United Kingdom, June 2026
Which brands lead trading apps in AI search in the United Kingdom?
Trading 212 leads what AI recommends for trading apps in the UK, but 8% of the citations go to affiliate and comparison sites rather than the providers.
A snapshot of who AI is recommending right now, not a fixed ranking.
The exact prompt we asked
I want a commission-free mobile trading app in the UK to buy shares and ETFs. Which apps are best? Give me a ranked top five of named apps, each with a one-line reason.
Asked to ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Overviews, up to 100 times each. Everything below is measured from their answers.
The short answer
Trading 212 is the clear trading app pick in the UK. ChatGPT leads with it 96% of the time, Gemini 82% of the time, and Google AI Overviews 97% of the time. The three engines agree on 60% of their top five, sharing Trading 212, Freetrade and Lightyear.
How consistent is the answer?
ChatGPT
Gemini
Google AI OverviewsDo the engines agree?
ChatGPTGeminiGoogle AI Overviews
Trading 212
Freetrade
Lightyear
eToro
XTB
InvestEngine
IG InvestEach cell shows where an engine ranks that brand. Blue rows are the brands every engine puts in its top five.
Recommendation share of voice
Which brands AI names
Share of runs each brand was named, by engine. Google showed an AI Overview in 92% of searches; its bars are measured over the runs where one appeared.
ChatGPT
Trading 21298%Freetrade98%Lightyear86%eToro65%IG Invest45%InvestEngine40%XTB25%
Revolut10%
Robinhood2%
Stake1%Gemini
Trading 21282%InvestEngine82%Freetrade81%XTB55%Lightyear51%eToro51%Robinhood7%
CMC Invest1%Google AI Overviews
Trading 212100%Freetrade100%eToro100%XTB52%Lightyear8%InvestEngine7%IG3%Who wins the citations
What kind of sites get cited
This is what AI links to as its sources, which is not the same as the brands it names above. AI often recommends a provider by name but sends the citation to a publisher or affiliate instead, so “First-party brand” means a link to the provider’s own website. Here is the mix by engine.
ChatGPTGeminiGoogle AI OverviewsWhat the answers are really about
The themes behind the recommendations
Looking past the brand names, these are the concepts and buyer intent the AI answers kept returning to for this product. Each finding starts with what the engines foreground, then what it means for you.
UK trading app answers are defined by commission-free, mobile, ISA-friendly investing in shares and ETFs.
Commission-free is the entry ticket
Answers assume zero or very low commissions as the baseline. Buyers expect free trading, so an app without it does not get surfaced.
ISA support is expected
Stocks and shares ISA availability inside the app comes up repeatedly. The tax wrapper is part of the decision, which rewards apps that offer it.
Shares and ETFs, with active options noted
The models reward apps covering shares and ETFs, and separately flag those suited to more active traders. Apps should be clear which user they serve.
Questions
People also ask
Which brands lead trading apps in AI search in the UK?
Trading 212. All three engines lead with Trading 212, each picking it more than 80% of the time.
How consistent is AI when you ask for the best Trading apps?
Consistent. The engines share 60% of their top five, with Trading 212, Freetrade and Lightyear common across them.
What kind of websites does AI cite for Trading apps?
Brand-owned sites lead at 42%, with affiliate pages at 26% and editorial at 12%.
More reports
Other United Kingdom products in AI search
Want this for your brand?
We track AI recommendations every month across the US, UK and Australia. Talk to us about regular monitoring or a custom AI search study for the products and prompts that matter to you.