Moneyzine
/Investing/Trading 212 Review

Trading 212 Review – Should You Use It in 2023?

Trading 212 is an excellent, low-cost investment platform perfect for those with tight budgets and new starters. Explore its key features, advantages and disadvantages, costs, and more.

Jean Santiago
Author: 
Jean Santiago
Idil Woodall
Editor: 
Idil Woodall
35 mins
November 13th, 2023
Expert Rating
8.4/10
Our Verdict – 8.4/10

Trading 212 is a solid trading platform if you only want the basics. It offers a myriad of CFD opportunities and a respectable array of stocks and ETFs, with competitive trading fees and decent spreads.

Its trading tools are not extensive – but sufficient enough, including basic charting and a simple automatic investment feature. There’s also a comprehensive asset screener, diversification tool, and flagship share lending capability.

However, market analysis features leave a lot to be desired. It’s also missing some key investment assets such as other derivatives like options and futures, bonds, and others.

Who is it best for?

Trading 212 is best for beginner traders who are looking for easy-to-understand functionalities and trading mechanisms.

Trading 2128.4Visittrading212.com

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 83% 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.

Investment Products – 8/10

What’s a platform without the products that they offer? In this section, we’re going to delve deep into just what investment products the platform allows you to add to your portfolio. But before that, let’s look at a summary.

Pros
  • Large number of stocks and ETF offerings
  • Wide market and exchange reach
  • Great product selection when compared to close competitors
Cons
  • Minimal derivative product offerings
  • Only offers basic trading features for CFD assets
  • Some of the most popular asset classes are missing

Assets Available

The platform gives you access to a lot of traditional investment assets, but not so much to more modern investment products. Here are a few of the assets readily available on their platform and how many are available for trading.

  • 9,000 Stocks. Stocks represent ownership in a company and entitle investors to a portion of its profits. For example, buying Apple stocks means owning a part of Apple Inc.

  • 1,800 ETFs. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are investment funds that hold a diversified basket of assets, like stocks or bonds. An example available in Trading 212 is the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, tracking the performance of the S&P 500 index.

  • 179 Forex. Forex stands for foreign exchange, where currencies are traded in pairs. For instance, Trading 212 allows you to trade EUR/USD, which involves exchanging euros for US dollars, taking advantage of currency exchange rate fluctuations.

  • 19 Indices. Indices represent the overall performance of a specific group of stocks, like the NASDAQ Composite Index which tracks technology stocks' performance.

  • 39 Commodities. Commodities are physical goods like gold, oil, or wheat that can be traded in the international market. For example, trading gold involves speculating on its price movement.

  • 1,621 CFDs. Contracts for Difference (CFDs) allow investors to speculate on price movements without owning the underlying asset. For instance, trading CFDs on Tesla stock allows traders to profit from its price changes without owning Tesla shares.

Derivative Products

You can get access to a very limited type of derivative products, called Contracts for Difference, or CFDs. Here are the details:

  • CFDs available for trading: 1,621

  • Spreads: Variable and competitive spreads, in line with industry standards

  • Leverage: Up to 1:500 for Pro Accounts

  • Supporting features: Dedicated Limit/Stop feature for every order, basic charting tools

Market Reach

Trading 212 provides access to multiple exchanges globally, offering a broad geographical reach that includes North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions. The platform caters to 35 exchanges.

Costs for trading in foreign markets vary widely based on factors like foreign exchange fees, currency conversion charges, and country-specific regulations. Nevertheless, Trading 212 keeps costs competitive, ensuring that traders can access international markets without prohibitive fees.

Account types

One of the best things about Trading 212 is that the platform offers a variety of account types. Different accounts have specific features that can help ensure your trading experience is in alignment with your goal, which we'll discuss in detail below.

Trading 212 Invest Account

The most well-known account type in this platform, the Trading 212 Invest account is what most people think about when they hear the words “investing.” It’s a free-to-open account designed for the long-term investing of various equities.

