Best UK Options Trading Platforms at a Glance
Name | Score | Visit | Minimum Deposit | Account Types | Investing Tools | Currencies | Disclaimer | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9.8 | Visitplus500.com | £100 | General | Real-time Signals, Practice Portfolio, Investing Courses | 15 | CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 81% 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. Availability subject to regulations. FCA (FRN 509909). | ||
9.1 | Visitinteractivebrokers.com | General, Corporate, Margin, Stocks & Shares ISA, Professional, SIPP, Joint | Investing Courses, Real-time Signals, Practice Portfolio | 24 | ||||
8.8 | Visithome.saxo | £2000 | General, Margin, Corporate, Stocks & Shares ISA, Professional, SIPP, Joint | Investing Courses, Practice Portfolio, Real-time Signals | 20 | 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, FX or any of our other products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Losses can exceed deposits on some products. | ||
9.0 | Visitxtb.com | £250 | General, Professional | Practice Portfolio, Real-time Signals, Investing Courses | 2 | CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73% 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. | ||
5IG | 8.9 | Visitig.com | General, Margin, Corporate, Stocks & Shares ISA, Professional, SIPP, Joint | Investing Courses, Practice Portfolio, Real-time Signals | 5 | Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% 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. | ||
7.5 | Visitavatrade.com | £100 | General, Corporate, Professional | Practice Portfolio, Investing Courses, Real-time Signals | 7 | |||
7.7 | Visitspreadex.com | General, Professional | Real-time Signals | 3 |
Top Options Trading Platforms Reviewed
Here's a quick summary of the leading options trading platforms available:
Overall best UK Options Trading Platforms: Interactive Brokers
Best UK Options Trading Platform for Indices: IG
Best Options Trading Platforms UK for Stock Options: Saxo Markets
Best UK Options Trading Platform for FX Options: AvaTrade
Best UK Options Trading Platform for Margin Trading: Tradestation
Best UK Options Trading Platform Without Commission: Tastyworks
Best UK Options Trading Platform with Low Minimum Deposit: CMC Markets
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IBKR offers one of the most resourceful and feature-rich trading platforms for options trading currently available in the UK financial market. It supports an extensive OptionsTrader tool that is highly customisable, allows single-screen management, and helps identify the risk/reward ratio of contracts via a wealth of analytical tools. While the interface may overwhelm traders with little experience, its trader academy features extensive resources on how to navigate IBKR products that appeal to dedicated learners.
As a global powerhouse, IBKR also offers access to numerous foreign markets and has almost £90 billion in client assets under management. The broker is regulated by the FCA in the UK and partially covered by FSCS.
Minimum deposit | £0 |
---|---|
Contract fee | £0.15 to 0.65 per contract |
Market data fee | £5.00 |
Deposit fees | 1% for any physical currency deposits |
Withdrawal Fees | £7 for wire transfers |
Advanced features | Probability lab |
Maximum leverage | 50x |
Get Started With Interactive Brokers
IG Group has been executing spread betting since its founding in 1975, and is one of the main platforms for trading derivatives with over 80 indices listed. The London-based company is regulated by the FCA and listed on London Stock Exchange. You can trade index options by using spread betting and CDFs, commission-free. With spread betting, your gains can be exempt from capital taxes depending on your personal circumstances.
The platform charges no overnight fees and grants the ability to cap risk exposure and leverage flexibility. The platform features a robust strategy builder, along with integrations with platforms like Mt2 or ProRealTime, with which you can automate your trading activities.
Minimum deposit | £250 |
---|---|
Commission | £3 on UK shares |
Deposit fees | £0 |
Custody Fees | £24 per quarter |
Inactivity Fees | £12 per month after two years |
Advanced features | Automated trading |
Maximum leverage | 10x |
Get Started With IG
The London-based stock broker harnesses over 30 years of experience in the trade and investing industry and has over £70 billion in UK-client assets under management. Using the platform, you can access over 20,000 stocks listed on over 50 exchanges worldwide and place options contracts using robust options trading tools.
The most useful features include a trading strategy builder where you can combine multi-leg orders or choose from prebuilt options trading strategies, a rolling feature for faster reaction, and integration of risk data while strategising. To buy and sell options orders, you need at least £5,000 in assets, and you can place options trades on Hong Kong, US, Switzerland, EU, and UK exchanges with varying fees.
