Best Trading Apps in the UK 2024
Explore the best UK trading apps, informed by our years of personal experiences and feedback from millions of British investors on the App Store and Google Play. Many of our top apps cater specifically to British traders with convenient mobile deposits using GBP accounts and regulation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Top Trading Apps In The UK
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Pepperstone excels for its excellent integration with the MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView apps, making it a standout option for traders familiar with these leading third-party trading solutions. These platforms deliver a stable and reliable mobile trading experience, enhanced by Pepperstone’s almost unrivalled execution speeds and wide range of asset classes.
iOS App Rating
4.4
Android App Rating
4.1
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Year after year XTB’s app stands out for its slick design and uncluttered interface that we love. It’s quick, responsive and packed with useful features, notably integrated sentiment data, market news, economic calendars and education. The user-friendly order panel underneath the trading chart also makes placing trades, including adding take profit and stop loss levels, really straightforward.
iOS App Rating
4.7
Android App Rating
4.1
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The award-winning app from CMC Markets has transformed mobile trading. The app’s modern and customizable interface offers a unique user experience, distinct from competitors. Moreover, with its comprehensive charting capabilities featuring 25 technical indicators and 15 drawing tools, as well as its fast and stable trading environment, it’s an exceptional choice for traders.
iOS App Rating
4.1
Android App Rating
3.7
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FXCC elevates mobile trading with the MT4 app on iPhone, iPad, and Android, perfect for traders with its reliable, advanced charting featuring 30 indicators, 9 timeframes and 3 chart types. It’s incredibly easy to dive into trading on the MT4 app through an FXCC account, with just 3 simple steps. The app offers the flexibility to trade a great selection of over 70 currency pairs and other popular markets on the go.
iOS App Rating
4.8
Android App Rating
4.4
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IC Markets deliver mobile apps for their cTrader, MT4, MT5 and TradingView platforms. They have been developed on Android and iOS separately, taking full advantage of the functionality available on each. With raw pricing, and spreads from 0.0, the apps deliver an excellent trading tool for all levels of trader. Yet what really stands out is how they’ve managed to maintain the lightning-fast execution speed IC Markets is known for, right within the apps. It’s a seamless trading experience that feels both professional and highly responsive.
iOS App Rating
3.1
Android App Rating
4.2
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Eightcap supports the MT4, MT5 and TradingView apps (the only FCA regulated broker offering TradingView), catering to mobile traders looking for advanced charting tools. While we don’t love the increasingly outdated design of the MetaTrader suite, its dozens of technical indicators and drawing tools, multiple charting styles, and straightforward overlays in horizontal mode are excellent. The push notifications and active social network on the TradingView app are also valuable additions for aspiring traders and Eightcap has published helpful videos on connecting TradingView accounts to iOS and Android devices.
iOS App Rating
4.8
Android App Rating
4.4
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RoboForex continues to excel with its wide range of iOS and Android-friendly platforms to meet short-term trading needs, including MT4 and MT5. The R StocksTrader app performed particularly well during testing, with a vast selection of stocks and ETFs, portfolio analytics, customizable watchlists, an events tracker, plus a fast and dependable mobile trading environment. The only notable absence in the RoboForex offering is the increasingly popular cTrader app, that’s favored by many traders.
iOS App Rating
4.7
Android App Rating
4.4
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Running alongside the MT4 and Web Trader platforms, the FOREX.com app offers full trading capabilities on a user-friendly, compact platform. Integrated news and analysis, plus real time trade alerts, are two mobile specific features that set this app above the crowd. Additionally, it beats out MT4 when it comes to mobile charting tools, with over 80 indicators and 11 chart types, not to mention a slicker design that we love.
iOS App Rating
3.6
Android App Rating
3.8
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iOS App Rating
3.6
Android App Rating
3.6
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iOS App Rating
4.4
Android App Rating
2.5
When brokers rely on third-party apps like MT4 or MT5 instead of proprietary trading software, we’ve displayed those apps’ store ratings. Please note app store ratings may change.
Comparing Trading Apps
In recent years, we’ve seen a shift towards mobile investing, with trading app downloads in the UK doubling to 8.5 million from September 2020 to September 2023, according to Fintech Global.
Trading apps have also evolved. Gone are the days when you could simply buy and sell shares, the leading applications today cater to investors at every level with integrated research tools, price alerts, in-app support, and mobile wallet deposits.
Yet despite millions of pounds pouring into app development, the hallmarks of an exceptional trading app remain consistent:
We unpack our app testing methodology in more detail below.
They Are User-Friendly And Smooth To Operate
It’s key to choose an app that’s easy to use and navigate, focusing on smart decision-making amidst the growing number of applications in the UK introducing distractions like perks for frequent deposits, such as Stash.
Therefore, we rate online trading apps by their mix of helpful features against information overload and needless extras, only suggesting those that offer a superior mobile trading experience for investors of every level.
AvaTradeGO App
Use a demo account to make sure you find the trading app intuitive and easy to use before investing real money.
- AvaTrade leads the pack with AvaTradeGO, featuring a distinctive design that makes mobile trading enjoyable. It offers easy access to charts, historical data, and signals, while the bottom menu bar simplifies trade and account management, searching for instruments and opening watchlists in a few taps.
They Have A Wide Investment Offering
Downloading an app that provides access to the markets you want to trade is essential. For UK traders, this could include shares on the London Stock Exchange, the FTSE 100 index, and currency pairs with the British Pound like the GBP/USD.
IBKR App
However, we also look for apps that provide access to a wide range of global markets, such as US, European, Asian and Australian equities, ensuring a diverse range of trading opportunities across different sectors and industries.
