Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.

Free trading money


So the main challenge for these platforms in future may be to keep hold of the customers they've lured in through the zero-commission share trading service by adding new features that complement their evolution as investors.

Top forex bonus list


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.

Trading 212, which was founded in bulgaria 16 years ago, has operated an online commodities and currency trading platform in the UK for five years. The firm became the first retail broker in britain to introduced a commission-free share dealing service in 2017.


Free trading money


Published: 07:53, 2 april 2019 | updated: 14:54, 2 april 2019


A new breed of investment platforms has cropped up in recent years allowing users to buy and sell company shares without incurring a broker charge.


Commission-free share trading is one of the latest exports from the US, where the rapid growth of zero-fee platforms like robinhood is eating into the margins of wall street banks.


At present, there are only two investment platforms in britain offering this: trading 212 and freetrade.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Both trading 212 and freetrade offer zero-commission share trading as a carrot to prise custom away from the more established rivals


They will have their work cut out to prise market share from big established rivals, such as hargreaves lansdown, which boasts £85.9billion of private investors assets under management.


And investors tempted by the idea of not forking out £10 or more in dealing costs every time they buy or sell shares are likely to be sorely tempted.


However, both services come without the bells and whistles of the big DIY investing platforms and with potentially limited investment options.



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The cost of buying and selling shares has fallen steeply since the start of the 2000s thanks to a digital revolution.


In the not too distance past, investors who wanted to buy and sell stocks and shares would have to do this through a stockbroker or a financial adviser who took a sizeable chunk of commission with every deal.


But times changed and online DIY investing platforms give investors the ability to buy and sell at their fingertips, whether from the comfort of their computer or even their phone.


The cost of buying and selling shares has fallen over time, but still remains sizeable at some platforms, with hargreaves lansdown charging £11.95, interactive investor £10 and AJ bell £9.95. Halifax-owned iweb deserves and honorable mention as it charges just £5


The fee-free share dealing firms


Trading 212 and freetrade both have an eye-catching offer designed to pull customers in: neither charges a penny to buy or sell shares.


But why offer this and who are these two firms?


For trading 212, it was a case of adding another string to its bow when contracts for difference (CFD) trading - one of its flagship offerings and main revenue driver -was hit by a regulatory crackdown.


A CFD is a form of derivative trading that allows you to speculate on the rising or falling prices of global financial markets, such as forex, indices, commodities, shares and treasuries. It carries a higher level of risk compared to conventional shares and bonds investments.


Crucially, investors do not buy shares but use derivatives to either simply mimic prices, or magnify moves through the use of leverage, as borrowed money is known.


New european rules, which came into effect in august last year, have reduced the amount CFD traders can leverage, as concern grew that big losses were being incurred by inexperienced investors. Britain's financial watchdog, the FCA is also tightening rules. These measures have trimmed CFD platforms's prospectts.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Trading 212 became the first retail broker in britain to introduced a commission-free share dealing service in 2017.


In the case of freetrade, commission-free share dealing, either through a standard account or isa, is the only service the digital broker currently offers. It plans to expand into new areas in future. It's free to open an isa account until july 2019. The cost will be £3 thereafter.


Both challenger investment platforms have adopted this model as a carrot to tempt customers away from established rivals, such as hargreaves lansdown, interactive investor and AJ bell.


The average commission charged by five of the largest online share-dealing platforms run at £8.31 per trade, with leading brokers such as hargreaves lansdown and interactive investor charging £11.95 and £10 respectively, according to DJB research.


Commission-free sharing dealing looks set to further disrupt a market that is already experiencing a downward pressure on investment fees amid regulatory pressure.


Where can you invest?


It's worth noting that freetrade's and trading 212 respective investment universe is relatively small compared to that of more established rivals.


A total of 335 stocks, etfs and investment trusts sit on the freetrade platform. The selection comprises of 122 US stocks and 136 UK securities - including 33 investment trusts and 44 etfs. The firm expects to increase this figure on an ongoing basis.


Meanwhile, trading 212 hosts more than 1,800 investment opportunities comprising shares in companies based in the UK, the US and in some european markets, as well as etfs.


To put this into perspective, hargreaves lansdown offers 1,643 UK shares, 7,184 overseas shares, 1,170 etfs and 386 investment trusts.


Crucially, neither trading 212 or freetrade allow you to invest in investment funds or individual corporate bonds outside an ETF.


Hargreaves, meanwhile, hosts 470 corporate bonds plus 7,099 funds from the UK and abroad.


Both trading 212 and freetrade offer an isa wrapper, but neither offer a self invested personal pension.


How do these platforms make money?


Ivan ashminov, co-founder of trading 212, told this is money that actual trading costs are less than £1, so waiving trading commission does not have a detrimental effect.


The charges levied on the platform's other services should more than cover a shortfall from these costs, he added.


Things to consider before moving platform


Investors are free to move DIY investing platform and should track down the one that is best for their needs.


However, they need to be aware of fees for moving from their existing platform and from one they sign up to if they don't like it.


Investors should calculate the potential annual saving they would make by switching and a reasonable expectation of investment growth under the new platform against the cost of moving and any exit fees.


Things like customer services offered by the respective platforms may seem like a small detail but can make the world of difference.


Trading 212 adopts a 'freemium' model - like mobile games that are free to download but have in app purchases - in the hope that some customers will shell out for additional services that it develops down the line, such as robo-advice on which stocks to buy.


Customers of newcomer freetrade can only trade shares without incurring a broker charge if transacted outside an isa wrapper through it's 'basic trade' service.


Basic trade means the buys and sells are aggregated and dealt around 4pm every day.


This isn't a huge problem if you plan on holding shares for a long time, but more experienced investors often want to be able to trade instantly at a set price.


