8 best stocks and shares ISA platforms
If you're looking to grow your savings, a stocks and shares ISA may be the answer. But with a whole host of investment platforms offering them, where should you start?
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There's a lot of hype these days around stocks and shares, making it more important than ever to do your research when it comes to where to invest your money.
Your social media may be riddled with influencers giving you 'top tips' on how to invest in the stock market and get rich quick, but they tend to leave out the risks involved when it comes to buying and selling stocks and shares.
Stocks and shares ISAs can be a great way to invest your money if you're looking for a tax-efficient solution and are happy to invest for the long term. You can invest up to £20,000 a year tax–free, and there are a whole host of platforms you can use to make it easy.
We've done the research and found some of the top stocks and shares ISA platforms out there.
What's in this guide?
WARNING: As with all investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. This information is not investment advice. Do your own research.
What is a stocks and shares ISA?
A stocks and shares ISA, also known as an Investment ISA, is an investment account where you can use your money to buy shares, stocks, funds or bonds in the hope that they will increase in value and you'll get some extra money back on what you invest.
The main benefit of a stocks and shares ISA is that you can invest £20,000 annually completely tax-free. There are other types of investment platforms where you can access a wider range of investments and where there is no limit on how much you invest; however, you'll need to pay tax on any returns you make.
We're assuming that as a student, you wouldn't usually have more than £20,000 a year to put aside for your future. Therefore, we reckon a stocks and shares ISA might be the best way for you to start your investment journey. Trust us, you don't want to be paying tax unless you really have to.
Tax disclaimer: Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and regulations which may change.
Stocks and shares ISA risks
Putting your money in a stocks and shares ISA comes with its risks.
We've already said it once, but we'll say it again: as with any type of investment, there is always the possibility that their value will go down rather than up. This means you could end up with less than what you originally put in.
If you're looking to 'get rich quick', a stocks and shares ISA probably isn't the way forward. Most advise that you should only invest if you're happy to make a commitment of five years or more. This gives your investment a better chance of riding out any dips in the market and also gives it more time to grow.
If you don't think you're ready for the long-term commitment, or are worried about the risks involved, a Cash ISA may be better for you. With a Cash ISA, you'll still be able to earn interest on £20,000 a year tax-free, but without the risk. It's basically a tax-free savings account.
Stocks and shares ISA benefits
So why not just stick with a Cash ISA?
Well, as is often the case, the more risk you're willing to take, the higher the returns can be. As long as you're in it for the long term, it's likely your money will grow faster in a stocks and shares ISA than in a traditional savings account. Just remember that there's no guarantee.
A recent analysis by moneyfactscompare.co.uk shows the average annual return on a cash ISA since 2010 is 1.79%, whereas the average return on a stocks and shares ISA is 6.79%. The analysis shows every £100 invested in a cash ISA since 2010 will have grown to £130, whereas the same amount in a stocks and shares ISA will have grown to £233.
In April 2027, the amount you can save tax-free in a Cash ISA will be reduced from £20,000 to £12,000. However, there will be no change to the £20,000 limit for stocks and shares ISAs.
How to open a stocks and shares ISA
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Many banks offer stocks and shares ISAs, but the easiest, and often the cheapest way to open one is through a platform or app.
Firstly, you'll need to decide what type of stocks and shares ISA you want. There are two different types:
- DIY / Self-managed – where you can pick and choose what investments you want in your ISA
- Managed – where an expert or 'robo-adviser' picks and chooses the investments for you, based on the level of risk you want to take.
Many of the stocks and shares ISAs we've listed below also offer a mixture of the two. These are DIY ISAs that offer readymade portfolios you can customise if you choose.
This option is a great middle ground between the two types of ISA. It's perfect if you're just starting out investing and still learning how it works, but would like to have more say in the investments you make.
Stocks and shares ISA fees
This is where things can get a little more complicated. The platforms that offer stocks and shares ISAs all have different fees. So even though you're not paying tax on any gains, you will be paying out a percentage to the platform provider.
Not all providers will charge all types of fees. And, as with a lot of banking terms, it can be hard to work out what the different fees are for.
