If you want to trade completely passively, consider an automated trading platform. This allows you to buy and sell financial instruments without doing the legwork.
In this guide, we review the best automated trading platforms in UK and walk you through the process of getting started with one.
UK Automated Trading Platforms Reviewed
This comes in the form of copy trading, EAs and robots There are many ways you can automate your online trading activities. via MT4/5 and even full-fledged Multi Account Manager (MAM) accounts.
Most importantly – you need to consider the risks involved when choosing the right UK automated trading platform for your needs – as not all providers are credible in this space.
In the following sections, we review reputable automated trading platforms UK for 2022 – covering a wide range of providers that should appeal to a variety of investment strategies.
- eToro
We have found eToro to be a popular automated trading platform in the UK for 2022. Not only in terms of security, credibility and transparency – but also in terms of fees and asset diversification. First of all we should note that eToro is an established FCA regulated broker with more than 20 million customers. The platform is also covered by the FSCS – so security is guaranteed.
In terms of what it offers in terms of automated investment services, that comes in the form of its innovative copy trading feature. In its simplest form, this allows you to select from thousands of verified eToro traders and then copy their current positions. This is an amount proportional to what you invest. For example, if you invest £500 in the trader and he allocates 5% of his portfolio to a forex position, you bet £25.
- Learn2Trade
Screenshot 2021-03-24 10.40.05While many of you will be looking for a trading platform that allows you to automate the entire investment process, some may prefer to have a little more control over where your capital goes. In this regard, Learn2Trade is popular with Reddit trading subs. This provider specializes in trading signals according to its website advertisement.
For those who don’t know, signals refer to suggested trades – which means telling you which assets to buy and sell – and when. In the case of Learn2Trade, the platform largely focuses on forex and cryptocurrency signals. With this in mind, the platform occasionally offers signals covering stock markets as well as commodities and indices.
eToro has a good reputation here – as the FCA broker allows you to trade commission-free and there is no stamp duty when investing in assets listed on the London Stock Exchange. However, in terms of pricing, Learn2Trade offers two plans. If you want to test the platform first, the free plan offers three signals per week. However, if you want to get the best out of the experienced Learn2Trade trading team, the premium plan comes with 3-5 signals per day.
This will only cost you £35 a month – which you can cancel at any time. Cheaper plans are available when you sign up for a 3-month, 6-month, or lifetime plan. Regardless of your chosen plan, the signals are sent in real-time via the Learn2Trade Telegram channel. Finally, in the few days leading up to writing this review, Learn2Trade launched a full-fledged MAM account service. This means you are investing directly in a Learn2Trade analyst trading on your behalf.
3.XTB
XTB Broker is a well-known trading platform for stocks, commodities and currencies in Europe that accepts a wide range of assets. The platform has been on the market for more than 15 years and currently has over 400,000 members worldwide.
XTB offers more than 2100 trading instruments in total. This makes it a desirable choice for anyone looking to diversify their portfolio and increase their market exposure. In addition, XTB promises reasonable spreads and costs. For people holding positions after the market close, the site charges overnight fees.
- MT4 – via Libertex
If you want to trade Forex 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, then MetaTrader4 (MT4) is a suitable automated trading platform. For those who don’t know, MT4 is a third-party trading platform that you can connect to a supported broker – of which there are more than 1,000. MT4 is very popular among advanced technical traders – as it is packed with analytical tools and features.
Apart from that, perhaps the main benefit of using MT4 is that the platform allows you to install automated robots and Forex EAs (Expert Advisors). These two terms are used interchangeably and simply refer to the process of allowing preprogrammed software to act on your behalf.
- Ninjatrader – via FXCM
Another option you might consider when looking for an automated trading platform that accepts UK investors is Ninjatrader. This third-party platform connects to a number of popular brokers – including FXCM. In its simplest form, Ninjatrader allows you to install, test and deploy a preloaded trading strategy.
You can buy a strategy directly from the Ninjatrader marketplace – with over 120 to choose from. This covers a wider range of trading strategies and systems, so you should spend some time looking at each product before taking the plunge.