Robinhood launched in the UK: Review and Alternatives in 2026

You’ve probably heard about the Robinhood app on YouTube or TikTok and want to know if it’s available in the UK, right?

Robinhood is a modern and easy-to-use investment platform from the US, which pioneered the concept of commission-free trading in stocks and ETFs, now a standard feature offered by most UK brokers including Webull, Trading 212, and Freetrade.

Robinhood officially launched its app in the UK in March 2024, following a multi-month waiting list. Since then, it has added margin investing (October 2024), options trading (February 2025), the Robinhood Legend desktop platform (May 2025), futures trading (October 2025), a Stocks & Shares ISA (February 2026) and crypto trading (August 2026). Want to know the current pros and cons of the platform plus the best alternatives before opening an account? We’ve got you covered.

Is Robinhood available in the UK?

Yes, Robinhood is available in the UK. After an initial waiting list of several months, Robinhood officially launched to all UK customers in March 2024, as announced in its official press release. The platform is operated by Robinhood U.K. Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 09908051) and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 823590. UK customers are introduced to Robinhood Securities, LLC (US) for execution, clearing and custody, while futures are handled by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC.

Robinhood in the UK: what does it offer?

Since its UK launch, Robinhood has rapidly expanded its product suite. Its current main features include:

• Commission-free US stock trading: access to more than 6,000 US-listed stocks and ADRs with no platform fees and no trading commissions.
• Fractional shares from $1: invest in expensive companies like Apple, Nvidia or Microsoft starting from as little as $1.
• 24-hour US stock trading: trade selected US stocks 24 hours a day, five days a week, which is useful for reacting to after-hours news.
• Stocks & Shares ISA (launched February 2026): an ISA with around 5,000 US-listed stocks and ADRs, no platform fees and no commissions, within the £20,000 annual ISA allowance.
• Options trading: trade US stock and index options.
• Futures trading (launched October 2025): more than 40 CME Group futures products, including S&P 500, oil, gold and FX futures, with a $0.75 fee per contract.
• Margin investing (launched October 2024): borrow against your portfolio to increase your positions. Leverage magnifies both gains and losses.
• Crypto trading (launched August 2026): more than 50 cryptocurrencies with no commission, provided through Bitstamp UK. Crypto holdings are not covered by the FSCS or the Financial Ombudsman Service.
• Robinhood Legend: an advanced desktop trading platform for active traders, with customisable layouts and professional-grade tools.
• Cortex Digests (launched February 2026): an AI tool that gives near real-time context on stock price movements.
• 3.6% AER on uninvested USD cash as of October 2026. The rate is variable and follows US Federal Reserve policy. GBP cash does not earn interest.
• 0.1% FX fee on each currency conversion, rising to 0.3% outside FX market hours (from Friday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00 GMT). All US trades settle in USD, and you can hold both GBP and USD.

Robinhood vs UK alternatives at a glance

Robinhood alternatives in the UK

To help you find a Robinhood UK alternative, we have focused on low-cost brokers available in the UK with broader product ranges or tax-efficient account options. Here are our suggestions:

All the companies here mentioned are regulated and/or registered in the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK.

Founded in 2007, eToro is an international online broker with over 40 million registered users who can trade more than 6,000 stocks, plus ETFs, cryptocurrencies and CFDs on stocks, ETFs, commodities, forex, indices and cryptocurrencies. ETFs are commission-free and stocks cost $1 to $2 per trade, depending on the exchange, with whole or fractional shares (other fees apply). eToro became publicly traded on the NASDAQ in May 2025 (ticker: ETOR).

eToro’s investment platform, accessible through both web and mobile, is a social trading hub. Here, investors can engage in discussions about investments, speculations, and market news with fellow investors. eToro also allows users to replicate trading strategies via CopyTrader and invest in ready-made thematic portfolios via Smart Portfolios (including AI, renewable energy, dividend, and crypto themes).

