Freetrade has the cleanest, most intuitive investing app and won the British Bank Awards six years running. Trading 212 matches it on fees while offering more investments and better features like Pies for automated portfolios. For a complete mobile experience with ISA, SIPP and managed options, AJ Bell’s Dodl app offers simplicity at low cost.
Most UK investors now manage their portfolios primarily through their phone. The best trading apps combine a smooth mobile experience with low fees, strong security and enough features to build serious long-term wealth without needing to sit at a desktop.
But not every app is created equal. Some are simply mobile versions of clunky desktop platforms, while others were built mobile-first and it shows. The quality of the app affects how consistently you invest, how easily you monitor your portfolio and how quickly you can act when opportunities arise.
This guide compares the seven best trading apps available to UK investors in 2026, focusing specifically on the mobile experience alongside fees and features.
What makes a great trading app?
A trading app needs to get five things right. The interface should be clean enough that you can check your portfolio and make trades without frustration. Execution should be fast and reliable, especially during volatile markets. Security needs to be robust, with biometric login and two-factor authentication. The app should support all the core functions you need without forcing you to the desktop site. And notifications should keep you informed about dividends, price movements and account activity without becoming intrusive.
Best trading apps at a glance
| App | Platform Fee | Commission | FX Fee | iOS Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freetrade | £0 | £0 | 0.99% (Basic) | 4.6/5 | Simplest experience |
| Trading 212 | £0 | £0 | 0.15% | 4.5/5 | Most features at zero cost |
| AJ Bell Dodl | 0.15% | £0 | 0.75% | 4.4/5 | Simple ISA + SIPP |
| InvestEngine | £0 | £0 | None | 4.7/5 | Passive ETF portfolios |
| IG Invest | £0 (3+ trades) | £0 UK/US | 0.7% | 4.3/5 | Advanced traders |
| Moneybox | 0.45% | £0 | N/A | 4.6/5 | Automated savings |
| eToro | £0 | £0 | 0.5% (withdrawal) | 4.2/5 | Social and copy trading |
1. Freetrade: cleanest investing app
Freetrade was built mobile-first and it shows. The app is arguably the best-designed investing experience in the UK, with a clean interface that avoids overwhelming you with charts and data you do not need.
Navigating between your ISA, SIPP and general investment account is seamless. Searching for investments, placing trades and setting up recurring orders takes just a few taps. The discovery section surfaces investment ideas by theme, which is helpful for newer investors building their first portfolio.
Since September 2025, the Basic plan includes a free ISA and SIPP with commission-free trading on over 7,000 investments. The main cost is the 0.99% FX fee on the Basic plan when buying US or European stocks. Upgrading to Standard (£5.99/month) or Plus (£11.99/month) reduces FX fees and adds features like higher cash interest.
Freetrade has won the British Bank Awards for Best Online Trading Platform six consecutive years, which reflects the quality of the mobile experience.
App highlights: Recurring orders via direct debit, themed investment discovery, instant deposits via Apple Pay, clean portfolio overview with percentage and pound gains.
Best for: Investors who want the simplest, most intuitive app for building a long-term portfolio. Particularly good for beginners.
Read our Trading 212 vs Freetrade
2. Trading 212: best feature-rich free app
Trading 212’s app packs more functionality into a free package than any competitor. Zero platform fees, zero commissions, fractional shares from £1 and the Pies feature for automated portfolio management give you tools that most platforms charge for.
The Pies feature is the standout for mobile users. You create a portfolio allocation (say 40% global ETF, 30% US stocks, 30% UK dividends), and every time you deposit money, it is automatically distributed according to your targets. Combined with automatic dividend reinvestment, this turns your phone into an automated investing machine.
The app provides real-time pricing, instant execution and a clear portfolio breakdown showing your holdings, gains and dividends received.
The 0.15% FX fee is the lowest available, making Trading 212 the clear choice for anyone investing in US stocks through their phone.
App highlights: Pies for automated portfolios, fractional shares, real-time execution, community feed, interest on uninvested cash, deposit via bank transfer (free) or Apple Pay.
Best for: Investors who want the most features at zero cost. Ideal for anyone who invests in international stocks and wants low FX fees.
See our full Trading 212 reviewTrading 212 stocks and shares ISA specifically. New users can claim a free share with our Trading 212 promo code.
3. AJ Bell Dodl: best simple ISA and SIPP app
AJ Bell’s Dodl app is a stripped-back investing experience designed for people who want to invest without the complexity of the full AJ Bell platform. It offers a curated selection of around 80 UK and US shares plus 30 funds, with a platform fee of just 0.15% and zero trading commissions.
What makes Dodl stand out on mobile is its deliberate simplicity. Rather than bombarding you with thousands of options, it presents a manageable selection of quality investments. The app walks you through setting up regular investments and explains what each fund does in plain English.
Dodl offers an ISA, Lifetime ISA and general investment account, with the ability to upgrade to the full AJ Bell platform if you outgrow the simplified version. The minimum investment is £25 per month or a £100 lump sum.
App highlights: Curated investment selection, plain-English fund descriptions, regular investing setup wizard, 0.15% platform fee with no trading charges.
Best for: Investors who find full-featured apps overwhelming and want a guided, simplified mobile experience.
4. InvestEngine: best app for passive investing
InvestEngine achieves the highest iOS app rating (4.7/5) on this list, and it earns that score through a focused, well-executed ETF investing experience. The app makes building a diversified portfolio from low-cost ETFs remarkably straightforward.
The DIY option charges nothing at all. No platform fee, no trading commissions and no FX fees since all ETFs are priced in GBP. The managed option at 0.25% builds a portfolio tailored to your risk tolerance with automatic rebalancing.