Moreover, we recognise the needs of different traders. Short-term traders may prefer platforms like CMC Markets for CFDs and spread betting in a fast and dependable app, while long-term investors might prefer XTB for share dealing and its new Investment Plans which are available exclusively in the app, and allow you to build tailored portfolios from 390 ETFs.
- Interactive Brokers offers a superior range of markets spanning 150 exchanges, including the UK. The IBKR mobile app also caters to an array of trading styles with fractional shares, stocks, ETFs, currencies, CFDs and even warrants and structured products.
They Offer Excellent Pricing
Choosing an app with low fees is crucial for both active and casual traders to maximise returns. That’s why we regularly assess fees across key markets like stocks, indices, commodities and cryptos to find low-cost apps for all types of traders.
IC Markets Spreads
We also factor in the needs of different traders. For example, new stock investors might lean towards the increasing number of commission-free apps like Webull, which offer straightforward pricing with no inactivity fees, whereas advanced forex traders may prefer Pepperstone with its Razor account that features raw spreads from 0.0 pips and a £2.25 commission per side, per lot.
- IC Markets is one of the lowest-cost investing apps in the UK, especially for active traders, with consistently tight average spreads of 0.1 on the EUR/USD and 1.0 on the FTSE 100. It also excels with rebates for high-volume traders and charges no fees for deposits or withdrawals.
They Provide Outstanding In-App Tools
Picking an app with intelligent tools to identify and capitalise on opportunities is crucial. Our years in the industry also show that mobile features are increasingly what sets a trading app apart.
As a result, we prioritise apps with essential tools like mobile-optimised charts with multiple indicators, drawing tools and timeframes, through to push notifications with price alerts, integrated signals and social investment networks so traders can share ideas on the go.
Forex.com App
It’s also an area brokers are focusing on. For example, XTB upgraded its xStation app in 2023, providing 5,400 instruments on mobile and tablet devices, while ThinkMarkets introduced ThinkPortal, improving mobile trading with market analysis, account reports, and easy deposits.
- Forex.com is hard to beat for tools with a clear investment in its app development. It now has it all, from market insights from its own analysts to integrated technical analysis from Trading Central, a stacked newsfeed, price alerts and economic calendars. It also outperforms MT4 in charting, boasting over 90 indicators and a superior design.
They Are Regulated In The UK
Opting for a trading app regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will provide the best safeguards for British investors, notably access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) with coverage up to £85,000 if the firm goes bankrupt.
That’s why as part of our exhaustive reviews we check whether firms are regulated by the FCA or another reputable body.
IG FCA License
However, we also consider a firm’s years in the industry, whether they are listed on a stock exchange, and their reputation to determine whether they can be trusted.
For instance, both IG and Robinhood are FCA-regulated, but IG boasts over 30 years more experience, is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and has a fantastic reputation, contrasting with Robinhood’s controversial trading practices that have cost investors millions of pounds.
- IG consistently earns our recommendation as the UK’s most trusted trading app, licensed by the FCA and 12 other regulators. Our experts, active traders in the UK themselves, have used the IG app with real funds for years without major problems.
They Offer Convenient Deposits In The App
A smooth mobile trading experience hinges on secure and easy deposits and withdrawals directly via the app. That’s why our evaluations include investigating the availability of popular payment methods in the UK.
Over 50% of transactions in the country use debit and credit cards according to UK Finance, with Apple Pay and Google Pay leading as the top digital wallets increasingly accepted on trading apps, such as Plus500.
Select a trading app that offers a GBP account to simplify managing trades while minimising conversion fees.
FAQ
What Is A Trading App?
A trading app is a mobile application that can be downloaded to iOS and/or Android devices that enables trading on markets like the London Stock Exchange, FTSE, and GBP/USD. Besides executing orders, investment trading apps usually offer tools for market analysis and making deposits and withdrawals from your palm.
Some UK brokers like AvaTrade have designed comprehensive proprietary apps, while others like OANDA provide a number of specialised apps for forex and index trading, market news, and currency conversion.
Alternatively, many firms such as Eightcap in the UK, only support trading via popular third-party applications like MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) or TradingView.
What Are The Most Popular Trading Apps In The UK?
The most popular trading apps in the UK based on download data from the app stores include Trading212 (10+ million), Webull (10+ million), TradingView (10+ million), MetaTrader 4 (10+ million), and MetaTrader 5 (10+ million).
What Is The Best App For Beginner Traders?
XTB continues to stand out as the best trading app for beginners. Our UK team’s real-money trading on the XTB app highlights its user-friendly design and valuable resources for new investors, including comprehensive educational videos, a £100,000 demo account, and rapid UK-based support with <2 minute response times during tests.
What Is The Best App For Experienced Traders?
IG maintains its position as the best app for experienced traders. Our UK experts, with years of real-money trading on the IG app, commend its first-rate mobile investing experience, featuring a nearly unrivalled selection of 17,000+ markets, customisable watchlists and feeds, plus the growing suite of research tools, most recently analysts’ consensus ratings on popular stocks.
How Do I Start Using A Trading App?
Once you have chosen a trading app, download it from the relevant app store. An increasing number of brokers, notably Interactive Brokers and City Index, host QR codes on their websites so installing their apps is a breeze.
Then open an account by providing your basic contact details and personal information. You’ll also normally need to verify your identity. Once your account is active, you can make a deposit (usually <£250) and start trading from your mobile.
Can I Trade Crypto On UK Trading Apps?
Some crypto exchanges have apps where you can buy and sell tokens like Bitcoin, the largest being Binance which has been downloaded 100+ million times.
However, the FCA brought in restrictions on the sale and distribution of retail crypto-derivatives on 6 January 2021. Since then, British investors have not been able to trade products like crypto CFDs unless they use apps from offshore, weakly regulated brokers.
Article Sources
Fintech Global – UK Trading App Download Data
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)