX / spread	EUR/USD from 0.6 points; 0.7% currency conversion where applicable
Platforms	Capital.com app and web, TradingView, MT4 (CFDs only)
FCA regulated	Yes, Capital Com (UK) Ltd, FRN 793714
FSCS	Yes, up to £85,000 on eligible claims

What I tested: September 2026, I opened a GBP CFD account on an Android phone. I deposited £20 by debit card, then topped up to £250 in total. I traded EUR/USD, the US 500 and Apple with a stop-loss, take-profit and guaranteed stop, and connected TradingView and MT4. I also ran a 50-order speed test and tracked the EUR/USD spread around the US non-farm payrolls release.

What was it like trading on Capital.com?

I opened a GBP CFD account, deposited £20 by debit card and placed a small EUR/USD trade 12 minutes after starting the application. That was the quickest start of any app I tested. Before I confirmed, the ticket showed the margin, the potential loss if my stop was hit and the overnight fee. Most beginners only discover the overnight fee after it has been charged, so seeing it up front matters.

I set the stop and take-profit by dragging the lines on the chart rather than typing prices. On a phone this is quicker and cuts down on mistyped levels. After topping the account up to £250, I opened a US 500 CFD with a guaranteed stop, and the ticket showed the premium before I confirmed. I also opened a small Apple CFD. Because Apple is priced in dollars, Capital.com’s 0.7% currency conversion fee applies to the profit or loss.

The NFP release was the most useful test. The EUR/USD spread widened from 0.6 to 1.2 pips around the release. On my small position that cost pennies. On a one-lot (100,000-unit) trade, though, the spread cost goes from about £4.40 to £8.90. Across my 50-order test, median execution was 27ms, the fastest of the brokers I compared.

TradingView and MT4 both connected to my CFD account without trouble. MT4 is CFD-only at Capital.com, so if you want to spread bet through MetaTrader, you’ll need a different broker.

How much does Capital.com cost?

Capital.com charges no commission and no deposit, withdrawal or account fees. You pay the spread (EUR/USD from 0.6 pips in my test), overnight funding on positions held past the daily cut-off and a 0.7% currency conversion fee on instruments priced in other currencies.

Who is Capital.com suited to?

Capital.com is suited to first-time CFD traders who want to see their full risk on the ticket before every trade. The £20 minimum and the chart-based stop tools make it cheap and easy to learn with small stakes. It also offers spread betting, though I tested it with a CFD account.

Who should avoid Capital.com?

Avoid Capital.com if you want to own real shares, spread bet through MetaTrader, or need more advanced research than the app offers.

Read the complete Capital.com review here.

65% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

3. IG – Best all-round trading app

IG offers the widest range of products and platforms of any app I tested, with spread betting, CFDs, share dealing, 17,000+ markets, and MT4, MT5, TradingView and ProRealTime. It ranks third rather than first because the platform takes longer to learn than Capital.com’s, and its index spreads widened sharply outside core hours.

Platform overview

Feature	Information
Best for	All-round trading and advanced platforms
Trading products	Spread bets, CFDs, share dealing, ISA/SIPP; 17,000+ markets in my test
Real shares	Yes
CFDs	Yes
Forex	Yes
Spread betting	Yes
Demo	Yes
Minimum stake	£0.50 per point on FTSE 100 DFB in my test
Trading fee	£0 commission on standard spread bets
FX / spread	EUR/USD from 0.6 points; FTSE 100 from 1 point in cash hours; 0.7% FX on share dealing
Platforms	IG app and web, MT4, MT5, TradingView, ProRealTime
FCA regulated	Yes, IG Markets Ltd, FRN 195355
FSCS	Yes, up to £85,000 on eligible claims

What I tested: September 2026, I opened a GBP spread-betting account on the IG app on an iPhone 16, deposited £500 by card, placed a FTSE 100 daily funded bet and EUR/USD trades with a guaranteed stop, connected TradingView and ProRealTime, ran 50 EUR/USD orders to test execution and compared FTSE spreads at three times of day.

What was it like trading on IG?

My account was open in 19 minutes and the £500 card deposit landed instantly. My first trade was a £2-per-point FTSE 100 daily funded bet on the iPhone app. Before I confirmed, the ticket showed the margin, the distance to my stop and the maximum loss if the stop was hit.

The most revealing test was placing the same FTSE bet at different times of day. The spread was 1 point mid-morning, 2 points at 19:30 and 4 points at 22:00. At £2 a point, that took the cost of opening from £2 to £8 without anything else changing. If you can only trade in the evening after work, this matters more than the headline spread.

On EUR/USD I placed 50 orders. Median execution was 88ms with no requotes. That’s slower than Capital.com’s 27ms in my testing, but it made no difference at the stakes I was trading.

IG’s platform range is where it pulls ahead. TradingView connected within minutes, and I used ProRealTime to build and backtest a simple automated strategy. Neither Capital.com nor eToro could do that. The downside is that the IG web platform has so many panels and menus that it took me a few sessions to find everything.

How much does IG cost?