Trading 212 CFD Account

The CFD account is specialised for handling Contracts for Difference, or CFDs. It’s also free to open and doesn’t incur any monthly fee.

This account allows leveraged trading on various assets as well as enables long and short positions on the CFDs. It’s also open for a much broader global clientele compared to other accounts.

Notice: Trading CFDs involves a significant level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Before engaging in CFD trading, it is crucial to carefully consider your financial situation, risk tolerance, and investment objectives. Please be aware that 79% of retail CFD accounts lose money with this provider.

Trading 212 ISA Account

Trading 212’s ISA is an excellent option for new starters. Unlike other offers in the market from the likes of Interactive Investor or Hargreaves Lansdown, Trading 212 doesn’t charge any annual custody fees on its ISA account.

While some investors may find the lack of options limiting, it’s a great alternative for those who plan on investing in major index funds, fractional shares, and blue-chip companies.

Trading 212 Demo Account

Lastly, Trading 212 offers you a demo account where you can test out the platform itself. Once you register, you will be given a virtual £5,000 with free reign to do as you please, using the platform's tools and tricks.

If you’re ready, you can then open a paid account with the minimum investment fee. Meanwhile, these demo accounts are free to open and maintain.

Features – 8/10

Having cutting-edge features well-suited for your purpose can make or break your trading strategy, so you need to choose investment platforms with features best suited for what you want to do.

Let’s look at whether Trading 212 has the tools you need.

Pros
  • Strong asset screener functionality
  • All basic features are easy to use and reliable
  • Emphasises healthy investing habits (automatic investing, diversification, and demo account usage)
Cons
  • Uncustomisable platform view
  • Only basic charting tools are available
  • Only basic educational materials are available

Trading Tools

Let’s look at all the tools that Trading 212 has in store for its traders.

Asset Screener

An asset screener helps filter and search for specific stocks or assets based on criteria such as name and ticker symbol.

You can also view other more technical aspects such as market capitalisation, sector, and performance. For Trading 212, you can find this on the Search button on the left side of the window.

Trading 212's asset screener efficiently helps users find suitable investments for their desired strategy, which means that it’s a feature suited for strategic investors who want to know all the relevant information before they sink money into their ventures.

Basic Charting

Trading 212 offers basic charting functionalities that traders can use for technical analysis of asset prices, movement, and direction.

Beginner investors who need easy-to-read price charts will appreciate them, but those looking for more extensive features will have to look elsewhere.

Fractional Shares

Fractional shares allow investors to own a portion of high-priced stocks, effectively portioning out a piece of that stock into tiny fractional parts that are more available to the masses.

Trading 212’s fractional investing is ideal for investors with limited capital who want to invest in high-value stocks without having to buy out whole shares.

Auto Invest

Auto Invest is a convenient tool that automates regular investments in chosen assets. This feature helps investors maintain disciplined investing habits by setting up automatic purchases of selected assets at specified times.

This feature is ideal for individuals who prefer a hands-off approach to investing, allowing them to steadily grow their portfolio over time without manual intervention on their part.

Diversification Tool

The Diversification Tool analyses portfolio balance and recommends adjustments to achieve optimal risk management.

Trading 212's Diversification Tool is valuable for maintaining a well-balanced investment portfolio, providing guidance to portfolio-conscious investors who want to maximise their impact.

Social Investing

Social Investing offers a community-driven experience, enabling users to follow and copy the trading strategies of successful investors on the platform.

Trading 212's Social Investing empowers novice investors to learn from experts and mirror successful investment approaches. It’s perfect for beginners looking to gain insights from experienced traders and adopt investment strategies that they see work from their peers.

Share Lending, Earn Interest Daily

Share Lending allows investors to lend their stocks to others for short selling, earning daily interest on their lent shares. Trading 212's Share Lending feature offers a unique opportunity for investors to generate additional income from their owned shares.

This option is better for long-term investors interested in earning passive income through their shareholdings.

