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As a Briton, you can put your money to work by investing in company shares, ETFs, and other assets. In this context, investing refers to purchasing a specific security while hoping to generate income or earn juicy profits in the future. To avoid losing your hard-earned money, you must invest with an FCA-regulated company. Also, you should evaluate every option’s suitability based on crucial elements like security, products, and charges. We’ve evaluated the investment platforms in the UK and recommended 5 of the best in this guide.
Investing in assets like shares and crypto is one of the best ways to earn income and build wealth. If you have some money you can put to work, invest it. But don’t jump in at the deep end yet. First, educate yourself. Then, look for a reliable and trustworthy investment platform in the UK.
Identifying a good investment platform can be challenging because countless service providers cater to Britons. But don’t sweat it; you don’t have to research and assess every available option. We’ve done that for you and pinpointed the best investment platforms UK. These have many of the qualities that are indispensable to ambitious investors, from unparalleled security to reasonable fees and commissions.
List of the Best UK Investment Platforms
- XTB – Overall Best UK Investment Platform
- eToro – Best UK Investment Platform for Beginners
- OANDA – Best Investment Platform for Professionals
- Coinbase – Best UK Investment Platform for Crypto Investors
- IG Markets – Best Platform for ETF Investors in the UK
In This Guide
UK Investment Platforms: Comparison Table
Picking the best investment platforms in the UK was a taxing challenge since many service providers operate in this region. But we did it. Our experts selected the best after researching countless options. While vetting and picking the best companies, we considered numerous factors, including regulatory status, customer support services, and fees.
We also picked the most outstanding platforms based on user reviews and ratings. Our team analysed testimonials published on Google Play, the App Store, Trustpilot, and various reputable communities for UK investors. We did that to ensure this guide is free from bias and as factual as possible.
Let’s begin with a brief comparison of the best investment platforms UK.
| Best Investment Platform | Licence & Regulation | Support Service | Software | Payment Method | Demo Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XTB | FCA, CySEC, FSC | 24/5 | xStation, xStation Mobile | Neteller, Credit/debit cards, Bank transfer, Skrill, PayPal | Yes |
| eToro | FCA, CySEC, FSCA, ASIC, SFSA ADGM, MFSA, FSAS, GFSC, SEC | 24/5 | eToro investing platform and app, Multi-asset platform, Social Trading, Copy Trader, Smart Portfolios | Credit/debit cards, Bank transfer, Klarna, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller | Yes |
| OANDA | FCA, B.V.I FSC, CySEC, ASIC | 24/5 | MT4, TradingView, Web, Mobile | Credit/debit cards, Bank/wire transfer, Skrill, Neteller | Yes |
| Coinbase | FCA, BaFin, CBI, DNB | 24/7 | Coinbase, Coinbase One, Coinbase Pro, Coinbase Prime, Coinbase Commerce | Easy Bank Transfer, 3D Secure Card, Faster Payments Transfer, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | No |
| IG Markets | FCA, BaFin, MiFID, CySEC, FINMA, DFSA, FSCA, MAS, JFSA, ASIC, CFTC, BMA | 24/5 | Online platforms, Mobile apps, MT4, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, US options and futures | Credit/debit cards, Bank wire transfers, Neteller, Skrill, PayPal | Yes |
Platforms Short Overview
We also considered fees and assets while comparing UK investment platforms and picking the most outstanding options. After all, you must find a platform with your preferred investment vehicle, right? What’s more, investing with a company with low fees is beneficial to your profit margins. So, signing up with a company that charges reasonable fees is vital.
Use the comparison tables below to examine the fees and assets associated with the best investment platforms UK.
Fees
| Best Investment Platform | Minimum Deposit Requirement | Commission/ Spreads | Deposits/ Withdrawals | Inactivity Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XTB | £0 | From 0% | Free | £10 monthly |
| eToro | £100 | From 0% | £5 withdrawal fee | £10 monthly |
| OANDA | £0 | From 0% | £20 withdrawal fee | £10 monthly fee |
| Coinbase | £0 | 0.1% processing fee | Free | £0 |
| IG Markets | £0 | £3 commission | Free | £0 |
Assets
| Best Investment Platform | Stocks | Forex | Cryptos | Commodities | Indices | ETFs | Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XTB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| eToro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OANDA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Coinbase | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| IG Markets | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Our Expert’s Opinion about the Best Investment Platforms
The best investment platforms are authorised and supervised by the FCA. Therefore, they are safe and secure. But, for the best experiences and maximum returns, you must find a UK investment platform that matches your needs and preferences. So, vet service providers carefully while considering indispensable factors like supported assets, fees, and minimum deposit requirements.
