Best Trading Platforms UK 2024

Trading platforms have seen huge growth in The UK. Thanks mainly to the increased accessibility of the internet and computers and mobile devices all over the The UK region over the last 5 to 10 years in The UK for British traders.

A younger generation of British tech savy traders now see new more modern UK trading platforms that gives the average British trader access to not only local UK financial markets, but quick easy access to buying and selling of a variety of financial instruments on all major financial markets all over the globe from without leaving their homes in The UK. Many trading platforms available to UK traders give British traders the ability to trade on both mobile and desktop devices. Many modern UK trading platforms just need a web browser and internet connection and offer fast order execution speeds to British traders.

The financial center of The UK is London but many British traders increasingly have a more global outlook to the financial instruments they want to trade in. Many British traders now look to The UK and global stocks and shares, world fiat currency markets, cryptocurrency trading, commodities trading, ETFs and CFDS.

The UK does have the local The London Stock Exchange financial market for British traders to buy and sell UK securities. Although the Local The London Stock Exchange is there for British traders, more experienced British traders are actively looking to add a range of financial instruments to their investment and trading portfolios from financial markets all over the world not just The UK.

Although British traders still use the GBP, more experienced British traders are intergrating multiple deposit and withdrawal currencies into their UK trading strategies when British traders compare UK trading platforms.

Choosing The Best Regulated Trading Platform UK

Choosing the best UK trading platform for you can be overwhelming for new investors. The good news is that many UK investment platforms provide education, research, and trading tools to help you get started. We'll show you how to evaluate new UK trading platforms for example checking they are regulated and where you should begin.

All trading platforms in The UK need to be regulated by UK Financial Services Authority (FSA UK), The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), Financial Services Compensation Fund (FSCS).

Best Trading Platforms UK 2024 Table of Contents

Top UK Trading Platforms Compared

Best Trading Platforms UK List

Featured UK Trading Platform Account Features Trading Features

IC Markets

Used By: 180,000
Instruments Available: 232
Number Of Shares Available: 2,100
Minimum Deposit: 200
Platforms: MT4, MT5, Mirror Trader, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, Mac
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Losses can exceed depositsTry Now

Roboforex

Used By: 10,000
Instruments Available: 100
Number Of Shares Available: 53
Minimum Deposit: 10 USD / 10 EUR
Platforms: MT4, MT5, Mac, Web Trader, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Losses can exceed depositsTry Now

AvaTrade

Used By: 200,000
Instruments Available: 1000
Number Of Shares Available: 99
Minimum Deposit: 100
Platforms: Web Trader, MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGo, AvaOptions, Mac, Mobile Apps, ZuluTrade, DupliTrade, MQL5
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
71% of retail CFD accounts lose moneyTry Now

FP Markets

Used By: 10,000
Instruments Available: 100
Number Of Shares Available: 10,000
Minimum Deposit: 100
Platforms: MT4, MT5, IRESS, Mac, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Losses can exceed depositsTry Now

NordFX

Used By: 10,000
Instruments Available: 50
Number Of Shares Available: 0
Minimum Deposit: 10
Platforms: MT4, MT5, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Losses can exceed depositsTry Now

XTB

Used By: 250,000
Instruments Available: 4000
Number Of Shares Available: 1,696
Minimum Deposit: 0
Platforms: MT4, Mirror Trader, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: Yes
74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Try Now

Pepperstone

Used By: 89,000
Instruments Available: 100
Number Of Shares Available: 60
Minimum Deposit: 200
Platforms: MT4, MT5, Mac, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: Yes
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your moneyTry Now

XM

Used By: 10,000,000
Instruments Available: 1000
Number Of Shares Available: 160
Minimum Deposit: 5
Platforms: MT4, MT5, Mac, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: Yes
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 77.74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.Try Now

eToro

Used By: 20,000,000
Instruments Available: 2000
Number Of Shares Available: 2,042
Minimum Deposit: 50
Platforms: Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: Yes
76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.Try Now

FXPrimus

Used By: 10,000
Instruments Available: 130
Number Of Shares Available: 60
Minimum Deposit: 100
Platforms: MT4, Mac, Mirror Trader, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Losses can exceed depositsTry Now

easyMarkets

Used By: 142,500
Instruments Available: 200
Number Of Shares Available: 52
Minimum Deposit: 100
Platforms: MT4, MT5, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Your capital is at riskTry Now

Trading 212

Used By: 15,000,000
Instruments Available: 10000
Number Of Shares Available: 1,731
Minimum Deposit: 1
Platforms: Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.Try Now

Admiral Markets

Used By: 10,000
Instruments Available: 148
Number Of Shares Available: 64
Minimum Deposit: $100
Platforms: MT4, MT5, Mac, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Losses can exceed depositsTry Now

SpreadEx

Used By: 10,000
Instruments Available: 15000
Number Of Shares Available: 1,000
Minimum Deposit: 1
Platforms: Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Losses can exceed depositsTry Now

Axi

Used By: 10,000
Instruments Available: 100
Number Of Shares Available: 1,000
Minimum Deposit: 0
Platforms: MT4, Mac, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps
Negative Balance Protection:
Inactivity Fee: No
Losses can exceed depositsTry Now

Best Online Brokers UK Reviewed

What Can I Trade on UK Trading Platforms

Trading platforms in The UK have seen a have seen huge growth in the last 5 years.