Interest on Uninvested Cash

Interest on Uninvested Cash is a feature that allows investors to earn interest on the cash held in their trading accounts.

Trading 212 offers a competitive interest rate on uninvested cash, enabling users to make extra income while waiting for suitable investment opportunities. It’s perfect for investors with surplus funds in their accounts, as it allows them to earn returns on idle cash.

Demo Account

The Demo Account is a risk-free practice account that allows users to simulate virtual trading without using real money.

Trading 212's Demo Account is an invaluable tool for beginners to gain experience, build confidence in their trading skills, and familiarise themselves with the platform before staking money when they enter the live market.

Market Research

With its emphasis on healthy investing habits, the Trading 212 platform also has a variety of market research features available to help both beginner and veteran investors alike gather the necessary information to execute their strategies.

  • Market research articles. Trading 212’s education centre has a variety of well-curated articles that outline how to conduct market research. However, most of the articles only discuss the essentials and are more focused on beginner investors looking to find their footing.

  • Integrated economic calendar. On the left side of the platform window is an economic calendar that shows economic events happening around the world that can have a potential impact on specific assets or groups of assets in their roster.

  • Event filter. You can also filter asset-specific news depending on the event, the currency, and other relevant filters so that you can only see what matters to you. You can see this on the top right side of the integrated calendar news window.

Educational Materials

The Trading 212 platform has an education centre that’s easily accessible to everyone.

  • Asset Basics. The main website contains many different blog articles and videos that can be easily accessed by users. The publications, in the form of articles and videos, are mainly about the basics of investing and dividends geared toward beginners. However, the knowledge base is still growing, so there’s still a lot to be desired.

  • Strategy Basics. Trading 212 also has different publications–blog articles and short video explainers–about trading strategy. They have articles on topics such as dollar cost averaging, market timing, and more.

  • Community forum. Lastly, Trading 212 hosts an extensive community forum that contains many different main topics. The main forums are active training, video tutorials, feature suggestions, chats, and more.

Overall, Trading 212’s educational materials are geared towards establishing the fundamentals of trading.

However, it doesn’t offer expert material that can help veteran traders progress their strategy. Moreover, their scope of publication is also pretty limited: they only have articles and video courses and don't yet have fully-fledged academies and courses for their users.

Fees – 8/10

Fees are yet one of the many things that most investors will have to contend with when it comes to investing. No matter how great its features or how comprehensive its product offering is, the fact remains: the more expensive a platform’s fees are, the smaller the profit investors make.

That’s why it’s essential to know about Trading 212’s fee structure firsthand before you decide to trust it with your transactions. Here’s a brief review.

Pros
  • Zero commission
  • Low trading fees
  • Low spread markup for real stocks and CFDs
Cons
  • High spread markup for Forex assets
  • Non-standard overnight/weekend fees
  • There’s a £10 minimum deposit to start trading

Trading 212 Trading Fees

Trading fees are the costs incurred when buying or selling assets on the Trading 212 platform. These are important because they up the cost of every transaction that you make with this broker.

Luckily, Trading 212 offers commission-free trading on most assets, which is a significant advantage over other brokers, especially for beginner investors who want to maximise their returns.

This means that compared to some competitors that still charge trading commissions, Trading 212's fee structure is more cost-effective and investor-friendly.

Commission

A commission is essentially the “broker’s cut” of the transaction, which is a percentage of every buy and sell that occurs on their platform.

Trading 212 offers commission-free trading, which means there are no charges when you buy or sell assets on their platform. This is beneficial because it helps investors keep more of their profits without paying extra fees for each trade.

Foreign Currency Conversion Fee

When you trade assets in a different currency than your account currency, a foreign currency exchange fee may apply. This fee covers the cost of converting your money into the required currency for the trade.

Trading 212's foreign currency exchange fee is transparent at 0.05% of the cost. This makes it easy to understand the cost involved in trading different assets.