Considering all that, we’ve reviewed the best investment platforms in the UK below. You can make your work easier and save time by picking a service provider from our list.
1. XTB – Overall Best UK Investment Platform
We compared numerous exceptional platforms and picked XTB as our best overall. We discovered that this service provider allows users to invest in real stocks and ETFs with 0% commission. Additionally, as an investor, you can purchase and sell ETFs and stocks with XTB and pay zero additional fees for monthly turnovers of up to £100,000.
Over 3,000 popular stocks are available on XTB, including Netflix, Amazon, and Tesla. You can start investing in them with as little as £10. You can also diversify your portfolio with real ETFs like 2B76.DE, 2B77.DE, and AGED.UK. While investing in ETFs, you can buy worth as little as £1. That makes XTB a fitting platform for both high and low-budget investors.
XTB has no minimum deposit requirement, meaning you can open an account today and fund it with what you can afford. Furthermore, this platform enables you to cut expenses with commissions as low as 0% and cost-free transactions.
XTB
✔5,700+ financial instruments
✔No minimum deposit requirement
Pros & Cons
Fees
Trading Assets
Pros
- Zero commissions for real stocks and ETFs
- No minimum deposit requirement
- Free deposits and withdrawals
- Thousands of investable assets
- Simple, intuitive user interface
Cons
- Limited educational resources
- Higher transaction fees for withdrawals below £50
XTB is a cost-effective trading platform. We used a live account to assess its fees and commissions. The first applaudable aspect we noticed is setting up an account with this broker is quick and easy. Furthermore, there’s no set XTB minimum deposit requirement, and the platform supports free transactions. When it comes to withdrawals, transactions above £50 are free.
That aside, we noticed various mandates on the XTB UK trading platform during our exploration. For starters, this entity has a £10 minimum order requirement for shares from companies like the Associated British Food PLC. Additionally, it requires users to cover a 0.5% conversion fee while trading with anything besides the base currency.
Not to forget, XTB charges different spreads for different instruments and requires traders who hold open positions to cover swap costs.
2. eToro – Best UK Investment Platform for Beginners
Investment newbies should join eToro. We evaluated this platform and discovered numerous aspects that make it ideal for beginners. First, it has an intuitive and professionally designed interface that’s easy to navigate. Moreover, diverse educational tools and resources are available here, including eToro Academy, which offers countless guides, courses, and tutorials on the fundamentals and intricacies of investing.
Moreover, while investing with eToro, you can copy what the most successful investors do and earn handsome returns. That is because this platform supports copy trading and investing. Emulating experienced investors’ moves can benefit beginners who have yet to find their footing and identify strategies for generating consistent returns.
eToro users can invest in stocks like Lyft, Nintendo, and Apple. Additionally, this platform allows crypto staking. That means you can buy digital assets, stake them on eToro, and earn rewards.
eToro
✔5000+ financial instruments
✔Cost-free deposits
Pros & Cons
Fees
Trading Assets
Pros
- Captivating, beginner-friendly interface
- Quality educational materials
- Commissions as low as 0%
- Free deposits
- Supports investing in fractional shares
- Over 4,500 stocks and 100+ crypto assets
Cons
- £5 transaction fee for every withdrawal request
- £10 monthly inactivity fee
If there’s anything that can eat away at your profit margins, it’s unnecessary costs. Thankfully, eToro fees UK are reasonable and pocket-friendly. We acquired a new account without paying a single cent, which was quite a relief. We also noticed that you can enjoy free deposits by using USD. That said, eToro supports many other currencies, including GBP, EUR, and RMB.
You will incur conversion fees if you use any currency other than USD. And if you use any currency that eToro doesn’t support, you must pay conversion fees to your payment provider. The exact conversion fees you may incur at any moment will depend on various factors, including your preferred currency and payment method.
