14 Best Investment Apps UK for Beginners 2024

If you’re looking to invest in stocks and other assets on your mobile phone – most online brokers offer an app.

In this guide, we compare the best investment apps in the UK for 2024. Read on to discover which investment apps offer the lowest fees, best range of markets, and overall top user experience.

Best for beginners

eToro

9.5

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• Ideal for beginner investors
• Copy trade successful investors
• Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Forex, Indices, Commodities

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Best for 0% commission

XTB

9.3

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• Free demo account
• 0% commission on all supported assets
• Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Indices and Commodities

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Best for leverage trading

Avatrade

9.1

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• Spread bet more than 1,000 markets
• 0% commission on all supported assets
• Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Indices, Commodities and Bonds

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eToro, XTB and Avatrade are multi-asset investment platforms. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

Best Investment Apps for Beginners Reviewed

This section reviews the best investment apps in the UK for 2024. You’ll find information on what assets and markets each app supports, plus trading fees, minimum deposit requirements, and other important data.

1. eToro – Overall Best Investment App for Beginners

If you’re searching for the best investment apps for beginners; look no further than eToro. Available on iOS and Android – as well as online, eToro is used by over 30 million investors.

The eToro app is very user-friendly. You won’t need any prior experience to get started, let alone buy and sell assets. Furthermore, eToro has a very low minimum deposit requirement of $10, which is about £8. British investors can easily deposit funds with a UK debit card. E-wallets and bank transfers are also accepted.

Irrespective of your preferred markets, you’ll find them on the eToro investment app. If you’re interested in stocks, eToro supports more than 3,000 companies. This includes all FTSE 100 constituents, such as HSBC, AstraZeneca, Shell, Unilever, BP, and Rio Tinto. If you’re more interested in international stocks, eToro offers access to the US, European, and Asian markets.

In the US, you buy Amazon shares, as well as Apple, Tesla, Alphabet, Bank of America, and many others. Popular European stocks include Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, L’Oreal, and SAP. In addition to stocks, the eToro investment app also supports ETFs. This includes index funds like the FTSE 100 and Dow Jones.

However, the availability of the above instruments varies depending on the region you are trading from.

In addition, eToro is also one of the best Bitcoin brokers in the UK. Its app allows you to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and dozens of other popular altcoins. When it comes to trading fees, eToro is one of the most affordable investment apps around. You can buy and sell stocks and ETFs without paying any commission. Not only in the UK, but all supported international markets.

Moreover, if you’re trading cryptocurrencies, you’ll only pay a 1% commission. What’s more, eToro waivers the 0.5% stamp duty tax when you invest in UK stocks.

If you’re a complete beginner, you might like eToro’s smart portfolios. These are baskets of stocks that are hand-picked and managed by the eToro team. Each smart portfolio targets a specific market, such as growth stocks or dividend stocks. Either way, smart portfolios allow you to invest passively. Copy trading is also popular with UK investors. You’ll pick a successful trader to ‘copy’ and all future positions will be mirrored in your own portfolio.

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. 

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

2. XTB – Trade Thousands of Assets With Leverage at 0% Commission  

XTB is one of the best investment apps for active traders. It specializes in CFDs, so you can trade assets without taking ownership. Instead, you simply need to decide whether the asset will rise (long order) or fall (short order) in value. XTB supports thousands of markets, so you’ll never be short of trading opportunities.

For example, it supports over 2,100 stocks and ETFs from multiple markets. If you’re interested in UK stocks, you’ll find everything from Asos, BP, Royal Mail, EasyJet, and Rolls-Royce. Plenty of US stocks are supported too, such as Johnson & Johnson, Amazon, Microsoft, and Ford. You can also trade stocks from Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and other leading European exchanges.

XTB is also one of the best investment apps for trading commodities. It supports oil, natural gas, gold, silver, cattle, cocoa, and coffee. As one of the most popular UK forex brokers, XTB also supports dozens of forex pairs, such as GBP/USD and EUR/USD. Like all CFD brokers, XTB doesn’t allow UK traders to speculate on cryptocurrencies. Nonetheless, XTB makes up for this with industry-leading trading fees.

For instance, all UK and international markets can be accessed commission-free. You’ll also benefit from competitive spreads and fee-free deposits and withdrawals (excluding e-wallets). There are no ongoing account fees either. Moreover, we like that XTB offers leverage on all supported markets. You’ll get up to 1:5 when trading stocks. Commodities can be traded at 1:20 and forex at 1:30.

