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Always remember that investments can go down as well as up in value, so you could get back less than you put in. A rule of thumb is to hang on to your investments for at least five years to give them the best chance of providing the returns you want.
Contents:
We’ve compiled a list of the best investment apps in the UK, divided into three categories: investment platforms, trading apps, and robo advisors (automated investing).
These are our top ten investment apps for buying, selling, and holding a variety of instruments in one place, including shares, index funds, active funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bonds, ready-made portfolios, commodities, real estate investment trusts (REITs), contracts for difference (CFDs), and more.
The apps listed below are authorised and regulated by the UK’s financial watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). They are also available to download on Android and iOS.
Please remember that when you invest, your capital is at risk. ISA, pension, and tax rules also apply.
Here are the best investment apps in the UK:
Moneybox is a UK investment app that allows you to invest in a range of tracker funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), exchange-traded commodities (ETCs) and US stocks. Moneybox offers two forms of investing depending on your investing savviness, investing strategy and attitude to risk. Beginner investors or those who prefer a ready-made portfolio can choose from the three ready-made portfolios on offer - Cautious (lower risk), Balanced (medium risk) and Adventurous (higher risk). Advanced or more confident investors can pick from the range of tracker funds, ETFs, ETCs and US stocks available and build their portfolios themselves.
The Moneybox app also empowers you to invest your spare change by rounding up your card transactions to the nearest pound and investing the difference on your behalf. For example, if you spend £2.30 on a snack, Moneybox will invest 70p for you. You can also instruct the app to make weekly or one-off deposits into your investment portfolio as it rounds up your spare change.
You can start investing with Moneybox with as little as £1. Moneybox offers commission-free trading on US stocks. However, fund management fees apply to other types of investments. A currency conversion fee of 0.45% also applies to US stocks. Moneybox’s suite of products includes a Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA, Personal Pension, and General Investment Account.
Please note: US stocks on Moneybox are only available via a Stocks and Shares ISA.
Capital at risk.
XTB is a user-friendly, fully-customisable European trading platform renowned for its extensive CFD and forex trading offerings. XTB provides traders instant access to hundreds of global markets and over 5,600 instruments, including UK and overseas stocks and shares, ETFs, forex, indices, commodities, stock CFDs, and ETF CFDs.
With XTB, you can trade using the in-house trading software, xStation, or via MetaTrader 4 (MT4). xStation by XTB is a powerful trading software available on iOS, Android and desktop devices and suitable for both beginners and advanced traders. The xStation trading software provides comprehensive charting and risk management tools. XTB also provides an extensive library of educational materials, including videos, webinars, and courses suitable for beginners and experienced traders. When you sign up, you will have access to a dedicated account officer who will work with you to help you better understand your needs and how XTB operates.
It is free to open a trading account with XTB, and all users have access to a free demo account with £100,000 in virtual funds that you can use to practise trading and investing until you become confident enough to use real money. Deposits in GBP and EUR are free of charge, but withdrawals below £60 have a £12 processing fee. Real stock trading is commission-free for monthly turnover up to €100,000 (£85,000). Transactions above this limit will attract a commission of 0.2% (minimum €10 (£8.50). Stock and ETF CFD trading are also commission-free. Other fees apply. XTB does not offer an ISA or SIPP.
Please note: Contracts for Difference (CFDs) are leveraged products and carry a significant risk of loss to your capital, as prices may move rapidly against you, and you may be required to make further payments to keep any trades open. Between 74 and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. These products are not suitable for all clients. Therefore, please ensure you fully understand the risks and seek independent advice.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform that offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs. With eToro, UK traders have real-time access to thousands of stocks, ETFs, indices, commodities, forex, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs from top exchanges worldwide. Catering to beginners and expert traders, eToro provides an impressive range of fundamental and technical analysis tools, including market news, economic data, social media trends, news sentiment trends, and advanced charting tools.