ISA Fee

An ISA (Individual Savings Account) is a tax-efficient account offered by Trading 212. It allows you to invest a certain amount each year without paying taxes on your investment gains.

While some providers may charge fees for ISA accounts, this broker offers commission-free ISA accounts, making it more cost-effective for long-term investing.

Overnight/Weekend Fee

If you hold leveraged positions (CFDs) overnight or during the weekend, you may incur overnight or weekend fees. They are also called financing fees or rollover fees.

These fees are associated with the cost of keeping your positions open for an extended period. Trading 212's overnight/weekend fees are non-standard, which means that they vary depending on the asset that you hold.

Trading 212 Against Competition

Here’s a comparison table you can use:

Trading 212

eToro

Hargreaves Lansdown

Commission

0%

0%

£11.95 (0-9 trades), £8.95 (10-19), £5.95 (20+)

Foreign currency exchange fee

0.5%

Varies depending on the payment method, currency, and eToro Club level

1% for the first 5k, 0.75% next 3k, 0.50% next 10k, 0.25% over 20k

ISA fee

0%

N/A

0.45% of market value

Overnight/weekend fees

Not standard, varies by asset

$1.02/$3.07

Not standard

Trading 212 Spreads

Spreads are used for leveraged products such as derivatives. It represents the difference between the buying and selling price of an asset, which means that it’s the transaction cost for trading that particular investment product.

In short, wide spreads can negatively impact the trading experience by reducing potential profits and increasing costs, with tight spreads per asset generally being preferable.

Trading 212 offers competitive and narrow spreads, allowing investors to execute trades more efficiently without excessive expenses. This is especially beneficial for day traders and frequent traders who aim to capitalise on short-term price movements.

There are different spread markup rates for every asset class, as we’ll show below.

Contracts for Difference

For CFDs, the markup is built into the spread, so the markup rates will differ for each asset. Nevertheless, this platform has a significantly lower fee class than its competitors.

Here is a table with an example of the markup rates for varying assets:

CFD Asset

Trading 212

eToro

XTB

S&P 500 CFD spread

1.1

0.8

0.6

Euro Stoxx 50 CFD spread

2.4

3.0

2.4

Vodafone CFD fees per $2,000 trade

0.3

$2.7

Forex

While Trading 212 doesn’t charge any commissions for per-lot orders, their spread fees are on the higher end of the scale compared to other forex brokers.

Forex Asset

Trading 212

eToro

XTB

EUR/USD spread

1

1

1

GBP/USD spread

1.2

2.0

1.3

USD/JPY spread

0.7

1.0

1.4

Leverage

It’s also important to take note of the leverage available for rough asset groupings. Leverage is a multiplier that allows you to trade for more than what you currently staking. It can multiply your profits by several amounts, but it can be equally risky for losses.

Trading 212 offers a variety of leverage options, as shown in this table.

Leverage Classes

Minor Forex Currency Pairs

1:20

Major Forex Currency Pairs

1:30

Gold

1:20

Other Commodities

1:10

Professional Account

1:500 depending on the asset

Trading 212 Non-Trading Fees

Non-trading fees include charges which are not directly related to the execution of your buy or sell positions.

Depending on your platform, these fees often include account maintenance fees, inactivity fees, deposit or withdrawal fees, and currency conversion fees.

Non-trading fees can significantly impact an investor's overall returns, especially if they are not actively trading. Fortunately, Trading 212 is known for its transparent fee structure with no hidden charges or inactivity fees.

Compared to some competitors that impose various non-trading fees, Trading 212's approach is more favourable for investors seeking to minimise costs and optimise their trading experience.

Here are the various non-trading fees on Trading 212.

Withdrawal/Deposit Fee

These fees cover the processing costs involved in transferring funds to and from your account. Fortunately, Trading 212 doesn’t charge any fees for withdrawals or deposits to their trading account via bank transfer. Please note that card payments may incur additional fees charged by card issuers.