Put simply, leverage allows you to trade with more money than you have in your XTB account. XTB also offers a free demo account, should you wish to practice CFD trading with virtual funds. You can switch to a real money account at any time. There’s no minimum deposit requirement to meet at XTB and you can fund your account with a UK debit/credit card, e-wallet, or bank transfer.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

3. AvaTrade – Popular UK Investment App for Tax-Free Spread Betting    

AvaTrade is one of the best investment apps in the UK for spread betting. If you’re new to spread betting, you’ll be speculating on whether you believe an asset will rise or fall in value. Your profits or losses are determined by the number of points the asset moves. Most importantly, you won’t pay any tax on your spread betting gains. At AvaTrade, you can spread bets on more than a thousand markets.

You won’t pay any trading commissions, including UK and international assets. This includes stocks listed in the UK and US, not to mention commodities like gold. wheat, silver, and oil. AvaTrade also supports indices, ETFs, bonds, and options. You can apply leverage to any spread betting markets; UK traders are capped at 1:30.

You’ll also benefit from AvaTrade’s proprietary app software, which supports chart analysis and fundamental news. While the AvaTrade app is suitable for beginners, you’ll need to meet a minimum deposit of £100. You can also open a demo account without depositing any money. Although AvaTrade is regulated in nine countries, this doesn’t include the UK. Nonetheless, it is a safe and trusted broker that has been operating since 2006.

76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

4. FP Markets – Beginner-Friendly Investment App, Featuring a 30-day Trial Mode

While many platforms claim to be beginner-friendly, FP Markets genuinely caters to newcomers, despite its sophisticated features. This multi-asset investment app offers a broad range of assets, including digital currencies, and provides a welcoming start for new users with a 30-day trial period. This trial enables paper trading, allowing users to familiarize themselves with the platform before engaging in real transactions.

FP Markets supports advanced trading platforms such as MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, along with IRESS, cTrader, and WebTrader. It also offers Virtual Private Servers, which facilitate expert advisory services, auto-trading, and scalping—features that enhance the trading experience significantly.

The platform’s appeal is further enhanced by a low commission model and ultra-low spreads starting from 0.0 pips, making it an affordable option. Additionally, the copy trading facility allows beginners to mimic the strategies of experienced traders, providing a nearly hands-free trading experience. This combination of user-friendly and advanced features makes FP Markets a standout choice in the market.

5. Pepperstone – FCA-Regulated Broker With 3 Investment Apps to Choose From   

Pepperstone is an established online broker that supports multiple asset classes. This includes stocks from the UK and international markets, indices, and forex. You can also trade commodities like oil, silver, and gold. Pepperstone allows you to choose from three investment apps when trading – MT4, MT5, and cTrader.

All three options support iOS and Android smartphones. Pepperstone is a great option for beginners, as it doesn’t have a minimum deposit requirement. What’s more, UK traders can trade risk-free via the Pepperstone demo account. Pepperstone offers two account types, which will determine what trading fees you pay.

The razor account offers spreads from 0.0 pips, but you’ll pay a commission of £2.25 per traded lot. Pepperstone also offers a commission-free account. Spreads start from 0.7 pips when trading forex. If you’re looking to trade stock CFDs, spreads start from zero. If you’re spread betting stocks, spreads start from 0.8 points. Pepperstone offers UK clients leverage of up to 1:30, as per FCA policy statements.

75.3% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.

6. Admiral Markets – 20-Year Application With Extensive Features and Low Spreads

Admiral Markets is a fully-fledged broker offering a huge range of products and services, including over 8,000 instruments. The difficulty with such a large platform is narrowing down the range of products and services to give a thorough analysis.

Admiral Markets offers investor protection up to £85k within the UK and segregates client funds accordingly. It integrates with MT4 and MT5 through its trading dashboard. In the UK it trades as Admiral Markets UK Ltd and offers bonds, stocks, ETFs, digital currencies, indices, and FX. It is particularly suitable for FX traders due to its spreads, which are lower than most of its competitors.

Yet it also offers something for regular investors. Unlike most other providers, Admiral Markets offers both CFDs and outright investment. For example, you can invest in an Amazon share or you can invest in an Amazon share CFD, which will also allow you to short the stock, but comes with an added spread.