If you are new to investing or prefer a more hands-off approach, eToro has over 40 fully allocated, balanced investment portfolios, focusing on market segments you can understand and relate to. Some of the portfolios include MetaverseLife, BigTech, GoldWorldWide, Vaccine-Med, BitcoinWorldWide, Diabetes-Med, Driverless, and GigEconomy. These portfolios are a grouping of several assets, such as stocks, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, and even people, bundled together based on a predetermined theme or strategy. eToro also offers Copy Trading, which allows everyday investors to copy the trades or investments of top-performing traders on the eToro platform. Anyone can copy trades on eToro, and, in the same way, anyone can give others access to copy their trades.
It is entirely free to open an account with eToro, and all registered users receive a US$100,000 demo account for free, which you can use to practise trading or investing until you become confident. Trading on eToro occurs in USD, so a currency conversion fee will apply if you deposit or withdraw in a currency other than USD. Withdrawals incur a fee of US$5 (£4), and the minimum withdrawal amount is US$30 (£24). For UK customers, eToro offers an eToro Money app which allows you to convert your GBP to USD free of charge, thereby reducing your foreign exchange costs. eToro does not offer an ISA or SIPP.
Please note: Your capital is at risk. 80 - 90% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Additionally, cryptoassets are highly volatile and unregulated in the UK. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply. Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. Other fees apply. For more information, visit eToro.
InvestEngine is a low-cost ETF investment platform that provides a choice of managed portfolios tailored to you and commission-free DIY investing to help you build long-term wealth. Users can invest in over 500 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from iShares, Vanguard and other leading brands.
With InvestEngine, you can invest in two ways depending on your investing savviness: Beginner investors or those who prefer to choose a ready-made investment portfolio can select from one of the Managed Portfolios on offer, where the team of experts at InvestEngine will take care of the day-to-day investment decisions for you. These portfolios are a selection of ETFs based on your preferences and risk tolerance, and they have a platform fee of 0.25% per year. Advanced or more confident investors can choose from 500+ commission-free ETFs and build their portfolios themselves. With the DIY Portfolio, there are no platform fees. All InvestEngine portfolios are free of setup fees, dealing fees, ISA fees or withdrawal fees.
InvestEngine stands out amongst its competitors as one of the cheapest investment apps in the UK because it charges no platform or management fees on its DIY Portfolio and just 0.25% a year on its Managed Portfolio. You can also start investing with as little as £100. InvestEngine’s suite of products includes a Stocks and Shares ISA, Personal Account and Business Account.
Capital at risk.
Freetrade is a popular app for investing in stocks in the UK, offering a mobile trading platform that gives access to thousands of UK and overseas stocks, ETFs, and investment trusts covering different sectors and markets worldwide. The Freetrade app can be accessed on iOS and Android and offers a slick and easy-to-use user interface and experience. The app is also a great choice for both beginners and experienced investors.
With Freetrade, you can invest in fractional shares of even the most expensive US shares with as little as £2. Depositing, trading and withdrawing on Freetrade are commission-free (other charges may apply). FX rates apply to US stocks at the spot rate + 0.99%. To get the most out of Freetrade, you can choose from three subscription plans. The Basic Plan costs £0.00 per month and allows you to open a General Investment Account (GIA) and trade commission-free. The Standard Plan costs £5.99 per month and allows you to open a Stocks and Shares ISA in addition to your GIA. With the Plus Plan at £11.99 a month, you get a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) and a Stocks and Shares ISA in addition to your GIA. Dealing on Freetrade is commission-free, irrespective of the subscription plan you choose. Freetrade’s suite of products includes a Stocks and Shares ISA, General Investment Account (GIA) and SIPP.
Promo: Get a free share worth £10 when you join Freetrade and fund your account with at least £50.
Please note: When you invest, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you invest. ISA rules apply. SIPP eligibility and tax rules apply. Free share terms and conditions apply.
Interactive Investor, recently acquired by wealth management giant Abrdn, is the second-largest investment platform in the UK. Interactive Investor is well known for its fixed monthly subscription fees (as opposed to annual percentage-based fees like most other investment platforms). It has been providing investment services and financial information to UK customers since 1995.