You'll need to figure out which platforms work out cheapest for you, as it will depend on what types of investments you're making, how much you have to invest and how often you're trading.
These fees can drastically impact your investment earnings over a longer period of time. That's why we've put together a list of all the different fees to look out for when opening a stocks and shares ISA:
- Platform/account fees - a flat fee or a percentage of your investments, charged monthly or annually by the provider for using their service
- Trading fees / dealing charges – usually a flat fee or a percentage of a transaction, charged each time you buy or sell your assets
- Currency conversion fees – the cost of converting currencies when buying or selling international stocks from the UK, typically charged as a percentage of the amount being converted
- Fund fees – these are charged by the fund manager at different rates for individual funds, usually as a percentage, which is paid directly from your fund
- ISA transfer fees – for transferring your ISA directly from one ISA provider to another
- Withdrawal/deposit fees – some providers charge a fee every time you withdraw or deposit money in your ISA.
Types of investments
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So, you may have decided that a stocks and shares ISA is right for you, but what are you actually investing in? These are the different types of investments you may find held within a stocks and shares ISA:
- Funds – When you invest in a fund, you're basically paying into a pot that has money from many different investors in it. The fund is looked after by a fund manager, who will decide where to invest it, and will then charge you a percentage of your investment for looking after it.
- Stocks and shares – If you buy shares in a company, you are buying specific units of a company's stock, meaning you become a part-owner. If the company is doing well, the value of your shares will go up, and vice versa. The terms stocks and shares can be used interchangeably, but stocks is a more general term for ownership of a range of companies, whereas shares refer to ownership of specific units of a single company.
- Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) – Similar to funds, these are a set of investments which you can buy and sell as a single package. However, ETFs track the performance of an index (such as the FTSE 100), so they are traded on the stock exchange and the price fluctuates throughout the day.
- Bonds – A bond is basically a loan. When governments or companies need to borrow money, they can issue a bond, which you can then invest in. The bond will then be paid back after a set amount of time with a set amount of interest.
If you're planning on choosing your own investments with a DIY stocks and shares ISA, it's important to take the time to do your own research into what kind of investments you want to make.
If you're opting for a managed stocks and shares ISA, an expert will do the hard work for you and will often invest in a range of the above. By having a diversified portfolio with a range of investments, the risk should be reduced, as each type of investment will perform differently at different times.
Best stocks and shares ISA platforms
We can't tell you which platforms are going to be the best to invest in. But we can give you all the facts so you can compare some of the options out there.
We've tried to put together a range of some of the cheaper stocks and shares ISA platforms. These have different options when it comes to management and fee structures. Check them out and work out which could work best for you:
Stocks and shares ISA comparison 2026 |
||||||
| S&S ISA provider | Minimum deposit | Interest | Platform fees | Type | Review | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trading 212 Stocks ISA |
£1 |
3.8% AER |
None |
DIY with readymade options |
Free shares* |
|
AJBell Dodl Investment ISA |
£100 (one-off) or £25 (monthly) |
3.8% AER |
0.15% (min £1 per month) |
DIY with readymade options |
|
|
Moneybox Stocks & Shares ISA |
£1 |
2.5% AER | £1 per month + 0.45% |
DIY with readymade options |
|
|
IG Stocks & Shares ISA |
£1 |
3.75% AER |
None (DIY) 0.5% (managed) |
DIY and Managed |
Free shares up to £300** |
|
InvestEngine Stocks and Shares ISA |
£100 |
None |
None (DIY) 0.25% (managed) |
DIY and Managed |
|
|
eToro ISA powered by Moneyfarm |
£500 |
None |
0.35% (DIY) 0.35%–0.75% (managed) |
DIY and Managed |
|
|
Interactive Investor Stocks and Shares ISA |
£500 |
None |
£5.99 per month |
DIY and Managed |
£100 free trades |
|
Wealthify Flexible Stocks and Shares ISA |
£1,000 |
None |
0.6% |
Managed |
£50-£1,000 cashback |
|
|
*To get free fractional shares worth up to 100 EUR/GBP, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link. Terms apply. **Free shares up to £300 are on offer when you set up an IG account using our link and invest £300 for atleast three months. | ||||||
Stocks and shares ISA platform reviews
Trading 212
Stocks and shares ISA features
Trading 212 offers one of the cheapest stocks and shares ISAs, as it has no account fees and zero commission on trading. Other fees may apply.