IG charges no commission on standard spread bets. You pay the spread (EUR/USD from 0.6 points, FTSE 100 from 1 point in cash hours) and overnight funding. Share dealing carries a 0.7% FX charge on overseas stocks. Out-of-hours index spreads were up to four times wider in my test.

Who is IG best for?

IG is best for traders who want one account that covers spread betting, CFDs and real shares, with room to move up to ProRealTime, MT4 or TradingView as they gain experience.

Who should avoid IG?

Avoid IG if you mainly trade indices in the evening, where spreads widened sharply in my test, or if you want the simplest possible app for your first trade.

Read the complete IG review here.

4. XTB – Best for charting and trading tools

XTB is the best UK trading app for charting, screeners and market news in one place. Its xStation platform has more analysis tools than the beginner apps. The catch is that real shares and CFDs sit next to each other in search results, so you have to check which product you’re about to trade.

Platform overview

Feature	Information
Best for	Charts, screeners and technical analysis
Trading products	Real shares and ETFs, CFDs on forex, indices, commodities and shares
Real shares	Yes, fractional from £1
CFDs	Yes
Forex	Yes (CFDs)
Spread betting	No
Demo	Yes
Minimum deposit	£0
Trading fee	0% commission on shares/ETFs up to €100,000 monthly turnover
FX / spread	0.5% currency conversion in my test
Platforms	xStation (web, desktop, mobile)
FCA regulated	Yes, XTB Limited, FRN 522157
FSCS	Yes, up to £85,000 on eligible claims

What I tested: I deposited £1,000 across a general investment account and an ISA on a Google Pixel 9 (Android 16, app v2.84.0), bought £400 of Nvidia as real fractional shares after finding the Nvidia CFD next to it in search, used the indicators, instrument news and ETF screeners, opened a 0.05-lot EUR/USD CFD and a US 500 CFD on xStation mobile with a stop-loss set in pips, checked the overnight swap and made a withdrawal. 

What was it like trading on XTB?

I deposited £1,000 and searched for Nvidia. The first thing I noticed was that the real share and the Nvidia CFD appeared next to each other in the results. Both were labelled, but the labels are small, and I had to stop and check which one I was opening. On a trading app that’s a real risk: tap the wrong one and you’re holding a leveraged position with overnight costs instead of a share.

I bought £400 of Nvidia as real fractional shares. There was no commission, but the ticket showed a £2 currency conversion charge at 0.5%, more than three times Trading 212’s 0.15%.

Analysis is where XTB is strongest. The charts have a full set of indicators rather than the basic line and candle options on most apps, each instrument has its own news feed, and the ETF screeners let me filter by criteria rather than scroll a list. I could research a trade and place it without leaving the app, which I couldn’t do on eToro or Trading 212.

Next I switched to CFDs and opened a 0.05-lot EUR/USD position on xStation mobile. The ticket sizes positions in lots rather than pounds, which will confuse beginners: 0.05 lots is €5,000 of exposure, not £5. Before I confirmed, it showed about £145 of margin at 30:1, a 0.9-pip spread and the pip value. When I set a 20-pip stop-loss, the ticket converted it to a pound figure straight away, which is the number I actually wanted to see. The overnight swap wasn’t on the ticket; it was in the instrument specification. I also opened a small US 500 CFD and was able to trade straight from the chart I had just used for the RSI and moving-average analysis. That’s where XTB beats the simpler apps.

How much does XTB cost?

XTB charges 0% commission on shares and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly turnover and 0.5% for currency conversion. CFD trades are priced through the spread plus overnight swap. EUR/USD was 0.9 pips in my test.

Who is XTB best for?

XTB is best for traders who want proper indicators, news and screeners inside the same app they trade from, and who hold both real shares and CFDs.

Who should avoid XTB?

Avoid XTB if you want spread betting, MetaTrader or TradingView execution, or low FX costs on frequent US share trades.

Read the complete XTB review here.

5. Pepperstone – Best for active and forex traders

Pepperstone is the best UK trading app for active forex traders who care about execution and want MT4, MT5, cTrader or TradingView. My fills were fast and never worse than the price I requested. Onboarding is slower and there are no guaranteed stops, so it isn’t a beginner’s broker.

Platform overview

Feature	Information
Best for	Active forex and index traders
Trading products	CFDs and spread bets on 1,350+ markets
Real shares	No
CFDs	Yes (Standard and Razor accounts)
Forex	Yes
Spread betting	Yes
Demo	Yes
Minimum deposit	£10
Trading fee	£0 on spread bets; Razor CFD £2.25 per lot per side
FX / spread	EUR/USD from 0.6 points (spread bet); Razor from 0.0 pips + commission
Platforms	Pepperstone web/app, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView
Guaranteed stops	No
FCA regulated	Yes, Pepperstone Ltd, FRN 684312
FSCS	Yes, up to £85,000 on eligible claims

What I tested: In September 2026 I opened a GBP spread-betting account and a Razor CFD account on an iPhone 16, deposited £400 by bank transfer, traded EUR/USD and USD/JPY, ran 50 EUR/USD orders on MT5 to test execution, placed limit orders in cTrader and checked the minimum stake in TradingView.