Modern UK trading platforms are easy to find, use and install. The internet's expansion in The UK and the rest of the world, the improvement in terms of cost in The UK and speed has lowered the barrier to entry to UK traders. More people in The UK can now access these online UK trading services and begin trading in minutes. Trading has also been revolutionised by the internet for The UK people, which has made trading in The UK not only more convenient but also real-time.

We list the most popular tradable financial assets available on The UK trading platforms below.

Stocks And Shares on UK Trading Platforms

UK Stock market trading is the buying and selling of company stocks and shares, or other securities through a UK stockbroker and trading platform in The UK. Trading on the UK or global stock market is accomplished by placing a buy or sell order to your UK trading platform. A buy order is placed when you wish to purchase a security, and a sell order is placed when you wish to sell the security back to your UK trading platform.

Most people trade stocks and shares with UK online trading platforms. UK trading platforms offer more convenience for local UK residents than traditional brokerage firms that used to handle buy and sell financial instrument transactions by phone.

When trading stocks and shares on a UK trading platform, stocks and shares are the primary source of funds for companies listed on UK and global stock exchanges. Investing on a UK trading platform offers investors a stake in listed companies, as well as a share of that companies profits through dividends. The price of stocks and shares can go up or down depending on how the UK financial market perceives their value.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
UK StocksYesYesYesYesNo
US StocksYesYesYesYesNo
DE StocksYesYesYesYesNo
JP StocksYesYesYesYesNo
Penny StocksNoNoYesNoNo
riskwarningTry Now

Losses can exceed deposits
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Losses can exceed deposits
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Losses can exceed deposits
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Losses can exceed deposits

UK Fractional Trading

A relatively new trading feature for UK traders that UK trading platforms offer are fractional shares. A fractional share is a fraction of a full share of an equity stock. Stock splits, which don't always result in an even number of shares, frequently result in fractional shares. Fractional shares are not traded on the open market; they can only be sold through a larger UK trading platform brokers. UK trading platforms that offer fractional shares allow UK traders to buy shares with a lower barrier to entry.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Fractional SharesNoYesNoNoNo
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Losses can exceed deposits

Cryptocurrency Trading on UK Trading Platforms

In order to be able to trade cryptocurrency in The UK, you need a UK crypto trading account. This is where your UK crypto assets are held and perform a similar function to UK bank accounts used in the real world. You will need to create a crypto UK trading account if you are from the UK, so that you can start buying and selling cryptocurrency with ease.

Cryptocurrency trading is one of the fastest growing financial markets in the world today. It has grown exponentially over the past few years and it shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, there are now more cryptocurrencies than ever before and each exchange has an average daily volume that exceeds $1 million USD.

In order to trade cryptocurrencies from The UK, you first need to open a UK cryptocurrency trading account with a UK cryptocurrency exchange or crypto UK trading platform. You can then deposit cash from your UK bank or credit card into a UK trading account in order to buy different cryptocurrencies with USD dollars or other fiat currencies available in UK.

After you have purchased your digital assets on a UK trading platform, you can withdraw your UK crypto assets onto your local computer or store them in another software wallet that you have control of in The UK.

Make sure you trade cryptocurrencies with a well regulated and secure trading platform in The UK. If you decide to leave crypto on a unregulated unsecure UK exchange, be careful not to keep too much of your digital currency on any one UK trading platform as unregulated UK crypto trading platforms are known for getting hacked.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
CryptoYesNoYesYesNo
riskwarningTry Now

Losses can exceed deposits
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Losses can exceed deposits
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Losses can exceed deposits
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Losses can exceed deposits

ETFs on UK Trading Platforms

Most modern online UK Trading platforms allow trading in ETFs. Exchange-traded Funds (ETFs) in The UK are a type of investment that trade on an exchange just like stocks. The value of ETFs is based on the collective value of their underlying assets. Because they trade on an local UK or global financial exchange, ETFs can be bought and sold at any time on a UK ETF trading platform during market hours. UK trading platforms allow UK traders to purchase partial shares or full shares depending on the desired commitment to the investment and ability to pay for it.

Indices on UK Trading Platforms

UK indice trading platforms allow UK traders to invest in local UK Indices and stock indexes as well as indices on financial markets all over the world.

Financial market indices are used to measure changes in the value of a UK or global selection of stocks, bonds, or other financial assets.

The most common Global indices Markets include: the London Stock Exchange, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500), the NASDAQ Composite, and the Russell 2000.

