Thanks to Hollywood films such as Wall Street and The Wolf of Wall Street, there are many misconceptions about what the stock market is, and who can invest. The stock market isn’t just for those with large sums of money. It is also accessible for anyone who wants to try and improve their savings. But how do you get started? The first step is to find a UK stock broker. This is someone who can manage your investment on your behalf. To find out more about how you can start to invest in stocks and shares, we’re taking a look at what stock brokers are, and how to find the right stock broker for you. This list of best brokers and best trading platforms provides you with a brief look at different platforms, giving you further insights to make informed decisions. It’s important to remember that this list isn’t exhaustive and shouldn’t constitute financial advice. Before deciding to invest with any broker, make sure that you have undertaken further due diligence to check on its reliability, its success rate, its fees and its customer care. eToro is one of the most popular online stock brokers in the UK. Over the past 15 years, it has developed a strong reputation for beginners and experienced investors alike. The site allows you to invest in stocks and shares from across the world, including the London Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. Users choose eToro due to its innovative CopyTrader™ feature. This allows you to see what experienced traders are doing in real-time. It can automatically copy their trades within your portfolio. This is ideal for those who are new to trading or simply do not have the time to manage their portfolio. 80.2% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Plus500 is suited for experienced investors wanting to invest solely in CFDs. It is designed for those who want short exposure to markets. You are not purchasing stock, instead, you are trading CFDs. With more than 200,000 active customers, there are good reasons why so many people rate Plus500 so highly. Customers can access technical reports, customizable charts and analysis tools. It provides a wealth of information to allow customers to make informed decisions. However, the complex nature of the trades mean that it’s not designed for beginners or inexperienced traders.
Pepperstone is a highly regarded stock broker that offers exceptional 24-hour customer service for users. This is hugely beneficial for investors wishing to take advantage of time differences across 14 different stock markets from around the world. The online broker has an effective user interface that is regarded as advanced yet easy to use and understand. This is an effective option for new investors and experienced traders alike. Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 78.8% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. XTB was founded in 2002 and has an excellent reputation for customer service. XTB supports the trading of over 2100 instruments including forex, indices, commodities, ETFs and more. It has 48 forex currency pairs available to trade through two trading account types:
Standard – Offering market average spreads Pro – Offering much tighter spreads but with added commission
XTB supports the full MT4 suite, and its proprietary platform, xStation 5, offers a user-friendly, intuitive solution that works well on desktop, web and mobile. You’ll need a minimum deposit of £250 to start trading and you’ll find that several educational resources are available, including XTB’s trading academy. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. As a broker, Vantage Markets is well-regarded and considered safe thanks to regulation by ASIC and the FCA. Vantage Markets offers access to the markets through the popular MT4 and MT5 platforms, and a feature-stuffed stock trading app. There are three account types:
Standard STP: Perfect for novices, this is a commission-free trading account that works across all trading instruments, with a minimum spread of 1.4 pips. The minimum deposit is $200. Raw ECN: Designed for more experienced traders, this account charges commission at $3 per lot per side but the spreads start at 0.0 pips. The minimum deposit is $500. Pro ECN: This is for professional, high-volume traders, and offers commission at $2 per lot per side, with spreads from 0.0 pips. The minimum deposit is $20,000.