What was it like trading on Pepperstone?

Pepperstone was the slowest app to get started on. The application asked more detailed questions about my trading experience and finances than any other broker, and approval came the next morning. I funded the account with £400 by bank transfer.

I opened both a spread-betting account and a Razor CFD account so I could compare EUR/USD prices at the same moment. The spread bet showed 0.6 points with no commission. Razor showed 0.1 pips plus £2.25 per lot per side. When I worked it out for a one-lot trade (about £7.40 per pip with GBP/USD near 1.35), the round-trip Razor cost came to around £5.20, against roughly £4.40 for the equivalent spread bet. For that trade size, the commission-free route was cheaper, and spread-bet profits are usually free of UK capital gains tax.

I ran my 50-order execution test on MT5. Median fill time was 51ms, three orders filled 0.1 points better than requested and none filled worse. That’s the pattern active traders want to see, because slippage costs more over hundreds of trades than a small difference in headline spread.

I placed limit orders on USD/JPY through cTrader, then connected TradingView. The TradingView ticket accepted 0.1 as the minimum stake (£0.10 per point on my GBP account) and rejected 0.05, which is worth knowing if you’re testing strategies with very small stakes.

How much does Pepperstone cost?

Pepperstone charges no commission on spread bets, with EUR/USD from 0.6 points in my test. Razor CFD accounts have raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus £2.25 commission per lot per side. The minimum deposit is £10.

Who is Pepperstone best for?

Pepperstone is best for experienced forex and index traders who run strategies on MT4, MT5, cTrader or TradingView and want consistent fills with none filled worse in my 50-order test.

Who should avoid Pepperstone?

Avoid Pepperstone if you want real shares, guaranteed stops or a quick sign-up. Beginners will get more help from Capital.com’s order tickets.

Read the complete Pepperstone review here.

6. Trading 212 — Best for low-cost share trading

Trading 212 is the cheapest UK app for trading real shares from your phone, with £0 commission and 0.15% FX. It’s the right choice if “trading” to you means buying and selling stocks. It’s much less suited to forex or leveraged trading: there’s no spread betting, and its CFD account charges 0.5% FX.

Key information

Feature	Information
Best for	Low-cost mobile share trading
Trading products	Real shares and ETFs (Invest, ISA, SIPP); separate CFD account
Real shares	Yes, fractional from £1
CFDs	Yes, separate CFD account
Forex	FX CFDs only; no dedicated forex product
Spread betting	No
Demo	Yes
Minimum deposit	£1
Trading fee	£0 commission
FX / spread	0.15% on Invest/ISA; 0.5% on the CFD account
Platforms	Trading 212 app and web
FCA regulated	Yes, Trading 212 UK Ltd, FRN 609146
FSCS	Yes, up to £85,000 on eligible claims

What I tested: In September 2026 I deposited £500 by bank transfer into a Stocks and Shares ISA on an iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 26.6, app v26.9.2), bought £250 of Microsoft as a fractional share, built a three-ETF Pie with £100 a month of AutoInvest, checked the key stats, news and analyst ratings, withdrew £100, then funded the separate CFD account with £200 and opened a US 500 CFD at 20:1 with a stop-loss, checking the overnight interest.

What was it like trading on Trading 212?

My £500 bank transfer reached the ISA in about two minutes, one of the fastest deposits in my testing. I bought £250 of Microsoft as a fractional share. Before I confirmed, the ticket showed £0 commission and a 37p FX charge. The same US trade on eToro or XTB would have cost more than three times as much in conversion.

Building a three-ETF Pie took just under four minutes, and I set AutoInvest to £100 a month. It’s not a trading feature, but it shows how few steps the app needs.

Research is the weak point for anyone trading actively. Each stock has key stats, news and analyst ratings, but there’s no screener and no way to compare two companies’ fundamentals side by side. I had to research elsewhere before coming back to place trades.

To test Trading 212 as a trading platform, I opened the separate CFD account. It needs its own questionnaire and its own funding, so I deposited another £200. I opened a US 500 CFD using £100 of margin at 20:1. The ticket showed the margin and leverage clearly, but not the overnight interest. I found that on the instrument’s details screen: about 35p a night on my position. I added a stop-loss after opening the position rather than on the ticket, which is an extra step compared with Capital.com. Because the US 500 is priced in dollars, the CFD account’s 0.5% FX fee applied to my result. That’s more than three times the 0.15% on the share account, and it’s the main reason I’d keep Trading 212 for shares.

How much does Trading 212 cost?

Trading 212 charges no dealing commission and 0.15% FX on its Invest and ISA accounts. The CFD account is also commission-free but charges 0.5% FX, plus spreads and overnight interest.

Who is Trading 212 best for?

Trading 212 is best for people who want to trade real shares and ETFs from their phone at the lowest cost, particularly inside an ISA.

Who should avoid Trading 212?

Avoid Trading 212 if you want to trade forex seriously, spread bet or research stocks in depth within the app.

Read the complete Trading 212 review.