As with many platforms on this list, it offers either the option to build your own portfolio (or ‘pie’), choosing from over 13,000 global stocks and ETFs, or use one of its ready-made ‘pies’.
You can also set up automated investing, where the app invests daily, weekly or monthly for you. This is handy if you don’t want to be logging on each day or you have a habit of forgetting!
Another massive pro of the Trading 212 Stocks ISA is the 3.8% interest it pays on any uninvested cash in your account. This is paid daily, so every day when you’re paid interest, the interest you’ve earned also starts accruing interest. This is known as compound interest and is always a plus.
Trading 212 offer an execution-only service. Not investment advice or portfolio management. Automatic investing refers to executing scheduled deposits. Ready-made pies offer solely data on investment allocations and should not be regarded as investment advice or investment research. You are responsible for all investment and rebalancing decisions.
Stocks and shares ISA fees
Trading 212 is a flexible ISA with minimal fees compared to other platforms on the list.
As already mentioned, there’s no monthly account charge or trading charges, and the currency conversion fee of 0.15% is also cheaper than many.
The only charge to potentially watch out for is the 0.7% charged on debit card or Google Pay deposits. However, this is only charged after a deposit of £2,000 accumulative; the first £2,000 is free.
AJ Bell Dodl
Stocks and shares ISA features
Dodl also offers a great interest rate of 3.8% on any uninvested cash deposited in its Investment ISA. So you can deposit the cash and know it’s already working for you whilst you try and work out what on earth to invest in.
To start, you’ll need to deposit a one-off payment of £100 in the account or set up a monthly direct debit of £25 a month.
You’ll then have three options for what to do with your money. You can either invest in AJBell funds (picked out by experts for you), themed investments (if you want to pick and choose but have a theme in mind) or shares.
The first option is great if you’re a beginner and you want the work done for you.
Stocks and shares ISA fees
Dodl’s Investment ISA has an account charge of 0.15% of the value of your investments, with a minimum charge of £1 per month. This will be collected and paid out of your account monthly.
On top of this, individual funds will come with their own charges. These will vary, but they’ll be made clear when you buy or sell any funds in the app. Fund charges are deducted directly from your fund by the fund manager, so you don’t need to do anything to pay these.
Dodl’s foreign exchange charges for when you’re buying or selling outside the UK vary depending on the amount you want to buy or sell. These range from 0.75% (for the first £10,000) to 0.25% (for shares over £20,000)
Moneybox
Stock and shares ISA features
The Moneybox Stocks and Shares ISA can be opened and managed on its easy-to-use app, making it a great option for beginners. It has three starting options (or investment styles): Cautious, Balanced and Adventurous.
Each of these options contains a range of tracker funds, with different allocations for each one. You can choose which of these styles to follow when signing up, or you can choose to custom-build your own portfolio.
Moneybox has a wide range of tracker funds available, from property and technology to socially responsible funds. You also have the option to invest in ETFs and US stocks.
Stock and shares ISA fees
The Moneybox stocks and shares ISA has a two-part fee structure. There’s a subscription fee of £1 a month, plus a platform fee of 0.45% monthly, making it one of the pricier options on the list.
Its currency conversion rate for buying or selling US stocks from the UK is also pretty steep at 0.45%.
However, it does offer 2.5% interest on money held in your account but not invested. The monthly subscription is free for the first three months, and is also free if you have £5,000 in its cash ISA or Simple Saver account.
IG
Stocks and shares ISA features
IG’s Stocks and Shares ISA is another example of an ISA that’s free to open with no fees and zero commission on trading.
IG is a FTSE 100-listed company with over 50 years of market experience. And with over 12,000 stocks and ETFs to invest in across a wide range of international markets, it’s a great option if you feel confident doing the investing yourself.
