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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 are hoping for.
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Also Read: Investing in the UK (in your 20s and 30s)
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best investment apps in the UK, divided into three categories - investment platforms, robo advisors (automated investing) and trading apps. These investment apps allow you to buy, sell and hold a variery of investments in one place, including shares, funds, bonds, commodities, properties, CFDs and more.
Compare our top ten investment apps below. Every app listed here is available on Android and iOS.
Capital at risk. Other charges apply.
eToro is a multi-asset platform that offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs. 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 practice trading until you become confident. eToro gives you real-time access to thousands of stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies from top exchanges worldwide. If you prefer to select a ready-made portfolio, eToro has over 40 fully allocated, balanced investment portfolios, focusing on market segments you can understand and to which you can relate. Some of the portfolios include MetaverseLife, BigTech, GoldWorldWide, Vaccine-Med, BitcoinWorldWide, Diabetes-Med, Driverless, GigEconomy, and many more. 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. Withdrawals incur a fee of US$5, and FX rates apply to non-USD deposits and withdrawals. eToro does not offer an ISA or SIPP.
Please note: Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product with no UK or EU investor protection. Your capital is at risk. Additionally, 68% 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.
Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply. For more information, visit eToro.
InvestEngine is a UK low-cost investment platform providing 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 attract a platform fee of 0.25% per year. Advanced or more confident investors can choose from 250+ 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 allows you to invest via a Stocks and Shares ISA, Personal Account or Business Account. Capital at risk.
Promo: £25 welcome bonus for new customers who invest at least £100. Terms apply.
Interactive Investor has more than 40,000 investments to choose from, including UK and overseas shares, funds, investment trusts, and ETFs. You get a free trade every month, which you can use to buy or sell any investment. It is free to top up your ISA each month, and there are no trading fees with its regular investing service. It also has several ready-made funds and expert ideas to make it easy to choose investments. Interactive Investor’s products include Trading Account, Stocks and Shares ISA, SIPP, and Junior ISA.
Capital at risk.
Fineco Bank is one of Europe's largest banks, with 20 years of leadership history in brokerage and over 30 million orders processed every year. Its core mission is to make online trading simple by providing direct access to the markets in just one click. With Fineco, you can access 26 global markets and trade over 20,000 financial instruments worldwide on a single account, including UK and overseas shares, ETFs, funds, bonds, and CFDs. Users can also invest and trade directly in GBP, EUR, USD, Swiss Franc and 20+ currencies. Fineco Bank's products include a Trading Account and Stocks and Shares ISA.
Promo: Apply with the link below by the 29th of July 2022, and trade commission-free up to a maximum commission amount of £500. Terms apply.
Please note: When you invest money, your capital is at risk. 68.16% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Kickstart your investing with an award-winning ISA. Hargreaves Lansdown has thousands of investments to choose from, including UK and overseas shares, funds, investment trusts, and ETFs. Choose your own investments with expert research and ideas to help you, or simply pick a ready-made portfolio. Manage via website, app or phone. Hargreaves Lansdown's services include Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA, Fund and Share Account, and SIPP. These services are intended for investors happy at making their own decisions. Capital at risk. Other charges apply.
Freetrade is a UK mobile trading app that gives you access to thousands of UK and overseas stocks, ETFs and investment trusts covering different sectors and markets worldwide. The Freetrade mobile 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 also apply for US stocks at the spot rate + 0.45%. Freetrade’s products include a Stocks and Shares ISA, General Investment Account and SIPP.
Promo: Get a free share worth between £3 and £200.
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. The reward probability is weighted, so more expensive free shares will be rarer.
Stake is a global commission-free brokerage that gives you access to 4,500 US stocks and ETFs via a mobile app and web interface. You can choose to upgrade to Stake Black to access more sophisticated features for US$9/month (or US$90 a year). Stake Free gives you access to all assets on the platform, unlimited commission-free trades, advance order types, and fractional trading. Stake Black gives you access to analyst ratings, price targets, full company financials, and trading on unsettled funds. FX rates apply to non-USD deposits and withdrawals. Stake does not offer an ISA or SIPP. Capital at risk.
Promo: Promo code: KOODY. Stake offers a free stock (Nike, GoPro, Dropbox or a mystery stock) for each new user that opens an account and funds it with at least £50 within 24 hours of opening the account.