Please note that eToro subjects each withdrawal request to a £5 fee. The platform uses this money to pay expenses arising from international money transfers. Most importantly, you can’t withdraw less than £30 from the eToro trading platform.
While depositing money into our account, we noticed that eToro has strict minimum deposit requirements. Britons using this platform have to deposit at least £100 the first time. Afterwards, you can fund your account with as little as £10, depending on your preferred payment method.
Commission-wise, eToro is very friendly to people who trade ETFs or invest in real stocks since the broker charges 0% for these assets. On the other hand, if you buy or sell crypto on this platform, expect to pay a 1% fee. CFD trading also attracts variable spreads depending on the involved instruments. For instance, the spreads for currencies and commodities start from 1 pip and 2 pips, respectively.
Not to forget, eToro charges a £10 monthly inactivity fee that kicks in after 12 months of dormancy.
3. OANDA – Best Investment Platform for Professionals
When it comes to supporting professional investors, OANDA takes the cake. This investment platform lets users choose their favourite assets from a list of 2,200 British, German, French, and Spanish shares. To make things easier, it provides filter and search functions that investors can use to identify the best investments quickly.
OANDA offers shares from Unilever and Pfizer to Microsoft, Tesla, and Volkswagen. Pros can invest in US shares and enjoy zero commissions. We also recommend OANDA to seasoned traders because it allows users to trade diverse assets, including CFDs on shares, stocks, and ETFs. These instruments allow you to hedge against potential losses.
OANDA does not require a minimum deposit. It also allows seasoned traders and investors to apply for a Professional Client status, which comes with irresistible perks like personalised support and negative balance protection.
OANDA
✔No minimum deposit requirement
✔Excellent customer support service
Pros & Cons
Fees
Trading Assets
Pros
- Awards professional clients with personalised care and other boons
- Zero commission for US shares
- No minimum deposit requirement
- Cost-free deposits
- Offers over 2,200 shares from the most popular markets
Cons
- Higher withdrawal fees than its peers
- Inactive OANDA accounts incur a £10 monthly fee
Opening an OANDA trading account is free, and you only need your personal details to set it up. From our experience, there is no minimum deposit requirement. We believe this attracts even low-budget traders as they can easily dive into financial market investment with any amount they can afford.
We also noticed that the OANDA broker doesn’t charge fees for deposits. This is whether you transact using credit/debit cards, e-wallets, or bank transfers. Plus, users can make one free withdrawal every month using their credit/debit cards. Subsequent withdrawals attract a fee, which varies depending on the currency you are transacting with. Bank transfers and e-wallet withdrawals also attract a fee, which from our analysis, is higher than credit/debit card withdrawals.
When it comes to inactivity fees, OANDA charges £10 monthly should your account remain dormant for over 12 months. Financing charges also apply for positions left overnight. Overall, we can confidently state that OANDA has no hidden charges. It allows users to easily plan and budget for their activities without worrying about future surprises.
4. Coinbase – Best UK Invest Platform for Crypto Investors
Millions of Brits own cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum. You can do the same. What’s more, you can hold digital assets for a certain period, sell when prices skyrocket, and earn decent returns. Remember, crypto prices often fluctuate wildly. Take BTC as an example. Investors bought 1BTC for less than a dollar in 2009 and 2010. But, as of 2024, 1 Bitcoin costs tens of thousands of pounds.
If you’d like to invest in crypto assets, we recommend Coinbase. With over 98 million users, this platform is one of the most popular worldwide. Joining Coinbase today will enable you to invest in over 200 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, USDC, and Ethereum.
The other noteworthy thing about investing with Coinbase is that you can enjoy free fiat deposits and withdrawals via several payment methods, including ACH. Furthermore, your account can remain dormant for a long time without accumulating inactivity fees.