When just buying the share, you will pay a flat commission of $0.02, and no spread. You need an MT5.Invest account to buy the stock, and a MT5.Trade account to buy the CFD. This is a useful feature as it allows users to compare both options side by side.

The Admiral Markets application caters to a huge market. It provides personal finance, a comprehensive trading hub, fixed income products, Islamic accounts, negative balance protection for professional clients, guaranteed stop loss, volatility protection, and MetaTrader Supreme Edition. Leverage of up to 1:500 is available, depending on your MetaTrader account as well as the product in question.

The Admiral Markets mobile application is available on both Android and iOS, with over 500,000 downloads. It provides much of the functionality as the main platform, with fast deposits and withdrawals.

The tools are a little basic, and you don’t have a full range of technical tools in comparison to the main platform – it’s better for investment than trading. We enjoyed the watchlist feature and it is available in 5 languages – English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and German.

The main drawback with Admiral Markets is that it might take a while to get used to the platform, as it offers so many features. 

75.3% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.

7. Trade Nation – Commission Free Fixed Spread CFD Broker With Intuitive Android & iOS Applications

Trade Nation is a 4.7 star rated broker on TrustPilot with outstanding customer reviews. It has no minimum deposit, is FCA regulated, has MT4 and MT5 integration, and has a fixed cost spread of $0.02 for opening and closing trades. This means if you want to purchase Amazon stock, you would pay $0.02 to open and another $0.02 to close – $0.04 in total.

In a world of complex and ever-changing fees, this allows people to understand exactly what they are paying for their positions. Trade Nation does not charge any commission fees. It provides over 600 instruments, which is not a huge array of products but not the lowest either. No inactivity or withdrawal fees apply.

Trade Nation offers mobile applications on both Google Play and iOS. Both of these applications are easy to use and integrate seamlessly with the wider ecosystem in terms of withdrawals, deposits, and investments. The app offers biometric authentication and a neat ‘Smart News’ feature. 

There are a few drawbacks to Trade Nation. It does not have the range of products or services compared to a huge provider like eToro. And it is a CFD-only broker. It integrates with MT4 and not MT5, though it has its own proprietary TN software that is more than an adequate substitute.

But for those seeking a simple application to trade stocks and ETFs, it shines through. The customer service and easy interface make it perfect for UK investors, especially new traders. Fees are low and fixed and it further offers negative balance protection. 

Trade Nation has a fixed spread of 0.6 pips for the EUR/USD FX pair. But note that it does widen its spreads briefly during its daily rollover period to as much as 1.4 pips.

There are no crypto products and Trade Nation is not available to US clients. Trade Nation does not have any copy trading features.

For UK investors with an interest in soccer, Trade Nation is the sponsor of Aston Villa. 

74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

8. IUX – Commission Free Trading Platform Providing Low Latency and Deep Liquidity

One of the newest UK investment platforms to hit the market is IUX which, alongside forex trading, provides access to a wide variety of financial instruments. While forex remains the number one focus of IUX, the platform also offers access to CFDs in commodities, cryptocurrencies, indices, and shares.

More than $1.5 billion worth of CFDs are traded every day with IUX making it one of the most popular platforms on the market. Such a high volume of trading calls for institutional-grade software and access to extremely deep levels of liquidity.

What’s more, due to its reliance on Equinix LD4 servers, the IUX platform executes trades at an average time of 30ms making it one of the fastest trading platforms around.

All trades are commission free and forex trades start from as low as 0.0 PIPs. IUX currently provide access to over 250 different financial instruments including more than 60 currency pairs and 15 of the leading cryptocurrencies.

The platform can be accessed via desktop or mobile application and with support for more than 10 languages worldwide, it is easy to see why this market newcomer boasts over 35,000 downloads to date.

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

9. Capital.com – Trade Over 2,800 Stocks From the UK and International Markets           

Capital.com is a regulated CFD broker that offers an iOS and Android app. You can also trade directly on the Capital.com website. Capital.com is a budget-friendly platform, considering its small minimum deposit requirement of £20. You can fund your account with a debit/credit card or e-wallet. However, the minimum deposit increases to £250 when making a bank account deposit.

Nevertheless, no deposit or withdrawal fees are charged. Capital.com supports a wide range of markets, including over 2,800 stocks from more than a dozen exchanges, making it one of the best stock trading apps. For example, you can trade UK stocks like National Grid, British American Tobacco, and GlaxoSmithKline. You can also trade stocks listed in the US, Singapore, Germany, France, Sweden, and Hong Kong.