Minimum deposit | £500 |
---|---|
Stock Options | £5 on UK stocks |
Commission | 0.10% (Min £8) for Classic account, 0.05% (Min £5) for VIP account, 0.07% (Min £7) for Platinum account |
US Stock Trading | $0.02 per share (Min $10) |
Custody Fees | 0.12% per annum |
Platform fee | £50 per quarter |
Advanced features | Access to Mt4 and Mt5, screeners |
Maximum leverage | 50x |
Get Started With Saxo Markets
The Ireland-based online broker offers a variety of investment instruments, including Forex, CFDs, stocks, and bonds, and grants access to numerous foreign markets and presents over 40 currency pairs. Despite not being regulated by the FCA in the UK, it harnesses a trading volume of £60 billion in the country.
It features an extensive options section with robust tools to identify the confidence index by referring to historical data and market projections, build a strategy using an integrated strategy guide, and summarise your portfolio risk. The platform is also a blessing for visual traders offering the ability to visualize current and historical implied volatility.
Minimum deposit | £100 |
---|---|
Spread fees | Start from 0.9 pips, varying by currency pair |
Deposit fees | £0 |
Admin Fee | £100 |
Inactivity Fees | £50 |
Advanced features | Access to Mt4, other auto trading features |
Maximum leverage | 30x for FX |
Get Started With AvaTrade
Tastyworks was designed with options trading in mind, therefore, offers a wealth of tools that are geared toward that direction. You can set up your watchlist and optimise your options screener accordingly, which is designed for multi-leg trades. You can access prebuilt options strategies through the trade window and view a length of position-specific statistics including implied volatility, the expected move, and maximum profit/loss. If you're looking to engage in options trading, it's important to do your research and find the best futures broker in the UK to ensure you have the necessary support and resources to make informed decisions.
The catch is that while it allows UK traders to sign up for an account, Tastyworks only accept payments in US dollars. You can transfer your payments via CurrencyFair, which runs the transfers on a single day with low fees and an average of 0.45% currency spread. While the contract fee is $1, it's capped at $10 per leg, and there are no commissions on trades. If you are willing to invest below £1, we have prepared a guide about the best stocks under £1.
Minimum deposit | $0 |
---|---|
Options contract fee | $1 |
Options on futures | $2.5 per contract |
Small futures options | $0.25 |
Maintenance fee | $0 |
Maximum leverage | 2x |
A publicly traded UK-based broker, CMC Markets offers trading options via spread betting, CFD, indices, stocks, forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and EFTs. Its wealth of investment products is combined with a sleek interface and advanced features, making it an excellent fit for a range of traders. The platform offers exposure to Metatrder4 for automated trading and has two different products for retail and professional traders.
Its options feature supports a robust risk assessment capability with which you can test your strategy using “what if” scenarios, conduct a filtered search to identify options positions and create multi-leg combination orders. While money trading options are possible on both Standard and Pro programs, the majority of analytical tools are exclusive to the latter.
Minimum deposit | £0 |
---|---|
Commission | 0.10% (Min £9) |
Margin rate | Varies based on the instrument. E.g. 5% for UK100 |
Spread fees | Starting from 1 point |
Overnight charges for index CFDs | Based on the underlying interbank rate of the index, plus 0.0082% on buy positions and minus 0.0082% on sell positions |
Withdrawal Fees | £0 except £15 for international bank transfers |
Inactivity Fees | £10 after a year |
Maximum leverage | 30x |
Options Trading Explained
Simply put, an option is a right to buy or sell a particular asset — like stock in a company — at a predetermined price on or before a certain date. You can buy and sell options contracts like stocks, but they also provide you with the right, but not the obligation, to take certain actions.
When you buy options, you are essentially buying into a contract that grants you the right to purchase or sell a stock at a predetermined price in the future. Two parties are involved in an options trade — one selling (writer) and one buying (holder). The person who sells the option is known as the ‘writer’ of the option, and when someone else buys that same option from them, they are referred to as its holder.
How Does Options Trading Work?
Options come in two main varieties: call and put options. These refer to the right of the holder to buy or sell a particular asset at a predetermined price on or before a certain date.
Call options allow holders to purchase an asset, while put options give them the right to sell an asset. Both actions take place at specific prices depending on the contract's terms (more on this later). Traders make money when their position relative to price movements proves correct.
The expiry date marks when the option contract ends and it is determined by the contract's terms – the date could be seconds, minutes or days. If the asset's price moves as predicted, the trader makes a profit; if it doesn't move as expected, they take a loss.