Financial indices are also referred to as stock market indices or a stock market index. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is often referred to as the “Dow 30” or “the Dow,” while the Nasdaq Composite is also referred to as the “Nasdaq”.

When trading on UK trading platforms, financial indices are designed to show how a group of UK or worldwide stocks performs in relation to other market-traded stocks or indexes. Financial indices can measure stocks on an absolute basis or relative basis.

A benchmark index is a statistical measure of the value of a section of the global or The UK stock market. It is computed from the prices of specific selected stocks and reflects changes in their valuations.

Financial indices can help UK investors using UK trading platforms understand how markets have performed over time from month-to-month and year-to-year against local UK financial markets and markets all around the world.

Bonds on UK Trading Platforms

Bonds from The UK and all over the world can be actively traded on UK trading platforms.

Bonds are a kind of loan from individuals or institutions to the UK government. They help governments meet their borrowing needs and finance their local UK expenditures. UK Bonds can be issued as either long-term (20 years or more) or short-term (less than three years). These bonds are issued on behalf of the government by its debt manager, the Bank of Canada.

How do UK Bond Trading Platforms Work?

When you buy a bond on a UK trading platform, you're essentially loaning money to the government. When the government receives your loan, it will pay you interest on your investment until its debt is paid off; Usually after 20 years or more. You can choose to hold onto your bonds within your UK trading platform until they mature, sell them before they mature, or put them in a portfolio that automatically re-balances itself by purchasing more bonds when prices fall and selling some when prices rise, an approach called 'rebalancing'.

Commodities on UK Trading Platforms

When trading from The UK commodities trading is a way of investing in commodities through contracts. Some of the examples of commodities are gold, silver, oil, stocks and other goods that are traded in the public market. Modern trading platforms allow UK residents to trade commodities not only from The UK but also commodity markets all over the world across multiple timezones via commodity futures or commodity CFD trading.

UK investors have a choice to either go for futures or physical commodities. A futures contract is a standardised legal agreement between unrelated parties to buy or sell something at a predetermined price at a predetermined time in the future. Physical options are where you directly acquire some goods as soon as you agree to a deal; however, this requires more funds which is why many people prefer going for futures options.

Margin Trading on UK Trading Platforms

Margin trading on UK trading platforms have a higher profit potential than standard trading, but it also comes with a higher level of risk. The repercussions of losses are amplified when buying stocks on margin. A margin call, which asks you to sell your stock position or front more funds to keep your investment, may also be issued by the broker.

Stock CFD Trading on UK Trading Platforms

Trading traditional stocks and shares are usually better suiting for long term trading. Modern online trading platforms in The UK allow CFD stock trading.

CFD stock trading is where more experienced traders can speculate on a stocks up or down price movement using leveraged margin trading which allows a fraction of a traded amount to be placed with a UK CFD stock trading platform.

Stock CFD trading is high risk and you may lose more than your deposited amount with some UK trading platforms. No underlying real company stocks are brought on a CFD stock trade on your UK trading platform. A CFD stock trade is a speculative deal between you and your UK CFD stock broker platform on a stock assets price movement.

ETF CFD trading on UK Trading Platforms

When you trade ETFs as CFDs (Contracts for Difference), you are investing in the price of the ETF rather than the actual ETF. The market value of the financial instrument that a CFD instrument represents is used to calculate its value. Most trading platforms in The UK will allow speculative trading in ETFs through CFDs. Check you fully understand what ETF CFDS are as they hold risk and what CFD ETFs your trading platform in The UK specfically offers.

Commodity CFDs on UK Trading Platforms

Commodity CFDs although high risk due to their leverage feature, are a versatile tool for experienced UK investors. Trading platforms in UK allow CFD trading in commodity futures at a fraction of the cost of trading tradtional commodities. You can also utilise Stop Loss and Take Profit orders on your UK trading platform to automate trades, leverage to raise your position's exposure, and technical analysis to construct exact strategies. Understand that no underlying commodities are traded on your UK trading platform with a commodity CFD. A commodity CFD is high risk speculation using leverage on up or down price movement on a specific commodity between the trader and the UK trading platform.

Bond CFDs on UK Trading Platforms

Some trading platforms in The UK allow UK traders to trade Bond CFDs.

A bond CFD is a form of financial derivative trading. When you trade a bond, you are taking a position on the price of the underlying instrument and not purchasing the instrument itself. Bond CFDs use leverage which is very high risk.

The UK trading platforms sell bond CFDs, which are financial instruments. The reference asset for each Bond CFD is a specific UK or global bond financial instrument. The capital return of the instrument is the difference between the open and closing prices of the reference bond, which is what CFDs stand for. When trading CFDs, the difference is settled in cash, and no physical delivery of bonds is required.

Futures CFDs on UK Trading Platforms

Futures CFD trading is available on most trading platforms in The UK.

Futures contracts are standardized agreements or contracts with obligations to buy or sell a particular asset at a preset price with a future expiration date. Although CFDs allow investors to trade the price movements of futures, they are not futures contracts by themselves.

