Head to head · data verified October 2026

XTB vs Freetrade

XTB wins our overall scoring by 0.6 points, but Freetrade still takes specific profiles.

XTB

Beginners · European stock investors

8.8

Visit XTB Read the review

Freetrade

UK ISA investors · Low-cost SIPP

8.2

Visit Freetrade Read the review

Pillar scores

XTBFreetrade

FeesXTB

8.98.4

PlatformsXTB

9.17.8

Trust & regulationXTB

9.08.8

Market rangeXTB

8.58.2

SupportXTB

8.67.3

Side by side

Criterion	XTB	Freetrade
Overall score	8.8	8.2
Founded	2002	2015
Regulation	FCA (UK), KNF (PL), CySEC (EU), DFSA (AE)	FCA (UK)
Min. deposit	$0	No stated minimum; fractional shares from £2
Fees	0% commission on stocks/ETFs up to €100k monthly volume; EUR/USD spreads from 0.8 pips	0% commission on all plans; FX fee 0.99% (Basic, free), 0.59% (Standard, £4.99/mo billed annually) or 0.39% (Plus, £9.99/mo billed annually); ISA, SIPP and Junior ISA included on the free plan; 0.5% stamp duty on UK share purchases; SIPP UFPLS withdrawals cost £240
Platforms	xStation 5, xStation mobile	Freetrade mobile app (iOS, Android), Freetrade web platform
Markets	6,700+ instruments: real stocks & ETFs, forex, indices, commodities CFDs	9,000+ UK, US and European stocks, ETFs, investment trusts, mutual funds, gilts and UK Treasury bills; crypto ETNs; no CFDs, options or spot crypto
Demo account	Yes	No
Best for	Beginners, European stock investors, Forex traders	UK ISA investors, Low-cost SIPP, Buyers of UK shares

Our verdict

Choose XTB if you want beginners · european stock investors · forex traders — its standout pillar in our scoring is platforms.

Choose Freetrade if you want uk isa investors · low-cost sipp · buyers of uk shares.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. A majority of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, XTB or Freetrade?

XTB scores higher overall in our methodology (8.8 vs 8.2). Freetrade can still be the better pick for uk isa investors.

Is XTB safe?

XTB is overseen by FCA (UK), KNF (PL), CySEC (EU), DFSA (AE). Our trust score for it is 9.0/10 — see the full XTB review for the reasoning.

Is Freetrade safe?

Freetrade is overseen by FCA (UK). Our trust score for it is 8.8/10 — see the full Freetrade review for the reasoning.