Options are one of the most complex financial instruments to speculate with. But if you are comfortable with the level of risk involved, and they work for your financial goals, which are the best options trading platforms to use?
To compile this list, I’ve gone through the onboarding process and comprehensively tested all of the trading platforms listed. I’ve set up accounts and trialled demo platforms, compared their service charges, made requests through customer service, and extensively explored mobile apps, desktop apps, and websites.
Featured Trading Platform
80% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Global Markets
- User friendly mobile app
- Excellent CFD broker
- Tight spreads
Best for low cost and choice of options
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Access 40+ options markets
- Access to MetaTrader 4
- Great trading platforms
- Low-cost trading platform
Best overall platform
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Established since 1974
- Easy to use platform
- 24 hour support
- 17,000 markets
My best rated options trading platforms in the UK, July 2025
- Plus 500 – One of the best for trading options
- City Index – Best for beginners and mid-level traders
- IG – Best for overall trading platform
- AvaTrade – Best for trading platform choice
- Saxo – Best for traders with a larger portfolio
- Interactive Brokers – Best for low cost and choice of options
- CMC Markets – Best for spread betting
Trusted partner
80% of retail CFD accounts lose money
2000+ CFDs
- User friendly mobile app
- unlimited CFD demo account
- Trading academy
Trusted partner
69% of traders lose money trading with IG.
Commission-free trading
- Free demo account
- Advanced charting tools
- Extensive educational content
Plus500 is a publicly-traded online multi-asset broker offering an extensive range of financial products, including CFD trading (forex CFDs, indices CFDs, shares CFDs, commodities CFDs, EFTs CFDs, and options CFDs)
Key features
- 2000+ trades across commodities CFDs, ETFs CFDs, indices CFDs, options CFDs, and shares CFDs.
- Trading for call and put options CFDs on Germany 40, oil, and Metashares
- Up to 1:30 leverage (depending on classification) with a minimum £100 investment.
- Lower capital requirements due to leverage, zero commissions, and competitive spreads.
- Analytical tool ‘Insights’ for trade analysis and sentiment
- Risk management tools include price alerts, stop-loss orders, and negative balance protection.
- Demo account with £40,000 virtual credit for learning options trading
Pros:
- Access to over 2800 contracts
- no commissions, spreads and other fees apply
- Excellent risk management tools
Cons:
- Only offers options trading in contracts
- Plus500 does not offer MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
- Inactivity fees levied, making the platform unsuitable for buy-and-hold investors
Service Fees:
- Buy/Sell Spreads: Plus500’s receives commission on the spread (the difference) between a buy and sell price. Check the website for full details.
- Overnight funding: An overnight funding fee is due when holding a position after a certain time. Check the website for full details.
- Guaranteed Stop Order: There is a fee due for using a Guaranteed Stop Order. Check the website for full details.
- Deposit / Withdrawal fees: No deposit or withdrawal fees.
- Inactivity fee: Inactivity fee is $10 per month after 3 months of inactivity.
- Currency conversion: Currency conversion fee is 0.7%.
Investment Types:
- Commodity CFDs
- ETF CFDs
- Indices CFDs
- Options CFDs
- Shares CFDs
Best for:
Those looking to trade options CFDs with leverage.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 80% 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.
City Index is a low-cost, well-established trading and spread betting platform that provides access to more than 40 options markets, with daily, monthly, and quarterly contracts on offer. City Index is part of the NASDAQ-listed StoneX group.
Key Features
- Access 40+ options markets in indices, FX, metals, and commodities
- Quality news feeds from Reuters and in-house research
- Economic calendar and social media presence for retail investors
- Choice of trading platforms, including Metatrader 4 (MT4)
- Beginner-friendly educational resources
- Powerful research tools for market understanding
- Comprehensive trading tools and market news from Reuters
Pros:
- Low-cost trading platform
- Great choice of assets
- Excellent education and research tools
- Great customer support
Cons:
- No MetaTrader 5
- Inactivity fee applied
Service Fees:
- Buy/Sell Spreads: Rather than charging commission, City Index’s charges are incorporated into the spread. You’ll need to open an account (or demo account) to see spreads on their 1,000s of markets but, depending on the market, both fixed and variable spreads are offered. These start at margins from 5% and fixed spreads from 0.4pts.
