ADS Securities targets institutional and professional clients with specialized services. Freetrade focuses on retail investors with commission-free trading via a mobile app.
Freetrade is the overall winner on editorial score over ADS Securities, driven by higher Trust & Regulation and Fees & Spreads.
Find out which stock broker best suits your investing profile.
Choose ADS Securities if…
ADS Securities: You need a $2,000 minimum deposit and targets professional and HNW clients. Phone support is available for clients, and it offers direct market access to GCC equities. Freetrade: You have no minimum deposit and benefit from commission-free stock and ETF trading. The platform is mobile-only with no desktop platform.
Choose if…
ADS Securities: You need a $2,000 minimum deposit and targets professional and HNW clients. Phone support is available for clients, and it offers direct market access to GCC equities. Freetrade: You have no minimum deposit and benefit from commission-free stock and ETF trading. The platform is mobile-only with no desktop platform.
Which broker wins for each type of stock trader, based on costs, safety, features, and editorial scoring.
Freetrade wins for low-cost trading due to commission-free stocks and ETFs.
| Editorial score | 3.8/ 5 | 4.0/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Min deposit | $2,000 | N/A |
| Spreads from | 0.5 pips | N/A |
| Commission / lot | N/A | N/A |
| Inactivity fee | None | None |
| Deposit fee | Free |
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | ADS Securities | Freetrade |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, SEC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Fail | Fail |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS, SIPC) | Fail | Pass |
| Costs | ||
| Commission-free trading | Fail | Pass |
| No deposit fee | — | Pass |
| Features | ||
| Fractional shares | Fail | Pass |
| Dividend reinvestment (DRIP) | Fail | Fail |
| Extended hours trading | Fail | Fail |
| IPO access | Fail | Fail |
| Short selling | Pass | Fail |
| Stock screener tool | Fail | Fail |
| Support | ||
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Fail |
| 24/5 live chat | Fail | Fail |
| Phone support | Pass | Fail |
The scores are close: ADS Securities rates 3.8/5 and Freetrade rates 4/5. Freetrade has a marginal edge in our scoring, but the difference is small enough that your specific priorities — fees, platforms, or regulatory jurisdiction — should guide the final choice.
ADS Securities starts from 0.5. Current spread data is not available for Freetrade. Check both brokers' websites for up-to-date spread and commission pricing.
ADS Securities requires $2000. Minimum deposit information is not currently available for Freetrade.
Both ADS Securities and Freetrade hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
Minimum deposit and negative balance protection data are not confirmed for this pair. Both hold top-tier regulatory status, meaning client fund protections apply to both. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources on each broker's site.
ADS Securities lists maximum leverage of 200:1, while Freetrade lists up to 1:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
ADS Securities supports MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 4, while Freetrade supports Freetrade App. ADS Securities has exclusive access to MetaTrader 5 and Proprietary Web/Mobile and MetaTrader 4. Freetrade has exclusive access to Freetrade App.
Freetrade offers commission-free stock trading while ADS Securities does not according to our data. Commission-free trading can reduce costs for frequent traders. Always confirm the current fee structure directly on each broker's website.
Freetrade scores higher on investor protection criteria, with compensation scheme coverage and segregated client funds. For stock investors, confirming compensation scheme coverage ensures your assets are protected up to a defined limit if the broker becomes insolvent.
Equally matched on safety & regulation, both have strong regulatory oversight.
Freetrade wins for long-term investors thanks to ISA and SIPP options.
ADS Securities wins for active traders with institutional-grade execution and direct market access.
ADS Securities wins for global market access with eight exchanges.
| Free |
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit card | Bank transferDebit card |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit card | Bank transfer |
|---|
| Withdrawal fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Commission-free | No | Yes |
|---|
| Fractional shares | No | Yes |
|---|
| Dividend reinvestment | No | No |
|---|
| Extended hours | No | No |
|---|
| IPO access | No | No |
|---|
| Short selling | Yes | No |
|---|
| Regulators | FSRA FCA | FCA |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 Proprietary Web/Mobile MetaTrader 4 | Freetrade App |
|---|
| Active bonuses | None | 2 offers |
|---|
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 3.8 / 5
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