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Reviews By Richard Berry - Updated
Investing apps are the mobile version of an investment account’s platform. They let you buy and sell shares, bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and funds on the move, through a general investing account (GIA), stocks and shares ISA, SIPP or pension.
We hand-tested UK investing and stock apps and this comparison covers the different types available, what they offer plus which apps let you pick your own investments and which offer accounts managed by professional fund managers.
| Investing App | Account Fee | Good For | DIY or Managed | Customer Reviews | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | £24 per quarter | Active Investors | Both | (Based on 678 reviews) | See App* Capital at risk |
 | From £4.99 a month | Fixed Fees | DIY | (Based on 1,119 reviews) | See App Capital at risk |
 | 0.25% (capped at £3.50 pm) | Low Costs | DIY | (Based on 1,094 reviews) | See App Capital at risk |
 | Shares: £0 Funds: 0.45% | Customer Service | DIY | (Based on 1,758 reviews) | See App Capital at risk |
 | 0.6% | Portfolios | Manged | (Based on 2,564 reviews) | See App Capital at risk |
 | 0.75% | Regular Investing | Managed | (Based on 235 reviews) | See App Capital at risk |
 | £0 | Market Access | DIY | (Based on 934 reviews) | See App Capital at risk |
 | €10 per month or 0.12% | Pro Investors | DIY | (Based on 73 reviews) | See App Capital at risk |
Our experts have tested and ranked the UK’s best investment apps – all regulated by the FCA for your peace of mind.
We chose the best UK investing apps based on:
- Real customer feedback. We analysed over 30,000 votes and reviews in the prestigious Good Money Guide annual awards.
- Unbiased, real-world testing. Our team tests each investing app with real money to ensure you have a seamless experience.
- In-depth feature comparison. We do a thorough comparison of features, highlighting those that make each app stand out from the competition.
- Exclusive insights from the top. Our exclusive interviews with investing platform CEOs give you insider perspectives and valuable information to help you make informed decisions.
IG: Best App for a Mix Of Short & Long-Term Investing
Customer Reviews
Key Features
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, investment trusts & pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £250
- Account types: GIA, ISA, SIPP, derivatives
- Account charge: £24 per quarter
- Dealing fee: Shares £3 – £8
IG Investing App Expert Review: Best for a Mix Of Short & Long-Term Investing
Account: IG Invest
Description: IG’s investing app is a good choice if you’re a regular trader and are more interested in high-risk products like CFDs and spread betting but also want to invest in the long term. IG’s app offers a cheap way for you to include physical shares and funds in your portfolio without the need for multiple accounts. Capital is at risk
Is IG Invest a Good Investing App?
You can invest with the IG app, but I would say it’s more of a trading app than an investing app. You can invest via a GIA, ISA and SIPP account, which can be used on mobile. If you like to trade and invest, then IG is a good choice to use as an investing app so you have both types of account in one place. But if you only want to invest (and not do higher-risk trading) then a dedicated investing app like Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell or interactive investor would be a better choice.
Fees
IG charges a flat custody fee of £24 a quarter (£96 a year) for its general account. However, if you have more than £15,000 in a Smart Portfolio managed fund or you place over three trades per quarter, that fee is waived. Standard dealing fees are £8 for UK and £10 for US shares. Smart Portfolio fees are 0.5% – capped at £250 per year. Fund management charges are 0.13% and transaction costs are 0.09%.
Special Offer
Free US stock investing. There is zero commission on US share trades and just £3 on UK share trades when you trade three or more times a month.
What is IG’s App Like to Use?
Pros
- Low-cost investing app
- UK & international shares
- Pre-made smart portfolios
Cons
- Also provides access to high-risk investment products
- Pricing (5)
- Market Access (5)
- Online Platform (5)
- Customer Service (5)
- Research & Analysis (5)
Overall
5interactive investor: Best Fixed-Fee Investing App
Customer Reviews
Key Features
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- Account types: GIA, ISA, SIPP, JISA
- Account charge: Shares £0, funds 0.45%
- Dealing fee: £3.99 – £5.99
interactive investor App Expert Review: Best Fixed-Fee Investing App
Account: interactive investor investing app
Description: interactive investor’s (ii’s) app is good for active investors who want to make their own investment decisions and will be adding a lot of funds as well as shares to their portfolio – since fees are capped. The app also has a wide range of news and analysis with a particular focus on educational videos and investment editorials. Capital is at risk.