If you choose to invest with Interactive Investor, you will gain access to over 40,000 investment options, including UK and overseas shares, funds, investment trusts, and ETFs. This is the second-widest choice of UK and international investments offered by an investment platform in the UK. You will also be able to access 17 global exchanges, including exchanges in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. These include markets such as the FTSE 100, FTSE 250, FTSE All-Share, S&P 500, NASDAQ, NYSE, Dow Jones and more. In addition to the exchanges above, Interactive Investor offers Japanese, Indian and Chinese shares in the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs).
Interactive Investor gives you a free trade every month, which you can use to buy or sell any investment. After that, trades usually cost £3.99. The platform also offers a free regular investing service that allows you to deposit as little as £25 a month towards your investments without paying a trading fee each time. For those investing £50,000 or less, Interactive Investor offers a cheaper plan called Investor Essentials that costs just £4.99 a month. This plan does not come with the monthly free trade. Interactive Investor also has lots of expert ideas, research and insights, which can be helpful when choosing investments. Interactive Investor’s services include a Trading Account, Stocks and Shares ISA, SIPP and Junior ISA.
Capital at risk.
Founded by ex-Wise (TransferWise) employees, Lightyear is a new low-cost pan-European investing app on a mission to provide everyone friction-free access to the international financial markets. With Lightyear, you can invest in over 3,500 UK and overseas stocks and ETFs and access real-time market data and live news while managing your investments in multi-currency accounts. The Lightyear multi-currency accounts allow you to earn competitive interest on uninvested cash in pounds sterling, euros, and US dollars and save on foreign exchange costs by holding your investments in their local currencies. Users can have balances in all three currencies at the same time, and there is no fee for opening a multi-currency account.
The Lightyear mobile app, available on iOS and Android devices, is simple yet powerful. Users can access market updates, professional analyst ratings and price targets via a clean and user-friendly interface. You can also tune in to earning calls directly from your mobile phone or web browser and enjoy keeping up-to-date with the latest happenings about the stocks you own or follow.
Opening an account with Lightyear is free, and you can start building a portfolio with as little as you are comfortable with. Dealing UK, US, and EU shares cost £1, 0.1% (up to $1 max), and €1 per order, respectively. There is no dealing charge for trading ETFs. However, a 0.35% FX fee applies when converting one currency to another. Lightyear also charges a 0.5% transfer fee when depositing with your card (after exhausting the free £500 lifetime allowance). However, there are other means of depositing funds that are completely free. Other fees may apply. Lightyear does not offer an ISA or SIPP.
Capital at risk.
Wealthify is a UK robo advisor that allows you to choose from five investment Plans based on your attitude to risk. These investment Plans are named Cautious, Tentative, Confident, Ambitious and Adventurous and allow you to choose a risk level that best suits your needs. If you are conscious about the environment or would simply like to invest in line with your values, each of Wealthify’s five portfolios is also available as an ethical investment Plan, so you can stay true to your values while potentially growing your money.
With Wealthify’s ISAs and General Investment Accounts, the minimum investment is £1, and you can withdraw your money anytime. There is an annual platform fee of 0.60%, and fund management fees range from 0.16% to 0.70% per year, depending on your chosen investment theme. Once you complete the signup process, you can start investing with a lump sum, which you can top up as frequently as you want.
Wealthify’s suite of products includes a General Investment Account, Stocks and Shares ISA, Junior ISA and SIPP in both Original and Ethical themes.
Capital at risk.
AJ Bell is one of the UK’s largest online investment platforms, and its mission is to make investing as easy as possible for anyone. The platform offers thousands of investment options for the DIY investor, including shares, funds, bonds, investment trusts, ETFs, ETCs, and warrants.
There are multiple ways to get started with AJ Bell, depending on your risk tolerance and investing savviness. Beginner investors or those who prefer to choose a ready-made investment portfolio can get a little, or a lot, of help from AJ Bell’s specialists by selecting one of the investment ideas on offer. Investment ideas are diversified ready-made baskets of investments that you can select based on your personal preference and attitude to risk. There are eight total investment ideas, each built by a specialist team, and you can pick the right one for you depending on whether you are seeking to simply grow your money over time or receive an income whilst still growing your money. Expert investors can take advantage of the stock and fund screeners and complex instruments available on AJ Bell and build their portfolios themselves.
