Abervest vs the rest
We compared ourselves to the biggest names in UK investing so you don't have to. Here's how we stack up.
AbervestYou
- UK stocks & ETFs
- US stocks & ETFs
- European stocks & ETFs
- Commission on stocks & ETFs£1 per trade
- FX fee (non-GBP trades)0.25%
- Stocks & Shares ISA
- Junior ISA
- SIPP (Self-Invested Pension)
- General Investment Account
- Web platform
- Mobile app
- Real-time pricing
- Resting order execution
- Recurring / auto-invest
- Interest on uninvested cash
- Lends your sharesNo — never
- Customer supportEmail & chat
- Account feesNone
- Exit / transfer feesNone
FreeTrade
- UK stocks & ETFs
- US stocks & ETFs
- European stocks & ETFs
- Commission on stocks & ETFs£0 (basic plan)
- FX fee (non-GBP trades)0.39%
- Stocks & Shares ISA
- Junior ISA
- SIPP (Self-Invested Pension)
- General Investment Account
- Web platform
- Mobile app
- Real-time pricing
- Resting order execution
- Recurring / auto-investPlus plan only
- Interest on uninvested cashPlus plan only
- Lends your sharesYes
- Customer supportIn-app only
- Account fees£0–£11.99/mo
- Exit / transfer feesNone
IBKR
- UK stocks & ETFs
- US stocks & ETFs
- European stocks & ETFs
- Commission on stocks & ETFs~£3 per trade
- FX fee (non-GBP trades)0.03%
- Stocks & Shares ISA
- Junior ISA
- SIPP (Self-Invested Pension)
- General Investment Account
- Web platform
- Mobile app
- Real-time pricing
- Resting order execution
- Recurring / auto-invest
- Interest on uninvested cash
- Lends your sharesYes (opt-in)
- Customer supportPhone & ticket
- Account feesNone
- Exit / transfer feesNone
Lightyear
- UK stocks & ETFs
- US stocks & ETFs
- European stocks & ETFs
- Commission on stocks & ETFs£0–£1 per trade
- FX fee (non-GBP trades)0.35%
- Stocks & Shares ISA
- Junior ISA
- SIPP (Self-Invested Pension)
- General Investment Account
- Web platform
- Mobile app
- Real-time pricing15-min delayed
- Resting order execution
- Recurring / auto-invest
- Interest on uninvested cash
- Lends your sharesYes
- Customer supportChat only
- Account feesNone
- Exit / transfer feesNone
The bottom line
Every platform has its strengths. IBKR is unmatched for professional traders and global market access, but its interface is notoriously complex. FreeTrade pioneered commission-free in the UK, but the free plan is limited and they lend your shares to generate revenue. Lightyear has a clean app, but no ISA, no web platform, and no pension.
Abervest is built to be the best all-round platform for UK investors — combining professional-grade execution with an interface that's genuinely easy to use. We charge low, transparent fees (not hidden in the spread or share lending). We offer the tax-efficient accounts UK investors actually need — ISA, Junior ISA, and SIPP. And we've built a learning platform so you can understand what you're investing in, not just press buttons.
If you're an active trader executing hundreds of trades a month in dozens of currencies, IBKR might still be the right call. For everyone else — especially if you're just getting started or want a platform that grows with you — we think Abervest is the better choice.
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