Both are FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected. The real difference is fees, account types and how each platform feels to use. Verified against each provider’s published charges.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Beginners who want a simple app and are happy with shares and ETFs.
Active investors who want professional tools alongside long-term holdings.
Tick what you need. No account, no email. The answer is on this page.
Tick what you need above and we'll tell you which of the two covers it.
Account availability verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Around seven in ten reviewers rate it excellent, citing the clean app and helpful customer service.
Critical reviews focus on the 0.99% FX fee on the free plan and features being moved behind subscriptions.
Read Freetrade reviews on TrustpilotExperienced traders rate the platform quality, charting and market access.
Lower scores than rivals, with complaints about account queries and the complexity of the product range.
Read IG reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | Freetrade | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £0 on Basic; Standard £4.99/month; Plus £9.99/month (annual billing) | £0 (custody fee removed January 2026) |
| Share dealing | £0 commission | £0 commission with instant currency conversion |
| Fund dealing | Free; FX fee applies on non-sterling trades | Not confirmed: check IG's site for fund availability |
| FX fee | 0.99% Basic, 0.59% Standard, 0.39% Plus | 0.7% |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Included on all plans | Free |
| SIPP | Included on all plans | Commission-free; administered by Options Pensions, £205 a year |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £2 | No minimum |
A 0.25% yearly fee gap sounds small. On £50,000 over 20 years it is about £5,900 (illustrative). Add your ISA and pension balances to Delphina yourself and see what your charges cost by retirement and whether you're on track.
See what my fees costIllustrative: £50,000, 5% a year growth before charges, 0.25% vs 0.50% a year in charges, no further contributions. Not a recommendation of Freetrade or IG. Delphina is guidance, not financial advice.
Freetrade helped bring commission-free investing to the UK and keeps a free tier that now includes an ISA and a SIPP. The app is one of the simplest ways to buy your first share.
The catch is the FX fee. On the free plan you pay 0.99% every time you buy or sell a US stock, which adds up quickly. If most of your money goes into US shares, either upgrade to a paid plan for lower FX fees or compare against Trading 212's flat 0.15%.
IG is best known for trading, but its share dealing account and ISA became far more competitive in 2026 when it removed custody fees and commissions. You get institutional-quality tools with no platform charge.
The 0.7% currency conversion fee is the main cost to watch on US shares, and there are no traditional funds. It suits confident investors; beginners will find simpler homes elsewhere.
Both are commission-free on standard share dealing, so currency conversion and plan fees decide the cost. Buying £1,000 of US shares costs £7 in FX at IG (0.7%). At Freetrade it costs £9.90 on Basic (0.99%), £5.90 on Standard (0.59%) and £3.90 on Plus (0.39%).
Freetrade includes its SIPP on every plan, so it costs nothing extra on Basic. IG's SIPP is administered by Options Pensions, which charges £205 a year. Even Freetrade's Plus plan, at £119.88 a year, costs less than IG's SIPP admin fee alone. You can usually access a personal pension from 55, rising to 57 from 6 April 2028.
Both offer a Stocks & Shares ISA and a SIPP. Funds (OEICs) are now available on every Freetrade plan. IG offers a Junior ISA, and also spread betting and CFD accounts, which are leveraged trading products separate from its investing accounts.
Freetrade tends to suit people who want a SIPP with no admin fee, or who buy enough overseas shares that a paid plan's lower FX rate is worth the subscription. IG tends to suit people who want a Junior ISA from the same provider as their own ISA, or the option of manual multi-currency conversion on overseas trades.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. Freetrade's platform fee is £0 on Basic; Standard £4.99/month; Plus £9.99/month (annual billing), against £0 (custody fee removed January 2026) at IG. On dealing, Freetrade charges £0 commission for shares and free; FX fee applies on non-sterling trades for funds, while IG charges £0 commission with instant currency conversion for shares and not confirmed: check IG's site for fund availability for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
Freetrade is best for beginners who want a simple app and are happy with shares and ETFs. IG is best for active investors who want professional tools alongside long-term holdings. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On Freetrade's ISA: Included on all plans. On IG's ISA: Free. Both offer a flexible ISA, so you can withdraw and replace money in the same tax year without using up allowance. Minimums are £2 at Freetrade and No minimum at IG.
Freetrade offers a SIPP (included on all plans). IG offers a SIPP (commission-free; administered by Options Pensions, £205 a year).
Freetrade scores 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Great) from over 7,000 reviews. IG scores 3.8 out of 5 (Great) from around 8,500 reviews. Critical reviews focus on the 0.99% FX fee on the free plan and features being moved behind subscriptions. Lower scores than rivals, with complaints about account queries and the complexity of the product range.
Yes. UK platforms accept ISA and SIPP transfers in, and you start the transfer with the receiving provider rather than the one you are leaving. Freetrade charges free on withdrawals and IG charges free. Transfer as cash and you are out of the market while it settles; transfer in specie and you keep your holdings but it takes longer.
Freetrade or IG, the account is the easy part. What decides when you can retire is how much goes in and for how long. Delphina works that out from what you already hold and what you pay in each month.
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