UK investors can also earn interest on uninvested USD cash: 3% on balances up to $50,000 and 3.80% above that, as of October 2026 (rates are variable). UK customers are onboarded by eToro (UK) Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 583263. UK clients benefit from FSCS protection up to £85,000.

The demo account is particularly useful for beginners ($100,000 in virtual money). It lets you gain real hands-on experience as you would using real money, so when switching to a real account, you will notice no difference between your training and live investing.

eToro also offers a Stocks & Shares ISA through its partner Moneyfarm, with a DIY version (no commission on UK and US shares, ETFs and funds) and a managed version. On the downside, withdrawals from the USD account cost $5, and there is no SIPP for tax-efficient retirement saving.

For a complete picture of eToro, take a look at our review.

Founded in 1978 and publicly listed on NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR, an S&P 500 constituent since August 2025), Interactive Brokers is a global online broker known for rigorous risk management. It had 5.58 million client accounts at the end of September 2026 and provides access to 170 markets in 40 countries.

Interactive Brokers offers an advanced investment platform with a wide range of products (stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs, futures, bonds, and currencies), solid trade execution through IB SmartRouting (which automatically routes orders to the venue offering the best available price), and a comprehensive set of technical and fundamental tools to support your investment decisions.

IBKR UK also offers a Stocks & Shares ISA with no custody fees, as well as a SIPP. Pricing for UK clients is competitive:

• US stocks: tiered pricing starting at $0.0035 per share on IBKR Pro ($0.35 minimum per order, max 1% of trade value).
• UK stocks and ETFs: 0.05% of trade value (minimum £1 on Tiered pricing, £3 on Fixed pricing), plus stamp duty where it applies.
• FX conversion: 0.002% of trade value (minimum $2), one of the lowest in the industry.
• Cash interest on uninvested balances: rates linked to central bank policy, with the full rate paid to accounts above $100,000 in net asset value and a proportional rate for smaller accounts.

Beginners and intermediate investors have educational tools to explore through IBKR Campus, though the learning curve is steep, which is why we mainly recommend IBKR to more advanced traders. Customer service is responsive and provides clear answers to client questions.

On the downside, IBKR’s fee structure is complex, and the registration process is lengthy though fully online. However, when accounting for FX fees, narrower spreads, the Stock Yield Enhancement Program (SYEP), and tiered cash interest, IBKR clients still achieve significant cost savings compared to most UK brokers.

Interactive Brokers also operates IBKR GlobalTrader, a modern mobile trading app for stocks, options, and ETFs, ideal for beginner and intermediate investors. Features include automatic currency conversions, fractional shares, a demo account ($10,000 virtual balance), and more. UK clients are served by Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited, authorised and regulated by the FCA (FRN: 208159), with FSCS protection up to £85,000.

Want to know more about Interactive Brokers? Check our Interactive Brokers review.

Founded in 2016, Capital.com is a global CFD trading platform that has grown rapidly thanks to its commission-free model and user-friendly technology. With more than 880,000 traders worldwide, it offers access to a wide range of markets, including CFDs on forex, stocks, indices, and commodities. It also provides spread betting (for UK residents) and 1X, which lets you trade CFDs without leverage (long positions only, up to £20,000 of exposure).

Capital.com offers its in-house web and mobile app (packed with innovative tools such as AI-driven insights and risk management features), and you can also invest through the TradingView and MT4 platforms, where you can create automated investment strategies. A free demo account is available to practise before investing real money.

Capital.com doesn’t charge any commission on your trades. However, it charges a fee based on the spread (the difference between the buy and sell prices). Spreads are dynamic and change with underlying market conditions. Apart from spreads, the broker also charges a fee on guaranteed stop-loss orders and overnight funding (only applicable when you use leverage).