Minimum Deposit

The minimum deposit is the smallest amount of money you need to fund your trading account to start trading. Trading 212 has a minimum deposit of £10, which is an affordable amount to start investing with for most people.

Inactivity Fee

If you’re not using your trading account for a period specified in the terms of service, most brokers will charge you an inactivity fee. But with Trading 212’s beginner-friendly policy, they don’t have any charges even if you leave your account inactive.

Comparison Table

Here’s a comparison table comparing Trading 212 non-trading fees to its closest competitors. While Trading 212 has pretty reasonable fee prices, Hargreaves Lansdown has them beat by having zero charges for all non-trading fees.

Trading Fees

Trading 212

eToro

Hargreaves Lansdown

Withdrawal/deposit fees

£0

£4

£0

Min deposit

£10

£8

£0

Inactivity Fee

£0

£8 monthly fee after 12 months of inactivity

£0

How Does Trading 212 Make Money?

Trading 212 offers no commission for all orders you place on their platform, and a variety of other perks besides. Sounds too good to be true? Don’t worry, it’s not. They just have a variety of creative ways to make money that spreads out the cost for the consumer, which we’ll talk about here.

Trading 212 makes money through the various fees that they charge for some of their products, especially through CFDs and Forex assets. Here’s a list of all the ways that this broker might make money off their users.

  • Spreads. One way Trading 212 makes money is through spreads, which refer to the difference between the buying and selling price of an asset. When a customer buys a CFD through the platform, some assets have spread markups that they will have to pay. They make money from this difference when users trade.

  • Overnight/Weekend Fees. Trading 212 charges overnight or weekend fees for keeping positions open beyond a certain time. These fees contribute to their revenue, especially for users who engage in long-term trading strategies.

  • Interest on Uninvested Cash. When users deposit funds into their Trading 212 account but do not immediately invest them, Trading 212 may invest these funds and earn interest. The interest earned on uninvested cash adds to the company's revenue and is also shared with the users.

  • Premium Services. Trading 212 offers premium services or advanced features to users for a subscription fee. These services include access to personalised/priority support, higher leverage rates, and other functionalities that improve their capacity to trade.

  • Loaning Shares. Trading 212 can lend shares held by investors to other traders or short sellers. In return, the platform receives a fee for facilitating this lending process.

Usability – 9.5/10

When the rubber hits the road, the trading platform window is what investors are going to be interactive with most of the time. It’s important to assess the usability of the platform so you know what to expect when it comes to the everyday task of investing your money wisely and turning a profit.

Here’s a short summary:

Pros
  • Intuitive and robust basic functions and systems
  • Clean and easily navigable interface
  • Five chart types are available
Cons
  • No unique functionality
  • Basic charting functions only
  • Windows and views can’t be customised

Trading 212 Web Trading Platform Review

Trading 212's web trading platform provides an accessible and well-designed platform geared for beginner users.

It has a user-friendly interface, robust security features, comprehensive search functionality, and helpful portfolio management tools, among other things that we’ll review below.

Is Trading 212 Beginner Friendly?

Yes, the Trading 212 platform is beginner friendly. The icons are clear, every tool is intuitive, and the windows are easy to navigate. All the options are laid out clearly, making every functionality accessible to the user.

It even has a demo account that you can try out to familiarise yourself with the platform and its different functionalities so that you won’t feel lost when actually investing real money.

Login and Security Features

Login and security features include industry-standard two-factor authentication, providing added protection for user accounts. They also have web application firewalls, distributed denial of service mitigation services, and regular penetration testing and vulnerability scanning, among other things.

Search Functionality

The search functionality allows users to quickly find specific assets and information. You can easily access it on the left-hand toolbar of the table and provides a comprehensive overview of asset groups. It also shows all the available information upon request.

Alerts and Notifications

Alerts and notifications keep users informed of market changes and important events. Aside from notifications regarding your trade and accounts, they also notify you of news that can potentially impact your trades.