Vantage Markets is seen as a good, reliable broker that offers social and copy trading – without being prohibitively expensive in terms of non-trading costs or commission. Through Vantage Markets, you can access 15 stock markets including the FTSE and DAX. Offering leverage of up to 200:1 on indices and the option to trade via scalping and hedging as well as with Expert Advisors. Vantage Markets offers 16 stock index CFDs and 210 stock CFDs to trade, both with deep liquidity and truly transparent pricing. The OneZero MT4 bridge used by Vantage Markets means that traders can get the fastest execution speeds possible. Trading Forex and CFDs involves significant risk of losing of your invested capital and is not suitable for all investors. 64.86% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should not invest more than you can afford to lose and should ensure that you fully understand the risks involved. Before trading, please take into consideration your level of experience, investment objectives and seek independent financial advice if necessary. It offers a 20% welcome bonus up to $10,000, according to regulation and a free 21-day demo account with $100,000. Instruments include:
Metals Commodities Stocks FX Options Oil ETFs Options Crypto currencies CFDs Indexes Shares Spread betting Indices Forex Bonds
AVATrade EU Ltd is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. (No.C53877) Ava Trade Markets Ltd. is regulated by the B.V.I Financial Services Commission. It is also highly regulated in Australia, South Africa, Japan, Middle East, Cyprus and Israel You can not trade with AvaTrade in the US, North Korea, New Zealand, Iran or Belgium. Mínimum deposit of $100, no withdraw limit and no fees.
Its strong points include:
No minimum first-time deposit No commissions Several payment methods for deposits and withdrawals Tight spreads from 0.5 pips
It offers one of the best execution speeds in the industry with low latency below 0.004s. It utilizes the most advanced technology to improve users’ trading efficiency – users can automate trades, build integrations and create trading apps using ActivTrades’ market-leading CFD and spread betting technology. Exceptional trading infrastructure is available on ActivTrader and MetaTrader 4 and 5. ActivTrades invests deeply in specially developed educational materials for its clients – including webinars, regular outlooks, manuals, etc. Type of offers: ActivTrades focuses on well-developed products in its trading portfolio. Customers can choose from over 1,000 CFD or spread betting instruments across forex, indices, shares, commodities, financials and ETFs. It also offers investing solutions for its institutional partners. Spread betting allows UK residents ONLY to trade the prices of financial instruments, including forex, indices, commodities and LSE shares. Spread betting and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread betting and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money City Index has built its reputation on spread betting. This is where you can trade on rising and falling price movements rather than purchasing stock. This is a popular choice for those looking for tax-free investments as you are investing in movements rather than assets. As spread betting is about movements, this is ideal for those looking to maximize short-term profits rather than investing in long-term opportunities. City Index has an interactive dashboard that allows you to view different markets at a glance. With multiple charts and 65 technical indicators, this is more suited to experienced investors who know what they are doing.
Now, it is one of the largest retail stockbrokers in Europe and it has its own banking licence – which is not all that common in brokers. Degiro is regulated by both BaFin and the FCA. Opening an account with Degiro is a simple, fast process that can be completed online – you just need ID and a bank account. There is no minimum deposit for any account type with Degiro. There are five different account types that you can choose from, including Custody, Active and Day Trader. Each account has different features, functions and services, so you need to choose the one that best suits your trading style. There are no account or inactivity fees, but you can only deposit using your bank account – not with credit or debit cards. You may only open an account in your home currency, so you cannot have a separate account in a different currency. Trading on Degiro is simple and straightforward, whether you are using the web trader or the mobile app. Both are well-designed and easy to use, so they are suitable for the new trader, but they lack customisation and some tools that an advanced trader would want to see. One of the best features, especially for a new trader, is that you can see the total cost of your trade, including fees, before you execute it. You can trade several instruments using Degiro, including:
31 Stock Markets 5,400 ETFs 63 Bond providers 649 Bonds 12 options markets 14 futures markets
You cannot trade forex, crypto or CFDs with Degiro. New traders won’t find reams of education, and the lack of a demo account can be a problem. However, the ‘knowledge’ tab does have a good selection of educational material, from a 10-lesson Investors Academy to platform tutorials and articles about basic strategies and products.
Describing itself as the platform of choice for ‘serious traders’, CMC Markets provides a wealth of insights into investments. There are lots of downloadable guides for learning how to trade CFDs, forex trading and spread betting, which means that users can learn how to effectively maximize their investments. With access to 9,300 markets and 115 technical indicators, investors can choose which options suit them. They can also benefit from exceptional customer services; the broker was named ‘Best Telephone Customer Service’ and ‘Best Email Customer Service’. 77% of Retail CFD or Spread Betting Accounts Lose Money. This app is a favorite among millennials wanting to practice trading with small budgets. It is free to use with no commission fees. Features include:
Real-time market data Various investment options Zero balance requirement to open an account Instant access to deposited cash
While it does make trading accessible, the app lacks research and educational resources. It is a straightforward app with limited portfolio analysis and customer service, but it does meet a trader’s basic needs.