Futures CFDs are high risk leveraged trades on speculative Futures price movements up or down with your UK trading platform or broker. With a Futures CFD you are not trading any underlying Futures assets. Futures CFDS although high risk can have a lower barrier of entry than traditional Futures trading.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Stock CFDs11084006259,00065
ETF CFDs30505925050
Commodity CFDs202027620
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Forex Trading on UK Trading Platforms

Forex, short for foreign exchange, is the largest financial market in The UK and the rest of the world. Trading currencies in The UK allows you to take advantage of the swings in values in local UK and global currencies, and the volatility that occurs between different countries currencies. On your UK trading platform, UK residents can trade on these price differences with the goal of making a profit from speculating on price movements, or using currency fluctuations to hedge against losses in another investment position. All of this can be done on modern online UK trading platforms.

Different UK trading platforms offer different currency pairs available. All major currency pairs will be available on your UK trading platform, but if you need some more exotic currency pairs when trading from The UK, you will need to check they are available in your UK trading dashboard.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
ForexYesYesYesYesYes
Major PairsYesYesYesYesYes
Exotic PairsYesYesYesYes
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Trading Platform UK Features & Tools

UK trading platforms offer varying features and tools that help UK traders with technical analysis and financial market research. UK trading account tools can include a range of chart types, technical indicators, market news, advanced order types, trading simulators and faster order executions.

MT4 on UK Trading Platforms

MT4 is a Forex and CFD trading platform, which means you can trade Forex online with it. MT4 stands for MetaTrader 4 and it was developed by MetaQuotes Software Corp., a Russian software company that has been in business since 1999.

MetaQuotes is still one of the market leaders when it comes to UK Forex trading platforms, but there are other companies like eToro which also offer their own trading platform solutions.

While the basic features of MT4 and other similar platforms may look quite similar, there are some differences between them that you need to keep in mind before picking one or another. If you have used MT4 before and are happy with it check if your UK trading platform offers MT4.

MT5 on UK Trading Platforms

Unless your UK trading platform have built their own proprietary trading platform, your UK broker is probably using MT5 or MT4 as their trading platform for UK residents.

MT5 is a more modern version of MT4 offering more technical indicators to UK traders. MT5 has more technical analysis tools like depth of market which allows UK traders to view financial instrument bid prices across many global financial markets, not just the UK market. MT5 offers over twice as many timeframes on its charting tools to UK users. MT5 is not just for CFD trading. MT5 is a multiasset trading platform allowing trading stocks, commodities, futures, Forex and cryptocurrencies. MT5 is 64 bit and has been designed for speed. Check if your UK trading platform offers MT5.

cTrader on UK Trading Platforms

cTrader is a full-featured trading platform that Forex and CFD firms can provide to their UK clients. The cTrader platform is jam-packed with features that cater to most UK traders needs. If you are looking for a trading platform in The UK that offers automated trading facilities to users in The UK. cTrader is known for is popular accessible programming language. Check to see if your UK trading platform offers these features if you need this functionality.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
MT4YesYesYesYesYes
MT5YesYesYesYesYes
cTraderYesNoNoYesNo
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Losses can exceed deposits
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Losses can exceed deposits
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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STP Accounts on UK Trading Platforms

A Forex broker that offers Straight Through Processing of trade orders is known as a STP broker. These are brokers who submit the trader's orders directly to liquidity providers (big banks) for processing and fulfilment of trade orders.

STP brokerages can often provide tight spreads and cost of execution without the disadvantage of a dealing desk's higher costs.

ECN Accounts on UK Trading Platforms

A real ECN account is a pure order-matching execution system in which the UK trading platform charges a premium as commission per trade rather than artificially inflating the raw spread that occurs naturally during the order-matching process.

In liquid market situations, UK ECN accounts might offer tighter spreads and a lower overall cost of trading in The UK.

DMA Accounts on UK Trading Platforms

Direct market access (DMA) is an electronic trading strategy that allows UK investors to conduct transactions on UK trading platforms by engaging directly with an electronic order book. An order book is a collection of orders listed on UK trading platforms. UK DMA trading platforms displays prices and volumes and is a list of orders that records the orders placed on the stock exchange by buyers and sellers. If you require DMA trading in The UK check your UK trading platform offers it.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
STPNoYesNoYesYes
ECNYesYesNoYesNo
DMAYesNoNoYesYes
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Social Trading on UK Trading Platforms

Social trading is a form of investing in which UK individuals copy or mirror the trades or portfolios of other, more successful investors. Social trading allows you to invest in ways that were previously only available to a select few institutional investors – including hedge fund managers, investment bankers, and venture capitalists.

It can take decades for UK traders to build up the necessary experience and expertise to fully understand risk and make consistent profits on financial markets. With social trading, new traders can research and follow the trades of more successful UK and global traders.