Portfolio Management

Trading 212 has great portfolio management functionalities. They have an asset screener that lets you look over all the information that you need to know before deciding on an investment and a diversification tool that can advise you on how to best spread risk on your portfolio, depending on your strategy.

Earning Reports & Fees Breakdowns

Earning reports and fee breakdowns are also available to be generated upon request, allowing users to monitor their profits and understand associated costs.

Trading 212 App Review

The Trading 212 web platform boasts robust features and user-friendly functionalities that both beginners and veteran traders can make use of. But it doesn’t end there – this platform also has a pretty satisfactory mobile trading app that rivals the likes of eToro.

The Trading 212 mobile app offers a user-friendly experience, presenting information in a clear and visually appealing format.

It has a user-friendly UX design that allows for easy navigation using simple swipe gestures to switch between sections and instruments. It’s also accessible for both Android and iOS users and supports 10 major languages including German, Dutch, and Romanian.

Performance-wise, it’s pretty smooth and responsive, with various special in-app features including price alerts, access to forums, reports, push notifications, and training videos directly from the menu. To sharpen your trading skills, they also offer an in-app demo account to allow users to practice trading with all the available instruments before diving into the real thing,

In terms of security, Trading 212 doesn’t let you down. They offer both 2-factor authentication and biometric authentication to log into your account from the app.

Overall, the Trading 212 mobile app doesn’t disappoint. It has industry-standard security, easy-to-use functionalities, and trading features that ensure you can manage all your investments on the go.

Customer Satisfaction & Reputation 7.8/10

Lastly, let’s examine what other users are saying about Trading 212. From our research, these are the main points of this platform’s online reputation.

Pros
  • Offers a variety of customer service avenues
  • Well-regulated and highly secure platform
  • Active on rating sites such as Trust Pilot
Cons
  • Recurring complaints about the effectiveness of customer service representatives
  • Bugs and app dysfunctions are still present
  • No clear expected response times on their contact channels

Safety & Regulations

Should you trust Trading 212 with your hard-earned money? In this section, we’re going to review the safeguards in place that will protect your data, privacy, and money while using this platform.

Is Trading 212 Regulated?

Yes, Trading 212 is regulated by the appropriate authorities.

The company is registered with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority of England and Wales, with the Firm reference number 609146.

Besides the FCA, Trading 212 Markets Ltd. is registered with CySec, or the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, with license number 398/21.

Here are the governing regulations that are followed by this broker to ensure your safety and security.

  • Financial Conduct Authority. Trading 212 follows the FCA’s CASS (or Client Assets Sourcebook) in handling all clients' money. They follow CASS rules Chapter 7 in handling clients’ funds, while they follow Chapter 6 in handling client assets.

  • Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The FSCS is a compensation fund designed by UK authorities as a last resort for customers of financial services under their jurisdiction. This means a maximum of £85,000 insurance in case the client’s money is lost due to insolvency and in case there was a failure to safeguard your assets.

Is Trading 212 Safe?

Trading 212 presents a reasonably secure network according to industry standards. Here are the details of this platform’s security.

  • Fund Storage. Client funds are stored separately from the Trading 212 bank account, called the 'client money bank account', according to FCA regulations. It’s separate from the company’s main account and is stored in several major banks such as JP Morgan and Barclays.

  • Security features. Trading 212 has industry-standard security features such as 2-factor authentication and biometric authentication for the mobile trading app.

  • Data protection. The platform employs industry-leading service providers to enact web application firewalls, distributed denial of service mitigation services, and regular penetration testing and vulnerability scanning to ensure that your data remains safe.

Trading 212 Background

Trading 212 was founded in 2004 by Ivan Ashminov and Borislav Nedialkov, and a team of experienced professionals in the financial industry. Today, the company is based in London, United Kingdom.

As a private company, it remains focused on providing trading services to investors across the globe. While specific ownership details might not be publicly disclosed, the platform's leadership is overseen by its CEO, Ivan Ashminov. Information about the company, its founders, and its CEO is readily available online, on sites like Pitchbook and Crunchbase.

