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Broker comparison: cheap investment platforms UK

Online brokers laid bare in our comparison table

Find the cheapest investment platforms in the UK and make broker comparison easier with our tables below. Investment costs are all-important, so we’ve placed the cheapest brokers at the top of each table.

Disclosure: Links to platforms may be affiliate links, where we may earn a small commission. It doesn’t affect the price you pay nor how we judge the brokers. This article and the comparison table are not personal financial advice. Your capital is at risk when you invest.

Get cashback by opening new accounts

In terms of promotions, this is usually a quiet time of the year for special offers.

And sure enough, most of the investing platforms have toned down their marketing efforts.

Such offers target customers transferring big ISAs and SIPPs to new brokers, which many of us are more minded to do in the final few months of the tax year. So that’s when more brokers are ready to pay big bonuses to win chunky accounts.

However a few deals are still available. Note terms and conditions apply with all offers, and your capital is at risk when you invest.

For instance, you can get up to £1,500 cashback when you transfer your cash and/or investments to Charles Stanley.

Or what if rather than a SIPP deposit or transfer, you’re just looking to start investing with a new platform?

Well, open an account with low-cost InvestEngine via our link and you can get up to £50 when you invest at least £100.

Follow the links to jump to the relevant pages. But do remember sign-up bonuses should be seen as an added bonus – not the sole reason to choose a broker.

How to compare brokers using our table below

Use our three broker comparison tables like this:

  • Beginners – start with the percentage-fee brokers table.
  • If your portfolio is worth over £12,000 (or £80,000+ in a SIPP) – consider the flat-fee brokers table.
  • Active traders – compare brokers on the trading platforms table.
  • Type your favourite broker into the search field and the table collapses to just that broker. (Assuming you know which table it’s in.)
  • Mobile users: to see all the columns of our broker comparison table, please rotate your phone to landscape view.