AJ Bell charges an annual platform fee ranging from 0.25% to 0%, depending on the size of your portfolio. Dealing fees for buying and selling investments online are £1.50 for funds and £9.95 for shares (reducing to £4.95 if there were 10 or more online share deals in the previous month). AJ Bell’s products include a Share Dealing Account, Stocks and Shares ISA, Junior Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, SIPP and Junior SIPP.
Capital at risk.
Hargreaves Lansdown is a FTSE 100 company and the largest investment platform in the UK. Its core mission is to build long-term client relationships by becoming a trusted partner and financial champion, ultimately helping you increase your financial security for the future. If you choose to invest with Hargreaves Lansdown, you will gain access to over 2,500 funds, thousands of UK and overseas shares, ETFs, ETCs, investment trusts and more.
With Hargreaves Lansdown, you can build your investment portfolio in one of two ways depending on your investing savviness: Beginner investors or those who prefer to choose a ready-made investment portfolio can build their portfolios by choosing from a range of ready-made options where the team of experts at Hargreaves Lansdown will take care of the day-to-day investment decisions for you. Advanced or more confident investors can choose from a wide range of funds, shares and other investments and build their portfolios themselves.
Hargreaves Lansdown does not charge a platform fee on its Fund and Share Account but charges 0.45% (capped at £45) a year on its ISA and 0.45% (capped at £200) a year on its SIPP. It offers most products, including a Fund and Share Account, Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA, and SIPP. Hargreaves Lansdown’s services are intended for investors who are happy making their own decisions.
Capital at risk. The fees quoted here are not exhaustive. Other charges apply.
Investing is the process of putting your money to work with the aim of growing it over time. In other words, it is about allocating your resources, such as cash or other assets, to various investment opportunities in the hope of generating profits, income, or both.
Investing can help you build wealth, protect your purchasing power against inflation, and achieve your financial goals.
There are many different types of investments, including stocks, bonds, real estate, and even art or collectables. When you invest, you purchase these assets with the expectation that they will appreciate in value, generate income, or both over time.
This is different from simply saving your money in a bank account, where your primary goal is preserving your capital and earning a modest amount of interest.
Here are some key concepts related to investing to get you started:
Investing in stocks and shares can be an effective way to grow your money and reach your financial goals.
Everyone has different financial goals. Some people want to save for a cosy retirement, while others may want to buy a house or have a wedding.
No matter your goal, investing in stocks and shares can help your money grow over time. Usually, you’ll get better returns from stocks than simply keeping your money in a regular bank account.
A study by Barclays in 2019 showed that stocks do better than cash nine times out of ten in any ten-year period. For shorter periods, like five years, this drops to seven out of ten.
How much can you make in the stock market? Well, it depends. On average, your investment might grow by 3 - 12% per year. But there are no guarantees.
How well your investments do depends on a few things, such as:
Besides your investments growing in value, you can also earn money from some companies when they make a profit. This money is called a dividend, and it’s like getting a piece of the company’s profit.
One thing to remember when investing is that “past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.” This means that just because a company did well before doesn’t mean it will always do well. Nobody can predict the future, so it’s important to do your research before investing in the stock market.
Here are some key reasons why you may want to consider investing in stocks and shares:
To learn more about how to invest in the stock market and to discover some of the best investment apps and platforms in the UK for beginners, read Investing for Beginners.
To invest money in the UK, you’ll need to choose an investment product and platform, pick a tax wrapper, research stocks, index funds and ETFs, develop an investment strategy, open an account, invest regularly, and monitor your portfolio.
Here is a detailed breakdown of how to invest money in the UK:
The best way to invest money in the UK is to implement a low-cost passive investing strategy, which focuses on simplicity and diversification while taking advantage of tax-efficient investment accounts such as ISAs and pensions. For example, you can buy one or two low-cost index funds or ETFs and store them in a Stocks and Shares ISA or Private Pension.
