Copy trading offers a fantastic way for beginners and experienced traders alike to take some of the hassles out of investing. Before you can start copy trading, you first need to open an account with a broker that supports it.
My guide will show you of some of the best copy trading platforms, and everything you need to know about this intuitive trading strategy.
Best overall
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
30 million users worldwide
- 3,000 instruments
- Commission free
- Beginner friendly
Best MT4 broker
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Razor tight spreads
- Excellent customer service
- 1,200 instruments
- Spread betting
Best overall
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Variety of platforms
- Easy to use platform
- 24 hour support
- 17,000+ markets
My best rated copy trading platforms in the UK, July 2025
- eToro – Best overall
- Pepperstone – Best for MT4
- IG – Best for tools and research
- Trading212 – Zero commission trading
There’s a chance you’ve come across the widely popular online trading platform eToro before.
If you’re looking for a copy trading service with lots of users, then eToro’s “CopyTrader” feature may be for you. Indeed, the platform has around 10 million users across the world.
One of the fantastic things about eToro’s copy trading feature is how it compensates copy traders.
If you’re an expert trader, eToro will make a payment to you for every trade that is copied. The one copying the trade won’t pay an extra charge either; eToro offers it for free.
You can also open a demo account with eToro to copy trade and you can practise making trades and learning how to invest without having to put your money in the market.
eToro’s copy trading fee applies the same spreads and overnight fees apply to positions opened via CopyTrade as with regular manual trades. Though, if you’re planning on trading foreign currencies with eToro, the fees are lower than other brokers at around $7.10, depending on the currency pair.
If you are planning on trading, it’s vital you keep in mind that, as of 08 January 2025, 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading and other derivatives on eToro.
eToro’s trading app’s minimum deposit is $100 USD.
Though, one thing to keep in mind is the platform’s $5 fee for withdrawals.
| Type of fee | Amount |
| Investment | Free |
| Foreign Exchange | $7.10 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 1% commission for every trade |
| Inactivity | $10 a month after one year of inactivity |
| Withdrawal | $5 |
| Minimum deposit | $100 |
Please note: Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. Your investments value may go up or down. Past performance is not an indication of future results.
Pepperstone is an FCA-regulated broker that differs from the other brokers on my list, as its fee structure is slightly different.
When trading with Pepperstone, you will face the low benchmark fee of $0.40 on a $20,000 long position held for a week on the GBP/USD pair. However, on top of this, you will also be asked to pay a $3.50 commission charge for every lot traded.
So, before you make a trade with Pepperstone, you should ensure that you’ve calculated your total trading costs properly.
The good news is, there’s absolutely no minimum deposit required when you first open your account with Pepperstone.
The broker has a wide range of securities for you to invest in, with over 60 currency pairs and more than 1,500 Stocks & ETFs or Commodities to choose from.
| Type of fee | Amount |
| Trading | From £2.25 |
| Foreign Exchange | From £2.25 |
| Cryptocurrencies | Built into the spread |
| Inactivity | None |
| Withdrawal | None |
| Minimum deposit | None |
Please note: Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. Your investments value may go up or down. Past performance is not an indication of future results.
If you’re looking for a reputable and well-known broker, then IG may be for you, as it is arguably the best trading platform overall in the UK.
IG was established in 1973, and has a huge selection of securities for you to invest in. In fact, IG allows you to purchase shares for over 16,000 companies, and that’s not even counting foreign exchange and trading options.
When you use IG’s copy trading service, you will be given a list of traders you can copy. On top of this, you can also interact and communicate with other investors.
IG has no minimum deposit requirements whatsoever, so if you just want to dabble in copy trading and not become too committed to your account, then this could be the broker for you.
And, even though IG does have an inactivity fee, it is relatively low – you will only be charged £12 a month after two years of inactivity.
Better yet, there is no withdrawal fee on IG at all.
Despite IG’s non-trading fees being quite low, you may find that its normal trading fees are on the higher side.
For Trading, you will typically face a $31.20 charge on a $2,000 long position held for a week against Apple.
Though, it’s important to note that, as of 08 January 2025, 69% of retail investor accounts lose money trading with this broker.
Foreign exchange trading, on the other hand, would see you pay $10.20 for a benchmark $20,000 long position on the GBP/USD currency pair for a week.