Flat-fee broker comparison

PlatformAnnual fee Fee notes Trading: Funds Trading: ETFs, ITs, & shares Regular investing FX feeEntry/exit feeGood for
InvestEngine£0 (DIY service)ETFs only n/a£0 daily fixed times £0£0 £0Good for beginners
Shares ISA £0 n/an/aAs above £0£0 £0ETF portfolios
Trading£0 n/an/aAs above £0£0 £0ETF portfolios
SIPP0.15% <£133,333, 0% >£133,333. Max £200 n/an/aAs above £0£0 £0 ETF portfolios <£80k
Interactive Investor£143.88 Investor plan (1 free monthly trade, 2 free friends/family)£59.88 Essentials plan for <£50k portfolios.
£239.88 Super Investor (2 free monthly trades, 5 free friends/family)
£3.99 £3.99 £0 1.5% <£25k transaction. Cheaper tiers above£0-
Shares ISAInvestor/Super Investor fee includes ISAs, JISAs and trading accounts. Essentials plan includes ISAs and trading+£60 SIPP if all accounts <£75k. Otherwise +£120 SIPPAs aboveAs above£0 As above£0-
TradingAs aboveAs aboveAs aboveAs above£0 As above£0-
SIPP£71.88 if SIPP <£50k (Pension Essentials plan). £155.88 if SIPP >£50k (Pension Builder plan)£0 drawdown/UFPLS. +£48 for ISA & trading if all accounts <£75k (Pension Essentials plan)As aboveAs above£0 As above£0Unrestricted fund portfolios >£25k (£115k vs Vanguard)
Lloyds Bank Share Dealing Single £40 fee if you hold ISA & trading accountFree if you're age 18-25 or a premier/private banking customer£1.50 £11* £0 1%£0-
Shares ISA£40 n/a£1.50 £11* £0 1%£0Unrestricted fund portfolios >£11k, (£27k vs Vanguard)
Trading£40 n/a£1.50 £11* £0 1%£0As above
SIPPn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a-
Halifax/Bank Of Scotland Share DealingSingle £36 fee if you hold ISA & trading accountFree if you're age 18-25£9.50£9.50 £01.25%--
Shares ISA £36 n/a£9.50£9.50£01.25%£0-
Trading£36 n/a£9.50£9.50£01.25%£0-
SIPP£90 if SIPP <£50k. £180 if SIPP >£50k+£180 p.a. drawdown, £90 per UFPLS£9.50£9.50£01.25%Entry: £60 per transfer. Max £300. Exit: £0 -
iWeb£100 fee for opening your first account. Does not apply to SIPPFee waived until 31 December 2024£5£5n/a1.5%-Large unrestricted portfolios if you rarely trade. Check vs ii and Lloyds
Shares ISA £0 n/a£5£5n/a1.5%£0Cheapest stocks and shares ISA hack
Trading£0 n/a£5£5n/a1.5%£0-
SIPP£90 if SIPP <£50k. £180 if SIPP >£50k+£180 p.a. drawdown, £90 per UFPLS £5£5n/a1.5%Entry: £60 per transfer. Max £300. Exit: £0-
Freetrade-Securities lending except on ISA. Opt in onlyn/a£0 Standard & Plus only0.99% Basic, 0.59% Standard, 0.39% Plus£0-
Flexible shares ISA £71.88 (monthly sub), £59.88 (annual sub)Free with SIPPn/a£0 £0As above£0-
Trading£0 n/an/a£0 £0As above£0ETF portfolios
SIPP£143.88 (monthly sub), £119.88 (annual sub)No drawdown, £240 per UFPLSn/a£0 £00.39%£0ETF portfolios >£80k if you pay £119.88 annual sub
ShareDeal Active --£9.50£9.50n/aVariableExit: £12 per holding +£60 per account -
Flexible shares ISA £60 £18 per cash withdrawal £9.50£9.50n/aVariableAs above-
Trading£0 £18 per cash withdrawal £9.50£9.50n/aVariableAs above-
SIPPn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a-
X-O.co.uk--n/a£5.95n/aVariable--
Shares ISA £0n/an/a£5.95n/aVariableExit: £18 per holding +£60 Cheapest stocks and shares ISA hack
Trading£0n/an/a£5.95n/aVariableExit: £18 per holding -
SIPPn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a-
HSBC Invest Direct Single £42 fee if you hold ISA & trading accountn/aNo funds£10.50*n/aVariableExit: £15 per holding -
Shares ISA £42n/a
n/a£10.50*n/aVariableAs above-
Trading£42n/an/a£10.50*n/aVariableAs above-
SIPPn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a-
Money Farm Share Investing-ETFs, UK shares and individual bondsn/a£3.95 (£5.95 for bonds)-0.7%--
Flexible shares ISA 0.35%£45 fee cap n/a£3.95-0.7%--
Trading£0-n/a£3.95-0.7%-
SIPPn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a-

Flat-fee investment platforms charge a fixed cost for their services. This pricing model is typically better for investors with large portfolios.

That’s because percentage fees can carve off huge chunks of cash from your wealth if your platform doesn’t cap them.