Not to mention Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and Ireland. Irrespective of where the stocks are located, Capital.com doesn’t charge any trading commissions. In fact, this is the case for all of its supported markets. This includes ETFs, indices, commodities, and forex. The Capital.com app also supports leverage, short-selling, and chart tools. You’ll also find market insights from industry experts.

10. IG – Invest in Over 12,000 Stocks, Funds, and Trusts From £3 per Trade            

IG is a popular UK-based brokerage that offers an iOS and Android app. After opening an account, you’ll have access to more than 12,000 stocks, funds, and investment trusts. When buying and selling UK stocks, you’ll initially pay £8 per trade. But if you trade at least three times a month, you’ll reduce your commission to £3.

When investing in US stocks, prices start at £10 per trade. After hitting three trades in a month, the commission is reduced to £0. You can also invest in European and Australian stocks at a commission of 0.1%. Minimum trade requirements apply when buying and selling stocks. This is £40 for UK stocks and £50 for those abroad.

Moreover, non-UK investments attract a 0.5% foreign exchange fee. IG also charges a £24 ‘custody fee’ every three months. If you trade more than three times during the quarter, the custody fee is waived. The IG app supports debit/credit card and e-wallet payments, which are processed instantly. However, you’ll need to meet a minimum deposit of £250.

11. Hargreaves Lansdown – User-Friendly Investment App Supporting Stocks and Shares ISAs             

If you’re looking for the best stock trading app in the UK that supports Stocks and Shares ISAs, Hargreaves Lansdown could be right for you. However, do note that Hargreaves Lansdown charges much higher fees than other providers in this space. For example, you’ll pay £11.95 to invest in UK stocks and funds. You’ll pay this when buying and selling investments.

While the commission can be reduced to £8.95, you’ll need to trade at least 10 times in the previous month. By this point, you would have already paid nearly £120 in commissions. What’s more, you’ll also need to pay an annual ISA fee of 0.45%. This is charged on the value of your investments. You’ll also be charged a 1% foreign exchange fee when buying non-UK assets.

On the flip side, Hargreaves Lansdown is very beginner-friendly. Its app has a clean and simple interface, and you’ll only need to meet a £1 minimum deposit. Hargreaves Lansdown is also a top-rated app for investment research. Not only does it cover financial news and expect market insights, but a regular podcast series. Hargreaves Lansdown also offers educational guides on investing basics.

12. Trading 212 – Invest in Thousands of Stocks From Just £1             

Trading 212 is one of the best investment apps in the UK for first-time traders. It supports fractional ownership on all supported markets, meaning you can buy a small slice of your favorite companies. In fact, the minimum investment requirement at Trading 212 is just £1. This investment app supports more than 12,000 stocks and ETFs.

This covers markets in the UK, Europe, and the US. Trading 212 does not charge any trading commissions. However, non-UK investments attract a small foreign exchange fee of 0.15%. Trading 212 also offers an auto-invest feature. This will appeal to beginners who do not feel comfortable picking their own investments.

You simply need to answer some questions about your financial goals and risk tolerance, and Trading 212 will build a portfolio on your behalf. In addition to standard investment accounts, Trading 212 also supports Stocks and Shares ISAs. There are no account fees applied to ISAs, which is a huge benefit. Trading 212 also offers excellent customer service via live chat. The average waiting time is just 29 seconds.

13. Freetrade – Fractional Stocks From £2 and Commission-Free Trading             

Freetrade is a user-friendly investment app for iOS and Android. It’s free to download and there is no minimum deposit requirement. It’s one of the best apps for stock market exposure. Freetrade is popular with investors that want to inject small amounts into the stock market. Regardless of the company’s stock price, you’ll only need to meet a £2 minimum trade size. This enables you to build a diversified portfolio with a small amount of money.

Freetrade supports thousands of stocks from the UK, US, and European markets. However, the number of stocks you can access depends on your account type. If you opt for the free account, you can choose from 1,500 stocks. If you upgrade to the standard account, this increases to 6,000 stocks. Costing £5.99 per month or £59.88 annually, the standard account also supports stop-loss and take-profit orders.

It also offers 1% interest on uninvested cash. However, if you’re only looking to invest a few pounds, paid plans won’t be worth the money. In terms of fees, no trading commissions are charged on any supported stocks. That said, a foreign exchange fee of between 0.39% and 0.99% applies to non-UK stocks, depending on which plan you’re on.

