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.
Self-directed investors who want low-cost, no-platform-fee share dealing from a major UK bank.
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 TrustpilotLong-standing customers value the low flat-fee share dealing and the Lloyds Banking Group backing; recent reviews praise the move into the Scottish Widows app.
Common gripes are the 1.5% FX fee on US shares and the dated feel of parts of the web platform.
Read Scottish Widows reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | Freetrade | Scottish Widows |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £0 on Basic; Standard £4.99/month; Plus £9.99/month (annual billing) | £0 on ISA and Share Dealing Account; SIPP 0.25% capped at £16.50/month |
| Share dealing | £0 commission | £5.00 per UK trade (£0 commission on international, 1.5% FX applies) |
| Fund dealing | ETFs only, £0 commission | £5.00 per trade |
| FX fee | 0.99% Basic, 0.59% Standard, 0.39% Plus | 1.5% |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Included on all plans | No annual charge |
| SIPP | Included on all plans | 0.25% per year, capped at £198 |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free (CHAPS same-day payment £25) |
| Minimum to start | £2 | £50 |
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%.
Scottish Widows Share Dealing is the rebranded IWeb platform, now run by Halifax Share Dealing Limited inside Lloyds Banking Group. It charges no annual fee on the ISA or General Investment Account, £5 per UK trade and free regular investing through a Regular Investment Plan. For a buy-and-hold investor making occasional trades, the all-in cost can be very low.
The trade-off is the 1.5% FX charge on US and other non-GBP trades, which adds up quickly for global investors, and no Junior ISA. The SIPP is competitively priced at 0.25% capped at £16.50 a month. Compare it against Trading 212 or Freetrade if FX cost matters, and against AJ Bell or Hargreaves Lansdown if you want funds and full-service support.
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 on ISA and Share Dealing Account; SIPP 0.25% capped at £16.50/month at Scottish Widows. On dealing, Freetrade charges £0 commission for shares and eTFs only, £0 commission for funds, while Scottish Widows charges £5.00 per UK trade (£0 commission on international, 1.5% FX applies) for shares and £5.00 per trade for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
Freetrade is best for beginners who want a simple app and are happy with shares and ETFs. Scottish Widows is best for self-directed investors who want low-cost, no-platform-fee share dealing from a major UK bank. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On Freetrade's ISA: Included on all plans. On Scottish Widows's ISA: No annual charge. 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 £50 at Scottish Widows.
Freetrade offers a SIPP (included on all plans). Scottish Widows offers a SIPP (0.25% per year, capped at £198).
Freetrade scores 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Great) from over 7,000 reviews. Scottish Widows scores 4.6 out of 5 (Excellent) from over 13,000 reviews. Critical reviews focus on the 0.99% FX fee on the free plan and features being moved behind subscriptions. Common gripes are the 1.5% FX fee on US shares and the dated feel of parts of the web platform.
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 Scottish Widows charges free (CHAPS same-day payment £25). 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 Scottish Widows, 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.
Free to check. No card required. Takes about two minutes.