Percentage-fee broker comparison

PlatformAnnual fee Fee notes Trading: Funds Trading: ETFs, ITs, & shares Regular investing FX feeEntry/exit feeGood for
Vanguard Investor 0.15% <£250k, 0% >£250k. Max £375 Tiered fee charged on sum of all accounts£0 £0 at fixed times, otherwise £7.50 £0£0£0-
Flexible shares ISAAs aboveVanguard investments only£0 As above£0£0£0Restricted fund portfolios <£27k
TradingAs aboveVanguard investments only£0 As above£0£0£0As above
SIPPAs aboveVanguard investments only. £0 drawdown/UFPLS£0 As above£0£0£0Restricted fund portfolios <£115k, ETF portfolios <£80k
Dodl by AJ Bell0.15%. Min £12 p.a. per accountRestricted fund/ETF list£0 £0 £00.75% <£10k transaction. Cheaper tiers above. 0.5% dividends£0-
Shares ISA/LISA As aboven/a£0 £0 £0As above£0-
TradingAs aboven/a£0 £0 £0As above£0-
SIPP
As aboveNo drawdown£0 £0 £0As above£0-
AJ Bell0.25% <£250k, 0.1% £250k – £500k, 0% >£500k. Tiered fee per account0.25% on ETFs, shares, ITs, & bonds, capped as below£1.50£5*£1.50 0.75% <£10k transaction. Cheaper tiers above. 0.5% dividends£0-
Shares ISA/LISAAs above£42 fee cap as above£1.50£5*£1.50 As above£0-
TradingAs above £42 fee cap as above£1.50£5*£1.50 As above£0-
SIPP
As above£120 fee cap as above. £0 drawdown/UFPLS £1.50£5*£1.50 As above£0-
Fidelity£90 <£25k, 0.35% £25k – £250k, 0.2% £250k – £1m, 0% >£1mFee not tiered below £1m, charged on sum of all accounts£0 £7.50£1.50 (£0 for funds)0.75% <£10k transaction. Cheaper tiers above£0-
Shares ISA As above. 0.35% <£25K with monthly savings plan. JISAs are free£90 fee cap ETFs, ITs, shares £0 £7.50£1.50 (£0 for funds)As above£0Unrestricted fund portfolios <£11k on monthly savings plan
TradingAs above. 0.35% <£25K with monthly savings plan£0 fee for ETFs, ITs, shares £0 £7.50£1.50 (£0 for funds)As above£0As above
SIPPAs above. 0.35% <£25K with monthly savings plan. Junior SIPPs are free£90 fee cap ETFs, ITs, shares. £0 drawdown/UFPLS £0 £7.50£1.50 (£0 for funds)As above£0Unrestricted fund portfolios <£25k on monthly savings plan
Bestinvest0.4% <£250k, 0.2% £250k – 500k, 0.1% 500k – £1m, 0% >£1mTiered fee charged per account£0£4.95£00.95%£0
Shares ISA As above n/a£0£4.95£00.95%£0
TradingAs above n/a£0£4.95£00.95%£0
SIPPAs above. Min £120 charge£0 drawdown/UFPLS £0£4.95£00.95%£0
Charles Stanley Direct0.3% Min £60. Max £600. £50 of trades free every 6 months £4 £10 £10 (£0 for funds)1% <£10k transaction. Cheaper tiers aboveExit: £10 per holding-
Flexible Shares ISAAs above As above£4 £10£10 (£0 for funds)As aboveAs above-
TradingAs aboveAs above£4 £10£10 (£0 for funds)As aboveAs above-
SIPPAs above +£120 - waived if all accounts sum £30k++£60 p.a. drawdown£4 £10£10 (£0 for funds)As aboveAs above +£150 -