Coinbase
✔Authorised and regulated by the FCA
✔No account inactivity fee
Pros & Cons
Fees
Trading Assets
Pros
- Supports investing in over 200 popular crypto assets
- Well-organized website and powerful mobile app
- Users can earn rewards from crypto staking
- Offers secure wallets for holding crypto assets
- No inactivity fees for dormant accounts
Cons
- Higher deposit and withdrawal fees for wire transfer
- Only supports crypto assets
- High commissions for staked crypto
Creating and maintaining a Coinbase account is free. We used that fact to our advantage by opening a new account and using it to test the Coinbase exchange. While exploring and evaluating this platform, we stumbled upon a few other noteworthy details.
For starters, Coinbase allows its users to store their FIAT and digital assets on the platform free of charge. Moreover, the company’s clients can transfer crypto to and from different primary balances at no cost.
That said, this company requires its users to pay a stipulated fee when transferring crypto from their Coinbase wallets to other digital wallets. The exact charges depend on factors like the prevailing network fees. Moreover, all Coinbase users must cover a 0.1% processing fee while using the Lightning Network to send Bitcoin from the exchange.
Coinbase also requires investors and traders to cover specific fees while buying, selling, or converting crypto on the exchange. Numerous factors, including your order size and preferred payment method, will determine the costs you’ll incur while partaking in such ventures. You should always use the preview screen to view the fees you are supposed to cover before placing an order.
Not to forget, this exchange includes a spread in every quoted price. Expect to cover this expense whenever you place simple buy/sell orders. If you want to avoid paying the spread, switch to Coinbase Advanced, where you can interact with the order book without an intermediary.
Finally, Coinbase charges maker fees starting from 0bps and taker fees starting from 5bps. And although some payment methods, like ACH, offer free deposits and withdrawals, most require Coinbase users to pay transaction fees. For instance, when withdrawing GBP with Swift, you must pay a £1 withdrawal fee.
5. IG Markets – Best Platform for ETF Investors in the UK
Would you like to invest in ETFs? Open an IG Markets investment account today. You will be in the best position to reap juicy returns and enjoy free withdrawals, among other boons. IG Markets is a popular platform that allows each user to open their preferred investment accounts, such as share dealing, ISA, and SIPP.
Besides investing in ETFs, IG Markets lets you diversify your portfolio with 13,000+ shares. Moreover, with an IG Markets account, you can enjoy low commissions starting at £0 while diversifying your portfolio with US stocks.
We also urge Britons interested in ETFs to invest with IG Markets since this platform has no minimum deposit requirements and charges zero transaction fees. Additionally, users with inactive IG Markets accounts don’t have to worry about inactivity fees.
IG Markets
✔Zero minimum deposit requirements
✔17,000+ available products
Pros & Cons
Fees
Trading Assets
Pros
- 2,000+ UK-eligible ETFs are available
- No minimum deposit requirements
- Zero deposit and withdrawal fees
- Users can open fully managed accounts
- Excellent customer support services
- No account inactivity fee
Cons
- The platform is primarily ideal for seasoned investors
- Higher commissions than other reputable UK platforms
Opening an IG Markets account doesn’t cost a dime. Moreover, this broker has no minimum deposit, so you don’t have to worry about compromising your budget. You can also enjoy significant savings by trading with IG Markets since it offers tight spreads, starting from 0.1 points on commodities and 0.6 points on popular currency pairs.
With that in mind, IG Markets charges overnight funding for cash CFD positions and daily funded bets (DFBs) that remain open past 10 pm UK time. The broker also requires traders to cover a small guaranteed stop fee. The fee kicks in every time the guaranteed stop feature is triggered. You should also expect to incur additional when shorting stocks and augmenting your trading experiences with premium services like live data streams.
Luckily, deposits and withdrawals are free on IG Markets. The broker only requires traders to pay a 0.5% standard currency conversion fee. Furthermore, the platform has zero inactivity fees, though your account will be terminated if it remains dormant for 24 consecutive months.
Investing in the UK
Investing in assets like stocks, crypto, and ETFs is legal in the UK, but investors must be at least 18. Most importantly, as an investor, you must invest with an FCA-regulated platform to avoid issues like extensive financial losses and data theft.
The FCA is a regulatory body that vets, authorises, and supervises UK investment platforms. It ensures that every company adheres to strict regulatory requirements and upholds top-notch standards. Additionally, the FCA ensures that investment platforms operating in the UK treat customers fairly and avoid catastrophic issues like fraud and market abuse.
