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Investing apps have flooded the market. Each offers something a little different to entice people in. In this article, I will run through the best investing apps in the UK, giving you the headlines on features and fees.
It has never been easier to start investing. There are more and more platforms popping up, more YouTube videos to show you how, and there are even some platforms that allow you to start with as little as £1.
Table of Contents
Best investing apps in the UK for beginner investors
These are the best investing apps in the UK for those that are just starting out. They either have limited options for simple decision making or low initial investments, so you can start small and build your confidence.
Plum
Who is Plum good for?
Plum is a super simple app, with the benefit that they allow you to invest with just £1. The app itself can help you to save money by analysing your spending and working out how much you can afford. If you want to access their investing options, you’ll need to upgrade to Plum Plus which costs £1/month.
Plum Features
Start investing with as little as £1
Authorisied and regulated by FCA
Range of funds with different objectives and risk levels
Ethical fund option
Plum fees
£1/month fee to access investing options
Additional 0.15% fee on total investment amount
Fund fees between 0.06-0.90%
Wealthify
Who is Wealthify good for?
Wealthify is a really easy apps without too many choices. You can invest from just £1 and you get to chose your risk level. Plus they have an ethical option too.
Wealthify Features
Choice of general investment account, S&S ISA, pension or junior S&S ISA
Range of five risk levels determine by short quiz
Invest with just £1 (£50 for pension)
FCA regulated
Covered by FSCS
Wealthify Fees
Annual account fee of 0.6%
Fund charge of 0.16% for original plan and 0.56% for ethical
No fees for withdrawals
Wealthsimple
Who is Wealthsimple good for?
There are no minimum investments on Wealthsimple (aside for on their socially responsible portfolio) meaning that it could be a great option for those looking to start small. They have three risk levels available: conservative, balanced and growth. Plus a choice of different account types.
Wealthsimple features
No minimum investment (socially responsible is £5,000)
A tailored portfolio to your lifestyle
Choice of S&S ISA, Junior S&S ISA, pension and general investment account
FCA regulated
Protected by FCSC
Wealthsimple fees
Annual account fees range from 0.5-0.7%
Additional charges apply
Best investing apps in the UK for intermediate investors
Moneybox
Who is Moneybox good for?
Moneybox has a great feature called “round-up” that rounds up your purchases and invests the difference. It makes investing super simple. You can start investing with £1 and choose your risk level. You also have the option to open a cash lifetime ISA. It has only made it into this group because of the choice of investments available.
Moneybox features
Invest your spare change with round-up function
Start with just £1
Range of risk levels to choose from
Account choices include: S&S ISA, Lifetime S&S ISA, Junior ISA, Pension and general investment account
Choose from a range of tracker funds
Moneybox fees
£1/month for investing
0.45% on total investment value annual
No fees for saving
Fund fees range from 0.12% – 0.3%
Moneyfarm
Who is Moneyfarm good for?
Moneyfarm doesn’t seem to get the same attention as other apps, but it does have lots to offer. It is particularly good for those that want an investment option that is tailored to them. The app asks you some questions and tailors a portfolio to you.
Moneyfarm Features
Lesser know investing app
Fully-managed portfolios
App tailors your profile based on your experience investing and attitude to risk
High initial investment required. Either £1,500 plus £100 a month, or £5,000.
Choice of account options including Stocks & Shares ISA, Pension, and a general investment account
Can request investment advice if needed
Moneyfarm Fees
Management fee between 0.35%-0.75%
Fund fee 0.2%
Transaction costs up to 0.09%
Use code MF357957 when signing up to get £5,000 managed free of charge for six months.
Nutmeg
Who is Nutmeg good for?
Nutmeg are fairly well-known in the investment app world. They offer a range of investment styles including a socially responsible option. The downside is that they require a minimum investment of £500.
Nutmeg features:
Large range of portfolio options
Choice of S&S ISA, Lifetime S&S ISA, Junior ISA and general investment account
Four investment styles to choose from: socially responsible, fixed allocatio, smart alpha, and fully managed
Range of portfolios with these styles
FCA regulated
FSCS protected
Nutmeg fees
Account fee ranges from 0.25%-0.75% (depending on portfolio choice)
Additional fund fees
Best investing apps in the UK for experienced investors
These apps give you access to a larger range of stocks and ETFs, so that you can build your own portfolios as you see fit. You will need to determine your own risk levels and choose asset options accordingly. They may also offer CFDs (contracts for differences), which you will need to look out for as approximately 67% of people that use them lose money.
Etoro
Who is eToro good for?
eToro has a large range of assets and is therefore good for those that are more experienced investors and want to expand and diversify their portfolios through different assets.
eToro features
Large range of assets including stocks, ETFs, commodities, crypto and currencies.
No management fees
Available in multiple countries
Social investing – meaning that you can interact with other investors through the app
Protected by FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme)
Regulated by FCA (Financial Conduct Authority
Copyportfolio feature allows you to copy the investing strategies of others.
eToro fees
0% commission on stocks
$5 withdrawal fee
$10/month inactivity fee after 12 months
Other fees apply to non-stock assets
(eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs. Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Past performance is not an indication of future results. Trading history presented is less than 5 complete years and may not suffice as basis for investment decision.
Copy trading is a portfolio management service, provided by eToro (Europe) Ltd., which is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
Cryptoassets are highly volatile and unregulated in the UK. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.)
Trading212
Who is Trading212 good for?
Trading212 is a simple app that gives you access to a range of UK and US stocks and ETFs. Therefore if you have a particular stock or ETF that you want to invest in then this could be a great option.
Trading212 features
Free share worth up to £100 when you sign up with this link
Large range of assets in both UK and US
Free trading
Choice of general investment account or S&S ISA
Pie feature easy investing in a range of assets
Trading 212 fees
Free trading, ISA and deposits via bank transfer
Free deposits via credit/debit card up to £2,000 (0.7% thereafter)
Use this link to get your free share when signing up. In case it doesn’t show up, you can enter this promo code.
Freetrade
Who is Freetrade good for?
FreeTrade is good for those wanting more choice in their investments without high fees. They offer a good range of UK and US stocks and ETFs. Plus a free share worth up to £200, when you sign up with the link.
Freetrade features
Good refer a friend scheme (get a share each worth up to £200)
No fees for general investing accounts
Stocks and shares ISA available
Good range of UK and US stocks and ETFs
Regulated by FCA
Protected by FCSC
Freetrade fees
Free trades
Stocks and shares ISA £3/month
Freetrade plus £9.99/month
Other investment options
These are just some of the options available in the UK for those looking to invest. Do your research and decide which one is right for you. This article is not financial advice. It is a guide to the services that are available to you.
Remember that when investing your capital is at risk. That means that the money you put in can go down as well as up. Make sure you are comfortable with the risks before you start.