Markets.com offers access to more than 100 technical indicators, ensuring that users can have real-time data to inform their investment decisions. This is a hugely successful platform that doesn’t charge any commission or fees. Instead, it makes its income through spreads. Thanks to the wealth of data available, this is a platform designed for experienced traders. The Investment Strategy Builder tool is an effective resource to help you choose how to invest and you can use the innovation to inform your long-term and short-term investment portfolios.
The stock broker looks after the investment portfolio. They will work as an intermediary between the stock exchange and the investor. Stock brokers can work in different ways:
Some will take full management of the investment and make decisions on behalf of their client (known as a discretionary way of working). Others will work in an advisory capacity where they will advise and offer suggestions but only act when given authorization by their client. The final option is those who are execution-only. This is when stock brokers only make the investments that they are directed to. They will not offer any advice or support.
What Are the Different Types of Stock Brokers?
The UK stock market has grown enormously in recent years. If you are keen to start investing your money, then you must first understand the different types of stock brokerages:
Full-Service Brokers
These offer everything you need so that you do not need to worry about managing your wealth portfolio. Your broker will make recommendations and offer advice and guidance. They’ll manage investments on your behalf and will provide you with comprehensive reports giving details of your portfolio performance.
Discount Brokers
These will be more affordable than full-service brokers. They will only act upon a client’s orders – so whilst they will manage the actual buying/selling of stocks, they will not provide any advice or support. It’s more affordable but more time-consuming for investors who will need to stay up to date with their investments.
Online Stock Brokers
These can be used by new investors as well as experienced investors. You’ll have the opportunity to manage your wealth portfolio and you can make new investments at the click of a button.
How Do Stock Brokers Make Money?
Typically, a stock broker will take a small commission, or they will charge specific fees for managing your investment.
Are UK Stock Brokers Regulated?
If you are providing money to a stock broker to act on your behalf, you must have confidence that they are fully regulated and trustworthy. In the UK, there are stringent checks which are used to confirm the viability of stock brokers. This means that the London Stock Exchange is one of the strongest in the world. Investors can have confidence that they are fully protected from fraud and/or financial mismanagement. Reputable UK stock brokers should be a member of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Not only does this provide peace of mind for investors that the broker is following operational guidelines, but it also provides insurance. UK retail clients can receive compensation up to £85,000. Before appointing any stock broker, you should check to see that they are listed within the Financial Services Register. It’s important to remember that each stock broker will work differently. You need to consider whether you are looking for a stock broker who can manage your investment on your behalf or whether you want to remain in control.
Listening to References but Keeping an Open Mind
An easy way to find a UK stock broker is to find references and recommendations from other investors. Listen to what they have to say but remember to keep an open mind. Different investors will have different needs – so what works well for one person, may not work for another. This is particularly true if you are new to the stock market but are seeking advice from an experienced investor.
Is Your UK Stock Broker Regulated?
As previously mentioned, make sure you check on the Financial Services Register to see if your chosen broker is regulated. Your broker should have details of professional memberships available on their website.
What Are the Trading Fees?
Stock brokers will make their money via commissions and trading fees. It may seem simple to choose the UK stock broker with the lowest possible trading fees, but that could cost you far more money in the long run. Fees may differ depending on whether you are a casual trader, a beginner or an experienced investor. It’s worthwhile comparing fees to your budget – this will help you to identify the right brokerage for your investment needs. You may also need to consider whether you are charged a flat-fee or a percentage fee. Some brokers will charge for each transaction (deposit and withdrawals) which can become pricey. You may even be charged fees for inactivity on your account. Before signing up with any brokerage, make sure that you are aware of the terms and conditions.