Free trades are never quite free


There is no such thing as a free trade. Period.


This is because of a concept called the bid-offer spread, which is essentially the gap between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay you for shares and the lowest price a seller is willing to sell them to you for.


You will pay closer to the higher price to purchase a share and sell nearer the lower price.


The size of the gap depends on how liquid a share is, ie how easy it is to buy and sell, and larger companies therefore tend to have tighter spreads.


These prices are different to the mid-price, which is the one you will generally see quoted in market reports and headline share data.


At the time of publication, shares in tesco were trading at 234.05p, however, the offer was 234.1 and the bid was 234p. The spread here is 0.04 per cent. Another cost in buying shares is stamp duty charged at 0.5 per cent.


When buying a foreign stock, you'll also have factor in the cost of the converting currency. Trading 212 passes on the charge at the spot rate. Whereas freetrade charges spot rate plus 0.45 per cent on these transactions.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Freetrade was founded back in 2015 but officially launched its commission-free share dealing app in september 2018.


Will commission-free trading free trade last?


That's dependent on whether the model can pull enough people for these companies to make money off other things they charge for.


At some point, the platform's respective financial backers will want some return on their investment, and zero commission trading removes a major source of revenue.


Commission-free share trading is novel, but eventually investors might crave a more expansive investment universe, with access to more shares, funds and investment trusts.


So the main challenge for these platforms in future may be to keep hold of the customers they've lured in through the zero-commission share trading service by adding new features that complement their evolution as investors.


Both trading 212 and freetrade are legitimate digital stockbrokers, authorised and regulated by the FCA.


If either platforms ever go under, your investments are covered by up to £85,000 (up from £50,000 as of 1 april) under the financial services compensation scheme safety net.


The saying 'there's no such thing as a free lunch' certainly applies here. While basic share dealing services are free any bells and whistles cost more and there is the spread and tax to take into account.


Also, free trading may tempt you to change your investment style and invest more frequently than necessary. Doing so can increase internal costs and potentially hinder your long-term returns.


When weighing up the right platform to invest for you, it's important to look at the service that it offers, along with administration charges and dealing fees, plus any other extra costs.


DIY INVESTING CHARGES SNAPSHOT
provider admin charge charges notes fund dealing standard share, investment trusts, ETF dealing regular investing dividend reinvestment
trading 212 n/a - n/a free (investment trust trades unavailable)n/a n/a more details
freetrade n/a - n/a free n/a n/a more details
hargreaves lansdown 0.45% capped at £45 a year for shares, trusts, etfs free £11.95 £1.50 1% (£1 min, £10 max) more details
barclays direct investing* 0.2% on funds, 0.1% on other investments min monthly fee £4, max £125 £3 £6 £1 free more details
share centre £57.60 - 1% £7.50 min 1%
£7.50 min
0.5%, min £1 0.5%, min £1 more details

Free share dealing snapshot


Trading 212


Trading 212, which was founded in bulgaria 16 years ago, has operated an online commodities and currency trading platform in the UK for five years. The firm became the first retail broker in britain to introduced a commission-free share dealing service in 2017.


The service, now called, trading 212 invest, provides access to stocks and etfs across the world’s leading stock exchanges and currencies, including cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin, and commodities.


Trading 212 doesn't levy an administration fees on trades, the only costs to be aware of are the bid-ask spread and the foreign exchange spot price when trading shares overseas. Money held in an isa incurs no additional charge.


Freetrade


Freetrade was founded back in 2015 by adam dodds, a former KPMG manager, but officially launched its commission-free share dealing app in september 2018.


In order to offer fee-free trading, freetrade got an FCA licence and joined the london stock exchange in order to processes its own 'basic' orders in bulk each day at 4pm.


The online broker does not levy for trades that are aggregated and dealt around 4pm every day. UK and US shares cost £1 to trade instantly and a foreign exchange charge which comprises of the spot rate (the price quoted for immediate settlement on a commodity, a security or a currency) plus 0.45 per cent.


Isas are currently free until july 2019 but will cost users £3 a month thereafter. Transferring money out of either an isa or general account into a bank account cost £5 a pop. The bid-ask spread costs also apply.


Coming soon? Etoro and revolut


Etoro could be the next the latest investment platform to launch a commission-free share dealing platform.


Users will be able to trade 1,340 shares that sit on the platform without incurring a broker fee. A spokesman for the firm said the service will land before the end of summer and it won't cap users' amount of free trading.


Digital-only bank revolut is also building a commission-free trading platform on its app, its latest bid to use technology to undercut traditional financial services.


Revolut said users will be able to buy and sell listed stocks in seconds, without paying commission. The firm said the product would generate income from premium subscriptions, which will give perks to paying customers, as well as margin trading, securities lending and interest on cash held. No release date has been given.



Free trading money


Published: 21:52, 9 january 2021 | updated: 11:02, 10 january 2021


While a host of apps have brought the opportunity to buy and sell shares at no cost to the UK, some also offer the chance to bet on shares and other assets using high risk cfds (contracts for difference) - derivatives that can let people go long, short, and trade with borrowed money.


Investors and people trading shares on a daily or weekly basis have been warned about this latter element. Platforms must carry a warning on cfds about how many customers lose money when trading - and these often say that the number is greater than 70 per cent.


We explain what you need to know to tread carefully when looking for free share dealing.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Roulette? Critics say some websites are offering free share dealing but also promoting financial products unsuitable for long-term investing


Concerns are rising over the emergence of new-style online trading platforms that offer free share dealing but also encourage stock market novices to invest in complex financial instruments.


Critics say the websites, which offer free trading, are promoting financial products unsuitable for long-term investing – taking advantage of the fact that hundreds of thousands of britons are looking to better the miserly returns they earn on cash deposits.