- Commission: There is no commission on spread betting markets. With CFDs, you’ll only pay commission when trading shares. Commission for these trades is typically 0.08%.
- Overnight funding: Overnight financing fees on both long and short positions are 2.5% +/- the benchmark regional interest rate.
- Guaranteed Stop Order: A charge is made for use of this feature. For full details, check the website.
- Deposit / Withdrawal fees: No charges.
- Inactivity fee: A monthly inactivity fee of £12 will be applied for accounts that are inactive for 12 months or more.
- Currency conversion: Spread betting accounts are not affected because all trades take place in one base currency, usually sterling. Fees apply on CFDs. Check the website for full details.
- Borrowing costs for shorting CFDs: Borrowing costs are incurred when you short a shares CFD position. Very few markets will incur a borrowing charge – check the relevant market information sheet for details.
Investment Types:
- Indices
- Shares
- Forex (FX)
- Commodities
Best for:
City Index is a good option for beginners and mid-level traders seeking an uncomplicated platform from which to access CFDs and spread betting.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% 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 is a British-run online trading provider offering financial derivatives, including spread betting and stockbroking, to retail investors from across the globe. IG was established in 1974 and can lay claim to inventing spread betting, bringing it to the market that same year.
Key Features
- Proprietary web and mobile platforms for spread bets, trading, and share dealing.
- Features: Clear, responsive, chart analysis, custom alerts, automatic trading, research tools, streaming news, economic calendar, signals.
- Progressive web app (PWA) for platform access on any device without app store visit.
- ProRealTime (PRT) and MT4 also available.
- Access to 17,000+ markets.
- Risk management tools: Stop-losses, price and distance alerts, visible balances, guaranteed stop-loss orders (GSLOs).
- Option chain for expirations, calls, puts, and trading.
Pros:
- Fantastic trading platform which is easy to customise
- Some of the best educational resources available
- Unlimited demo account
- Multiple options for funding and withdrawing money
- Customer support is available 7 days a week
Cons:
- Trading platform may be too complex for beginners
- No copy trading or backtesting integration
- Not optimal for infrequent traders
Service Fees:
- Buy/Sell Spreads: Trade with spreads from 0.6 points on key FX pairs, 0.8 points on major indices, and 0.1 points on commodities. Check the website for full details.
- Overnight funding: If directly-funded positions are open past 10pm, you’ll be charged an overnight funding fee. Check the website for full details.
- Guaranteed Stop Order: You can protect your position against slippage with a guaranteed stop, paying only a small premium if your guaranteed stop is triggered. The potential premium is displayed on your deal ticket.
- Deposit / Withdrawal fees: IG do not charge any deposit or withdrawal fees.
- Inactivity fee: £12 every month if you’ve not used your account to deal for two years or more.
- Currency conversion: Standard charge for currency conversion on CFDs is 0.5%.
Best for:
Trading forex options.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% 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.
5 steps to trading options in the UK
- Choose an options trading platform or broker. My list above includes the top 10 options trading platforms available to UK investors. If you intend to use a different broker, make sure they offer access to options, as not all platforms will do so.
- Open an account. A regular share dealing account will typically be the most suitable for options trading.
- Deposit funds. Many platforms have a minimum deposit requirement. Check what this is before you go to open an account.
- Decide what kind of options you’d like to trade. You can trade options on a variety of assets, and there are various ways to do so. Keep reading my guide to discover more about how to trade options.
- Place your trades. You’re ready to trade! Remember to keep an eye on your options and make any adjustments or decisions before the expiration date of the contract.
Best Options Trading Platforms UK FAQs
Can you do options trading in the UK?
What apps can I trade options with UK?
Can I trade options on eToro?
Can I trade options on Hargreaves Lansdown?
Please note
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.
CFDs are complex instruments and more than half of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. 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.