It’s also possible to use leverage when trading options.
Think of leverage as a loan that you take out when you purchase an option. This can be used to potentially increase your profits but also increases the risk of loss if your predictions turn out wrong. The amount of leverage varies depending on your broker and the type of option you buy and is usually expressed as a multiple or ratio — for example, 2:1 or 3x.
Examples of Options Trades
Let’s look at an example of how this plays out in practice.
Example of a Call Option
Let's say you're interested in buying options for Amazon, which are currently trading at £10 per contract. You decide to invest £1,000 to purchase 100 options contracts.
The strike price, or the price at which you can buy Amazon stock with your options, is set at £2,000 per share. This means that if Amazon's stock price goes up, you can exercise your options to purchase the share at the lower strike price. Or alternatively, you can sell them on the market at a higher market price, earning a profit.
Fast forward a few weeks and Amazon's stock price has risen to £2,500 per share. Your options are now "in the money" and you can exercise them to purchase shares at the £2,000 strike price. This means that for each option contract, you can purchase shares at £2,000 and sell them on the market for £2,500, earning a profit of £500 per share.
Example of a Put Option
Say the current market price of Tesla stock is $800 per share and the price of one put option is £10. You decide to invest £1,000 to purchase 100 put options contracts.
The strike price for these options is set at £700 per share, which means you have the right to sell the Tesla stock at £700 per share. If the Tesla stock price falls below £700 before your contract expires, you can exercise your right to sell the stock at the higher strike price and earn a profit.
Fast forward a few weeks, and the market price of Tesla's stock has fallen to £500 per share. Your put options are now "in the money" and can be exercised to sell the stock at the higher £700 strike price. This means that for each put option, you can sell the stock at £700 and buy it back from the market at £500, earning a profit of £200 per share.
The effective profit on your options is the difference between the strike price and the market price, multiplied by the number of options contracts. In this case, it is:
£700 (strike price) - £500 (market price) = £200 per share
100 options x £200 = £20,000
After taking into account the £1,000 premium you paid to purchase the put options, you've made a net profit of £19,000.
What Assets Can You Trade Options With?
You can use a variety of assets to trade options, including stocks, currencies, commodities, and indices. Yet, some assets may be considered riskier than others. For example, penny stocks or cryptocurrencies are prone to dramatic price swings. Trading options with these assets, as opposed to large-cap stocks or major currency pairs, also becomes riskier.
Therefore, it's important to do your research before deciding which asset you want to trade options with. It's also advisable to start small and only invest an amount that you are comfortable losing if the trade doesn't go as planned.
Price Structure of Options Contracts
Common fees for options trading include commissions, exercise fees and non-trading fees.
1. Contract Fee – It is charged any time you buy or sell an options contract, and varies among brokers. For example, Interactive Brokers charges £0.65 per contract.
2. Exercise Fees – You pay an exercise fee to your broker when you decide to exercise an option (i.e., buy or sell the underlying stock). It can either be in the form of a flat fee or a percentage of your profits.
3. Non-Trading Fees – These usually cover administrative costs such as inactivity or account maintenance fees.
What Causes Option Prices to Rise and Fall?
Various factors include options prices, ranging from supply and demand to seasonal factors. Let's look at them in detail:
Supply and Demand
Supply and demand are the two main factors that drive the price of an option. If there are more buyers than sellers, the option’s price will rise. Conversely, if there are more sellers than buyers, prices will fall. This is true for all asset types including stocks, crypto and foreign exchange, though the factors affecting each market vary. For instance, project developments drive supply and demand in the crypto market, while central bank activities and monetary policies affect the forex market.
Volatility
Volatility refers to how much an asset fluctuates in price over a certain amount of time. Options are derivative instruments. This means that they derive their value from the underlying asset. The higher the volatility of the underlying asset, the greater the risk exposure. This ultimately means a higher potential for profits and losses.
Market Sentiment
The sentiment in the market affects investors’ confidence which in turn affects the direction of an asset's prices. A positive sentiment can lead to higher prices while a negative sentiment can lead to lower prices. Options traders should take note of the market sentiment when deciding on which trades to make as it will help them accurately predict the future movements of their underlying assets.
Interest Rates
Interest rates have a direct effect on options pricing, as they affect the cost of buying and selling calls and puts. When interest rates are low, there is less incentive for investors to buy call options because they don't get paid much in terms of returns. On the other hand, if interest rates rise then there is more incentive for investors to purchase calls because they can earn greater yields from their investments. Think of this as similar to how lending money out at a higher interest rate will give you more returns than lending it out at a lower rate.