7. CMC Markets — Best for market range and advanced analysis

CMC Markets is the best UK trading app for researching and trading from one platform. It has 21,000+ instruments, a pattern-recognition scanner and 115+ indicators, so I never needed TradingView. The drawback is that spreads widened sharply around the Bank of England decision, and there’s a £10 monthly fee after 12 months without trading.

Key information

Feature	Information
Best for	Advanced analysis and market range
Trading products	Spread bets, CFDs and share dealing; 21,000+ instruments
Real shares	Yes, through CMC Invest
CFDs	Yes
Forex	Yes
Spread betting	Yes
Demo	Yes
Minimum deposit	£0
Trading fee	£0 commission on spread bets
FX / spread	EUR/USD averaged 0.7 points in my test
Platforms	Next Generation (web), CMC app, MT4,MT5, TradingView
Guaranteed stops	Yes, premium refunded if not triggered
Inactivity fee	£10/month after 12 months without trading
FCA regulated	Yes, CMC Markets UK plc, FRN 173730
FSCS	Yes, up to £85,000 on eligible claims

What I tested: In September 2026 I opened a GBP spread-betting account on the CMC app on an iPhone 15, deposited £600 by debit card, traded GBP/USD, EUR/USD, the UK 100 and an AIM-listed small cap, used the pattern-recognition scanner with RSI and moving averages, placed a guaranteed stop-loss order, ran 50 orders to test execution and tracked spreads around the Bank of England decision.

What was it like trading on CMC Markets?

I deposited £600 by debit card and was trading 24 minutes after starting the application. I began on the Next Generation web platform, which is the reason to choose CMC. The pattern-recognition scanner found four emerging patterns on GBP/USD. I checked each one against RSI and moving averages before deciding which were worth trading. With 115+ indicators and saved chart layouts, I did all of that in one place. On IG I’d have opened TradingView or ProRealTime.

The market range is the other advantage. I found an AIM-listed small cap that wasn’t available on IG or Capital.com, and CMC let me spread bet it at 1p per point. If you trade smaller UK companies, this range can decide your choice of broker.

I placed a UK 100 bet with a guaranteed stop. The premium was shown upfront and refunded when the stop wasn’t triggered, which makes guaranteed stops cheaper to use routinely than I’d expected.

Costs were less impressive at volatile moments. EUR/USD averaged 0.7 points but widened to 1.6 points around the Bank of England decision, and my 50-order test had a 97ms median, the slowest of the brokers I timed. For analysis-led traders holding positions for hours or days that makes little difference, but scalpers should look at Pepperstone or Capital.com.

How much does CMC Markets cost?

CMC Markets charges no commission on spread bets. EUR/USD averaged 0.7 points in my test, guaranteed stops carry a premium that’s refunded if not triggered, and there’s a £10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months without trading.

Who is CMC Markets best for?

CMC Markets is best for experienced traders who want to scan, chart and trade a very wide range of markets, including small UK stocks, without leaving the broker’s own platform.

Who should avoid CMC Markets?

Avoid CMC Markets if you scalp around news, where spreads and execution speed matter most, or if you trade rarely and could trigger the inactivity fee.

Read the complete CMC Markets review.

8. Plus500 — Best for simple CFD trading

Plus500 is the simplest CFD app in this comparison. It has one proprietary platform, short order tickets and guaranteed stops, and I placed my first trade 31 minutes after applying. That simplicity costs you: EUR/USD was 1.3 pips against 0.6 at Capital.com and IG, the overnight fee isn’t on the ticket, and there’s no MT4, MT5, TradingView or spread betting.

Key information

Feature	Information
Best for	Simple CFD trading
Trading products	CFDs on forex, indices, shares, commodities, ETFs and options; share dealing through the separate Plus500 Invest app
Real shares	Not in the CFD app (Plus500 Invest is separate)
CFDs	Yes
Forex	Yes (CFDs)
Spread betting	No, CFDs only in the UK
Demo	Yes, free with no time limit
Minimum deposit	£100
Trading fee	£0 commission; costs are in the spread plus overnight funding
FX / spread	EUR/USD 1.3 pips in my test; currency conversion up to 0.7% on instruments priced in another currency
Platforms	Plus500 web and iOS/Android app only
Guaranteed stops	Yes, charged through a wider spread
Inactivity fee	£10/month after 3 months without logging in
FCA regulated	Yes, Plus500UK Ltd, FRN 509909
FSCS	Yes, up to £85,000 on eligible claims
Retail CFD losses	76% of retail accounts lose money (Plus500 UK website at time of writing)

What I tested: In September 2026 I opened a GBP CFD account on the Plus500 app on an iPhone 15 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy S24, deposited £150 by debit card, traded the UK 100, EUR/USD, US 500 and a Tesla share CFD with a stop-loss, take-profit, trailing stop and guaranteed stop, compared spreads in normal conditions with those around the Fed decision, checked overnight funding and currency conversion, tried the demo account, price alerts and live-chat support, and withdrew £100.

What was it like trading on Plus500?

