How to choose the best trading app in the UK

What is a trading app?

A trading app is an application that enables you to trade on a range of financial markets anytime and anywhere. The app automates many processes typically performed by an online broker providing real-time prices, financial analysis and placing trades.

How to choose a trading app

There are many different trading apps available, each with their own pros and cons. The best trading app for you will depend on your own personal needs and circumstances. Here are several factors to consider when making this decision.

1. Ease of use

An app with an intuitive interface that’s easy to use not only helps to simplify a complicated process, but also saves time when trading. This provides quick, easy access to the markets where trades can be placed as and when you wish.

Our No. 1 trading platform is specifically designed by traders with the user in mind.¹

2. Products and markets

Different trading apps will give you access to different products and markets. Whilst some providers will choose to specialise in a specific product or market, others will offer a more diverse range.

Our mobile trading app allows easy access to a range of products and markets. You can:

• Trade more than 17,000 international shares including Alphabet Inc - C (All Sessions), Apple Inc (All Sessions) and Tesla Motors Inc (All Sessions)
• Access over 80 of the world’s best indices including the Dow Jones, S&P 500, Germany 40 and the FTSE 100
• Trade more than 80 FX pairs including major, minor, exotic and emerging currency pairs
• Access all major commodity markets including gold, silver, oil, wheat and sugar
• Choose from over 5400 ETF markets including currencies, sectors, indices and commodities
• Speculate on the price movements of long-term interest rates with futures and bonds
• Access themes and basket trading so you can gain exposure to trends in a range of markets including robotics, cannabis stocks, clean energy and electric vehicles

3. Trading hours

Each market has certain opening times where it’s possible to trade. These times will vary depending on your chosen asset, market, country and provider.

For increased access, we offer extended trading hours on the shares, indices and forex so you can react to moving markets as and when they occur. In fact, we’re the only trading provider to offer weekend trading on forex.

With us, you can trade within regular and extended hours as and when you see fit.

It’s also important to remember that less liquidity in the after-hours markets means they’re more volatile, whilst this creates trading opportunities, it also creates higher risk.

4. Tools

When trading, it’s important to have access to a range of tools to help gain a good understanding of the markets so you can react as you see fit.

To ensure the best possible trading experience, our app comes with a range of tools.

• Indicators – we offer 32 different indicators that help provide insight into market movements so you can develop your trading strategy accordingly
• Charts - from candlesticks to line charts, our trading app offers a range of different ways to view the price movements of your chosen market, each one equipped with a range of drawing tools
• Alerts – you’ve got the option to be notified when specific market movements occur, completely free of charge
• Trading signals – we provide buy and sell suggestions on your chosen market to help with your trading choices
• Trading analytics – provides analysis of all your positions so you can review and improve your trading performance
• Demo account – enables you to practise trading and build your confidence free of charge

5. Fees and costs

Each trading platform charges different fees and costs for placing trades. Some apps will do so by charging a flat fee, whereas others will charge based on certain factors relating to an individual trade.

With us, the fees you’ll have to pay will depend on the type of account and the instrument you wish to trade. When trading on leverage, the one direct charge you'll need to consider is the spread (or commission in the case of CFDs).

If you keep your CFD or Spread betting position open past 10pm UK time, you’ll be charged for overnight funding.

Find out more about overnight funding

6. Risk management

With trading comes high risk, particularly when using leveraged products like spread bets and CFDs. This is where you can open a position much larger than your initial margin to gain greater exposure to the markets, meaning you could gain or lose money faster than expected.

Our app comes equipped with a range of risk management tools. These include a stop loss, guaranteed stop, trailing stop and limit orders.

We also offer a range of charts to provide good visibility of market movements so you can make informed decisions when trading.

7. Customer service

Given the complex nature of trading, it’s important to have as much support as possible throughout the whole process. We offer 24-hour support from 8am Saturday to 10pm Friday to answer any queries you may have. To do this, you can either give us a call or get in touch via our help and support website.

UK trading app comparison*

Find out how our trading app compares with competitors in the market.

Best trading app for you

Our trading app has been designed by traders with all your needs in mind. Not only have we been voted the UK’s No. 1 finance app¹, but we also offer a range of features to support you throughout your trading journey. These include out-of-hours trading so you can react to moving markets as they occur. Our app also offers several charts to help analyse the markets, risk management tools and 24-hour support to anyone who needs it.⁶

How to start trading on a mobile app with us

To start trading on our No.1 mobile app¹, and seize trading opportunities wherever you are, you can follow three simple steps:

1. Search for IG trading on the App Store or Google Play
2. Download the app
3. Create a spread betting, CFD, or share dealing account with us