Note that the UK government may deduct Capital Gains Tax from your earnings as an investor. That applies to some shares not included in an ISA and other assets. Visit the official GOV.UK website for more information.
What is Investing?
Investing refers to buying assets like stocks while expecting their value to increase in the long run. As an investor, you can reap returns from dividends and periodic interest payments. Your returns might also materialise once you sell your assets after a significant spike in their value.
For the best outcomes, you should familiarise yourself with different investment options before committing financially. Then, set clear long-term or short-term investment goals. Finally, pick your best assets and find a reliable investment platform. The last part should be easy since we’ve introduced you to the best UK investment platforms.
The sections below outline tips for picking the best investment platforms in the UK and opening new accounts.
How to Choose the Best Investment Platform UK
Countless popular investment platforms are available in the UK. However, choosing a service provider based on popularity alone is a terrible idea since some popular options have questionable standards. You have to be careful and factor in the following while evaluating and picking the most suitable investment platform:
Security
Investment Options
Fees
Support
Online Reputation
Investing with an FCA-regulated platform is the best way to optimise the safety of your data and assets. Additionally, while assessing whether a specific option is ideal, examine available security features and protocols. The best platforms implement recommended solutions like encryption and 2FA.
Before searching for a suitable investment platform in the UK, identify one or more assets you’d like to invest in. That will make the selection process easier since you can weed out companies that don’t offer what you seek. Also, since diversification is crucial, we urge you to prioritise investing with platforms with a wide range of investment options.
Don’t sign up with any platform before checking affordability. Examine all indispensable fees, including currency conversion, inactivity, and account management charges. While doing so, watch out for hidden costs that may not be stipulated from the get-go.
While comparing investment platforms, consider the available customer support channels. You should also ascertain the availability of the company’s support technicians. Don’t believe what the service provider says blindly; test the responsiveness and availability of support yourself.
By reviewing past user testimonials and ratings, you can form a rough picture of what investing with a particular platform might be like. You should find plenty of helpful information on platforms like Google Play, the App Store, and Trustpilot.
How to Sign up for an Account with an Investment Platform
After picking a service provider from our list of the best UK investment platforms, the next thing to do is open your account. The FCA regulates the companies in our guide, so they have to take new signups through KYC. But that shouldn’t scare you. The best platforms have narrowed their registration process to a few manageable steps.
Follow this procedure to open an account with one of the best investment platforms:
Step 1: Visit your selected platform’s official site
Step 2: Sign up
Step 3: Complete verification
Step 4: Fund your account
Step 5: Invest
To avoid future disappointments, visit your chosen platform’s official website and double-check everything. Ensure the company offers everything you are looking for, including your favourite investment products. Additionally, check if a mobile app for investing on the go is available.
Registering a new account requires you to submit personal information like your name, phone number, and email address. Fill out the provided sign-up form with applicable details to avoid rejections. The platform will also ask you to set a strong password to protect your account and assets. Never use guessable information like your email address since malicious actors can guess it.
After filling out the registration form, scan or take a photo of the required documents, depending on the platform’s requirements. Some companies might also ask you to take a selfie. Either way, ensure you share clear and valid copies of every document. Then, wait for the company’s team to verify your account and respond accordingly.
Once your investment account has been verified, use a supported payment method to send funds to it. Before doing that, check and meet any stipulated minimum deposit requirements. Also, if you are a novice investor, we highly encourage starting with a small capital before you gain experience.
Browse available investment options and pick what you prefer. Most platforms in our guide offer one or more of the following investable assets: stocks, crypto, and ETFs. Keep that in mind while picking a fitting service provider. Remember to diversify your portfolio and activate alerts for news updates, price changes, etc.
Conclusion
You can build considerable wealth over time after investing in instruments like stocks. However, you must invest with a company authorised and regulated by the FCA. Furthermore, if you are new to investing, you must learn the basics of investing in different products.
Finally, investing in stocks, crypto, bonds, and other assets is risky, and you might lose your hard-earned money. You might also earn less returns than you expect. Don’t become an investor before familiarising yourself with the associated risks. Most importantly, ensure you’re ready to lose whatever you risk.
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