HSBC Global Investment Centre0.25% on all investmentsRestricted number of non-HSBC index funds£0n/a£0n/a£0-
Shares ISA As above n/a£0n/a£0n/a£0-
TradingAs above n/a£0n/a£0n/a£0-
SIPPn/an/an/an/a£0n/an/a-
Close Brothers 0.25% <£500k, 0.2% £500k – £1m, 0.1% 1m – 1.5m, 0% >£1.5m Tiered fee charged on sum of all accounts £0£8.95£8.95 (£0 for funds)Not mentioned£0-
Shares ISA As above n/a£0£8.95£8.95 (£0 for funds)Not mentioned£0-
TradingAs above n/a£0£8.95£8.95 (£0 for funds)Not mentioned£0-
SIPPAs above +£180£0 drawdown bar £60 set up, £60 per UFPLS£0£8.95£8.95 (£0 for funds)Not mentioned£0-
Santander Investment Hub0.35% <£50k, 0.2% £50k – £500k, 0.1% >£500kTiered fee charged per account. Funds only£0n/a£0n/a£0-
Shares ISA As above n/a£0n/a£0n/a£0Unrestricted fund portfolios <£11k
TradingAs above n/a£0n/a£0n/a£0As above
SIPPAs above n/a£0n/a£0n/a£0Unrestricted fund portfolios <£25k
Hargreaves Lansdown0.45% <£250k, 0.25% £250k – £1m, 0.1% £1m – £2m, 0% >£2mTiered fee charged per account. Fee cap on ETFs, shares, ITs, & bonds£0£11.95*£01% <£5k transaction. Cheaper tiers above. 1% dividends£0-
Shares ISAAs above except LISA is 0.25% <£250k. JISAs are free£45 fee cap as above£0£11.95* (£0 for JISAs)£0As above. £0 for JISAs on standard trades£0-
TradingAs above £0 fee cap as above £0£11.95*£0As above £0-
SIPPAs above £200 fee cap as above. £0 drawdown/UFPLS£0£11.95*£0As above £0-
Aviva0.4% <£50k, 0.35% £50k – £250k, 0.25% £250k – £500k, 0% >£500k. Tiered fee charged on sum of all accounts0.4% on ETFs, shares, and ITs, capped as below£0£7.50£7.50 (£0 for funds)n/a£0-
Flexible Shares ISA As above £45 fee cap as above£0£7.50£7.50 (£0 for funds)n/a£0-
TradingAs above £45 fee cap as above£0£7.50£7.50 (£0 for funds)n/a£0-
SIPPAs above £120 fee cap as above. £0 drawdown/UFPLS£0£7.50£7.50 (£0 for funds)n/a£0-
PlumVaries by account type0.15% + £119.88 Premium plan (+26 funds, UK shares) £0£0Premium only0.45%Exit: £25 per holding-
Shares ISA 0.45% + £35.88 Basic Plan, US shares, no funds0.45% + £59.88 Pro Plan (+17 funds)£0£0£00.45%As above-
Trading£35.88 Basic Plan, US shares, no fundsPercentage fee charged on funds not shares£0£0£00.45%As above-
SIPP0.45% (no plan required)Choice of 3 funds. No drawdown£0£0£00.45%As above-
NuWealth0.1% + £12 per accountRestricted ETF listn/a£0 at fixed times£00.75% £0-
Shares ISA As above -n/aAs above£00.75% £0-
TradingAs above -n/aAs above£00.75% £0-
SIPPn/an/an/an/a£0n/an/a-
Barclays Smart Investor0.25% <£200k, 0.05% >£200k -£0 £6 £01% <£5k transaction. Cheaper tiers above--
Flexible Shares ISA As above As above £0 £6£0As above £0-
TradingAs above As above £0 £6 £0As above £0-
SIPPAs above +£150 As above +£120 p.a. drawdown, £90 per UFPLS £0£6 £0As above Entry: £90 per transfer, £450 max. Exit: £90-