It takes some skill to identify skilled traders whom you should follow closely on UK trading platforms. Fortunately, many UK trading platforms offer UK users trading tools designed specifically for this purpose. A social trading UK portfolio should be well diversified to help mitigate trading risks.

Copy Trading on UK Trading Platforms

Copy trading is a system that allows UK investors to copy the trades of other traders not only in The UK but all over the world. UK traders can either trade a specific financial instrument or the market as a whole. While it can be done manually, it is now common for UK trading platforms to offer copy trading on their UK platforms. Copy trading is offered by many UK brokers including eToro, but not all UK copy trading platforms have the same trading features and systems. The best way to find out about the details of how each UK trading platforms offers copytrading is to read each UK copytrading platforms user guides. eToro is the biggest social trading and copytrading platform in the world with over 20 million registered users.

If you do opt in for a UK copy trading platform, then it will generally be up to you which trades you want copied from other UK or worldwide traders and when those copies should be made. You will normally be able to choose between having one-to-one copies of every trade made by another investor on your UK copytrading platform or having automatic 'buy' and 'sell' copies made automatically once per day at a set time so long as there has been activity during that day in that option or market as a whole.

If there hasn't been any activity during the day (or no new positions being opened) then no automatic copies will be made on your UK trading platform until there is some activity again after midnight GMT/UTC time (the default time zone set by most brokers). It really depends on what your UK trading platform offers with their own system so always check first before making any assumptions with your trades.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
CopytradingNoYesYesYesYes
Social TradingYesNoYesNoNo
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Losses can exceed deposits
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Losses can exceed deposits
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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VIP Trading Account on UK Trading Platforms

Trading with a UK VIP account is similar to trading with a personal market analyst, but with the added benefit of lower UK trading fees and lower latency for faster execution for UK traders.

VIP trading accounts are preferable to normal accounts since they come with a slew of extra features. These accounts are open to both professional and individual traders of any degree who have a big amount of money to trade.

Many UK trading platforms offering VIP accounts offer UK users additional trading features including free VPS trading machines, hosting service, no deposit/withdrawal fees, private consultations with a UK personal account manager, exclusive seminars and events which may be available locally in UK or worldwide. UK VIP trading account features vary between UK trading platforms. Check to see what your VIP UK trading platform offers.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
VIP AccountsNoYesYesNoYes
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Auto Trading on UK Trading Platforms

Automated trading in The UK is a way of participating in financial markets by executing pre-set procedures for entering and leaving trades on UK trading platforms through a computer programme. As a UK automated trader, you'll combine in-depth technical analysis on global and UK financial instruments, with the creation of position characteristics like open orders, trailing stops, and guaranteed stops.

Many UK trading platforms offer APIs and programming languages allowing traders in The UK to make use of and add automation to their investment strategies. MT4, MT5, cTrader all offer UK traders access to automated trading features.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Automated TradingYesYesYesYesYes
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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UK Mobile Apps on UK Trading Platforms

Trading in The UK and worldwide financial instruments such as the stock market, cryptocurrencies, Forex, commodities, Indices, ETFs, and CFDs using a smartphone or tablet, such as an Apple or Android device, is known as mobile app trading. UK mobile trading apps have become more advanced as technology, software and the internet has progressed in the last 5 years. Trading in The UK a decade ago was previously mostly conducted through desktop trading, which was done using a PC or Apple Mac computer. No mobile app trading in The UK on UK trading platforms in now faster and easier. With the help of a variety of UK trading apps, a UK trader can purchase and sell financial instruments as well as manage a portfolio on his or her mobile phone.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Mobile AppsiOS, Android and WindowsiOSiOS and AndroidiOS, AndroidiOS, Android
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Trade Signals on UK Trading Platforms

Trading signals are instructions to purchase or sell a security based on a set of pre-defined parameters. UK Traders can develop trading signals on many UK trading platforms based on a range of parameters, ranging from simple ones like earnings reports and volume surges to more complicated signals drawn from previously generated signals and technical data.

If you are looking for a UK trading platform that offers trading signals, make sure you understand that they are very high risk. Check to see if your trading platform in The UK is well regulated and able to offer trading signals to traders in The UK.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Signal TradingYesYesYesYesNo
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Islamic Accounts on UK Trading Platforms

The UK Islamic Trading accounts in The UK are designed to allow UK traders to trade in accordance with the ethical principles of Islam.

The UK Islamic trading accounts reflect the Islamic prohibition against trading (“gambling”) by excluding speculative investments that include buying on margin or borrowing money to trade, and by only allowing certain asset classes such as currencies, commodities and stocks. However it does allow for certain riskier trades including options and derivatives.

The UK traders who wish to trade using a Islamic compatible trading platform available in The UK should be aware the Shariah rules for Islamic Financial instruments are set out in detail by the Accounting & Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI).