I applied on my iPhone, answered an appropriateness questionnaire about my trading experience and deposited £150 by debit card, £50 above the £100 minimum. I placed my first trade 31 minutes after starting: a UK 100 CFD at the retail maximum of 20:1. The ticket is among the shortest in this comparison. It has a buy/sell choice, position size, and toggles for close at loss, close at profit, trailing stop and guaranteed stop. It showed my margin and leverage, but not the overnight fee. I had to open the instrument’s details screen to find it, which Capital.com shows on the ticket itself.

Guaranteed stops are easy to add but not free. When I switched on the guaranteed stop, the UK 100 spread went from 1.6 to 2.6 points, and Plus500 wouldn’t let me set the stop as close to the price as with a normal stop. On EUR/USD, I opened a small position at a 1.3-pip spread, about double the 0.6 points I saw at Capital.com, IG and Pepperstone. Around the FOMC decision it widened to 2.8 pips. That’s a similar pattern to CMC’s 1.6 points at the Bank of England decision, but starting from a higher base.

I also opened a Tesla share CFD to check currency costs. Because it’s priced in dollars, profits and losses are converted to pounds at up to 0.7%, which was only listed in the instrument details. Charts on the web platform were adequate for basic analysis with the usual indicators. However, I couldn’t connect TradingView or run anything automated, as I could with IG, Pepperstone or CMC. Price alerts worked as expected on both phones.

The demo account opened with one tap and has no time limit, which is useful for practising with guaranteed stops before paying for them. Live chat answered a question about overnight funding in about four minutes, and my £100 withdrawal reached my card in two working days.

How much does Plus500 cost?

Plus500 charges no commission on CFDs; you pay the spread and overnight funding. EUR/USD was 1.3 pips in my test, currency conversion is up to 0.7% on instruments in other currencies, guaranteed stops are charged through a wider spread, and there’s a £10 monthly inactivity fee after three months without logging in.

Who is Plus500 best for?

Plus500 is best for occasional CFD traders who want a short, uncluttered ticket with trailing and guaranteed stops built in, and who won’t be trading often enough for wider spreads to add up.

Who should avoid Plus500?

Avoid Plus500 if you want spread betting, MT4, MT5 or TradingView, or the tightest forex spreads. Active forex traders will pay noticeably less at Pepperstone, Capital.com or IG.

Which trading app is best for you?

If you want to…	Apps to consider
Start trading with a simple app	Capital.com, eToro
Buy UK and US shares	Trading 212, eToro, IG, XTB
Buy ETFs	Trading 212, eToro, IG, XTB
Trade shares cheaply	Trading 212
Trade CFDs	Capital.com, IG, CMC Markets, Plus500
Trade forex	Pepperstone, IG, Capital.com, XTB
Spread bet	IG, Capital.com, Pepperstone, CMC Markets
Copy other traders	eToro
Use advanced charting	IG, CMC Markets, XTB
Use TradingView	Capital.com, Pepperstone, IG, CMC Markets
Use MT4 or MT5	Pepperstone, IG, CMC Markets (Capital.com offers MT4 for CFDs only)
Practise on a demo account	All eight
Use a Stocks & Shares ISA	Trading 212, IG, XTB (eToro’s ISA is a separate Moneyfarm-powered product)
Trade on mobile	All eight, with different features

Which trading app has the lowest fees?

No single trading app is cheapest for every type of trade. An app with £0 commission can still charge you through spreads, currency conversion or overnight financing, so I compared the total cost of a trade rather than ranking apps by headline commission.

App	Stock commission	FX	Typical spread tested	Overnight cost	Other fees
eToro	$1–2 per side on real shares; £0 on ETFs	0.5%	EUR/USD 1 pip	Shown in order details, not on the main ticket; charged at 22:00 UK time and tripled at weekends	$200 minimum to copy a trader; free GBP withdrawals
Capital.com	No real shares for UK clients; £0 commission on CFDs and spread bets	0.7% on foreign-currency CFDs	EUR/USD 0.6 pips (1.2 at NFP)	Shown on the ticket before confirming	Guaranteed stop premium; no deposit, withdrawal or account fees
IG	£0 on standard spread bets	0.7% on share dealing	EUR/USD 0.6 points; FTSE 100 1 point (4 points at 22:00)	Overnight funding on spread bets and CFDs	Guaranteed stop premium
XTB	0% on shares and ETFs up to €100,000 a month	0.5%	EUR/USD 0.9 pips	Swap listed in the instrument specification, not on the ticket	No minimum deposit
Pepperstone	No real shares; £0 on spread bets, £2.25 per lot per side on Razor CFDs	None on GBP spread bets	EUR/USD 0.6 points (spread bet) / 0.1 pips (Razor)	Overnight financing on held positions	No guaranteed stops
Trading 212	£0	0.15% (0.5% on the CFD account)	0.5-point US 500 spread	About 35p a night on a US 500 CFD with £100 margin at 20:1	CFD account funded separately
CMC Markets	£0 on spread bets	None on GBP spread bets	EUR/USD 0.7 points (1.6 at the BoE decision)	Overnight financing on held positions	£10/month inactivity fee after 12 months; guaranteed stop premium refunded if not triggered
Plus500	No real shares in the CFD app; £0 on CFDs	Up to 0.7%	EUR/USD 1.3 pips (2.8 at FOMC)	Only on the instrument details screen, not on the ticket	£10/month inactivity fee after 3 months without logging in; guaranteed stops charged through a wider spread

What would a £1,000 trade actually cost?