The limitation is the narrow focus: around 550 ETFs with no individual stocks, mutual funds or bonds. For pure passive investors, that is not a problem.
App highlights: Zero-cost DIY investing, one-tap rebalancing, visual asset allocation breakdown, managed portfolios from 0.25%, recently launched SIPP.
Best for: Passive investors who want to build an ETF portfolio with the absolute minimum cost and effort.
5. IG Invest: best app for active traders
IG’s dedicated investing app, IG Invest, separates the share dealing experience from IG’s more complex trading platform. The result is a cleaner mobile experience for buying and holding stocks, while retaining access to IG’s professional-grade research and charting.
Commission-free trading on UK, US, European and Australian shares (with at least three trades per quarter) makes IG competitive on cost. The app provides structured educational content through IG Academy, breaking down investing concepts into digestible lessons.
Where IG excels is the depth of information available. Each stock page shows analyst ratings, financial data, earnings history and news, giving you serious research capability from your phone.
App highlights: Commission-free share dealing, IG Academy education, TipRanks analyst consensus, advanced charting, cash interest on balances.
Best for: Active investors who make regular trades and want professional research tools on their phone.
6. Moneybox: best for automated saving and investing
Moneybox takes a different approach to most apps on this list. Rather than giving you a platform to pick investments, it focuses on making saving and investing automatic through features like round-ups (rounding up everyday purchases and investing the spare change) and regular automated deposits.
The app offers a stocks and shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA and pension, with investment options across simple themed portfolios (cautious, balanced, adventurous). The platform fee is 0.45% plus underlying fund charges (typically 0.12-0.30%).
The value is in the behavioural nudges that help you invest consistently without thinking about it. Round-ups, weekly deposits and salary day boosts all work to get money invested regularly.
App highlights: Round-ups from everyday spending, salary day boosts, goal-based investing, Lifetime ISA with government bonus tracker, pension consolidation.
Best for: People who struggle to invest consistently and want an app that automates the process.
7. eToro: best for social trading
eToro’s app is built around its social features, primarily CopyTrader, which lets you automatically replicate the trades of other investors on the platform. You browse profiles showing track records, risk scores and portfolios, then allocate money to copy them.
The platform offers commission-free stock and ETF trading with a minimum of $10 per trade. Stocks are held as real assets (not CFDs) when you buy without leverage. The social feed shows what other traders are discussing and buying, creating a community-driven investment experience.
The costs to watch are the 0.5% fee on withdrawals (converting back from USD) and a $10 inactivity fee after 12 months without login. eToro is FCA-regulated and offers a stocks and shares ISA through its eToro Money app.
App highlights: CopyTrader for following other investors, social feed and discussion, commission-free stocks, Smart Portfolios.
Best for: Investors who want social features and the ability to learn from or copy other traders.
How to choose the right trading app
For pure simplicity: Freetrade or AJ Bell Dodl. Both prioritise clean design over feature density.
For maximum features at zero cost: Trading 212. Pies, fractional shares, real-time execution and 0.15% FX fees in a free package.
For passive investing: InvestEngine. Zero-cost ETF investing with managed portfolio option.
For active trading on mobile: IG Invest. Professional tools and commission-free dealing for regular traders.
For automated investing: Moneybox. Round-ups and automated deposits make investing effortless.
For social trading: eToro. CopyTrader and community features for those who want to learn from others.
Security on mobile trading apps
All apps in this guide use bank-grade encryption, biometric authentication (fingerprint or Face ID) and two-factor authentication. Your investments are held in segregated accounts and protected by FSCS up to £85,000 per provider.
When using any trading app, keep your phone’s operating system updated, use a strong device passcode and avoid making trades on public Wi-Fi networks. Enable all available security features within each app, particularly biometric login and transaction notifications.
ISA investing through your phone
Every app in this guide supports stocks and shares ISA investing, meaning all your gains and dividends are completely tax-free within the £20,000 annual allowance. There is no disadvantage to managing your ISA through a mobile app rather than a desktop platform.
For a comparison of ISA-specific features, see our best stocks and shares ISAstocks and shares ISAs explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Freetrade is the most beginner-friendly app with its clean design, free ISA and themed investment discovery. Trading 212 is equally good for beginners and offers more investments with lower FX fees. If you are completely new, our guide on how to start investing (/how-to-start-invest) is a good place to begin.
Yes. All apps in this guide are FCA-regulated with FSCS protection up to £85,000. Your investments are held separately from the company's own assets. Use biometric login and two-factor authentication for maximum security.
Yes. Every app listed here offers a stocks and shares ISA. You can contribute up to £20,000 per tax year and all gains and dividends are tax-free. Since April 2024, you can hold ISAs with multiple providers simultaneously. Check the current rules in our ISA allowance (/isa-allowa) guide.
Trading 212 and InvestEngine are completely free. Trading 212 offers stocks and ETFs with a 0.15% FX fee, while InvestEngine is limited to ETFs with no FX fees. Freetrade is free but charges 0.99% FX on the Basic plan.
Trading 212 lets you start with £1. Freetrade has no minimum. InvestEngine requires £100 to open but you can invest from £1 after that. AJ Bell Dodl requires £25/month or a £100 lump sum. You do not need a large sum to begin investing.
Modern apps offer all the functionality most investors need. The only reasons to prefer desktop are if you require advanced charting, multi-screen monitoring or professional-grade order types. For long-term investing and regular portfolio management, an app is perfectly sufficient.
Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you invest. ISA and SIPP rules apply. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