Is ii's App Any Good and is it Safe?
The app is one of the best ways to invest on mobile, based on our analysis, as it has loads of research, screeners and market data. And as ii is regulated by the FCA and owned by ABRDN, an LSE-listed company currently worth more than £2.8bn, the ii app is one of the safest around.
Fees
It costs from £4.99 a month for a GIA with ii. With the basic plan, trading on UK and US stocks is £3.99. There are two plans above that which include free trades. If you upgrade to a Super Investor account (£19.99 a month) you get 2 free monthly trades. Regular investing is free.
If you want UK Level 2 share pricing, you can also add Quotestream for £20 + VAT per month.
Special Offers
Free investing for your friends and family. You can give up to five people a free investment account subscription with ii’s Friends and Family plan. You pay a single extra fee of £5 a month, and their monthly cost is zero. Each member can invest up to £30,000 in an ISA or a general investing account with free regular investing and no account fees. However, they’ll still pay normal dealing commissions when they buy and sell investments.
Get £200 when you refer a friend to ii. Recommend a friend or family member and get a £200 reward. Your friend will get their first year’s service plan for free – saving £120. To qualify, your friend must transfer or fund their account with at least £10,000 in combined cash/investments.
What is the App Like to Use?
Pros
- Pick your own investments or use their model portfolios
- £1 minimum deposit makes it easy to get started
- Fixed account fee that does not increase with your investments
- Joint account options
Cons
- Fixed fee is expensive for accounts below £1,000
- No Lifetime ISA account
- No Junior SIPP account
- Pricing (5)
- Market Access (5)
- Online Platform (5)
- Customer Service (5)
- Research & Analysis (5)
Overall
5Wealthify: Excellent for Beginners – Start Investing from Just £1
Customer Reviews
Key Features
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £1
- Account types: GIA, ISA, Pension
- Account charge: 0.6% annual charge
- Dealing fee: £0
Wealthify App Expert Review: Excellent for Beginners – Start Investing from Just £1
Account: Wealthify investing app
Description: Wealthify lets you invest in either an original portfolio of investments from the UK and overseas or choose an ethical investment plan made from a blend of environmentally and socially responsible investments. The platform is a robo-advisor and it’s part of the Aviva Group. Capital is at risk.
Is Wealthify a Good Investing App?
Yes, Wealthify is an excellent app but it’s not as good as the web version, because it’s easier to explore the risk and performance tables and choose a portfolio on a bigger screen.
Fees
It costs 0.6% to start investing with Wealthify, which is one of the cheapest robo-advisor account fees. There are also investment costs of, on average, 0.16% for original plans and 0.7% for ethical plans.
Special Offer:
£50 when you refer a friend. You can get a unique link when you have a funded Wealthify account. If you use it to recommend the platform to friends, you could each get £50. To qualify, your friend must invest at least £1,000 in a Wealthify Plan in the first six months, and maintain at least that level for six months.
Pros
- Managed portfolios
- Low minimum deposit of £1
- Low account fee of 0.6%
Cons
- Cannot trade individual shares or ETFs
- Pricing (5)
- Market Access (4)
- Online Platform (5)
- Customer Service (5)
- Research & Analysis (4.5)
Overall
4.7Saxo: A Good Investing App for Beginners and an Excellent App for Professional Investors
🏆Award Winner🏆
Customer Reviews
Key Features
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, funds, bonds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- Account types: GIA, ISA, SIPP, derivatives
- Account charge: €10 per month or 0.12%
- Dealing fee: Shares 0.1% – 0.05%
Saxo Investing App Expert Review: A good app for beginners, a great app for professionals
Are Saxo's Investing Apps Good for Longer-term Investors?