The AAOIFI have codified all aspects of these financial instruments including how they should be structured. These rules cover topics such as profit-sharing arrangements which protect returns from being used before earning them; one-year contracts which prevent speculation on short-term price volatility; regular payments on deposits which remove the element of risk from banks depositors; and interest rates which are not excessive. If you are looking for for a UK Islamic trading account check your UK trading platform offers these Islamic compliant trading accounts.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Islamic AccountsYesYesYesYesYes
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Losses can exceed deposits
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Demo accounts on UK Trading Platforms

A UK demo trading account is a type of account provided by UK trading platforms that are filled with fictitious virtual trading funds raning from 100k USD that allows a potential UK trader to test the UK trading platform and its features before opting to open a real UK trading account.

If you are new to trading it is essential you learn to trade first with a UK trading platform, before risking losing real money on a live UK trading account. Demo accounts are free on most reputable UK trading platforms.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Demo AccountsYesYesYesYesYes
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Financial Regulation on UK Trading Platforms

Financial regulation in The UK is the process of controlling and managing financial services in The UK regional area. It combines aspects of UK law, consumer protection and economics. Governments like UK often implement financial regulations to prevent industry abuse, ensure fairness and protect consumers from mismanagement or fraud for UK residents. UK and international financial regulators also control the amounts of risk that UK individual retail trading can take with their investments.

UK Financial Regulation

All trading platforms in The UK need to be authorised and overseen UK financial regulators including by UK Financial Services Authority (FSA UK), The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), Financial Services Compensation Fund (FSCS). Traders in The UK can also use online trading platforms that serve UK residents. Check that any online trading platform you use from UK is regulated by a major European financial regulator like the UKs Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Regulated ByAustralian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)Financial Services Commission (FSC) License 000138/437Central Bank of Ireland, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Financial Stability Board (FSB), Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM), Financial Regulatory Services Authority (FRSA), British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVI)Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Financial Services Authority (St. Vincent and the Grenadines)Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), License No: 209/13
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The UK Trading Platform Customer Service

Phone Support on UK Trading Platforms

For most trading platform users in The UK, it's more convenient to call a phone number and speak to an actual UK trading platform support person when we need help. UK trading platform phone support also allows you to ask questions in real time without having to wait for an email response. A real human from UK who is able to talk in your language can answer all of your UK trading platform questions, and if they don't know the answer, they can connect you with someone who does.

A good UK trading platform phone support person will not only answer your UK trading platform questions. A thing to note is that although a UK trading platform support person can help you resolve UK trading platform issues, they cannot and are not allowed to give you financial advice.

Live Chat Support on UK Trading Platforms

Livechat is the most popular method of contacting your UK trading platform. UK trading platforms that offer livechat support are able to offer answers to UK traders queries in often less than 5 minutes. Livechat sometimes is reserved for VIP UK traders trading in higher volumes. Check to see if your UK trading platform offers livechat to UK traders.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Live ChatNoNoYesYesNo
PhoneNoYesYesYesNo
EmailYesYesYesYesYes
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Losses can exceed deposits
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Losses can exceed deposits

UK Trading Platform Minimum Deposits

UK trading platform minimum deposits usually range from $0 up to $1000 dollars plus depending on the type of UK trading account (i.e., margin vs non-margin).

UK trading platforms set minimum deposit requirements that vary for each account depending on the type of trading and features you require for your UK trading account. Many UK trading accounts offer low minimum deposits and commission fee trading. If you require margin based trading or more advanced trading tools and features you may need a UK trading platform which requires a greater minimum despost.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Min Deposit20010 USD / 10 EUR10010010
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Losses can exceed deposits

Does It Matter How Many Traders My UK Trading Platform Has?

One benefit to trading with a large volume UK trading platform with a larger amount of users, is that you have access to more liquidity from other traders on the UK trading platform looking to invest in your chosen financial asset whether is stocks, currency, crypto or commodities. You can buy or sell with greater confidence knowing that there is a great chance there someone else on either side of your trade looking to take advantage of changes in the financial markets. eToro for example has over 20 million registered traders.

In addition, if you want your money quickly, high volume The UK trading platforms will offer quick settlement times as well as fast execution speeds on their UK trading platforms. When placing an order with a lower volume UK trading, it may take longer for your transaction to complete since only a handful of people use their UK trading platform leading to an increased risk in the financial markets changing while waiting for confirmation of a buy or sell order on your UK trading platform.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Usedby180000100002000001000010000
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Losses can exceed deposits

Educational Resources on UK Trading Platforms

Many of the more established UK trading platforms offer UK traders a range of learning and educational resources that UK traders can use to learn more about UK trading platform trading tools and technical analysis and financial market search. These educational resources on UK trading platforms can range from how to trading videos, market research article guides, trading webinars, free courses and podcasts. See what your shortlisted UK trading platforms are able to offer you.

Trading Platforms UK Trading Fees Explained

Make sure you are fully aware of all the fees and commissions that your short listed UK trading platforms charge. Check and compare the fees that The UK trading platforms that you decided upon charge. Some trading platforms in The UK may charge monthly fees for having accounts open with them but some are free or charge very little if any at all.