Platform	Product	Amount invested/position size	Main cost I recorded	Approx. cost
Trading 212	US share	£1,000	0.15% FX	£1.50
XTB	US share	£1,000	0.5% FX	£5
eToro	US share	£1,000	0.5% FX + $1 commission	£5.74
IG	US share	£1,000	0.7% FX	£7
Capital.com	EUR/USD spread bet	£1,000 position	0.6-point spread	£0.05
Pepperstone	EUR/USD spread bet	£1,000 position	0.6-point spread	£0.05
CMC Markets	EUR/USD spread bet	£1,000 position	0.7-point spread	£0.06
Plus500	EUR/USD CFD	£1,000 position	1.3-pip spread	£0.11

What would a £10,000 trade actually cost?

Platform	Product	Amount invested/position size	Main cost I modelled	Approx. cost
Trading 212	US share	£10,000	0.15% FX	£15
XTB	US share	£10,000	0.5% FX	£50
eToro	US share	£10,000	0.5% FX + $1 commission	£50.74
IG	US share	£10,000	0.7% FX	£70
Capital.com	EUR/USD spread bet	£10,000 position	0.6-point spread	£0.51
Pepperstone	EUR/USD spread bet	£10,000 position	0.6-point spread	£0.51
CMC Markets	EUR/USD spread bet	£10,000 position	0.7-point spread	£0.60
Plus500	EUR/USD CFD	£10,000 position	1.3-pip spread	£1.11

What are the best trading apps for advanced traders?

If you trade actively, the differences that matter are execution, order types, charting, spreads, market depth, platform integrations and automation, not how polished the mobile app looks. Here’s how all eight apps I tested compare on the tools experienced traders use.

Platform	MT4	MT5	TradingView	cTrader	Advanced charts	Spread betting	Also offers
IG	✓	✓	✓	—	✓	✓	ProRealTime for automated trading and backtesting; 17,000+ markets
Pepperstone	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Razor raw-spread CFD account; 51ms median fill on MT5 in my test
CMC Markets	✓	✓	✓	—	✓	✓	Pattern-recognition scanner; 115+ indicators on Next Generation
Capital.com	✓ (CFDs only)	—	✓	—	✓	✓	27ms median execution in my test, the fastest I recorded
XTB	—	—	—	—	✓	—	xStation only, with built-in news, screeners and indicators
eToro	—	—	—	—	Basic	—	CopyTrader for copying other traders
Plus500	—	—	—	—	Basic	—	Guaranteed and trailing stops on a single proprietary platform
Trading 212	—	—	—	—	Basic	—	Separate CFD account alongside share dealing

How I tested and ranked the best trading apps in the UK

This guide builds on the account testing and research behind Psyfi Money’s platform reviews. The order here uses a separate weighting for UK traders choosing an app for CFDs, spread betting, forex or active share trading, not long-term investing, starting with beginners. Each platform’s existing Psyfi Money review rating stays separate from its position in this guide.

Ranking factor	Weight	What I assessed
Total trading cost	25%	Spreads on EUR/USD and FTSE 100, commission, FX conversion (0.15%–0.7%) and overnight funding, including how spreads changed around the NFP and Bank of England releases and outside core hours
Order ticket and risk controls	20%	Whether margin, loss at the stop and overnight fees appear before confirming; stop-loss, take-profit and guaranteed stop availability
Getting started	15%	Minimum deposit (£0 to £100), time from sign-up to first trade, and onboarding questions
Products available to UK traders	15%	Real shares, CFDs, forex and spread betting, including which apps don’t offer spread betting
Platforms and charting	15%	TradingView, MT4, MT5, cTrader and ProRealTime access, plus built-in indicators, scanners and screeners
Execution evidence	10%	Median fill times across 50-order tests at four brokers, requotes and slippage

I tested all eight apps with funded UK accounts. The most useful comparison was placing the same kind of trade at different times. With Capital.com, EUR/USD widened from 0.6 to 1.2 points around NFP. With CMC Markets, it went from 0.7 to 1.6 points around the Bank of England decision. With Plus500, it went from 1.3 to 2.8 pips around the Fed decision. On IG, a £2-per-point FTSE 100 bet cost £2 in spread mid-morning and £8 at 22:00.

I gave cost and order-ticket clarity the most weight because they decide what a trade actually costs and how much you can lose. That matters more to this reader than having the widest market list. Execution carries only 10% because I timed it at four brokers, not all eight. I treated FCA authorisation and availability to UK retail clients as entry requirements rather than scored factors. This weighting sets the order in this guide only, and each platform keeps its separate Psyfi Money review rating.

Platforms I considered but didn’t rank

I looked at more UK trading apps than the eight in this guide. I narrowed the shortlist to providers that offer a relevant UK trading product and that I could assess on the same core tests: spreads, order tickets, risk tools, overnight costs and platform access. I left out platforms I couldn’t compare on that basis rather than rank them on less evidence. Leaving a platform out of this guide doesn’t mean it’s a poor choice.