SaxoTraderGO is a good choice if you are a sophisticated investor and want to manage every aspect of your portfolio actively and need an established platform. The SaxoInvestor app won Best Investing App in our 2024 awards as it helps connect new and beginner investors through a simple interface to one of the most advanced platforms in the industry.
Saxo‘s competitive pricing and range of order execution types mean you can work large orders on the move as well as from the standard desktop platform.
Even though Saxo is traditionally a trading platform for short-term speculation on the markets going up or down, it’s also an excellent choice for longer-term investors. That’s because Saxo is a well-capitalised company, heavily regulated in the UK and all the regions it operates in, and has excellent customer service for small and large customers.
Fees
Saxo charges €10 a month or 0.12% a year (whichever is higher) based on the value of your portfolio. If you have a VIP account this fee drops to 0.08%. Dealing charges are commission based as a percentage of transaction size. They are competitive, though, and UK shares trading commission starts at 0.1% (£100 if you buy £100,000 worth of stock) and drops to 0.05% for more active traders.
Special Offers
If you have £200,000 or more on account, you can apply for 30% lower transaction and account costs.
For accounts with portfolios over £1m, you get even better pricing, direct connection to experts, 1:1 SaxoStrats access and event invitations.
What Are the Apps Like to Use?
The images below are from the SaxoTraderGO app. You can see the Saxo Investor platform in our dedicated hands-on review.
Pros
- Direct market access
- Excellent platform
- Low commissions
Cons
- May be too complicated for beginners
- Subscription fees for live pricing
- Pricing (5)
- Market Access (5)
- Online Platform (5)
- Customer Service (5)
- Research & Analysis (5)
Overall
5AJ Bell: Best Low-Cost App for Investing in Funds
Customer Reviews
Key Features
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £500
- Account types: GIA, ISA, SIPP, JISA, JISA, JSIPP
- Account charge: 0.25% annual charge
- Dealing fee: Shares £3.50 – £5, funds £1.50
AJ Bell Investing App Expert Review: Best Low-Cost App for Investing in Funds
Account: AJ Bell Investing App
Description: AJ Bell’s investing app is a good choice for anyone who is more interested in keeping costs at a bare minimum whilst still having access to a huge range of markets and account types. It’s not quite as suitable for very active investors as II and HL due to the lack of execution order types, but for those who just want to build a portfolio without trying to time the market too much, it is a very good option.
Capital at risk
Is AJ Bell's App as Good as the Platform?
AJ Bell’s app is a good way of checking on your investments when out and about. But it’s a bit clunky compared to full-service brokers like Interactive Brokers or newer apps like CMC Invest. It’s not as good as the main website, as you don’t get the full screeners or research, plus I found it an absolute pain to log into – for some reason it seems to always wipe my login info.
Fees
AJ Bell charges 0.25% of the value of your investments for a GIA but share account fees are capped at £3.50 a month. Dealing costs are £1.50 for funds and £5 for shares but drop to £3.50 if you had 10 or more online share deals in the previous month.
Special Offers
Recommend a friend, and you’ll both get £100 gift vouchers. If you recommend a friend to AJ Bell and they invest more than £10,000 in a SIPP, ISA or LISA, you’ll each get an Amazon gift card worth £100.
Switch your share dealing account and receive up to £500 to cover exit fees. If you transfer your share dealing GIA valued at more than £20,000 to AJ Bell, it will help cover any exit fees charged by your current provider. AJ Bell will cover £35 per investment moved and up to £100 for general exit fees, up to an overall maximum of £500 per person.
Free subscription to Shares Magazine worth £220 a year. Get a free subscription to Shares by maintaining a balance of £4,000 or more across your AJ Bell investing accounts.
What is the App Like to Use?