On the downside, as with many CFD-only brokers, Capital.com might not be suitable for investors seeking traditional investment products like ETFs, bonds, long-term retirement accounts, or direct ownership of physical assets rather than derivatives. There is also no Stocks & Shares ISA or SIPP. Capital.com launched real stocks and ETFs in Europe in September 2026 and plans to bring them to the UK in the coming months.

In terms of regulation, Capital.com (UK) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 793714. It holds client funds in segregated bank accounts and provides negative-balance protection for retail clients. UK clients are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which provides up to £85,000 in compensation if the company fails.

Founded in 2002, XTB is a major player in the brokerage industry with extensive worldwide experience, serving more than 2.9 million clients. It is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ticker: XTB) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) plus other relevant top-tier regulatory bodies.

You can invest through xStation 5 (desktop and web) and xStation Mobile in a wide range of investment products, including more than 9,000 stocks and ETFs, and CFDs on stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies (product offering may vary slightly by country). It offers 0% commission on real stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 in monthly trading volume (0.2% commission applies above that threshold, with a £10 minimum per order). Since December 2024, XTB also offers a Stocks & Shares ISA, as well as Investment Plans for automated, recurring ETF investing.

Opening an account and transferring money are quick and hassle-free. For beginners, XTB provides a demo account where you can trade as if it were real money, plus access to educational tools through the XTB Trading Academy. For intermediate and advanced investors, the platform offers plenty of technical and fundamental tools to support your investment decisions. UK clients also earn interest on uninvested GBP, EUR and USD cash, with variable rates linked to central bank policy.

On the downside, XTB charges a £10/month inactivity fee after one year of no trading and no deposits in the previous 90 days. There is also a 0.5% currency conversion fee for trades in non-base currencies, and CFD cryptocurrency trading carries relatively high spreads (although forex spreads are competitive).

Want to know more about XTB? Check our XTB review.

Founded in 2017 in the US and launched in the UK in July 2023, Webull UK has rapidly expanded its product offering since launch. As of October 2026, Webull UK offers commission-free trading on US and Hong Kong shares, while UK shares and ETFs are free for the first 90 days and then cost 0.05%. It also offers a Stocks & Shares ISA, fractional shares and US options (free for the first 3 months, then $0.50 per contract). The parent company, Webull Corporation, is listed on NASDAQ (ticker: BULL) and has more than 28 million registered users globally. New users get a signup promotion.

As a UK user, you also have access to a demo account where you can buy and sell as you would with real money. You can deposit in pound sterling (GBP), with an FX fee from 0.35% when converting to USD for US stock trades. The fractional shares offering is particularly valuable since many US stocks trade at high market values per share, allowing you to invest from £1.

The product range has expanded considerably from the initial launch: in addition to US, UK, and Hong Kong stocks plus options and a Stocks & Shares ISA, Webull UK also offers UK ETFs and advanced charting tools. However, there is still no SIPP, no CFDs, no forex, and no cryptocurrency trading in the UK.

Webull UK is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) since October 2022. Client funds and assets are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000.

For a more in-depth analysis, take a look at our Webull UK review.

InvestEngine is a UK-based investment platform focused exclusively on exchange-traded funds (ETFs). It provides access to more than 870 ETFs from leading providers (Vanguard, iShares, Invesco, HSBC, and others), designed to meet a range of investment goals and risk tolerances. InvestEngine offers a DIY option for investors who prefer to build and manage their own ETF portfolios, and managed portfolios with auto-rebalancing, although these are currently unavailable to new clients. It supports a Stocks & Shares ISA, a SIPP and a General Investment Account, all with no platform fees on DIY portfolios.

Pros:

1. Low-cost investing: no platform fees on DIY portfolios (only the underlying ETF costs apply), while managed portfolios charge 0.25% per year.
2. Diversification: 870+ ETFs from major providers, enabling investors to create diversified portfolios tailored to risk tolerance and investment objectives.
3. Fractional ETFs: you can invest small amounts in any ETF, starting from a £100 minimum deposit.
4. Auto-rebalancing: for managed portfolios, InvestEngine periodically rebalances to maintain the target asset allocation.
5. User-friendly interface: easy to navigate with helpful tools like risk assessment questionnaires and educational resources.
6. FSCS protection: as an FCA-regulated UK platform, client assets and cash are covered by the FSCS up to £85,000.