Percentage-fee platforms are best for people starting out with relatively little invested. That’s because you’re only losing a modest amount of actual cash when a percentage charge is skimmed from your small pot.

Conversely, flat fees take a disproportionately large bite out of a diminutive portfolio. That sets you back because you’ve got less wealth compounding.

We’ve previously explained how to calculate whether or not you should use a flat-fee or percentage-fee broker.

Trading fees are also typically charged at a fixed rate. Try to keep these costs under 1% of your monthly investment contributions. Look out for cheap regular investing plans and zero commission trading in funds or ETFs to staunch your percentage loss to dealing fees.

Trading platform comparison

PlatformAnnual fee Fee notes Trading: Funds Trading: ETFs, ITs, & shares Regular investing FX feeEntry/exit feeGood for
Interactive Brokers-£1 per monthly BACs cash withdrawal after first VariesUK shares: 0.05% of trade, £3 minimum. Rates vary by country. Also see tiered optionUK shares: 0.05% of trade, £3 minimum. Rates vary by country. -£0International shares
Shares ISA£3 monthly inactivity fee£3+ monthly trades = £0 inactivity feeAs aboveAs aboveAs above0.03%£0-
Trading£0As aboveAs aboveAs aboveAs above0.03%£0-
SIPPVariesn/aAs aboveAs aboveAs above0.03%£0-
Trading 212£0 -
n/a £0 £0 0.15%£0 -
Flexible Shares ISA £0 n/an/a £0 £0 0.15%£0 -
Trading£0 Securities lending scheme. Opt in onlyn/a £0 £0 0.15%£0 -
SIPPn/a n/a n/a n/a £0 n/a n/a -
Degiro--------
Shares ISA n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a -
Trading£0 with securities lending. 0.2% for funds No securities lending: €1 + 3% (max 10%) per dividend distribution €4.90€1 core ETFs, €3 other ETFs, £2.75 UK shares, €2 US sharesn/a 0.25%Entry/exit: €20 per holding-
SIPPn/a n/an/a n/a n/a n/a n/a -
IG £96 (£24 per quarter minus trade fees)3+ quarterly trades = £0 feen/a£8*n/a0.5%£0-
Flexible Shares ISA As aboveAs aboven/a£8*n/a0.5%£0-
TradingAs aboveAs aboven/a£8*n/a0.5%£0-
SIPPAs above +£210As above +£150 p.a. drawdown, £100 per UFPLSn/a£8*n/a0.5%Entry: £240-
Saxo0.12% <£1m, 0.08% >£1m Funds only: 0.4% <£200k, 0.2% £200k – £1m, 0.1% >£1m£00.08% of transaction, min £3** for LSE (varies by stock exchange)n/a0.25%-
Shares ISAAs aboveAs above£0As aboven/a0.25%£0
TradingAs aboveAs above£0As aboven/a0.25%Exit: €50 per holding. Max €160
SIPPAs above + £426As above +£186 p.a. drawdown, £248 per UFPLS£0As aboven/a0.25%Exit: €50 per holding (Max €160) + £389
Robinhood --------
Shares ISAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a-
Trading£0US shares only, securities lending schemen/a£0£00.03%£0-
SIPPn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a-

We define a trading platform as a stock broker that encourages its users to buy and sell frequently.

To this end, some trading platforms promote speculative instruments such as Contracts For Difference (CFDs), currencies, and crypto.

They also provide a fast-moving, information-saturated environment that emphasises hyperactivity.

Platform fees are low-to-zero in this space. Revenue is instead generated by trading fees, spreads, and other methods.

Stick to the top two tables if your focus is on investing for the long-term in funds and ETFs.

Investment platforms comparison notes

Charges may actually be due per month, quarter, six-monthly, or annually. Our broker comparison tables simplify that into an annual cost of service, including VAT.

Other charges may be applicable that aren’t included.

Asterisked (*) trading fees indicate that a frequent trader rate is available. (**) Transaction price cheaper when account balance passes certain thresholds.

Zero commission brokers generally make money from spreads, foreign exchange fees, and cross-selling of other services. (You’re not getting something for nothing!)

Accounts held with Halifax / Bank Of Scotland, Lloyds Bank, and iWeb count as one for the purposes of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Like other price comparison websites, we may be paid a bonus if you sign-up via a link. This does not affect what you pay.

This table is edited by fallible human beings. Do your own research. We fix mistakes as soon as possible but we cannot be held liable or accountable for any errors. Please add updates or erratas in the comments below.

Cheap investment platforms: Good for column

The Good for column indicates the cheapest investment platform for each account type (ISA, Trading and SIPP) depending on whether you invest in funds or ETFs.

The cheapest percentage-fee broker for funds is Vanguard. However, it only stocks Vanguard funds.

If you’d prefer a broker that also offers non-Vanguard funds, then look out for the Unrestricted fund portfolios label in the Good for column.

The portfolio value (e.g. £18k) indicates the approximate threshold at which an investment platform is cheaper than its rivals. In each scenario:

  • The flat fee broker is cheaper than its percentage fee competitor above the given value (e.g. £18k).
  • The percentage fee platform is more cost effective below the given value.

