Both are FCA regulated and FSCS protected. The real differences are fees, investment range and how each platform feels to use. Here is the honest comparison.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Beginners who want a simple app and are happy with shares and ETFs.
Portfolios above roughly £60k where a flat fee beats percentage charges.
| Fee | Freetrade | Interactive Investor |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £0 on Basic; Standard £4.99/month; Plus £9.99/month (annual billing) | Core £5.99/month (up to £100k); Plus £14.99/month (no limit); Premium £39.99/month |
| Share dealing | £0 commission | £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) |
| Fund dealing | ETFs only, £0 commission | £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) |
| FX fee | 0.99% Basic, 0.59% Standard, 0.39% Plus | 1.5% on the first £25k, tiered lower above |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Included on all plans | Included in the monthly plan |
| SIPP | Included on all plans | Included in the monthly plan |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £2 | No minimum (£25/month for regular investing) |
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 TrustpilotLong-standing customers value the flat fee and the breadth of investments.
The 1.5% headline FX fee and occasional platform outages are the recurring complaints.
Read Interactive Investor reviews on TrustpilotFreetrade helped bring commission-free investing to the UK and keeps a genuinely 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%.
Interactive Investor charges a flat monthly subscription instead of a percentage. On a £200,000 portfolio, £5.99 a month is a fraction of what percentage-fee platforms charge, which is why ii keeps winning larger DIY investors.
The equation flips for small pots: £71.88 a year on £10,000 is 0.7%, more than almost any rival. Work out your portfolio size first, then decide.
A 0.2% fee difference is worth optimising. Knowing whether you are saving enough in the first place is worth far more. Delphina models your pensions, ISAs and investments and tells you where you actually stand.