14. Moneybox – Round-Up Feature Allows you to Invest Spare Change Into the Stock Market             

Moneybox is also one of the best investment apps in the UK for investing small amounts. In fact, this provider offers an innovative feature called ’round-ups’. Put simply, this enables you to automatically round debit card transactions up to the nearest pound. The balance will automatically be invested into the stock market on your behalf.

For example, suppose you spend £7.20 in your local supermarket. Moneybox will round the transaction up to £8. The balance of £0.80 will then be invested into your stock portfolio. In addition, Moneybox also allows you to invest in automated portfolios. You’ll need to select your risk tolerance, and Moneybox takes care of the rest.

It will automatically rebalance and reweight your portfolio to ensure it’s still aligned with your objectives. When it comes to fees, you’ll pay £1 per month on general investment accounts. This is free for the first three months. You’ll also pay 0.45% in platform fees. Fund fees of between 0.12% and 0.58% also apply.

What Are Investment Apps?

Investment apps are mobile applications that allow users to trade a wide variety of assets and invest in different financial markets. They empower users to control their own investment portfolios and trade on the go.

What Assets Can You Trade on Investment Apps

Investment apps cater to a diverse audience with many different assets depending on the platform. Some may crypto-only or they might specialize as a UK futures broker. Let’s look at some of the most common assets traded on investment apps in the UK:

• Stocks: Users can buy stocks in publicly traded companies, allowing them to have partial ownership.
• Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): These are collective investment funds that provide exposure to various products.
• Foreign Exchange (Forex): Trade different fiat currencies to benefit from price fluctuations
• Cryptocurrencies: These digital assets can be traded on crypto exchanges. They are becoming more commonplace on popular investment apps.
• Commodities: Economic resources like crude oil, gold, wheat, cattle, natural gas, and sugar.
• Futures: Contracts to buy or sell an asset at a set price on a predetermined date.

How to Pick the Right Investment App for You

If you’re still not sure which UK investment app is right for you – read on. We will now explain what considerations to make when selecting the best investment platform for you.

Regulation and FSCS Protections 

You should only consider a shares investing app if it’s adequately regulated. This means the best apps for investing should be authorized and licensed by the FCA. If it isn’t, and it’s offering financial products to UK investors, you’ll need to tread carefully. After all, you won’t be protected by the FCA, let alone the FSCS.

FSCS protection is absolutely crucial. In simple terms, if you’re holding investments and the broker goes bust, the FSCS has you covered up to the first £85,000.

Range of Assets  

Looking for the hottest cryptos or best shares to buy in the UK? If you already know which assets you want to invest in, make sure your chosen provider supports them. We found that the best investment apps in the UK support thousands of markets across the most popular asset classes.

For example, eToro supports more than 3,000 stocks and ETFs. Not only from the London Stock Exchange, but markets in the US, Europe, and Asia. As such, eToro is popular for investing in Apple, Tesla, Amazon, and other global brands. In contrast, some investment apps only support UK assets – which will hinder your ability to diversify.

XTB also offers an extensive range of assets. For example, you can trade everything from stocks and indices to commodities and forex.

Fees  

The best investing platforms in the UK offer competitive fees. Not only when trading but when depositing and withdrawing funds too.

For example, eToro allows you to invest in stocks and ETFs without paying any commissions. Unlike other UK investment apps, you won’t be charged extra fees for buying international assets. This is in contrast to Hargreaves Lansdown and Freetrade, which charge a foreign exchange fee of 1% and 0. 99%, respectively.

If you’re looking to invest in a Stocks and Shares ISA, you’ll need to check what fees apply. The industry average is 0.45% of your investment amount.

Some UK investment apps charge account fees, too. For example, Moneybox charges a monthly account fee of £1 plus 0.45% on the value of your investments.

Research and Analysis Tools  

You’ll want to choose a UK investment app that comes with research and analysis tools. This will help you make smart investment decisions. For example, many of the best UK investment apps offer stock market news and market insights.

You might also come across trading ideas.  If you’re a technical trader, make sure the app offers real-time pricing charts and technical indicators. These will need to be optimized for mobile phones.

Minimum Deposit

If you’re on a budget, you should choose an= UK investment app that has a small minimum deposit requirement.

