Freetrade is a popular UK investment app that offers commission-free trading on shares, ETFs, and investment trusts. Many Freetrade users hold investments in a General Investment Account (GIA) alongside their ISA, meaning profits from selling GIA holdings may be subject to UK capital gains tax. FiscalFox reads your Freetrade activity export and automatically applies HMRC's share matching rules to produce accurate capital gains reports for your Self Assessment.
How to download your Freetrade transaction history
Freetrade provides a CSV export of your complete activity history. Follow these steps to download it:
- Open the Freetrade app or log in to your account at freetrade.io.
- Navigate to your Profile (tap the person icon or your account settings).
- Select Activity to view your transaction history.
- Tap Request statement or Export activity (the exact label may vary depending on the app version).
- Select the date range you need. For the most accurate CGT calculation, request a statement covering all the years you have held investments, not just the current tax year. This allows FiscalFox to build a complete Section 104 pool history.
- Freetrade will email you a download link. Open the email and download the CSV file to your computer.
Statement delivery via email
Unlike brokers that offer an instant download, Freetrade sends the export file to your registered email address. This may take a few minutes. Check your inbox and spam folder if you do not receive it promptly. The file must be a CSV -- PDF statements cannot be processed by FiscalFox.
Once you have the CSV file, go to your FiscalFox dashboard, select Freetrade as your broker, and upload the file to start your calculation.
File format details
Freetrade exports your activity as a CSV (comma-separated values) file. The Activity Feed export typically contains the following columns:
- Title -- the name of the security (stock, ETF, or investment trust)
- Type -- the transaction type, such as BUY, SELL, DIVIDEND, or INTEREST
- Timestamp -- the date and time the transaction occurred
- Account -- which account the transaction belongs to (GIA, ISA, or SIPP)
- Quantity -- the number of shares traded (may include fractional amounts)
- Price per Share -- the execution price
- Total Amount in Account Currency (or Total Amount on older exports) -- the total value of the transaction in your account currency
- Stamp Duty -- UK stamp duty paid on purchases of UK shares (0.5%)
- FX Rate -- the exchange rate used for non-GBP securities
FiscalFox processes this file entirely in your browser. No data is transmitted to or stored on our servers.
How FiscalFox processes your Freetrade data
When you upload your Freetrade CSV, FiscalFox first filters out any ISA or SIPP transactions (as these are tax-exempt) and processes only your GIA transactions. It then applies HMRC's share matching rules in the correct order:
- Same-day rule -- if you bought and sold the same security on the same day, those transactions are matched first. The gain or loss is calculated using the actual same-day cost.
- 30-day bed and breakfast rule -- if you sold shares and repurchased the same security within 30 days, the sale is matched against the repurchase cost rather than the Section 104 pool.
- Section 104 pool -- all remaining disposals are matched against the weighted average cost of your holdings, which FiscalFox maintains as a running pool updated with each transaction.
The output includes individual disposal computations showing which rule was applied, the cost basis, allowable costs (including stamp duty), and the resulting gain or loss. The summary provides the totals you need for your Self Assessment, including total proceeds, total allowable costs, and net gains or losses.
Common issues with Freetrade files
ISA and GIA transactions mixed together
Freetrade's activity export includes transactions from all your accounts -- GIA, ISA, and SIPP -- in a single file. This is the most common source of confusion. FiscalFox automatically identifies and separates transactions by account type, processing only GIA transactions for capital gains purposes. You do not need to manually edit the file to remove ISA transactions.
Fractional shares
Freetrade supports fractional share investing, meaning you can buy a fraction of a share rather than a whole unit. FiscalFox fully supports fractional quantities and will calculate gains and losses to the correct precision. HMRC does not treat fractional shares any differently from whole shares for CGT purposes.
Statement delivery via email
Unlike brokers that offer an instant download, Freetrade sends the export file to your registered email address. This may take a few minutes. Check your inbox and spam folder if you do not receive it promptly. The file must be a CSV -- if Freetrade sends a PDF statement, that cannot be processed by FiscalFox.
Supported transaction types
FiscalFox extracts and processes the following transaction types from your Freetrade activity export:
| Transaction Type | How FiscalFox Uses It |
|---|---|
| BUY | Added to the Section 104 pool for the relevant security |
| SELL | Matched against acquisitions using HMRC share matching rules |
| DIVIDEND | Recorded for reference (taxed under income tax, not CGT) |
| INTEREST | Recorded for reference (subject to savings income rules) |
| Stamp Duty | Included as an allowable cost on buy transactions, reducing your taxable gain on disposal |
Freetrade's straightforward CSV format makes it one of the easiest brokers to process with FiscalFox. If you have questions about specific transaction types or encounter issues with your export file, visit our support page for assistance.