Cons:

1. ETF-only platform: no individual stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or other instruments, which might not suit investors looking for broader investment options.
2. Managed portfolios closed to new clients: new investors can currently only use the DIY option.
3. Limited research tools: more basic charting and analysis compared to active trading platforms.

Overall, InvestEngine is a great solution for buy-and-hold investors looking to build long-term ETF portfolios at minimal cost, particularly within an ISA or SIPP.

Want to know more about InvestEngine? Check our InvestEngine review.

Freetrade is a UK-based, FCA-regulated stockbroker founded in 2016 and owned by IG Group since April 2025. It lets you invest commission-free in more than 8,600 stocks, ETFs, funds and investment trusts, as well as gilts. Since January 2026, the free Basic plan includes a Stocks & Shares ISA, a SIPP, mutual funds, gilts and a General Investment Account.

Freetrade came to the market with a mission to revolutionise the traditional brokerage industry. Where many incumbents present high complexity over their platforms and product offerings, Freetrade is on a mission to help customers achieve better long-term financial outcomes, prioritising transparency and trust. Ultimately, its goal is to allow everyone to benefit from wealth creation, and the platform now provides access to all three core UK tax-efficient wrappers (GIA, ISA, SIPP) on the free Basic plan.

In the Freetrade app, you will not find CFDs or other complex derivative products, the platform does not promote day trading and has no hidden fees. Account opening is quick and smooth. The mobile app is remarkably user-friendly. The main drawbacks are the limited product range beyond stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and gilts (no options, forex, CFDs, or cryptocurrencies) and the relatively high FX fee on the Basic plan.

Freetrade’s current plan structure:

• Basic (free): GIA, ISA, SIPP, mutual funds, gilts and ready-made portfolios. 0.99% FX fee and 1% AER on up to £1,000 of cash.
• Standard (£4.99/month): everything in Basic, plus a lower 0.59% FX fee and 2.5% AER on up to £2,000 of cash.
• Plus (£9.99/month): the lowest 0.39% FX fee, 3.5% AER on up to £3,000 of cash, priority customer support and other premium features.

All Freetrade accounts are protected by FSCS up to £85,000. If you’re interested, you can also read our full Freetrade review.

Which platform should you choose?

Several factors are worth considering when choosing an online broker: the fees charged (commissions, FX fees, platform fees), whether it is regulated by top-tier institutions such as the FCA in the UK and covered by FSCS protection (up to £85,000), the range of products it allows you to trade (not all platforms offer ETFs, UK-listed stocks, or cryptocurrencies), and whether it provides tax-efficient accounts such as Stocks & Shares ISAs and SIPPs, which can save UK investors significant amounts in tax over the long term.

The right broker depends on your investor profile, preferences, and objectives:

• For low-cost ETF investing in an ISA: InvestEngine (no platform fees on DIY) or Trading 212 (no commission on its Stocks & Shares ISA, other fees may apply).
• For diversified UK and US stock investing: Freetrade (free Basic plan including ISA and SIPP) or Webull UK (ISA available, commission-free US stocks).
• For US-focused commission-free investing: Robinhood (with an ISA and crypto) or Webull UK.
• For advanced or active traders: Interactive Brokers (170 markets, professional tools) or XTB (FCA-regulated, ISA available).
• For social trading and multi-asset exposure: eToro (CopyTrader, Smart Portfolios, real stocks plus CFDs).
• For CFD and spread betting: Capital.com (FCA-regulated, FSCS-protected).

Explore the broker websites above and decide which best fits your investment goals.