While a host of apps have brought the opportunity to buy and sell shares at no cost to the UK, some also offer the chance to bet on shares and other assets using cfds (contracts for difference) - derivatives that can let people go long, short, and trade with borrowed money.


Meanwhile, research has shown that as many as 80 per cent of premier league football clubs have official sponsors that sell cfds and cryptocurrency, according to financial advice firm openmoney.


One expert says the new platforms are no more than online 'gambling venues', while others are keen for the regulator to step in so that novice investors do not end up losing money in highly speculative trades.


Some have already raised their concerns with the financial conduct authority.


One of the most popular websites is etoro. It has attracted half a million new customers of all ages in the UK in the past year.


A rival called trading 212 has grown the assets on its platform from £100million at the start of last year to more than £1.2billion today. Its app is now the third most downloaded free financial app on apple devices.


Natwest's online banking app ranks just tenth.


Both etoro and trading 212 offer free trading – unlike the traditional wealth platforms provided by the likes of AJ bell and hargreaves lansdown. They also let investors buy fractions of shares – attractive to novices looking to invest small sums.


The online marketing tools used by etoro are sophisticated. If you type 'how to start investing' into google one of the first results that comes up is etoro. Its platform is easy to use and ideal for those who want to gamble on bitcoin or another flavour of the month, such as electric car maker tesla.


Yet the array of complex investments it offers means that it is required to carry a disclaimer on its website: '71 per cent of retail investor accounts lose money when trading cfds with this provider.'


Cfds are contracts for difference and differ markedly from real shares (see box).


Why cfds are such a gamble


The cfds that you can trade on the likes of etoro are 'contracts for difference'. These are financial instruments that allow you to place a bet on whether you think an asset will rise or fall in value.


For example, if you think the share price of microsoft is going to rise you could buy a CFD that pays out if you are proven right. You lose money if the share price falls. The big difference is that you do not own the microsoft shares.


The attraction is that with a CFD you can use leverage – effectively debt – to increase the size of your bet. This means that if your prediction is correct, you make several times more money than if you had bought the shares outright.


However, your losses will also be far greater and in general, most private investors lose money on cfds.


The platform also lacks the tools needed to build long-term wealth. So etoro doesn't offer investors a chance to buy funds or investment trusts – the fundamental building blocks on which most sound portfolios are built – though it does offer exchange traded funds.


Nor does it offer individual savings accounts or self invested personal pensions – the wrappers that keep investments free from tax.


For traders who want a punt, know what they are doing, and are not investing for the long term, these websites can be fun to use.


But critics believe they blur the lines between what they do – and what traditional wealth platforms provide.


For example, trading 212 carries a table comparing its fees with traditional rivals such as hargreaves lansdown, suggesting they are of a similar ilk.


Two traditional wealth platforms, interactive investor and freetrade, have written to the regulator claiming that some of these new trading platforms are misleading investors by drawing them in with free share trading – before pointing them towards risky financial instruments.


Neither interactive nor freetrade sell cfds. Alex campbell, at freetrade, says: 'there has been an explosion in interest in share dealing and there are lots of positives and negatives as a result.


'but we are concerned when platforms offer free share dealing as a loss leader to get customers through the door – and then offer them risky financial products.' richard wilson, chief executive of interactive investor, says: 'it's fine to put a tenner on tesla for a bit of fun, but you wouldn't bet your pension on it.'


He adds: 'it needs to be quite clear when you go on to a website whether you are entering a gambling venue or a wealth platform.'



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Football giants cashing in, too.


Worryingly, as many as 80 per cent of premier league football clubs have official sponsors that sell cfds and cryptocurrency, according to new research for financial advice firm openmoney.


While the link between football and betting firms has come under scrutiny recently, risky online brokers have no restrictions on how they promote their services to fans.


Clubs including everton, leicester and crystal palace have a partnership with etoro. Until lockdown, it was hosting free trading lessons at stadiums. Leeds united has a partnership with FXVC, and chelsea with go markets. Both are CFD brokers based in cyprus.


Up to 88 per cent of FXVC customers and 44 per cent of go markets customers who invest in cfds lose money, they reveal on their websites. Anthony morrow, co-founder of openmoney, warns that cfds 'are no different to gambling with your cash'.


He adds: 'as a financial adviser, we'd say these complex, sophisticated investments have no place in people's financial plans.


'the fact that these high-risk investments can be promoted to football fans through club sponsorship and advertisements during matches without any restrictions is wrong.


'most people are unaware of the risky nature of these unregulated investments. I believe there should be far tighter regulations to stop them causing serious financial harm.'


In reply, etoro says that 85 per cent of its assets under administration are real – and not cfds – globally. It says it restricts access to CFD trading by asking customers to complete an 'appropriateness test' first. It says those who don't pass can't buy them.


Are investors right to buy british for better times after lockdown?


It's probably been the gloomiest start to a year for as long as many can remember.


So what happened? The UK stock market jumped, of course. Contrary as this may seem, there is some logic to investors buying into the hope that better times lie ahead.


On this podcast, georgie frost, lee boyce and simon lambert look at what the fresh lockdown means for the economy and why investors are choosing to look straight through it and develop a new appetite for buying british.


Press play above or listen (and please subscribe if you like the podcast) at apple podcasts, acast, spotify and audioboom or visit our this is money podcast page


But the mail on sunday has found a way that customers can circumvent the test: etoro allows its customers to 'copy' other investors on its platform, replicating their portfolios.


So, if you copy an investor who holds cfds, you will be buying them also, whether you have passed the appropriateness test or not.


While etoro says it does not let investors copy the riskiest portfolios, it admits some contain cfds. It told the mail on sunday: 'it's important people understand the risk. We're not here to catch anyone out.'