Though the fees on IG may seem quite high, the trade-off is the vast offering of assets and securities you can purchase.
| Type of fee | Amount |
| Trading | £24 per quarter |
| Foreign Exchange | $10.20 |
| Cryptocurrencies | Depends on the spread |
| Inactivity | £12 a month after two years of inactivity |
| Withdrawal | None |
| Minimum deposit | None |
Please note: Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. Your investments value may go up or down. Past performance is not an indication of future results.
How to decide which platform suits you the most
To decide which broker best suits you, you should first use my guide to compare the features that each broker brings. Then, you can figure out which appeals to you most.
For example, if you’re still a beginner to copy trading, you may want to use a platform that offers a wide range of educational materials.
Or, if you’re planning on trading large volumes of a certain security, you may want to choose a broker that has low trading fees.
This way, should a trade go your way, fees and charges won’t eat into your profits as much.
Also, as has been previously mentioned, if you just want to try your hand at copy trading and not become too committed to your trading account, you should ideally choose a broker with low minimum deposit requirements.
Low inactivity fees could also benefit you here, as you can come to your account every now and then without having to worry about excessive charges.
5 quick steps to start copy trading now
Now that you know about some of the best copy trading platforms in the UK, you are likely excited to start copy trading.
Doing so is relatively simple, just follow my simple step-by-step guide and you’ll be a copy trader in no time.
1. Choose a broker that supports copy trading and open an account
Before you can start copy trading, you first need to open an account with a broker that supports it.
Using my list above, you should compare each broker and figure out which best suits you.
For example, if you were planning on trading large volumes of shares, you may want to consider using a broker that has lower trading fees.
Or, if you’re still a beginner, you may want to use a broker that offers educational and research materials so you can develop your trading skills as you invest.
When you’ve decided which broker you want to use, you should then open a trading account.
You may be asked to supply the broker with forms or information that will help them to identify you, such as your driver’s license or a P60 form.
2. Research and decide which investors you wish to copy
When you’ve opened an account with a broker, the next step is deciding which trader you want to copy.
You should look for traders that invest in the type of security you wish to purchase. For example, there’s no point in copying a stocks and shares trader if you want to trade cryptocurrency.
Traders will also typically display their total gains and trading history, so you should ideally look to copy a trader that has plenty of market knowledge and a track record of successful investments.
3. Deposit the amount of money you plan on investing
After you’ve researched the different traders available to copy, the next step is depositing funds into your brokerage account.
Again, this is simple enough; just find the “deposit” option, input the amount of money you wish to invest, and make the transfer.
You may find that some brokers have a minimum deposit requirement when you first open an account. If this is the case, you may not need to deposit any more money than this.
Also, you may want to avoid depositing more money than you intend to invest, as you are unlikely to earn interest on any uninvested money sitting in your trading account.
4. Use your money to copy the investments of an investor
Now you’re finally ready to start copy trading. You should find an investment made by an experienced trader and purchase your stake in the asset.
You should also decide whether you want to copy the trader’s investments verbatim, or whether you want to make some changes. For example, if a trader is investing large sums of money, and you don’t have enough to match their trades, you can decide to invest in a small portion of that security.
I explain more about how this works later in my guide.
5. Monitor your investments closely and close them when the time is right
Even though you’re now a copy trader, the hard work doesn’t stop here.
You ideally need to monitor your investments closely and watch for any price movements that may occur.
Of course, you can decide to sell off your investment when the experienced trader you’re copying does.
Though, you can close your position whenever you wish. This may especially be the case if you feel like the trades from the trader you’re currently copying aren’t working out.
Best Copy Trading Platforms UK FAQs
Which platform is the best for copy trading?
When you’re trying to decide which broker to use, you will likely be looking for the best social trading platform available.
Though, there isn’t technically a “best” copy trading broker, as each comes with a different set of benefits that may appeal to different investors. Our top picks include eToro, and IG.
Is copy trading legal in the UK?
Please note
Trading are complex financial instruments and more than half of retail trading accounts lose money when trading. Please make sure that you know these risks before you start trading and that you’re aware there’s a high chance of losing money rapidly on your investment.
The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.