Sector Performance
The performance of certain sectors can affect options prices as well. For example, if the tech sector is performing particularly well, investors may start buying more call options in tech stocks since they expect those stocks to go up in price. The opposite would be true when the sector starts to underperform – investors will likely shy away from buying call options, and opt for put options instead as they anticipate that the stock prices may begin to decrease.
Seasonal Patterns
Seasonal patterns refer to trends in trading activity around certain times of the year or holidays. This can affect options prices as investors are more likely to buy or sell contracts following these patterns. For instance, investors may be more inclined to buy call options in June since stock prices tend to rise in summer. Conversely, they may choose put options in December as winter is usually a depressed period for stocks.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Options Trading
Now that you have a better understanding of what affects option prices, let's look at the pros and cons of trading options:
- Leverage - Options offer leverage which can lead to larger returns. This means that with a small amount of capital, an investor can control a large position in an underlying asset.
- Ability To Hedge - With options, traders can hedge against losses by using different strategies such as spreads and straddles.
- Flexibility - Options offer flexibility in terms of trade duration, strike price, and contract size, allowing traders to customize their trades to their specific needs and risk tolerance.
- Low Cost - Compared to other forms of trading, options tend to have low-cost entry points and some brokers don't charge commissions.
- Complexity - Trading options is more complex than stocks or forex due to its many parameters and greater risk exposure. As a result, beginners should take extra caution when getting into this type of investment.
- Leverage Risk - While leverage can lead to larger returns, it also has the potential for larger losses.
- Time Decay - Options have a short lifespan, so traders must be aware of the time decay and make decisions accordingly.
- Volatility Risk - Volatility can cause prices to move quickly and often unpredictably, making it difficult for investors to accurately predict the future direction of an asset's price.
Options Trading Strategies
Before putting your hard-earned money into options trading, it's important to familiarise yourself with the different strategies that you can use.
Long Call
Long Put
Covered Calls
Married Put
Long Strangle
Bull Call Spread and Bear Call Spread
Butterfly Spread
Iron Butterfly
Types of Options Trading in the UK
Besides varying underlying assets, there are also different forms of trading you can use when placing options trades.
Options Leverage and Margin Trading
Trading options with margins involve a chunk of the option writer’s funds being partitioned as collateral to cover the risk of trade failing. Margins only apply some order types like naked puts and require a margins account. In the UK, FCA sets the margin requirements, but brokerages may add on to the minimum limits.
# | Brand | Leverage |
---|---|---|
1 | Saxo Markets | 50x |
2 | CMC Markets | 30x |
3 | City Index | 30x |
Options Spread Betting
Options spreading refers to a strategy where a trader purchases multiple options for the same underlying asset. While options are similar, they vary regarding strike price and/or expiry date. The table below lists the best platforms allowing options for spread betting.
# | Brand | Options Spreads |
---|---|---|
1 | IG | Starting from 0.6 points, vary by the market |
2 | CityIndex | Starting from 1.0 point |
3 | CMC Markets | Starting from 1.0 point |
Options Trading via CFDs
When trading options using CFDs (contract for difference), rather than actually owning the options, you can speculate on the price difference between the opening and closing of the option. They are leveraged, meaning you have to set aside a deposit to gain the position, with your profit and loss calculated on the full position size. Note that CFDs are quite complex and carry a high risk of loss due to leverage.
# | Brand | Leverage |
---|---|---|
1 | Interactive Brokers | 50x |
2 | CityIndex | 30x |
3 | AvaTrade | 30x |
Binary options trading involves predicting whether an event will occur or not, for example, whether the price of an asset will increase or decrease. If the trader predicts correctly, they will reap the price and lose their investment if they are wrong. As of 2019, binary options trading is banned in the UK — meaning that any commercial platform offering it is likely a scam or unauthorised service.
Trading Options Using an Online Platform: A Step-By-Step Guide
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to start trading options. We will use Interactive Brokers as an example.
1. Add a Trading Permission for Options
2. Arrange Your Order
3. Place Your Trade
What to Consider When Choosing an Options Trading Platform?
Finding the best investment platform to trade options largely depend on your trading knowledge, budget for fees, usability, and requirements regarding the trading tools offered. Below are a few points to consider when choosing a suitable options trading platform.