Holly mackay, of investment website boringmoney, believes regulation of this breed of trading website must be beefed up. She says 'they are regulated in the same way as traditional investment platforms. At some point the regulator must acknowledge there are a lot of people piling into high-risk investments and react with tougher regulation.


'these brokers are more likely to sell the dream of picking the next amazon, whereas traditional platforms are more likely to preach a message of diversifying investments. The latter is less sexy but also less likely to go pear-shaped.'


Mike barrett, a director at financial researcher the lang cat, agrees. He says: 'you can dress up investments as sexy, cool or exciting. But for most people the best option is a middle-of-the-road, sensible investment strategy that they stick to.'


Trading 212, FXVC and go markets did not respond to requests for comment.



Best free trading apps in 2021




Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.






Mobile apps became very popular. They make your life a lot easier. There is an app for everything now. You can buy flight tickets, book a hotel or trade on the stock exchange.


There are a lot of trading apps out there so, to save you time, we selected the best free trading apps for you. Apps providing free stock and ETF trading are gaining popularity, so it is worth taking a look at them if you don't want to spend fortunes on your trading fees!


What are trading apps great for?


Trading apps can be used for trading, learning, charting, finding trading ideas, and also for market data and news. Some of the apps offer all of these features, while others only a few. Don't worry, we have made trading app top lists for all of these features!


Trading apps are usually offered by financial companies such as online brokers or banks. These apps can be great add-ons to your web or desktop trading platform, but they can also be the flagship product of a company, for instance in the case of robinhood and freetrade.


We see trading apps as excellent complementary tools to web-based trading platforms and other financial portals. When you want to buy a stock, you can make fundamental or technical analyses on a computer more conveniently, but it's easier to follow the price of the stocks you've already bought through a trading app. You can also intervene faster via an app, when, for example, you quickly need to sell your stocks.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


And now, let's see the best free trading apps in 2021!


Best free trading apps in 2021
app approves clients from app score US stock trading fee
robinhood US 5.0 stars $0.0
trading 212 globally 4.9 stars $0.0
merrill edge US 4.8 stars $0.0
TD ameritrade US, china, hong kong, malaysia, singapore, thailand, taiwan, canada (through TD direct investing) 4.8 stars $0.0
freetrade UK 4.7 stars $0.0


Just to make it clear again: with these apps, you can trade stocks and etfs for free.


Besides the best free trading apps, we have also selected the best trading apps for charting, trading ideas, market data, news, and learning.


Best trading apps for other features in 2021
Name best apps score
best apps for charting a nd trading ide as
tradingview best app for charting 5.0
stocktwits best app for trading ideas 5.0
best apps for market data and news
investing.Com best app for market data 5.0
bloomberg best app for market news 5.0
best apps for learning
invstr best app for learning to trade 5.0
trading game best app for learning forex trading 4.0


Now, let's take a closer look at the best trading apps in 2021!



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Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Free bitcoin for you


When you first sign up to executium, you will be pleased to know that we offer all of our new users a free sign up bonus of 0.002 bitcoin. This free bitcoin is given to you, by us, to show you just how much each and every one of our new users means to us. It also means that you can start trading right away.


Enabling you to trade instantly


We give every new sign up this free bitcoin which is basically going to be a way for you to cover the commissions that are taken by us, during your early days of using our platform. This means that you do not have to initially deposit any money into the system, allowing you to trial executium without having to worry about losing any of your own money.


Make your cryptocurrency work for you


When it comes to the commissions we take, here at executitum we pride ourselves on taking one of the lowest commission fees in the business, at the very low 0.015% commission. This means that, should you put in an order for 1 bitcoin, then we would take our 0.015% commission, which would actually come off of your free bitcoin.


So, if you were considering signing up with executium and giving our platform a go, then why not take advantage of this free bitcoin offer and spend a little bit of time trying us out, before you realise just how great we are. You are going to love it.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


What is day trading with bitcoin?


A day trader is an investor who prefers to take advantage of the minor fluctuations in the token price that take place within the opening and the closing bell. This means that a day trader would close out all positions when the day ends and would start again the next day. By that time, he would have 100% cash position to purchase and sell. According to the securities and exchange commission, a day trader is someone who invests and makes same-day buy and sell transactions for at least 4 times in a 5-day time frame.


If you buy something from the market on monday and then sell it on tuesday, then that won't fall under day trading. Same day trading must be at least 6% of an investor's activity. To be a good day trader, an investor should make sure that they have a good understanding of the cryptocurrencies and bitcoin they are currently holding and how they have been performing, in order to give them a better understanding of when to hold on to them, when to buy more of them, and when to sell.


Some of the investors keep at least 2 accounts to separate the trading accounts. Doing this will prevent confusion, as they perform day trading on one account and intra-day trading on another account.


What is intra-day trading?


An intra-day trader is an investor who doesn't only limit themselves to same-day trading. Intra-day trading (or short term trading) doesn't have the same limitations and restrictions as day trading. Investors in bitcoin and cryptocurrencies can easily start this trading method even with a small amount of capital. The biggest notable difference between the two is that a day trader only profits on small price fluctuations while an intra-day trader profits by holding the positions for a number of days, hoping for the profit to be bigger.


Some suggest that intra-day trading is a lot less hectic than day trading, as you are not trying to get it all done within a one day margin, so you can relax a little bit more. However, those who are involved in trading will tell you that this is not always the case, as along with the possibility of bigger profits from intra-day trading, also comes the possibility of bigger losses.