Platform	Why I considered it	Why it didn’t make the final ranking
Saxo	A well-known FCA-regulated multi-asset broker offering share dealing, CFDs and forex through its SaxoTraderGO and SaxoTraderPRO platforms.	It wasn’t part of this round of hands-on testing, so I couldn’t compare its spreads, order tickets and overnight costs with the other eight on the same basis.
Interactive Brokers	Has very broad global market access and professional tools, and is popular with experienced UK traders for stock trading and forex.	Its pricing and Trader Workstation setup are built for advanced and professional users, so they differ a lot from the mobile-first apps compared here. It also wasn’t tested in this round.
City Index	A long-established UK spread betting and CFD provider with MT4 and TradingView access.	It wasn’t tested in this round. Its core offering overlaps closely with IG, CMC Markets and Pepperstone, which are already ranked.
Spreadex	A UK-based provider offering financial spread betting and CFDs alongside other betting products.	It wasn’t tested in this round, and the spread-betting category is already covered by four ranked providers.
Freetrade	A popular UK share dealing app with commission-free trades and a Stocks & Shares ISA and SIPP.	It focuses on real shares and ETFs, with no CFDs, forex or spread betting. That makes it a better fit for an investing app comparison than a trading app one.
Hargreaves Lansdown	The UK’s largest investment platform, with share dealing, funds, ISAs and SIPPs.	It’s built for long-term investing and doesn’t offer leveraged trading products, so it’s outside the scope of this comparison.
AJ Bell	A major UK investment platform offering share dealing, ETFs, ISAs and SIPPs.	Like Hargreaves Lansdown, it focuses on investing rather than active or leveraged trading, so it fits an investment platform comparison better.

What stood out in my testing

• Headline commission wasn’t always the biggest cost. On a £10,000 US share round trip, FX alone cost £30 at Trading 212 (0.15%) and £140 at IG (0.7%), even though both charge £0 commission.
• Spreads widened around major news. EUR/USD went from 0.6 to 1.2 pips at Capital.com around the US jobs report and from 0.7 to 1.6 points at CMC Markets around the Bank of England decision. Timing mattered too: IG’s FTSE 100 spread was 1 point mid-morning and 4 points at 22:00.
• Order tickets varied in how much they showed. Capital.com and IG showed margin and the maximum loss at the stop before I confirmed, and Capital.com also showed the overnight fee. On eToro, XTB, Trading 212 and Plus500, I had to open a separate screen to find the overnight cost.
• Real shares and CFDs weren’t always clearly separated. On XTB, the Nvidia share and the Nvidia CFD appeared side by side in search with small labels. Choosing the wrong one gives you a leveraged position with overnight costs instead of a share.
• Getting started varied more than the market range. I placed my first trade on Capital.com 12 minutes after signing up. Pepperstone approved my account the next morning, and Trading 212’s CFD account needed a separate questionnaire and deposit.

What is a trading app?

A trading app is a mobile platform that lets you buy, sell or speculate on financial markets from your phone. Depending on the provider, you may be able to buy real shares and ETFs, trade CFDs and forex, or use spread betting. For desktop platforms, see the best trading platforms guide.

These products are not interchangeable. Buying a share means you own the underlying investment; a CFD or spread bet lets you speculate on price movements without owning the underlying asset. The costs, risks and protections can also differ.

That’s why I compare trading apps on more than headline commission: I look at the products available, spreads, FX costs, overnight financing, order types, charting, execution and the actual mobile experience.

Trading vs investing: what’s the difference?

Trading and investing both involve financial markets, but they usually have different goals. Investing typically means buying assets such as shares, ETFs or funds and holding them to build wealth over the longer term. Trading typically means taking shorter-term positions to profit from price movements. Holding periods vary: some investors sell within months, and some traders hold positions for weeks. Neither approach is better. The right one depends on your goals, your time and how much risk you can take on.

	Trading	Investing
Typical objective	Profit from shorter-term price movements	Build wealth over the longer term
Typical holding period	Often minutes, hours, days or months	Often years or decades
Common products	CFDs, forex, spread bets, shares	Shares, ETFs, funds
Leverage	Common with CFDs and spread betting	Usually not used
Main costs	Spreads, commission, FX and overnight financing	Dealing fees, fund charges and FX
Key considerations	Execution, spreads, liquidity, charting	Diversification, fees, asset allocation
Useful platform features	Advanced charts, order types, alerts	Regular investing, ISAs, fractional shares, research
Main risks	Short-term volatility and losses magnified by leverage	Market falls and long-term investment risk

If you’re looking to invest, check out the guide for the best investment apps.

Are trading apps safe?

A trading app can be secure without the underlying trading activity being low risk. When assessing a UK trading platform, I check FCA authorisation, client-money arrangements, account security, two-factor authentication and the protections that apply to the specific products offered.

FCA regulation does not remove investment risk. Shares can fall in value, while CFDs and other leveraged products can result in rapid losses. The protections available to you also depend on what you are trading and which legal entity provides the service.