Paying additional fees on your UK trading platform may be necessary in you require some more advanced trading tools. But if you do not require these tools pick a UK trading platform without these fees.

UK Share Dealing Fees

There is a charge for each purchase and sell transaction you make on a UK trading platform for shares on the local UK and global stock markets.

Generally on UK trading platforms, the lesser the cost, the larger the share transaction. A minimal fee is charged by UK trading platforms. Fees of stocks and shares vary from 0.1% to 3%. Depending on your UK trading platform share dealing fees might be as low as 0.1 percent for larger trades.

UK Trading Commission

Trading commission is the amount charged by the UK trading platform to execute a trade. The amount of commission charged by different UK trading platforms varies depending on the asset traded and the type of service provided. Check you understand and are happy with your shortlisted UK trading platform trading commissions before trading.

UK Spreads

When Trading on a UK trading platform the difference between the bid and ask prices for a currency pair is called a spread. In forex, spreads are typically much smaller than in other markets like equities or commodities. If you trade with a more liquid UK trading platform with larger user bases the spreads should generally be better. Check you undertand your UK trading platforms spreads well before trading.

UK Trading Platform Fees

UK Overnight Financing Fees

When trading on a UK trading platform using a leveraged trading you may have to pay an overnight financing fee. Overnight financing is a price you pay to keep a trading position open overnight on leveraged transactions; It's effectively an interest payment to cover the cost of the leverage you're using overnight. Positions with no fixed expiration date are subject to overnight financing charges. Check what overnight fees your UK trading platform charges if you are planning to use leverage trading.

If you're trading CFDs on a UK trading platform, you may have to pay an overnight finance cost if you keep your trade open past a specific period. Because of overnight fees CFDs that are charged by all UK trading platforms, they are better suited for short-term trading strategies.

UK Trading Platform Transaction Fees

Some UK trading platforms allow you to deposit and withdraw funds fee-free, while others will implement a charge. This might be based on your chosen payment method or because you are using a UK trading platform that is denominated in a currency other than the currency of your UK bank account. One currency has to be converted to another which may incur a fee.

UK Trading Platform Inactivity Fees

Certain UK trading platforms may charge a fee if your account remains inactive for a certain amount of time. If you are no longer using your UK trading account or forget about it, check you are not liable for any inactivity fees. If you are no longer using your UK trading account be sure to contact support and close your UK trading platform account.

UK Forex Trading Fees

UK trading platforms do not offer free Forex trading. When you trade Forex, you can expect to pay a fee no matter what your trading strategy is, through spreads. The Forex spreads fees differ with each UK trading platform. Some are more competitive than other UK trading platforms. Some UK trading platforms charge a fixed spread while other UK trading platforms change a variable spread. Fixed spreads are are determined by the UK trading platform and remain constant regardless of market conditions or volatility. Fixed spreads allow you to plan your investment strategy by knowing your spread cost ahead of time. Variable spreads may for experienced traders be beneficial if a financial market is less volatile depending on the investment strategy and goals.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Withdrawal FeeNoYesNoNoNo
Deposit FeeVariesNoNoYesNo
Inactivity FeesNoNoNoNoNo
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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UK Trading Account Payment Methods

When trading with a UK trading platform online, there are a variety of payment options accessible to UK traders; Depending on which UK trading plaforms you shortlist each will have different deposit and withdrawal methods. Each trade payment option has its own set of benefits and cons in terms of costs, processing times, and limits.

Some traders consider the time it takes to execute a payment to be critical, while others are content to wait a few days. Similarly, transaction costs may be more or less essential depending on whether you will make numerous little transactions or fewer, larger ones.

The funding and withdrawal methods a UK Trading Plaform offers is very important when trading. The number of payment methods available to British traders is increasing every month.

Popular payment methods available on UK Trading Plaforms include UK Bank Transfers, UK Debit Cards, UK Credit Cards, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, Rapid Transfer, iDeal, Klarna and Poli. Funding and withdrawal payment methods differ from broker to broker in The UK.

NameIC MarketsRoboforexAvaTradeFP MarketsNordFX
Payment MethodsBPAY, Credit Card, FasaPay, Giropay, Mastercard, Neteller, PayPal, POLi, QIWI, Rapid Transfer, Skrill, UnionPay, Visa, Wire Transfer, Yandex MoneyADVcash, Alipay, Bitcoin Payments, Cashu, FasaPay, Giropay, iDeal, MoneyGram, Neteller, Perfect Money, POLi, QIWI, Rapid Transfer, SafeCharge, Skrill, Sofort, Trustly, Vietcombank Transfer, Visa, Webmoney, WeChat Pay, Wire Transfer, Yandex MoneyBitcoin Payments, Credit Card, Debit Card, FasaPay, JCB Card, Mastercard, MoneyGram, Perfect Money, Skrill, Swift, Webmoney, Western Union, Wire TransferBPAY, Credit Card, FasaPay, Neteller, PayPal, POLi, Skrill, Visa, Wire TransferCashu, Perfect Money, QIWI, Yandex Money
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Losses can exceed deposits
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71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
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Losses can exceed deposits
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Losses can exceed deposits

How to Open a UK Trading Account

Step 1: Open a UK Trading Account

When opening a UK trading account. Set up two factor authentication as well as a strong password; we recommend using Google Authenticator for extra security; Make sure that email addresses associated with your UK trading account are verified.