And if you’re just starting out and need some help, IG also has ready-made portfolio options – Cautious, Measured and Couragious – depending on your appetite for risk.
It’s a flexible ISA, so you can withdraw funds without losing your annual tax-free allowance, and it pays 3.75% on any uninvested cash.
IG is also currently offering up to £300 of free shares when you invest £300. Simply open an account using code WELCOME300, invest £300 within 30 days and keep it invested for three months, and you’ll receive your free shares.
Stocks and shares ISA fees
The only charge on IG’s DIY Stocks and Shares account is a 0.7% FX currency conversion. However, this conversion fee is higher than many of the other platforms we have listed.
Further charges may apply, but you can contact their helpdesk 24/7 for any trade charges you’re not sure of.
IG also offers a fully managed Smart Portfolio. This comes with a 0.5% management fee on the first £50,000, average fund costs of 0.13% and 0.09% transaction costs.
InvestEngine
Stocks and shares ISA features
InvestEngine offers both a DIY stocks and shares ISA and a fully managed option.
The platform deals exclusively with ETFs. You can set up and manage your ISA online or through the app, which also includes features such as auto-investing. There’s a minimum deposit of £100 to open the account.
Similar to Trading 212, InvestEngine offers ‘zero fees’ on its DIY stocks and shares ISA. However, the difference with InvestEngine is that any uninvested cash you hold in your account won’t earn you interest.
Stocks and shares ISA fees
Though you won’t be charged any fees for a DIY ISA from InvestEngine, there are the usual ETF fees charged by the funds themselves. These start from 0.03% annually, and in the managed portfolios, average at 0.12% a year.
InvestEngine also offers a managed ISA. This comes with a 0.25% account fee and an average total fund cost of 0.12%.
InvestEngine doesn’t charge any currency conversion rates, as these are embedded in the individual ETF charges.
eToro
Stocks and shares ISA features
Similar to InvestEngine, eToro offers a DIY stocks and shares ISA, a fully managed option and a mixture of the two.
The eToro ISA, powered by Moneyfarm, has a minimum investment of £500.
Once you’ve opened the account, you’ll have the option to manage the ISA yourself and choose from over 1,000 assets to invest in, including ETFs, stocks, bonds ETF and mutual funds. Or you can go for the managed option, which offers seven different levels of risk.
If you’re familiar with eToro’s platform, you’ll know about its eToro club membership, which offers enhanced tools and services. Membership is automatic when your account reaches over $5,000. Everything you invest in your stocks and shares ISA will count towards your membership status.
Stocks and shares ISA fees
The eToro Stocks and Shares ISA has a custody fee of 0.35% (capped at £45 a year).
On top of this, there is also a set fee for each individual trade – £3.95 for ETFs, shares and mutual funds, and £5.95 for trades on bonds.
The currency conversion fee for any foreign exchange is 0.7%.
The fees for the managed ISA range from 0.35% to 0.75%, depending on the amount you have invested. Average fund costs are 0.16% per year.
The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
Interactive Investor
Stocks and shares ISA features
Interactive Investor offers both self-managed and managed stocks and shares ISAs.
They work slightly differently from the other ISAs we’ve mentioned, as Interactive Investor believes in flat monthly fees rather than taking a percentage of your investment.
So, where usually you would pay more as your investment value grows, with Interactive Investor, it will stay at a flat monthly rate. This is the same whether you have a managed or self-managed ISA.
If you’re looking for some inspiration, Interactive Investor has some handy tips and insights on where to invest on the website.
Stocks and shares ISA fees
Interactive Investor’s Core Plan, for investments under £100,000, has a flat-rate monthly fee of £5.99. This covers access to the platform and its services.
Interactive Investor’s trading fees are also charged at a flat rate of £3.99 per investment. However, you can avoid these and keep your costs down by setting up regular investments, which are free.
As well as saving on trading fees, setting up regular investments can help spread your risk by riding out market fluctuations. They also take away the pressure of having to time your investments. You can just set up a Direct Debit, and Interactive Investor will buy your chosen investments for you.
Foreign exchange fees are pretty high at 0.75% for the Core plan, so it may not be the right platform for you if you’re doing a lot of international trading.