How to choose a trading app in the UK

1. Decide what you want to trade

Real shares, ETFs, CFDs, forex and spread betting are different products.

2. Compare the total trading cost

Don’t look only at commission. Check:

• spread
• commission
• FX conversion
• overnight financing
• inactivity fees
• withdrawal fees
• guaranteed-stop premiums

3. Check the order types

For active traders, check whether the app supports:

• market orders
• limit orders
• stop-loss
• take-profit
• trailing stops
• guaranteed stops

4. Look at charting and research

Compare:

• technical indicators
• drawing tools
• screeners
• alerts
• economic calendar
• news
• TradingView
• MT4/MT5
• cTrader

5. Check regulation and protection

Verify the exact UK legal entity rather than simply looking for an FCA logo.

6. Check deposits and withdrawals

Look at:

• GBP support
• bank transfer
• debit card
• minimum deposit
• withdrawal fees
• processing times

7. Test the mobile experience

Use a demo account before you deposit. Check how quickly you can open and close a position, whether you can set a stop-loss on the order ticket or only after the trade opens, and whether the ticket shows the margin, spread and overnight fee before you confirm. Also check that the app clearly separates real shares from CFDs in search results.

What can you trade through UK trading apps?

Product	What it means	Apps that offer it
Real shares	You own the underlying shares	eToro, IG, Trading 212, XTB
ETFs	Funds traded on an exchange	eToro, Trading 212, IG, XTB
CFDs	Speculate on price without owning the asset	Capital.com, IG, Pepperstone, XTB, Plus500, eToro, CMC, Trading 212
Forex	Trade currency pairs	IG, Capital.com, Pepperstone, XTB, CMC, Plus500, eToro
Spread betting	UK derivative based on price movements	IG, Capital.com, Pepperstone, CMC
Crypto	Buy/sell crypto	eToro, IG

Real shares and CFDs are different products. Some trading apps offer both and may display them close together when you search for a company. Always check the order ticket to confirm whether you are buying the underlying shares or opening a CFD position.

What to consider before you place your first trade

Go through these checks on the order ticket before you confirm:

• Check whether you’re buying the real asset or a CFD. Real shares mean you own part of the company. A CFD is a leveraged bet on its price, with overnight costs.
• Check the spread. It’s the gap between the buy and sell price, and you pay it on every trade. It can widen sharply around news and outside market hours.
• Check the commission. Many apps charge £0, but some charge per trade. eToro, for example, charges $1–2 per side on stocks.
• Check the FX conversion fee. Trading an asset priced in another currency can cost between 0.15% and 0.7% of the trade value, depending on the app.
• Check the overnight financing. Leveraged positions held past the daily cut-off are charged every night. Some apps show this only on a separate details screen.
• Check the required margin. Make sure you understand how much of your balance the position locks up and how much leverage you’re using.
• Set a stop-loss if appropriate. It limits how much you can lose if the price moves against you. A guaranteed stop costs extra but won’t slip in a fast market.
• Check the order size. Some platforms size trades in lots or points rather than pounds. 0.05 lots of EUR/USD is €5,000 of exposure, not £5.
• Review the estimated cost before confirming. If the ticket doesn’t show the full cost, look it up before you trade, not after.

Important: A platform may list the same company as both a share and a CFD. Check the order ticket carefully before placing the trade.

How to place a trade on a UK trading app?

1. Log in to the platform

If prompted, complete 2FA by entering the code sent via push notification, SMS, or phone call. I’m using eToro as an example.

2. Deposit funds into your account

Head to your dashboard and choose to add funds. Select your currency, enter the amount you want to deposit, tap Continue, then choose a payment method.

3. Confirm your funds are available

Check your dashboard to make sure your deposit has landed in your Investment Account before you start trading.

4. Search for the stock you want to trade

Use the search bar to type in the ticker or company name, then select it from the Markets results.

5. Set up and confirm your trade

Choose Buy or Short, enter the amount you want to invest, optionally set a Stop Loss and Take Profit, then tap Buy or Short to confirm.

Are trading apps legal in the UK?

Yes. Trading and investing through online platforms is legal in the UK. However, the regulatory status of individual providers and products varies, so check the FCA Register and the specific UK entity providing the service.

FCA authorisation does not mean that an investment is safe or that you cannot lose money. Leveraged products such as CFDs and spread betting carry additional risks and are subject to specific FCA rules and risk warnings.

Do you need experience to use a trading app or anyone can get started?

Anyone can start with a stock trading app. Most UK apps include tutorials, demo accounts, simple layouts and low minimum deposits, allowing complete beginners to learn to trade gradually.

Is it safe to store your investments in a trading app long-term?

Yes, for regulated stockbrokers. FCA-regulated platforms hold client assets in segregated accounts and cash may be FSCS protected up to £85,000. 

However, CFD positions carry higher risk and are not eligible for Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection. Long-term stock investors should prioritise FCA oversight, strong security and low fees.

FAQs

References

• https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/the-rise-of-armchair-retail-trading-risks-and-regulation
• https://register.fca.org.uk/