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Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


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Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


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Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


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Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


What succesful cryptocurrency traders say about cryptohopper


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Average score from the google play store (21 nov. 2019)


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Meyer family | 11 nov 2019


"I'm very satisfied with cryptohopper and highly recommend it for day trading. It took me a while to get a strategy that worked for me, but it appears to have been well worth it. I recommend paper trading and backtesting extensively before using any real money. Once you master the initial learning curve, you will feel much more secure and confident that you can weather any trend or market. It will also be a valuable asset during the next alt-season and halvening events. Thank you cryptohopper team!"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Roshywall gurgel | 7 nov 2019


"great app. I don't understand cryptocurrencies very well but from what I saw in the demo you can profit. I will definitely buy the basic version to upgrade and profit."


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


"good service, powerful features, effective, affordable. Highly recommend. ��"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Soflow will | 24 oct 2019


"very easy to use and incredibly affordable. Get the free trail to test it and learn the ropes, then upgrade. I upgraded twice after one week and i still use both subscriptions. Awesome selection of options. Unlimited strategies, lots of free built-ins. Spend time to learn the fundamentals of technical analysis - you'll be glad you did. Crypto hopper will soon become your best friend. And weapon of choice!"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Chika moronu | 23 oct 2019


"took a while to get used to the settings, but once I got the hang of it, the app has been great"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Damion la bagh | 21 sep 2019


"the cryptohopper experience is simply amazing. Great instructions to help you on your way and s great community. The website is beautifully designed with full functionality. The app on the other hand is nice but it's not as full featured. It has the things you need to monitor your hoppers and basically interact but doesn't have the nice graphs, charts or settings to create new strategies like the website does. So one is still dependant on a laptop or computer to get everything set up 1st before"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Mitchell kemp | 3 sep 2019


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Galen grassi | 6 sep 2019


"so far for a begginer I'm enjoying this, got a lot to learn but it's a good platform with useful tutorials to assist you along.. I would recommend cryptohopper."



Free trading money


Published: 07:53, 2 april 2019 | updated: 14:54, 2 april 2019


A new breed of investment platforms has cropped up in recent years allowing users to buy and sell company shares without incurring a broker charge.


Commission-free share trading is one of the latest exports from the US, where the rapid growth of zero-fee platforms like robinhood is eating into the margins of wall street banks.


At present, there are only two investment platforms in britain offering this: trading 212 and freetrade.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Both trading 212 and freetrade offer zero-commission share trading as a carrot to prise custom away from the more established rivals


They will have their work cut out to prise market share from big established rivals, such as hargreaves lansdown, which boasts £85.9billion of private investors assets under management.


And investors tempted by the idea of not forking out £10 or more in dealing costs every time they buy or sell shares are likely to be sorely tempted.


However, both services come without the bells and whistles of the big DIY investing platforms and with potentially limited investment options.



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HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP


The cost of buying and selling shares has fallen steeply since the start of the 2000s thanks to a digital revolution.


In the not too distance past, investors who wanted to buy and sell stocks and shares would have to do this through a stockbroker or a financial adviser who took a sizeable chunk of commission with every deal.


But times changed and online DIY investing platforms give investors the ability to buy and sell at their fingertips, whether from the comfort of their computer or even their phone.


The cost of buying and selling shares has fallen over time, but still remains sizeable at some platforms, with hargreaves lansdown charging £11.95, interactive investor £10 and AJ bell £9.95. Halifax-owned iweb deserves and honorable mention as it charges just £5


The fee-free share dealing firms


Trading 212 and freetrade both have an eye-catching offer designed to pull customers in: neither charges a penny to buy or sell shares.


But why offer this and who are these two firms?


For trading 212, it was a case of adding another string to its bow when contracts for difference (CFD) trading - one of its flagship offerings and main revenue driver -was hit by a regulatory crackdown.


A CFD is a form of derivative trading that allows you to speculate on the rising or falling prices of global financial markets, such as forex, indices, commodities, shares and treasuries. It carries a higher level of risk compared to conventional shares and bonds investments.


Crucially, investors do not buy shares but use derivatives to either simply mimic prices, or magnify moves through the use of leverage, as borrowed money is known.


New european rules, which came into effect in august last year, have reduced the amount CFD traders can leverage, as concern grew that big losses were being incurred by inexperienced investors. Britain's financial watchdog, the FCA is also tightening rules. These measures have trimmed CFD platforms's prospectts.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Trading 212 became the first retail broker in britain to introduced a commission-free share dealing service in 2017.


In the case of freetrade, commission-free share dealing, either through a standard account or isa, is the only service the digital broker currently offers. It plans to expand into new areas in future. It's free to open an isa account until july 2019. The cost will be £3 thereafter.


Both challenger investment platforms have adopted this model as a carrot to tempt customers away from established rivals, such as hargreaves lansdown, interactive investor and AJ bell.


The average commission charged by five of the largest online share-dealing platforms run at £8.31 per trade, with leading brokers such as hargreaves lansdown and interactive investor charging £11.95 and £10 respectively, according to DJB research.


Commission-free sharing dealing looks set to further disrupt a market that is already experiencing a downward pressure on investment fees amid regulatory pressure.


Where can you invest?


It's worth noting that freetrade's and trading 212 respective investment universe is relatively small compared to that of more established rivals.


A total of 335 stocks, etfs and investment trusts sit on the freetrade platform. The selection comprises of 122 US stocks and 136 UK securities - including 33 investment trusts and 44 etfs. The firm expects to increase this figure on an ongoing basis.


Meanwhile, trading 212 hosts more than 1,800 investment opportunities comprising shares in companies based in the UK, the US and in some european markets, as well as etfs.


To put this into perspective, hargreaves lansdown offers 1,643 UK shares, 7,184 overseas shares, 1,170 etfs and 386 investment trusts.


Crucially, neither trading 212 or freetrade allow you to invest in investment funds or individual corporate bonds outside an ETF.


Hargreaves, meanwhile, hosts 470 corporate bonds plus 7,099 funds from the UK and abroad.