Pros
- Pick your own shares, funds and bonds or use their investing ideas
- Low account fees capped at £3.50 a month for shares
- Lots of account types
Cons
- High phone-dealing charges
- Pricing (5)
- Market Access (5)
- Online Platform (5)
- Customer Service (5)
- Research & Analysis (5)
Overall
5Hargreaves Lansdown: Excellent Full-Service Investing App for DIY Investors
Customer Reviews
Key Features
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- Account types: GIA, ISA, SIPP, JISA, JISA, JSIPP
- Account charge: Shares £0, funds 0.45%
- Dealing fee: Shares £5.95 – £11.95, funds £0
Hargreaves Lansdown Investing App Review: Excellent Full-Service Investing App for DIY Investors
Account: Hargreaves Lansdown investing app
Description: The Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) app is suitable for anyone, from absolute beginners to experienced active investors, as you get a huge amount of information, data, research, market access and order types. This app was the best investing app in our 2022 awards. Capital is at risk.
Is your Money Safe in the HL app?
Yes, HL’s investing app is one of the best and most secure apps for investing, as the company is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Hargreaves Lansdown is one of the most popular investing apps in the UK. For instance, did you know that at its peak, the app and website were used every 9.6 seconds to top up an HL Stocks & Shares ISA.
Fees: There is no account charge for shares in a general account with HL. Funds are charged at 0.45% for the first £250,000. There is no charge for buying funds, but shares are charged at a relatively high £11.95 per deal or £5.95 if you do over 20 deals per month.
Hargreaves Lansdown has recently improved it’s app and now allows users to open several products directly. The HL app now allows clients to open its ISA, LISA and Fund & Share accounts through the app, with more products to become accessible shortly.
In a LinkedIn post revealing the update, Hargreaves Lansdown product leader Michael Loberman said it came as part of the company’s “wider efforts to transform our app and web experience”.
He added: “Keep an eye out for further changes in the coming months. Exciting times ahead!”
In its latest quarterly trading update in November, Hargreaves Lansdown reported client numbers grew by 18,000 in the second financial quarter, up from 8,000 in Q1.
The growth was attributed to new clients setting up SIPP, ISA and Active Savings accounts.
The firm also revealed its clients had been switching their investments to cash in that update. Client cash balances rose to £12.7 billion during the three months to the end of September, up from £12.4 billion.
The £300 million shift towards cash was driven by net selling of investments by clients in September on fears the government’s annual Budget could include a tax raid, which largely failed to materialise.
Earlier in November, Hargreaves Lansdown launched its Global Income fund on the platform, bringing another easy-to-use portfolio building tool to do-it-yourself investors.
The new Global Equity Income fund invests in a portfolio of dividend-paying companies around the world favoured by selected expert managers.
In February the firm teamed up with rival platform Interactive Investor to open up the UK Gilt-edged or government bond auctions to retail traders through a partnership with market marker Winterflood Securities.
The group’s revenue rose to £196.5 million in the second quarter of this financial year from £183.8 million in the previous three months, driven by increased dealing volumes and higher assets under administration levels.
What is the App Like to Use?
Pros
- Thousands of UK and international shares, bonds & funds
- Ready-made portfolios with different levels of risk
- Excellent research and analysis
- An established company that’s listed on the LSE
Cons
- Can be expensive for large fund portfolios
- Pricing (4.5)
- Market Access (5)
- Online Platform (5)
- Customer Service (5)
- Research & Analysis (5)
Overall
4.9Moneyfarm: Best Investing App for Simple Risk-Based Portfolios
Customer Reviews
Key Features
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £500
- Account types: GIA, ISA, Pension, JISA
- Account charge: 0.75% annual charge
- Dealing fee: £0
Moneyfarm Investing App Expert Review: Best for Simple Risk-Based Portfolios
Account: Moneyfarm investing app
Description: As a robo-advisor, Moneyfarm’s digital wealth management investing app makes personal investing simple as you don’t have to pick your own investments. You just decide how much risk you want to take. You can invest in any of the seven risk-based portfolios through a stocks and shares ISA, a pension or a GIA. Capital is at risk.
Is your Money Safe in the Moneyfarm App?
Yes, the Moneyfarm app connects to all your Moneyfarm accounts and lets you view your portfolio balance and performance while on the move. As Moneyfarm is a fairly passive investment account and not that complicated, you can also use the app for making deposits and choosing investment portfolios.
Fees
Moneyfarm investing account fees start at 0.75% for accounts between £500 and £50,000, then above £100,000 it costs 0.45% to 0.35%. Average investment fund fees are 0.2% and the average market spread when buying and selling is 0.10%.