Over the years, Trading 212 has evolved into a reputable online trading platform, offering a wide array of financial instruments and user-friendly tools that cater to both novice and experienced traders.

How Am I Protected With Trading 212?

Trading 212 is a member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This means that in the unlikely event of Trading 212 losing your funds, you will be secured by the FSCS up to a max of £85,000.

Administration costs in handling and transferring those funds will be taken from the amount of your refund.

Customer Reviews

Score

Trustpilot

4.6/5 – 21,844

App Store

4.8 – ‎2,116 reviews

Google Play

3.8 – ‎133,377 reviews

Customer reviews are critical if you want a human perspective of how it actually is to use the Trading 212 platform. In this section, let’s look at highlights of different reviews from different review sites

Trading 212 Reviews From Trustpilot

Trading 212's platform garners praise for its user-friendly and intuitive design, making it easy for investors to navigate and access financial data presented in a clear and engaging manner. The platform's transparency in trading is also highlighted, giving users a sense of confidence and trust in their investment activities.

One notable advantage is Trading 212's responsiveness to user concerns. The platform takes swift action in addressing customer issues, showing a commitment to resolving issues promptly and effectively.

On the flip side, some aspects of Trading 212's service have drawn criticism. Customer support has been a sticking point, with complaints about slow response times and a lack of meaningful feedback. This can leave users feeling frustrated and unsupported when encountering problems or seeking assistance.

Additionally, there have been reports of functionality bugs that have led to clients losing money. Such technical issues raise concerns about the platform's reliability and the potential risks users may face while using it.

Another drawback is the difficulty some users experience when trying to verify their accounts, particularly in certain regions. This verification process can be cumbersome and inconvenient, creating obstacles for potential customers who wish to fully utilise the platform's services.

Overall, while Trading 212 receives praise for its intuitive platform and transparent trading experience, there is room for improvement in areas like customer support, bug resolution, and account verification to ensure a more seamless and satisfactory user experience.

Trading 212 Google Play Reviews

Trading 212's Android app has received positive feedback for its user-friendly nature and ease of use. Users find the platform great and easy to navigate, making it accessible even to those new to investing. The aesthetically pleasing user interface (UI) has been particularly well-received, garnering praise for its design and user-friendliness.

One standout feature that has earned applause is the incentive of earning interest on cash held in the account. This adds value to the platform, encouraging users to keep their funds with Trading 212.

However, there are some notable drawbacks reported by users of Google Play. The inability to link accounts and trade cryptocurrency has disappointed some potential users who were interested in trading digital assets. This limitation may deter certain investors who seek a broader range of trading options.

The performance of the app has also been a concern for some users. Over time, the app's responsiveness can degrade, leading to sluggishness and unresponsiveness. Such performance issues can hinder the overall user experience and may discourage users from using the app consistently.

Another significant problem reported is app crashes during the verification process. This can be a frustrating experience for users trying to complete the verification procedure, potentially leading to delays or difficulties in accessing the platform's features.

Trading 212 App Store Reviews

Trading 212's app store reviews reveal both positive and negative aspects of the platform. One notable advantage highlighted by users is the absence of options regarding nominees or forwarding investment assets in the unfortunate event of the account holder's passing away. This feature adds a layer of simplicity and convenience for users, as they don't have to deal with additional complexities related to estate planning.

The platform's ease of use is another major pro, with users finding it very user-friendly and straightforward. The intuitive design allows investors, regardless of their experience level, to navigate the platform with ease and confidence.

Trading 212's responsiveness to customer demands has been lauded as well. The platform adapts to user feedback and needs, making updates and improvements based on customer suggestions.

However, there are some significant drawbacks to consider. Users have encountered difficulties in accepting proof of identification, which can lead to delays and frustrations in the verification process. Such challenges may deter potential users from completing their registration and utilising the platform's services.