Both trading 212 and freetrade offer an isa wrapper, but neither offer a self invested personal pension.


How do these platforms make money?


Ivan ashminov, co-founder of trading 212, told this is money that actual trading costs are less than £1, so waiving trading commission does not have a detrimental effect.


The charges levied on the platform's other services should more than cover a shortfall from these costs, he added.


Things to consider before moving platform


Investors are free to move DIY investing platform and should track down the one that is best for their needs.


However, they need to be aware of fees for moving from their existing platform and from one they sign up to if they don't like it.


Investors should calculate the potential annual saving they would make by switching and a reasonable expectation of investment growth under the new platform against the cost of moving and any exit fees.


Things like customer services offered by the respective platforms may seem like a small detail but can make the world of difference.


Trading 212 adopts a 'freemium' model - like mobile games that are free to download but have in app purchases - in the hope that some customers will shell out for additional services that it develops down the line, such as robo-advice on which stocks to buy.


Customers of newcomer freetrade can only trade shares without incurring a broker charge if transacted outside an isa wrapper through it's 'basic trade' service.


Basic trade means the buys and sells are aggregated and dealt around 4pm every day.


This isn't a huge problem if you plan on holding shares for a long time, but more experienced investors often want to be able to trade instantly at a set price.


Free trades are never quite free


There is no such thing as a free trade. Period.


This is because of a concept called the bid-offer spread, which is essentially the gap between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay you for shares and the lowest price a seller is willing to sell them to you for.


You will pay closer to the higher price to purchase a share and sell nearer the lower price.


The size of the gap depends on how liquid a share is, ie how easy it is to buy and sell, and larger companies therefore tend to have tighter spreads.


These prices are different to the mid-price, which is the one you will generally see quoted in market reports and headline share data.


At the time of publication, shares in tesco were trading at 234.05p, however, the offer was 234.1 and the bid was 234p. The spread here is 0.04 per cent. Another cost in buying shares is stamp duty charged at 0.5 per cent.


When buying a foreign stock, you'll also have factor in the cost of the converting currency. Trading 212 passes on the charge at the spot rate. Whereas freetrade charges spot rate plus 0.45 per cent on these transactions.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Freetrade was founded back in 2015 but officially launched its commission-free share dealing app in september 2018.


Will commission-free trading free trade last?


That's dependent on whether the model can pull enough people for these companies to make money off other things they charge for.


At some point, the platform's respective financial backers will want some return on their investment, and zero commission trading removes a major source of revenue.


Commission-free share trading is novel, but eventually investors might crave a more expansive investment universe, with access to more shares, funds and investment trusts.


So the main challenge for these platforms in future may be to keep hold of the customers they've lured in through the zero-commission share trading service by adding new features that complement their evolution as investors.


Both trading 212 and freetrade are legitimate digital stockbrokers, authorised and regulated by the FCA.


If either platforms ever go under, your investments are covered by up to £85,000 (up from £50,000 as of 1 april) under the financial services compensation scheme safety net.


The saying 'there's no such thing as a free lunch' certainly applies here. While basic share dealing services are free any bells and whistles cost more and there is the spread and tax to take into account.


Also, free trading may tempt you to change your investment style and invest more frequently than necessary. Doing so can increase internal costs and potentially hinder your long-term returns.


When weighing up the right platform to invest for you, it's important to look at the service that it offers, along with administration charges and dealing fees, plus any other extra costs.


DIY INVESTING CHARGES SNAPSHOT
provider admin charge charges notes fund dealing standard share, investment trusts, ETF dealing regular investing dividend reinvestment
trading 212 n/a - n/a free (investment trust trades unavailable)n/a n/a more details
freetrade n/a - n/a free n/a n/a more details
hargreaves lansdown 0.45% capped at £45 a year for shares, trusts, etfs free £11.95 £1.50 1% (£1 min, £10 max) more details
barclays direct investing* 0.2% on funds, 0.1% on other investments min monthly fee £4, max £125 £3 £6 £1 free more details
share centre £57.60 - 1% £7.50 min 1%
£7.50 min
0.5%, min £1 0.5%, min £1 more details

Free share dealing snapshot


Trading 212


Trading 212, which was founded in bulgaria 16 years ago, has operated an online commodities and currency trading platform in the UK for five years. The firm became the first retail broker in britain to introduced a commission-free share dealing service in 2017.


The service, now called, trading 212 invest, provides access to stocks and etfs across the world’s leading stock exchanges and currencies, including cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin, and commodities.


Trading 212 doesn't levy an administration fees on trades, the only costs to be aware of are the bid-ask spread and the foreign exchange spot price when trading shares overseas. Money held in an isa incurs no additional charge.


Freetrade


Freetrade was founded back in 2015 by adam dodds, a former KPMG manager, but officially launched its commission-free share dealing app in september 2018.


In order to offer fee-free trading, freetrade got an FCA licence and joined the london stock exchange in order to processes its own 'basic' orders in bulk each day at 4pm.


The online broker does not levy for trades that are aggregated and dealt around 4pm every day. UK and US shares cost £1 to trade instantly and a foreign exchange charge which comprises of the spot rate (the price quoted for immediate settlement on a commodity, a security or a currency) plus 0.45 per cent.


Isas are currently free until july 2019 but will cost users £3 a month thereafter. Transferring money out of either an isa or general account into a bank account cost £5 a pop. The bid-ask spread costs also apply.


Coming soon? Etoro and revolut


Etoro could be the next the latest investment platform to launch a commission-free share dealing platform.


Users will be able to trade 1,340 shares that sit on the platform without incurring a broker fee. A spokesman for the firm said the service will land before the end of summer and it won't cap users' amount of free trading.