This strategy is ideal for young investors who want to build wealth over time without the hassle of constantly monitoring and managing their investments. A key aspect of this strategy is to maximise the use of tax wrappers, such as Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and pensions, which provide significant tax advantages for long-term investors and help maximise your investments.
ISAs, for example, offer tax-free growth on investments held within them, allowing you to avoid paying taxes on capital gains and dividends. Pensions, on the other hand, offer tax relief on contributions, which means that your money grows tax-free until you start withdrawing it in retirement. Utilising these tax wrappers in conjunction with a passive investing strategy can help you maximise your investment returns and achieve your financial goals more effectively.
Investing £5,000 in the UK can be both a rewarding and intelligent endeavour. First and foremost, it is essential to establish clear financial goals and set aside an emergency fund to cover any unexpected expenses that may arise.
As for the investment process, tax efficiency should be a primary consideration. A Stocks and Shares ISA can be a valuable tool for this purpose, allowing you to invest in a diversified portfolio of assets, such as index funds, ETFs, bonds, or REITs, all while keeping your gains tax-free.
For long-term investment goals, a Lifetime ISA or pension scheme could be advantageous, as they often come with government bonuses and tax relief. These options can help you build a nest egg for future milestones, such as purchasing a first home or enjoying a comfortable retirement.
First-time investors should invest as little or as much as they feel comfortable investing. The best investment apps in the UK will allow you to start investing with as little as £25 a month. Some even accept £1.
At Koody, we recommend using the 50/30/20 budget calculator to divide your monthly net income into three categories: Needs (50%), Wants (30%), and Savings and Investments (20%). If you allocate 20% of your income to Savings and Investments, you can reasonably decide how much of that 20% you want to invest. Budget by Koody is an excellent tool for sorting out your finances, categorising your spending and making plans for your future.
With a small amount of capital, here are the best ways to invest in the UK:
Beginner investors with little money can start by investing for the long term in low-cost global or total-market index funds and ETFs. An index fund is a broad portfolio of stocks or bonds in publicly listed companies that tracks the performance of a market index, whereas an ETF is an investment fund that trades on a stock exchange like an individual stock.
Both index funds and ETFs offer significant diversification benefits and have very low fees, ranging from 0.05% to 1.00% of the total value of your investment portfolio.
There have been many instances of prominent investors, including Warren Buffet, advising everyday investors to buy index funds and ETFs instead of picking individual stocks and trying to time the market. Some of these seasoned investors have even gone as far as saying, “The single best choice for a lifelong holding is a total stock-market index fund.”
Investing in passive index tracker funds and ETFs is one of the best ways to start investing in the UK, and the best investment apps in the UK offer a wide range of index funds and ETFs.
Here, you can view the five-year performance of some of the best index funds and ETFs in the UK.
Here are the best investment apps for beginners in the UK:
The best investments for beginners in the UK are:
Yes, investment apps are most certainly worth it in the UK. Investment apps allow you to access a wide range of stock market products directly from your smartphone or tablet. This means you can create, monitor and rebalance your investments at any time without using a desktop computer or calling a stockbroker.
This level of access and convenience means you know exactly how much your portfolio is worth at any given time and can keep on top of market news and stock market updates with just a click of a button. Today, almost all investment platforms in the UK offer an iOS or Android investment app, so even if you choose to open an account with an established platform, you will still enjoy the convenience of a modern mobile app.
Here are the best stock trading sites for beginners in the UK:
Investing apps are generally safe to use, as they are regulated by financial authorities such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK. These regulatory bodies ensure that investment apps comply with strict rules and guidelines to protect the interests of their users.
However, it is essential to choose a reputable and well-established investing app with robust security measures in place. These measures may include data encryption, two-factor authentication, and regular security audits to protect your personal information and financial transactions.
While no investment is entirely risk-free, using a regulated investing app can provide you with a secure and convenient way to manage your investments. Always do your research and read reviews to ensure you are using a trustworthy app, and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Here are some of the best stock advice websites:
Every month, we’ll send you The Plug - a curation of the best personal finance content in the UK. We share real-life stories, how-to guides, top personal finance news, popular community questions, and tips to help you stay on top of your money.