Verifying your The UK trading account will you to access your withdrawal history should any issues arise in future;

Step 2: Confirm Your UK Identity

Online trading platforms UK, require a UK resident to have a verified UK account with them before they will let you trade on their UK trading platform.

UK trading accounts will require some form of identify verification such as UK social security number or equivalent, UK drivers license or UK passport. You will not be able to trade on your selected UK trading platform until you have passed verification checks. This is due to the financial regulation UK trading platforms have to adhere too. Verification of your UK trading account may take 2-10 working days but may be faster.

Step 3: Deposit Funds To Your UK Trading Platform

UK trading platforms offer a wide range of deposit funding methods before you begin trading. Pick a deposit method that you are most comfortable with. Remember to keep your UK trading platform minimum deposit requirements in mind when opening your new UK trading account. The minimum deposit requirement amounts may vary depending on the type of UK trading account you decide to open.

Step 4: Research a Financial Instrument To Trade On Your UK Trading Platform

Research financial instrument is one of the most difficult parts of trading on a UK trading platform. Experienced traders have spent years learning how to understand market sentiment using technical analysis and charting tools. To use a UK trading platform effectively you will have to spend time to understand how these tools work.

One of the most important things you can do when researching a financial asset on a UK trading platform, is to look at financial statements, annual reports and historical price data. You need to have a good understanding of how your financial instrument makes money, what they spend their money on, and more importantly, the financial markets sentiment towards the financial instrument. A UK trading platform will offer market research tools but you must use your own judgement and understand what you are doing.

Step 5: Place a Trade

Create a watchlist or browse the financial markets on your chosen UK trading platform.

Open the chart of the financial asset you want to invest in.

Your UK trading platform will have a range of tradable financial instruments available. Whether it's a stock, commodity, currency pair, or crypto asset your have selected on your UK trading platform, click 'Buy' or 'Sell' for the desired financial asset.

Enter the number of units you want to buy or sell. Set up your Take Profit and Stop Loss levels on your UK trading platform. If you do not know what risk management strategies are learn about them before trading on a UK trading platform.

Before you click buy make sure you understand the trading risks and know clearly what you are doing. Do not trade with money you cannot afford to lose. Trading on the financial markets on a UK trading platform holds risks. Click on the Buy Trade button.

On your chosen UK trading platform, your trade will be sent for order execution by your UK trading platform immediately.

Best Trading Platforms UK Verdict

Their has been a huge growth in online trading in The UK. New UK trading platforms have seen their user bases see huge spikes in registrations over the last 2 years as new traders embrace trading online in The UK.

Modern UK trading platforms are good because they offer both the traditional financial instruments like stocks and shares, Forex and commodities and the futures markets along with new financial markets like cryptocurrencies and higher risk leveraged trading options like CFDs.

Modern online trading platforms in The UK offer UK traders access to thousands of tradable financial assets in multiple asset classes on financial markets not just in The UK, but all over the world. Modern UK trading platforms offer very advanced trading tools, all available online, through a mobile app or even as downloadable software. Mordern UK traders can easily place buy and sell orders from just there mobile devices anywhere in the world.

Best Trading Platforms UK 2024 Frequently Asked Questions

We answer the most frequently asked UK trading platform questions below.

What is the best trading platform in The UK?

The best UK trading platforms is eToro. eToro has the worlds most advanced online social trading platform with 0% commissions charged on real stocks.

What is the best platform for beginners in The UK?

Here are some of the best trading platforms for beginners in The UK: eToro - best for following more experienced traders. XTB - Low fees, good tools and fast account opening. Avatrade - Great research tools and free withdrawal and deposit options.

What is the safest UK Trading Platform?

eToro is among the safest trading platforms in The UK as they are heavily regulated.

What can I trade on UK Trading Platforms?

UK trading platforms allowing trading in stocks, commodities, futures, ETFs, CFDs, Forex and cryptocurrencies.


Best Stock Trading Apps UK Reviews

We also have in depth reviews of each of the best UK trading platform reviews listed below.

Best Trading Platforms UK Reviews

We also have in depth reviews of each of the best UK trading platform reviews listed below.

Best Trading Platforms UK Alternatives

We also have in depth guides of the best UK alternative trading platforms for each UK broker below.

Ashly Chole - Senior Finance & Technology Editor

Best Trading Platforms UK 2024 guide updated 15/03/24