For example, eToro requires a minimum deposit of just $10 (about £8). XTB and Pepperstone have no minimum deposit at all, so you can get started with any amount.

However, some investment apps have a high minimum deposit. For example, you’ll need to deposit at least £250 when setting up an IG account.

Demo Account

The best apps for stock investments offer a free demo account. You’ll be trading with virtual funds, which allows you to buy and sell assets risk-free.

This can serve two important purposes. First, demo accounts allow you to test the investment app out before depositing money. If you don’t like the way the app works, you won’t have lost anything.

Second, demo accounts allow you to learn how the investment markets work. For example, you can assess how asset prices change and how to place market orders.

eToro, XTB, Capital.com, and many other investment apps offer a free demo account that takes seconds to open.

Customer Service 

Leading UK investment apps offer quality customer service. You should be able to speak with a customer representative via the app.

Live chat works well here, as you can speak with someone in real-time. You’ll likely find that customer service is offered Monday to Friday during standard market hours.

Types of Investment Apps

There are many different types of investment apps that you can choose from. You’ll need to think about the type of investments you want to make, alongside your preferred strategy.

Here’s an overview of what you’ll come across when searching for the best investing apps for beginners in the UK:

General Investment Accounts

Most UK investors want to pick their own investments individually. If this sounds like you, you’ll need to choose an app that offers general investment accounts. In doing so, you’ll be able to buy and sell assets whenever you want.

It’s important to check what markets the investment app supports and what fees apply. eToro is the best app for investors looking for general investment accounts. You’ll have access to thousands of stocks and ETFs. Not only from the UK, but the US, Europe, and Asia.

Stocks and Shares ISAs

Some investors prefer to invest through a Stocks and Shares ISA. This enables you to invest in the stock market in a tax-efficient way. In fact, not only do ISAs support stocks but most other assets too. This includes ETFs, trusts, and bonds.

If you’re new to ISAs, here’s how it works:

• In the 2023/24 tax year, you can invest up to £20,000 into a Stocks and Shares ISA.
• Any investments made in your ISA will not attract tax. This includes capital gains and dividends.
• This means that your investments can grow tax-free over time.
• Stocks and Shares ISAs are aimed at long-term investors who want to save for their retirement years.

That being said, Stocks and Shares ISAs come with several drawbacks. First, not all investment apps support ISAs, so you’ll have fewer options to choose from. And those that do support ISAs often charge high fees.

For example, if you open a Stocks and Shares ISA with Hargreaves Lansdown, you’ll pay 0.45%. This is charged on the value of your investments. Not only that, but Hargreaves Lansdown also charges £11.95 every time you buy or sell investments. So, while you’re saving on tax, you might be worse off in the long run when you factor in the high fees.

Moreover, UK investors get a tax-free allowance every year. In 2023/24, you’ll get £6,000 in capital gains tax allowance. You’ll also get a dividend tax allowance of £1,000. As such, if you’re not making more than this, you won’t pay tax anyway. Plus, you’ll still need to pay a stamp duty tax of 0.5% on UK investments.

In contrast, while eToro doesn’t offer ISAs, you might find it’s the cheaper option when looking for the best app to invest in stocks with. What’s more, eToro waivers stamp duty tax on UK investments.

Automated Investing Accounts 

Many UK investors prefer a more passive approach to investing. For instance, because of a lack of prior investment experience. Or simply a lack of time. Either way, there are many ways that you can automate your investments.

This includes:

Copy Trading

Copy trading is an automated investment tool that allows you to ‘copy’ a successful trader. eToro is the best copy trading platform in the UK, as it’s home to thousands of traders.

Here’s an example of how the eToro copy trading tool works:

• You decide to invest £400 into a successful stock trader who has been using eToro for over five years
• The trader allocates 20% of their bankroll to Amazon stock. You automatically invest 20%, or £80, into Amazon.
• The trader sells their Amazon stocks at a profit of 40%. You do the same automatically.
• You invested £80 and you made 40%, so that’s a profit of £32.

Crucially, the entire copy trading process is automated.

Smart Portfolios

Smart portfolios are another option if you want to invest passively. This tool is also offered by eToro and there are many portfolios to choose from. Put simply, eToro builds a portfolio of stocks, which tracks a specific market or industry.

For example, the ‘Future of Work’ smart portfolio tracks companies from the Gig Economy. These are companies involved in the work-from-home industry. This smart portfolio contains 23 stocks, including Upwork, Wix.com, Lyft, Grab, and Shopify.