Misleading stamp duty and FX adjustment rates have been a concern for some users. This discrepancy in rates can lead to unexpected costs and undermine trust in the platform's transparency.

Functionality bugs related to notifications have also been reported, impacting the platform's reliability in keeping users informed about important events and updates. These technical issues may hinder users from staying up-to-date with their investments and market movements.

Customer Service

Support Method

Details

Help Center

✔️

24/7 Live in-app chat

✔️

Email

[email protected].

Customer support is one of the most important aspects of your experience in Trading 212. If you face any problems that you can’t solve yourself, you’ll need assistance from the teams that this platform informs.

The customer service of Trading 212 has received mixed reviews, as follows.

Pros
  • Short response times
  • Active presence on review sites
  • Multi-channel presence for customer service
Cons
  • Customer service responses are sometimes unhelpful
  • Service representatives often have minimal product knowledge
  • There are some customer reviews about bugs that customer service can’t help with

Help Center

Trading 212 has a help centre that lets you detail the nature of your query, with fields such as Category, Subject, and Description to let you identify and catalogue the nature of your complaints. It also lets you attach a file in case you need to send further documentation or photo proof with your query.

24/7 Live In-App Chat

The mobile app and the web platform both have a live chat function that you can easily access if you need quick help in using the tools and features of Trading 212. The chat is easy to use and there are live agents ready to assist you 24/7.

However, some of the reviews cite that there are customer service representatives that give unhelpful feedback to their queries.

Email

They are also available through email at [email protected]. Email lets you express your question or concern in the most detailed way possible. However, response times might take longer if you go through this channel.

Trading 212 Alternatives to Consider

Trading 212 is great – but it’s not for everyone, especially if you prefer trading with high-level tools and market research capabilities. There are some features that you might find from their competitors, which we’ll talk about below.

eToro

  • Offers a comprehensive list of social trading features that lets users enjoy interactive and peer-based trading strategies.

  • Hosts cryptocurrency assets and enables unique crypto-based trading strategies

  • Offers a comprehensive online academy for trade skills

eToro8.7Visitetoro.com

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

XTB

  • Lower ForEx trading fees compared to Trading 212

  • More account offerings for all kinds of traders

  • No minimum deposit compared to Trading 212’s £10 minimum

XTB9.0Visitxtb.comCFDs 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.

IG

  • Offers more investment products than Trading 212

  • Offers higher-end trading and charting functionalities

  • More account types are available

IG8.9Visitig.com

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.

Should You Invest With Trading 212?

Trading 212 is a robust and trustworthy trading platform for beginners who are just getting into trading. It offers easy-to-use and intuitive functionalities for basic market research, analysis, charting, and projection, and also offers competitive rates when it comes to their fees. It is also great if you want to get started with CFD trading.

However, veteran traders who are looking for industry-leading tools and functionalities might find the site lacking. It only covers the basics well, but not much more.

Nevertheless, Trading 212 is still a useful and highly secure platform – one that will best serve beginner traders. Try it out today and learn for yourself what it can do for you.

FAQs

What is Trading 212?
Is Trading 212 good for beginners?
Is Trading 212 good for investing?
What does it mean if my Trading 212 withdrawal is under review?
Is Trading 212 legit or a scam, can it be trusted?
Is Trading 212 free?

Contributors

Jean Santiago
Jean is a long-time writer with a passion for business, finance, and tech. A Tourism degree holder, she also enjoys exploring new sights and collecting passport stamps. When she's not working on her next article, she's probably playing with her dogs or perfecting her chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Idil Woodall
Idil is a writer with interests ranging from arts and politics to history and finance. She spent several years in publishing before becoming a full-time writer, and learning the inner workings of an industry she loved ignited her interest in economics. As an English graduate, she cultivated valuable research and storytelling abilities that she now applies to make complex matters accessible and understandable to many. When she’s not writing, she can be found climbing or watching a movie.