Digital-only bank revolut is also building a commission-free trading platform on its app, its latest bid to use technology to undercut traditional financial services.


Revolut said users will be able to buy and sell listed stocks in seconds, without paying commission. The firm said the product would generate income from premium subscriptions, which will give perks to paying customers, as well as margin trading, securities lending and interest on cash held. No release date has been given.



Revolut makes stock trading free for all customers: is now the time to invest?


Is commission-free stock trading worth it?


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


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Revolut’s zero-commission stock trading feature is now available to all customers, giving more people the chance to dabble in the stock market for free. But are there any drawbacks?


The roll-out comes a month after revolut launched commission-free trading for its metal customers, allowing them to buy and sell 300 US stocks.


Here, we take a look at how revolut’s stock trading feature works and caveats that new customers need to watch out for.


What is revolut?


Revolut is a london-based digital-only banking app, which launched in 2015.


It offers three types of account, all of which come with a prepaid mastercard that lets you spend abroad in more than 150 currencies, and exchange money in 29 currencies in the app.


Customers can opt for a free standard account, the revolut premium account for £6.99 a month or the revolut metal account for £12.99 a month.


Revolut expands its free stock trading feature


Revolut has now opened its free stock trading feature up to its standard and premium customers.


If you have a free standard account, you’ll be able to make three free trades a month.


Revolut premium customers will be able to make eight free trades a month, while those with a revolut metal account can make unlimited free trades a month using the feature.


Revolut has also added an extra 150 US stocks to the platform, including groupon and worldpay. This means that investors can now have a choice of more than 450 stocks to buy and sell.


There is no account minimum required, which means that you can buy fractional shares for as little as $1. This can be especially useful if you don’t have enough money to buy a full share in a company.


All customers will be able to download a monthly statement directly from the app too.


Is revolut’s platform completely free?


Revolut’s stock trading platform isn’t complete ly free. All revolut customers that use the platform will be charged an annual custody fee, amounting to 0.01% of their portfolio.


Standard and premium customers will also incur a charge of £1 for each trade made in addition to their free quota.


Since revolut only allows you to select from two US stock exchanges, your selection of companies to invest in will be limited. Trading US shares also means you’ll have to pay 15% withholding tax on any dividends you earn (plus you’ll need to fill in a W-8BEN form).


As you’ll be buying and selling in US dollars, you’ll need to pay attention to exchange rates. All currency transactions are made through revolut’s multi-currency wallet using their exchange rates.


Are investments FSCS protected?


Revolut is not a bank, and money held with revolut is not protected by the financial services compensation scheme (FSCS).


Instead, your money is subject to revolut’s safeguarding terms. According to those terms any money that you hold with revolut, will either be:



  • Placed into a ring-fenced account which is separate from the company’s own money

  • Invested in low-risk assets held in a separate account



This means that should revolut go bust, they have to repay you from the ring-fenced funds before they pay off other debts.


Neither revolut’s terms nor the FSCS will compensate you if the value of your investments falls.


How does revolut compare?


Compared with some of the leading investment platforms, revolut’s offering looks very cheap.


Hargreaves lansdown, for instance, charges up to £11.95 per order, though this falls to £5.95 for the most frequent investors. Others companies such as AJ bell, barclays and interactive investor charge between £4.95 and £10 per trade.


However, these fund supermarkets do give you access to a much wider range of investments and stock exchanges.


What’s more, unlike revolut, these platforms enable you to invest within tax-free wrappers such as a stocks and shares isa or a sipp. This means you don’t have to pay dividend tax or capital gains tax when you sell investments.


Some commission-free platforms offer isas, such as trading 212 and freetrade, as well as access to UK shares and funds.


Is commission-free stock trading worth it?


Commission-free stock trading platforms, such as revolut, can serve as a basic introduction to the world of stock-picking for people eager to ease into investing.


It’s important to bear in mind that the service and choice of investments offered by such platforms is much more limited than the leading fee-charging investment platforms.


If you’re just beginning to invest, it’s vital to do your research and invest in a variety of different assets, rather than putting all of your money into stocks.


For more information, listen to the which? Money podcast episode below where we discuss the pros and cons of free stock trading platforms.


You can also check out our guides on investment platforms and how investing works for more tips and advice.



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Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


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Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


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Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


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Create your own technical analysis to get the best buy and sell signals from your strategy. Popular indicators and candle patterns are: RSI, EMA, parabolic sar, CCI, hammer, hanged man, but we have many more. Your hopper will scan the markets 24/7 searching for opportunities for you. Read more


Simulate your trading without fear (or money.)


Practice daring new strategies risk-free while mastering cryptohopper’s tools. Even backtest your bot and your strategies, so you can keep tweaking until it is effective.


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


What succesful cryptocurrency traders say about cryptohopper


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Average score from the google play store (21 nov. 2019)


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Meyer family | 11 nov 2019


"I'm very satisfied with cryptohopper and highly recommend it for day trading. It took me a while to get a strategy that worked for me, but it appears to have been well worth it. I recommend paper trading and backtesting extensively before using any real money. Once you master the initial learning curve, you will feel much more secure and confident that you can weather any trend or market. It will also be a valuable asset during the next alt-season and halvening events. Thank you cryptohopper team!"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Roshywall gurgel | 7 nov 2019


"great app. I don't understand cryptocurrencies very well but from what I saw in the demo you can profit. I will definitely buy the basic version to upgrade and profit."