This broker comparison is offered for ISAs, SIPPs, and trading accounts. We also show the breakpoint vs Vanguard’s cheaper rate.

Our calculations assume one purchase per month and four sales per year. And also that you take advantage of lower-priced regular investment schemes when available. 

The investing platform comparison threshold shifts, depending on how much you trade.

Cheapest broker FX fees

Foreign exchange charges are paid for trading in securities that are listed in currencies other than sterling (GBP). Typically those securities are international shares and some ETFs.

FX fees are also due when a broker converts overseas dividends and interest into GBP.

  • These costs are levied as a percentage of each transaction.
  • Assume they’re layered on top of the FOREX spot price.
  • If we list an FX fee of £0, you’ll still pay the spot price where FX fees are applicable.

Please see our tips for avoiding FX fees. If your fund’s base currency is GBP then this cost won’t apply at the broker level.

Variable FX fees means you’ll have to contact the broker for its in-house rate before every trade if you want to know exactly how much you’ll pay in advance.

Not mentioned in the table means the platform does not disclose FX fees prominently on its website. It has also not responded to our enquiries about its rates.

FX fees aren’t an issue if a broker only stocks funds with a GBP base currency. This should be noted on a fund’s factsheet.

Some brokers use a tiered FX fee rate card. In other words, the percentage rate decreases on the amount of a transaction that falls into higher tiers. Please refer to your broker’s website for its full schedule where our table indicates it operates tiered pricing.

What matters when comparing brokers

Investment platforms, stock brokers, and share dealing services are interchangeable names for websites or apps that enable you to trade and manage your portfolio of shares, funds, ETFs, and other investments online.

When you compare brokers, bear in mind that there isn’t a best investment platform out there that suits everybody. The stock broker market is competitive. Players try to standout by offering different pricing models and market niches.

The total price you pay for brokerage services is critical. That’s because controlling costs is a crucial factor in determining your long-term investment performance.

As investing luminary John Bogle said:

The two greatest enemies of the equity fund investor are expenses and emotions.

Our UK stockbrokers list can’t take the emotion out of investing but it can help you find the cheapest investment platform.

The best UK broker for you is likely to provide:

  • Low fees for the services you use most.
  • The shares, funds, ETFs, and other investments you want. Platforms do not all carry the same range of products.
  • The right level of customer service for your needs – don’t expect the lowest-cost platform to respond like lightning when you want it to handle complicated arrangements over the phone.
  • The right user experience – if you want a flashy website and app then you’ll be able to tell who provides that from its home page. A broker with a clunky website and dirt-cheap fees is unlikely to prioritise investing in cutting-edge tech.

Check your investment platform is authorised by the FCA

If your investment platform is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) then you may be entitled to compensation using the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Check a broker’s status using the FCA register.

Some platforms are owned by the same financial group. You do not diversify your risk by splitting assets across brands owned by the same group. Our investor compensation scheme guide (linked to above) explains how you can identify these brands.

Some brokers are based abroad – especially those listed in the Trading platforms table. Double-check they’re eligible for the FSCS compensation scheme.

Broker comparison: costs and fees

The annual fee category is intended to capture the various types of service fee typically levied by investment platforms. For example custody fees, platform charges, administration fees, inactivity fees and so on, until the end of time / your tether.

Fee notes includes extra charges, options, inclusions, and exclusions that make a material difference to the price you pay.

A tiered fee means you’ll pay different amounts depending on the total value of your account(s).

For example:

  • 0.25% <£250,000 (tier 1)
  • 0.1% £250,000 – £500,000 (tier 2)

If your account was worth £250,500 then you’d only benefit from the lower charge on the £500 that fell into tier 2. The remaining £250,000 would still be charged at the tier 1 rate of 0.25%.

Some brokers add up the total value of all your accounts with them when applying their tiers.