What Tradable Assets or Other Markets Are Offered?
As well as trading stocks and shares, many brokers (particularly online brokers) may offer opportunities to trade other assets such as foreign exchange currencies (forex). If you are considering diversifying your investment portfolio, you may be interested in working with a stock broker with experience in other markets.
What Stock Trading Platforms Are Available?
A trading platform is a specific software that allows individual investors and stock brokers to make trades. Some UK stock brokers may offer easy access to their trade platforms. This is typically in exchange for having full management of the investment. Trading platforms can vary hugely and everyone is looking for the best online trading platform, but you will find that all of them have their pros and cons. Some may have intuitive and easy-to-understand dashboards that allow investors to see how their investment is performing. Others may be complex, real-time charts and news feeds that are designed specifically for stock brokers to monitor the market. Investors may wish to think about what features they need before deciding on a particular trading platform. For example, do they need the information to help with immediate decision making or are they looking for a platform that could make predictions and strategies for future investments? The fees charged for trading platforms will also vary. You can expect to pay lower fees for trading platforms with reduced features.
What Is the Minimum Amount of Money I Need to Invest in Stocks and Shares?
Stock brokers and online trading platforms will have different minimum requirements for investments. Some may be as little as £10, whilst other interactive brokers may require a minimum deposit of £100+. Pay attention to the terms and details to establish how much you should invest.
Customer Care
It’s important to remember that if you are investing your money into a UK stock broker, you need to feel confident that they are supporting you and looking after you as best they can. Look at customer reviews/testimonials to find out what people are saying. If you are using an online stock broker, then try sites such as Feefo or TrustPilot to see if there are any advantages/disadvantages. You should be looking to work with a UK stock broker that offers consistent levels of customer care. If you are trading online, is the dashboard easy to understand? Is it suitable for beginners or do you need extensive experience? Is there a helpline number to call if you need support? If you’re working with a UK stock broker, what advice and guidance are they giving you? Do you feel that you are receiving a high level of customer care and satisfaction? Remember that if you are choosing to invest money with a UK stock broker, you are paying for a service. Don’t be afraid to expect high levels of client care and attention. These are brokers that allow access to trading platforms so that you can buy and sell different stocks as and when you want to and keep track of your investments. When choosing a stock broker, it is important to carry out plenty of research. You should aim to find out your preferred stock broker’s reliability, success rates, fees and customer care before making a decision. eToro is a popular online UK stock broker with an excellent reputation for both novice and experienced investors. As a minimum, you should find out whether your preferred stock broker is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), how much you can expect to pay in trading fees, which markets you will be able to trade on, which trading platform you will need to use, customer care provision and whether there is a minimum investment required to open an account. You might also consider references or recommendations from other traders – just bear in mind that their needs may be different to yours. Aim to choose the stock broker that best meets your specific needs and trading style. Whilst formal qualifications are not essential, training in areas like accounting, business or economics are useful. You could also study for a qualification from an online academy such as Coursera. If you want to practice as a stock broker in the UK, you will need to apply for a licence to be accredited by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). We like the ‘eToro’ platform. There are enough features on eToro to attract seasoned investors, whilst not being too alarming for beginners. This means that you can use the information to inform your knowledge and start trading effectively. The innovative CopyTrader™ feature is particularly beneficial to allow newcomers to ‘practice’ investing by seeing what others are doing. Before you make a final decision on your chosen UK stock broker, we recommend that you spend time working your way through the list and making the most of the free trading demos. Most stock brokers will allow you access to its platforms and databases and will provide you with ‘virtual’ funding. This means that you can practice your investments, and see which interfaces work well for you without using your personal money. As you become attuned to using different stock brokers you may start to establish which is best for your ability, interest and knowledge. WikiJob does not provide tax, investment, or financial services and advice. The information is being presented without consideration of the investment objectives, risk tolerance, or financial circumstances of any specific investor and might not be suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.