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


"good service, powerful features, effective, affordable. Highly recommend. ��"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Soflow will | 24 oct 2019


"very easy to use and incredibly affordable. Get the free trail to test it and learn the ropes, then upgrade. I upgraded twice after one week and i still use both subscriptions. Awesome selection of options. Unlimited strategies, lots of free built-ins. Spend time to learn the fundamentals of technical analysis - you'll be glad you did. Crypto hopper will soon become your best friend. And weapon of choice!"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Chika moronu | 23 oct 2019


"took a while to get used to the settings, but once I got the hang of it, the app has been great"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Damion la bagh | 21 sep 2019


"the cryptohopper experience is simply amazing. Great instructions to help you on your way and s great community. The website is beautifully designed with full functionality. The app on the other hand is nice but it's not as full featured. It has the things you need to monitor your hoppers and basically interact but doesn't have the nice graphs, charts or settings to create new strategies like the website does. So one is still dependant on a laptop or computer to get everything set up 1st before"


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Mitchell kemp | 3 sep 2019


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.
Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Galen grassi | 6 sep 2019


"so far for a begginer I'm enjoying this, got a lot to learn but it's a good platform with useful tutorials to assist you along.. I would recommend cryptohopper."



Revolut launches free stock trading: should you invest?


Commission-free stock trading could still cost you


Is fee-free share dealing any good? Freetrade and Trading 212, free trading money.


Share this page


Revolut has launched commission-free stock trading, allowing customers to invest in 300 US-listed stocks on the new york stock exchange and nasdaq – but is it too good to be true?


The london-based company made the service available to a select number of revolut metal card customers at the end of july and will eventually roll out the platform for all its customers to use.


Revolut joins an emerging market of online brokers such as etoro, freetrade and trading 212, that also offer commission-free trades.


However, commission-free trading, like any form of investing, doesn’t stop you losing money, and you’ll need to watch out for membership fees and taxes.


Here, we take a look at how revolut’s share trading platform will work and whether you should invest through it.


What is revolut?


Revolut is a digital-only banking app launched in 2015.


It offers three types of account, all of which come with a prepaid mastercard that lets you spend abroad in more than 150 currencies and exchange money in 29 currencies in the app.


Customers can opt for a free standard account, the revolut premium account for £6.99 a month or the revolut metal account for £12.99 a month.


How does revolut’s share trading work?


All revolut customers will eventually be able to make free trades, but those with the pricey metal account get vastly more free trades then the standard and premium accounts.


Revolut metal customers will be able to make up to 100 instant free trades in more than 300 US-listed stocks on the new york stock exchange and nasdaq. Customers with standard accounts will only be able to make three free trades a month while premium customers will be limited to eight.


Any trades made outside of the monthly allowance for any of the accounts will incur a £1 charge and an annual custody fee of 0.01%.


There is no account minimum required to be able to invest and you can buy fractional shares for as little as $1 – useful if you can’t afford whole shares in more expensive companies.


Being restricted to only two stock exchanges does, however, considerably reduce your choice of investments. Nor can you use revolut’s platform to buy low-cost tracker funds and investment trusts, which can help diversify your portfolio.


Trading US shares also means you’ll have to pay 15% withholding tax on any dividends you earn (you’ll need to fill in a W-8BEN form).


As you’ll be buying and selling in dollars you’ll need to pay attention to exchange rates. All currency transactions are made through revolut’s multi-currency wallet using their exchange rates.


Do you have to be an experienced investor?


Revolut’s platform is aimed at investors of all experience levels. Revolut hopes to develop news updates, price alerts, tutorials and guides to assist users with their stock picking and trading decisions.


A revolut spokesperson told which?: ‘investing in the stock market has been closed off to ordinary people for far too long, which has led to real problems for consumers as they search for effective ways to make the most out of their savings.


‘younger people, and those who have been priced out of investing, now have the chance to put some of the earnings or savings into stocks and shares, while fractional shares are central to the idea of making trading and investing accessible to more people.’


Stock trading is not necessarily the best approach for new or inexperienced investors, however.


You’ll need to spend time researching into the companies you’re investing in and keeping an eye on their performance.


Investing only in stocks – rather then building a diversified portfolio – puts you at huge risk in the event of a stock-market downturn.


Are investments FSCS protected?


Money held with revolut is not protected by the financial services compensation scheme (FSCS). Instead, your money is subject to revolut’s safeguarding terms.


According to those terms any money that you hold with revolut, will either be:



  • Placed into a ring-fenced account which is separate from the company’s own money

  • Invested in low-risk assets held in a separate account



This means that should revolut go bust, they have to repay you from the ring-fenced funds before they pay out to others that they owe money.


Neither revolut’s terms nor the FSCS will compensate you if the value of your investments falls.


How does it compare?


Compared to some of the leading investment platforms, revolut’s offering looks very cheap.


Hargreaves lansdown, for instance, charges up to £11.95 per order, which can fall to £5.95 for the most frequent investors. Others companies such as AJ bell, barclays and interactive investor charge between £4.95 and £10 per trade.


These fund supermarkets do, however, give you access to a much wider range of investments and stock exchanges.


Crucially, unlike revolut these platforms enable you to invest within tax wrappers such as a stocks and shares isa or a sipp. This means you don’t have to pay dividend tax or capital gains tax when you sell investments.


Some commission-free platforms offer isas, such as trading 212 and freetrade, as well as access to UK shares and funds.



  • Find out more: types of investment



Is commission-free stock trading worth it?


Commission-free stock trading platforms, such as revolut, can serve as a basic introduction to the world of stock picking for people looking to ease themselves in at little cost.


It’s important to bear in mind that the service and choice of investments offered by such platforms is much more limited than the leading investment platforms which charge a fee.


If you’re just beginning to invest, you should aim for a more diversified portfolio, rather than only investing in stocks.


Check out our guides on investment platforms and how investing works for more information and tips.





So, let's see, what we have: commission free share trading is one of the latest exports from the US, where the rapid growth of zero-fee platforms like robinhood is eating into the margins of wall street banks. At free trading money

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