Options Trading Knowledge
Options trading is a complex and high-risk venture, meaning that beginners should prioritise education, ease of use, and functionality above advanced analytical tools and charting abilities, including advanced options trading tools. Besides the basics, beginners may explore the many moving parts of options trading with paper trading accounts, which simulate real market environments and allow trading with virtual money.
# | Brand | Top Beginner Features |
---|---|---|
1 | CMC Markets | Knowledge hub, intuitive design, paper trade account |
2 | Fidelity | Paper trade account, educational materials |
3 | IG | IG Academy, intuitive design |
Price Analysis Tools, Charting, and Indicators
Besides low commissions for active trades, advanced options traders typically seek tools with which they can build options trading strategies flexibly and compare and advanced profit & loss charting options with plenty of indicators. The table below lists the platforms that combine low-cost services for high volume and frequent trades with advanced analytical tools.
# | Brand | Top Advanced Features |
---|---|---|
1 | Interactive Brokers | Probability lab, advanced charting |
2 | Saxo Markets | Advanced charting, options screener |
3 | Tastyworks | Copy portfolio, options screener |
Compare the Fees for Options Trading Platforms in the UK
The following fees are typically involved in options trading;
Commission fees — how brokers charge for their services
Contract fees — are charged to execute trades
Deposit fees — charged when funding investments
Withdrawal fees — charged when withdrawing funds
Here’s a breakdown of costs from selected brokers.
Saxo Markets | CMC Markets | IG | City Index | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Initial deposit fee | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 |
Withdrawal fees | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 |
Signup fees | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 |
Custody Fees | 0.12% | £0 | £24 per quarter | £0 |
Total fee | Assets * 0.12% | £0 | £96 per annum | £0 |
Broker Ease of Use and Accessibility
The ease of use varies widely across different trading platforms, as some are geared towards intermediate and advanced traders whereas some aim to appeal to a broader audience. Provided that the platform has a paper account option, it’s crucial to test out the functionalities and navigation in a simulated environment through a demo account rather than with actual funds to see whether it fits your level of knowledge.
Besides the interface, pay attention to loading times and bugs, as it will be crucial to have a sleek online service when executing orders.
Full Functionality Across Devices
Plenty of UK trading apps offer options trading to offer a rounded experience to their clients. More often than not, these apps include every service broker offers on their website or workstation in a mobile form and allow monitoring portfolios and placing trades on the go.
Best Options Trading App | Fees |
---|---|
IG | £24 per quarter custody fee |
Interactive Brokers | £0 |
Tastyworks | £0 |
City Index | £100 initial deposit |
AvaTrade | £100 administration fee |
Options Trading Platform Security, Safety, and Reputation
The Financial Conduct Authority oversees options trading activities across the UK, which are permitted except for binary options trading. Every broker must be registered and regulated by FCA, and they typically display it on their websites.
Besides adherence to regulatory bodies, high trading volume, positive customer feedback, and adherence to governmental regulations and industry-standard security measures are indicators of a safe trading platform. Additionally, you can seek FSCS insurance which safeguards client monies of up to £85,000 in the event of a broker default.
How do I know an options broker is secure and is not a scam?
Beware of unrealistic promises or services that are not allowed in the UK, like binary options trading,
Don’t return cold calls or any unsolicited contact from unknown investing advisors or companies,
Ensure that the platform is registered with the FCA,
Seek FSCS insurance, and if in doubt, withdraw, close your options trading account, and report.
Customer Service
Clients can usually reach trading platformsusing the following channels within office hours;
Email
Phone call
Online form
Note that if the broker is not UK-based, office hours may vary.
Automation Tools and Options Trading Bots
There are a few built options trading bots available, like Option Alpha, that help traders automate processes like opportunity scanning, management, and scheduling. They are usually highly customisable, allow in-depth monitoring with pre-set KPIs, and come with an easy-to-navigate interface, so traders with non-technical backgrounds can easily use them.
Is Options Trading Worth It?
Options trading can be a high-risk venture, and just like other forms of trading, it comes with no guarantees of profit. It requires a high level of expertise and knowledge of market trends and conditions.
Despite the potential risks, advantages like the use of leverage, flexibility, and diversification opportunities make it worth considering.
Whether options trading is worth it depends on individual goals, risk tolerance, and experience. You should carefully consider the potential risks and benefits before deciding to engage with it. Choosing a reliable and user-friendly options trading platform is essential for maximising the chances of success. With the right platform and expertise, options trading can be a profitable venture for investors who are willing to take calculated risks.