DEGIRO is an award-winning investment broker that allows you to trade in stocks, bonds, ETFs, options, futures, warrants, certificates and more across 50 international exchanges. It offers tens of thousands of regulated financial instruments that enable investors to diversify their portfolios worldwide. With DEGIRO, you can invest in up to 200 commission-free ETFs. This means you may not have to pay a dealing charge when you invest in just ETFs (terms apply). Dealing in UK stocks costs £1.75 + 0.014% per deal, while US stocks cost €0.5 + $0.004 per share and Irish stocks are €4 + 0.05% per deal. To make sense of the charges, click here. DEGIRO does not offer an ISA or SIPP.
DEGIRO currently has over 1 million customers across 18 countries. It is suitable for both beginner and advanced investors, and you can access the platform on any device via the web portal or mobile app.
Capital at risk.
Moneyfarm is a UK robo advisor that provides you with a personalised investment plan based on your risk preferences. It has seven globally diversified risk-rated portfolios, including ethical investments. The team at Moneyfarm actively manages your investments, so you can be sure you've got a good mix of hard-working assets handpicked from around the world. You also benefit from free and personalised digital financial advice from Moneyfarm's investment consultants, and you can chat, phone, email, or meet your consultant in person. Moneyfarm's products include Stocks and Shares ISA, General Investment Account, and Personal Pension. Moneyfarm recently introduced the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment style to its portfolios. Capital at risk.
When you subscribe to Plum Plus or Plum Pro (from £1 a month), you can choose to invest your money in a variety of funds. Plum calculates how much you can afford to set aside and automatically invests that amount for you. You choose your investments based on what matters to you. For example, you could choose to invest in emerging markets, technology, ethical companies, etc. Plum offers Stocks and Shares ISA, SIPP, and other money management tools.
Capital at risk.
To make sense of these charges, use our full robo advisor, investment platform, or share dealing comparison tables.
Investing is a way of setting money aside with the expectation that your money will grow in value over time. When you invest, you are essentially putting your money towards assets in the hope that they will appreciate in the future.
As the value of your assets appreciates, you make positive returns on your investments and generate some income along the way. In the same way, the value of your assets could fall, and you could lose the money you invested.
We all have financial goals. For some, it might be saving towards long-term goals such as living comfortably in retirement. For others, it might be saving towards significant life events such as buying a home or getting married.
Whatever the goal, investing in stock and shares can be a great way to grow your money and can offer you higher long-term returns than leaving your money in a savings or current account.
According to a 2019 Barclays Equity and Gilt survey, shares do better than cash nine times out of ten in any ten-year period. This reduces to seven times out of ten when investing for just five years.
People often ask how much money can be made in the stock market. On average, the value of your investment could rise by about 3 - 12% a year depending on a number of factors, but there are no guarantees.
The success or failure of your investment portfolio will usually depend on several factors, including:
Apart from the value of your investments appreciating, you can also earn regular income from some of the companies you invest in when they make a profit. This income is called a dividend. A dividend is your share of a company's profit.
As you progress in your investment journey, you will come across the phrase, "past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results". This is usually to let you know that sometimes your investments can fail, and no human or algorithm can predict how your investments will perform. A company's past performance cannot guarantee its future success, so the onus is on you to do your own research before investing in the stock market.
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 our Investing for Beginners guide.
You can invest as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Most investment platforms and robo advisors will allow you to start investing with as little as £25 a month. Some even accept £1.
The best ways to start investing with little money:
Here are some of the best apps for beginners in the UK:
Here are few investment ideas for beginner investors:
There are two ways to buy stocks and shares. You can either buy individual company shares directly (through a stock broker or investment platform) or invest in a fund (which pools money from you and other investors to buy lots of shares).
Funds tend to be a cheaper and less risky way to invest in shares as you'll be spreading the costs and risks with other investors within the fund.
Most investment platforms and stock brokers are online and will allow you to invest in stocks and shares regularly (e.g. £25 a month) or occasionally (e.g. a lump sum of £1,000).
Whether you choose to go online or offline, you need the services of a stock broker or share dealing platform to buy shares. Stock brokers offer three types of services - execution-only, advisory or discretionary.
Here are some of the best stock trading sites for beginners in the UK:
Robo advisors are technology companies that provide automated financial planning with little or no human supervision. They use their algorithms to calculate your risk level and present you with a set of ready-made investments based on your risk profile. Many established investment platforms and fintech startups offer robo-advisor services.
In the UK, robo advisors are also called do-it-for-me investment platforms.
A ready-made investment portfolio is a diverse mix of investments created by fund managers to help reduce the burden of choosing individual shares or funds. With one ready-made portfolio, you could have access to hundreds of investments.
Here are some of the best websites for stock research and investment ideas in the UK:
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