IG also has Plus and Premium plans available. These have no portfolio limit and access to lower trades and foreign exchange fees. You can check their fees out on the site.
Wealthify
Stocks and shares ISA features
Wealthify offers a fully managed stocks and shares ISA.
The process of opening the ISA is super easy. Though you’ll need a minimum of £1,000 for investment to open the account.
First, you pick one of five different investment styles – from ‘Cautious’ to ‘Adventurous’, then they ask you some questions to try and work out which investments are right for you, and then their experts will build a plan for you based on your answers.
This is a great option if you don’t really know where to start and you’re also not too keen on doing all the research yourself.
Wealthify also offers five different ethical plans, where you can invest in organisations that have a positive impact on the world and avoid those that are harmful to the environment.
These organisations are screened regularly to ensure ethical standards are maintained, and your money isn’t being invested anywhere you wouldn’t want it to be.
Stocks and shares ISA fees
Fully managed stocks and shares ISAs generally have higher fees, as the platforms are doing the work for you. Wealthify has a single annual management fee of 0.6%, which is charged monthly.
On top of this, you’ll be charged fund and trading fees. These will vary depending on which funds are included in your plan, but average fees for funds in an original plan are 0.15%, while fees for ethical plans average more at 0.58%.
Ethical investing fees are higher because of the increased time taken to monitor companies and ensure they’re sticking to their promises.
Stocks and shares ISA FAQs
Can you have more than one type of ISA?
Yes. Your tax-free limit of £20,000 can be spread across as many different ISAs as you like.
So, if you want to put some money aside for the shorter term in a risk-free cash ISA, whilst opening a stocks and shares ISA for longer-term goals, that’s fine.
You can also pay into a Lifetime ISA if you’re saving to buy a house. But you’ll only be able to pay into one Lifetime ISA each tax year, whereas you can open as many cash ISAs and stocks and shares ISAs as you like.
We wouldn’t, however, suggest opening as many ISAs as possible to see which works the best for you, as you’ll find it quite difficult to manage and keep on top of. Another reason why doing your research from the start and finding those that suit you the best is the way forward.
Can you transfer money between different types of ISA?
You can transfer money between different types of ISAs. So, for example, you can move money saved in a cash ISA to a stocks and shares ISA.
Do not withdraw the money yourself and then deposit it in the new ISA. When you withdraw money from an ISA to your regular account, it will lose its tax-free status. You should instead request a transfer through your new ISA provider. They will then deal with the transfer for you.
Though most ISAs don’t have exit fees, you may want to double-check with your current ISA provider that you won’t be charged for closing your account.
Lifetime ISAs work differently. If you want to transfer a Lifetime ISA to another type of ISA, you’ll have to pay a 25% charge to cover the government bonus received on your savings. To find out more, check our full guide on how Lifetime ISAs work.
It’s also worth noting that if you decide to transfer your stocks and shares ISA to a cash ISA, your investments will be sold at the current rate. So if the rate happens to be on a downturn at that specific time, you could be transferring less money than you originally invested.
From April 2027, transferring from a stocks and shares ISA to a cash ISA will no longer be an option.
What is a flexible ISA?
Some stocks and shares ISAs are flexible, and some are not. If a stocks and shares ISA is flexible, you can withdraw money and replace it within the same tax year without it affecting your £20,000 tax-free allowance.
If your stocks and shares ISA isn’t flexible, the money you replace in the account will lower your tax-free allowance for the year.
So, for example, if you have £5,000 in your stocks and shares ISA at the beginning of the tax year and invest another £5,000, you’ll still have a further £15,000 you can invest that year tax-free.
If you decide to withdraw £1,000 and you have a flexible ISA, you’ll still be able to deposit another £16,000 within the tax year.
However, if your account is not flexible, your limit will stay at £15,000 for the year, even after withdrawing the £1,000. And if you repay the £1,000 back into your ISA, your tax-free limit will go down further to £14,000.
If you’re still a bit confused about what stocks and shares are and need a bit more info, you may want to check out our guide on how the stock market works..