There are many other smart portfolios to choose from. All are professionally managed, meaning eToro will rebalance and maintain your portfolio on your behalf.

Round-Ups

Another way to automate your investments is via ’round-ups’. This feature is offered by Moneybox and it allows you to invest your spare change into the stock market.

Here’s how it works:

• After joining Moneybox, you connect your UK bank account to its app.
• Thereon, whenever you use your debit card, the transaction will be rounded up to the nearest pound.
• For instance, if you spend £3.30 on a coffee, Moneybox will debit £4 from your account.
• The £0.70 balance will be invested in the stock market on your behalf.

The round-up feature is aimed at investors who want to invest very small amounts.

CFDs and Spread Betting  

Some of the best investment apps discussed today specialize in CFDs, or contracts-for-differences. CFDs are financial derivatives. They track the value of an asset, allowing you to trade it without taking ownership.

• CFDs are ideal if you want the option of going short on an asset.
• For instance, if you believe that Royal Mail stocks are likely to decline, you can place a sell order with a UK CFD broker.
• XTB is the best investment app for trading CFDs, as it supports thousands of commission-free markets.
• Moreover, when you trade CFDs on XTB, you can apply leverage. This allows you to trade with more than you have in your account.

Another option is spread betting, which is offered by Capital.com, AvaTrade, and several other investment apps. Spread betting is very similar to trading CFDs. This is because you’ll be speculating on the future value of an asset without owning it. The key difference is that spread betting profits are tax-free in the UK, as explained by HMRC.

How to Get Started With a UK Investment App

We will now explain how to download, set up, and make investments on the eToro app in the UK.

Step 1: Open an eToro Account

You will first need to open an eToro account. On the eToro homepage, click ‘Sign Up’ and type in some personal information.

You need to provide eToro with your name, home address, and email. You’ll also need to verify your mobile number.

eToro will also need your national insurance number for verification purposes. From start to finish, the registration process takes less than two minutes to complete.

Step 2: Upload Some ID

You’ll need to upload a couple of KYC verification documents. You won’t need to wait around for eToro to manually check them, as verification is automated.

First, you’ll need to upload a document that verifies your identity. Choose from a passport or driver’s license. Second, you’ll need to verify your home address.

Several documents are accepted, including bank statements. However, just make sure the document was issued within the prior three months.

Step 3: Download the eToro Investment App and Log in

The next step is to download the eToro stock investment app. Both iOS and Android are supported.

Open the app on your smartphone and log in with your username and password.

Step 4: Deposit Funds

You will need to make a deposit before you can start investing. On the eToro app, you can deposit funds with a debit card or e-wallet instantly.

The minimum deposit is $10 (about £8). The payment will be processed instantly and added to your account balance straight away.

Step 5: Search for an Investment

You can now make your first investment on the eToro app. Use the search bar to find your preferred asset.

In our example, we’re searching for Amazon stock. Click on ‘Trade’ to proceed.

Step 6: Complete Investment

The final stage requires you to enter your investment amount. You can type in any amount from $10 in the ‘Amount’ box.

Click on ‘Open Trade’ to complete your investment.

If you see ‘Set Order (like in our example above), this means the stock market is closed. You can still click it to confirm your investment – eToro will execute it when the market reopens.

Conclusion

There are many investment apps to choose from in the UK, so you’ll need to consider your financial goals when selecting a provider. Overall, we rank eToro as the best app for investing in stocks and ETFs.

eToro offers 0% commission – even on international markets. Moreover, eToro is user-friendly, and it takes just minutes to set up the eToro app on your phone, so British traders can begin investing straight away.

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more

References

• https://www.fscs.org.uk/media/press/2019/apr/higher-protection-limits/
• https://www.ft.com/content/6e79e3e0-c7c9-4577-998c-5c79d24cf1d2
• https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/policy-statements/ps19-18-restricting-contract-difference-products
• https://www.thetimes.co.uk/money-mentor/article/stocks-and-shares-isas/
• https://www.gov.uk/capital-gains-tax/allowances
• https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/business-income-manual/bim22015
• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/money-laundering-regulations-your-responsibilities
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/know-your-customer-guidance/know-your-customer-guidance-accessible-version
  
• https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/fca-highlights-continuing-concerns-about-problem-firms-cfd-sector

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