Trading212 vs M1 Finance

Trading 212 vs M1 Finance Comparison Table 2024
Trading 212 M1 Finance
2.5
3.9

Trading 212 is a European and UK-regulated CFD broker that also offers stock investing and ISAs. It’s best known for its commission-free trading model and beginner-friendly app, which has helped it attract 2.5 million users and £3.5 billion in client assets.

M1 Finance is a US brokerage that allows users to build a customizable investment portfolio from a range of 6000+ stocks and shares, ETFs and cryptocurrencies. The innovative 'pie' based portfolio management system allows traders to build several portfolios with different aims, and the brokerage supports machine-learning tools that can provide automated portfolio management.

Customer Reviews
2
Bonus Offer
M1 Finance Plus free for 3 months on new accounts
Comment by Reviewer
"With its user-friendly app, low barrier to entry and fractional shares, Trading 212 is particularly suited to beginners. However, it lacks the advanced charting tools experienced day traders will want. Its products are also increasingly geared towards longer-term investors." "M1 Finance remains a great choice for US investors who want a straightforward, commission-free way to invest in stocks and crypto. The intuitive dashboard, customizable portfolios and fractional shares should appeal to all experience levels and investing goals. "
Pros
  • One of the standout features of Trading 212 is its commission-free trading, meaning you can buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and other financial instruments without incurring traditional brokerage fees
  • Trading 212 has an intuitive and user-friendly platform that is especially accessible for beginners, with a straightforward layout and a reasonable range of tools for analysis
  • The platform offers a good suite of instruments, including stocks, indices, ETFs, currencies, commodities, and CFDs. This variety can help you to create a diversified investment portfolio
  • A sleek mobile app lets you trade on the go. It’s well-designed and offers features similar to the web platform, making it convenient if you prefer mobile trading
  • Up to 5.1% interest on uninvested cash is available, appealing to hands-off investors
  • Thanks to additional extras like a bank account and loan service, M1 Finance continues to offer a one-stop shop for investors
  • The broker offers commission-free stocks with low fees, plus fractional shares, making it a great choice for beginners
  • The broker delivers a clean and easy-to-use dashboard that illustrates the current composition of your portfolio
  • The firm offers a straightforward proprietary platform with intuitive portfolio management tools
  • Multiple portfolios can be facilitated, with up to five accounts under the same login
  • Customizable 'pies' allow investors to curate their own ETFs
  • The range of 6000+ stocks and ETFs is highly competitive
  • Bitcoin trading is available through M1 Crypto
Cons
  • Experienced day traders who rely on sophisticated technical analysis tools will find Trading 212’s charting features to be somewhat basic, especially compared to alternatives like IG
  • While Trading 212 offers leveraged trading through CFDs, there are restrictions on leverage for certain instruments. If you want high leverage for your strategies, you will find these limitations constraining
  • There’s no copy trading, a significant drawback given Trading 212's client base is largely beginners and brokers like eToro offer this feature
  • There is no support for algorithmic or automated trading, nor third-party apps like MetaTrader 4, which will deter advanced traders. IC Markets ticks these boxes
  • Despite offering stocks and ETFs, M1 Finance doesn’t provide trading on mutual funds or options
  • Unlike competitors such as Betterment, M1 does not employ any human financial advisors
  • M1 Finance is only available in the US – eToro is a top alternative for the UK market
  • Accounts with less than $20 and no trading activity for 90 days are charged a fee
  • The way trades are placed puts transaction timing out of your control
  • You cannot consolidate external accounts for planning purposes
  • There are no stop-limit or stop-loss orders
Awards
  • Best Roth IRA Accounts - 2020
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs Stocks, ETFs, OTC stocks
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$1 $100
Trading Platforms
  • Web
  • App
  • Own
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots $1
Regulator
FCA, CySEC, FSC SEC, FINRA
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
3.5 - 5%
STP Account
Yes No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No Yes
Robo Advisor
No Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes No
Market Maker
Yes No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android Yes
App Review

Trading212 have positioned themselves at the front of the mobile trading movement. Their platform is based on a ‘mobile-first’ model, so they prioritize this type of trader. The app offers 1800+ instruments, zero commissions and a free practise account. Download the app risk free and try it out.

 

Auto Trading
AutoInvest Portfolio Yes
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
Yes No
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
Yes Yes
Custodial Account
No Yes
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$20
Islamic Account
No No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • PLN
  • CZK
  • HUF
  • USD
Stock Exchanges
Commodities
CFD Trading
Engage in leveraged CFD trading across a wide array of instruments, encompassing forex, stocks, commodities, and indices. Yet while the selection of asset classes is satisfactory, the charting software and floating spreads for short-term traders fall behind that of competitors. CFD trading not offered
Leverage
1:30
FTSE Spread
2.5
GBPUSD Spread
0.00028
Oil Spread
0.4
Stocks Spread
0.2% Var $0
Forex Trading
Trade over 180 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs on the Trading 212 platform, featuring floating spreads and leverage up to 1:30. It’s important to note, though, that the forex broker has a history of adjusting margin requirements without providing adequate notice. As a result, CMC Markets is a better pick for forex traders with more currency pairs and a cleaner record. Forex trading not offered
Forex App

Trading212 have positioned themselves at the front of the mobile trading movement. Their platform is based on a ‘mobile-first’ model, so they prioritize this type of trader. The app offers 1800+ instruments, zero commissions and a free practise account. Download the app risk free and try it out.

 

GBPUSD Spread
0.00028
EURUSD Spread
0.00015
EURGBP Spread
0.00044
Assets
180+
Currency Indices
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
Crypto trading not offered M1 Finance users can open a crypto account to invest in 10 cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano and Solana. You can also invest in six crypto-related funds and ETFs, which are a good way to get broader exposure to the digital currency market.
Spread
Variable
Coins
  • BTC
  • ADA
  • AVE
  • ETH
  • LINK
  • ALDO
  • BAT
  • ATOM
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
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