How do I choose an investment platform?
Where a link is marked *, it is a partner link — we receive commission at no extra cost to you. Links without a * earn us nothing. How we make money.
In short: Compare annual platform fees, fund range, ISA or SIPP availability, trading costs, and whether you want DIY fund picking or a ready-made portfolio. Total cost is platform fee plus fund charges — not just the headline platform percentage.
Last reviewed:
Reviewed by Kaiser Khan
Buy-and-hold investors should minimise annual percentage fees. Active share traders should minimise dealing commissions.
Check FSCS protection on cash balances and whether you can hold both funds and individual shares. Transferring ISAs in-specie avoids triggering capital gains.
Read our choosing an investment platform guide, index funds vs active funds, and Stocks & Shares ISA basics.
Primary source: moneyhelper.org.uk/en/savings/investing
Part of our Investing & ISAs
This quick answer sits inside our wider investing & isas hub — with sub-guides, calculators and step-by-step explainers on the same topic.
Read the full investing & ISAs guide →