However others assess each account separately.

In this scenario (still using our tiered example rate above), you’d pay the tier 1 rate of 0.25% on your entire balance if you had £200,000 in an ISA and £200,000 in a SIPP.

Assume brokers count joint accounts separately from your individual account balances.

SIPP charges on the table don’t include all the various additional fees levied for services once you’re in drawdown.

The drawdown figure we do include is the annual charge you’ll pay for flexi-access drawdown. We’ll also include the fee for taking 25% tax-free uncrystallised funds pension lump sum (UFPLS) payments, if available.

Platforms levy various additional costs for extras such as telephone trading.

Check their full rates and charges schedule before committing.

Brokers also run temporary offers and discounts from time-to-time. Don’t let these sway your decision.

(Obviously they’re a lovely “How Do You Do?” if you were going to choose that brokerage anyway.)

Investment fees for funds, ETFs, and other products

Stockbroker charges come on top of the investment fees you pay to fund providers for the management of their funds, ETFs, and investment trusts.

To ensure you’re paying competitive management fees compare:

Certain big name brokers sometimes negotiate small discounts on fund charges. If you’re tempted by those ‘bargain’ offers then make sure that your total cost of investment isn’t more expensive once you load on the investment platform’s fees.

This post shows you how to calculate a total portfolio cost for all the products you own.

Understanding account names

Accounts names vary across the online broker universe. However they typically conform to the following types:

  • Trading – a taxable account often known as a General Investment Account (GIA) or brokerage account. Your investments are not tax-sheltered as they would be in a stocks and shares ISA or a SIPP. You will incur dividend income tax and capital gains tax on your investments if you exceed your allowances.
  • Shares ISA / Flexible Shares ISA – a stocks and shares ISA. Tax-sheltered. Sometimes known as a Self-select ISA. A Lifetime ISA (LISA) is a special variant of a stocks and shares ISA.
  • SIPP – Self-Invested Personal Pension. Tax-sheltered.

Switching investment platform

Once you’ve decided to move, it’s fair to say that switching investment platforms isn’t as simple as it is with bank accounts.

For starters, beware of entry and exit fees when transferring your investments. These charges are shown in our broker comparison tables.

Entry fees may be charged by your new platform and exit fees may be charged by your old one.

You can expect a transfer to take several weeks and involve some form filling.

  • Always tick the box that requests your investments are transferred ‘in specie’ rather than sold down to cash as part of the switch.
  • Make a record of everything you own in your portfolio, including how many shares / units you have.
  • Finally, double-check your instructions have been carried out to the letter. Mistakes are surprisingly common.

Take a look at our specialised guides before you make a move:

Why are there only links to some brokers?

Links to brokers and investment platforms are affiliate links, where we may be paid a fee if you go on to open an account with them.

However we do not choose to include platforms in our table based on whether such affiliate fees are on offer, nor does the existence of such an arrangement change the fees you pay. It is a marketing payment made by the companies as an incentive for websites to drive traffic to their site.

We’d like more brokers to pay us when we introduce new customers. It helps us pay our way on Monevator!

Including all brokers – but only linking where an affiliate agreement is in place – is the best compromise we could come up with.

What this UK stockbrokers list won’t tell you

For in-depth customer feedback on individual platforms, ask away in our comments or at Money Saving Expert’s Savings & Investments board, the ex-Motley Foolers on the Lemon Fool board, or reddit for a broader opinion.

Where is my missing trading platform?

We haven’t included every last option in our broker comparison table but we have included the most competitive players in the market.

We filter out any broker that:

  • Is too expensive
  • Excludes index funds and London Stock Exchange ETFs
  • Provides an extremely narrow investment range to the point that diversification is hampered

We also don’t currently include platforms that exclusively provide managed investment services such as ‘robo-advisors’.

That’s because we believe most people are better off managing their own investments at a lower cost using a DIY passive investing strategy.

Do let us know if you think we’ve missed anyone or anything important.

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