What is the App Like to Use?
Pros
- Risk-based portfolios
- Low-cost investing
- Easy-to-use
Cons
- Limited amount of individual shares
- No US shares available
- Pricing (5)
- Market Access (4)
- Online Platform (5)
- Customer Service (5)
- Research & Analysis (4)
Overall
4.6Interactive Brokers: Best App for International Investing
Customer Reviews
Key Features
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- Account types: GIA, ISA, SIPP, derivatives
- Account charge: £0
- Dealing fee: Shares £1 – 0.05%
Interactive Brokers Investing App Expert Review: Best for International Investing
Account: IBKR GlobalTrader app
Description: Interactive Brokers’ (IBKR’s) GlobalTrader app is an excellent choice if you’re just starting out (as it is so cheap) but it can become more sophisticated as your portfolio grows and you want to access more advanced investment products. You can access thousands of markets around the world and have a wide range of investing tools. A good choice for most types of investors.
Capital at risk
How may apps does Interactive Brokers (IBKR) have?
IBKR also has two other apps, which are both good – IBKR Mobile for experienced traders and IMPACT for ethical investors.
Fees
There is no account charge for general accounts at IBKR. When you buy and sell shares, minimum dealing commissions are £1 in the UK or 0.05% of the deal size.
Special Offer
$200 when you refer a friend to Interactive Brokers. IBKR clients can earn $200 for each qualified referral while giving their friend the opportunity to earn up to $1,000 of IBKR stock.
What is the App Like to Use?
Pros
- Excellent market coverage
- Advanced investment platform
- Low-cost investing
Cons
- Customer service can be hard to contact
- Pricing (5)
- Market Access (5)
- Online Platform (5)
- Customer Service (4)
- Research & Analysis (5)
Overall
4.8Which Investing App Gives You The Most Market Access?
Hargreaves Lansdown offers access to the most funds, UK and international shares, bonds and ETFs.
You can see here how many investments different UK investment apps offer.
| Platform | DIY or Managed | UK Shares | Funds | ETFs | Bonds | US Shares | Derivatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hargreaves Lansdown | DIY | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| interactive investor | DIY | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Interactive Brokers | DIY | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| AJ Bell | DIY | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Saxo | DIY | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| IG | DIY | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Moneyfarm | Managed | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Wealthify | Managed | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| InvestEngine | Both | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Which Investment App Has The Most Account Types?
Based on our expert comparison of investing apps in the UK, both Hargreaves Lansdown and AJ Bell offer access to the full suite of account types, including a GIA, SIPP, ISA, junior ISA, junior SIPP and lifetime ISA. Both also offer access to cash savings through a “marketplace” of other providers.
| Account Types | GIA | ISA | SIPP | Pension | Junior ISA | Junior SIPP | Lifetime ISA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hargreaves Lansdown | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| AJ Bell | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| interactive investor | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Interactive Brokers | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| IG | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Saxo | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Wealthify | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| InvestEngine | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Moneyfarm | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
⚠️ The Importance of FCA Regulation
All investing apps that operate in the UK must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is responsible for ensuring that UK investment apps are properly capitalised, treat customers fairly and have sufficient compliance systems. We only review investing apps that are regulated by the FCA because this means that your funds are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000.
Investing App FAQs:
Only investing apps that are regulated by the FCA are safe. If you invest with an FCA-regulated app your funds are covered up to £85,000 by the FSCS.
However, as with all investing, you are still at risk of losing money if you pick a poorly performing fund or bad stocks.
- Find out more: Are Investing Apps Safe?
Yes, investing apps are an essential tool for making and maintaining a successful portfolio. Everyone should download an investing app as soon as possible. Investing apps provide a low cost – even free – way to start investing. By starting small and early you can use compounding returns to maximise your investments for later on in life.
Investing apps are particularly worth it if you have a small starting balance, a time frame of at least five years and are prepared to take some risk to get better returns than you’d get in savings accounts.
Even if you’re a large investor using your broker’s main platform, investing apps provide an excellent way to remain connected to the markets and check on performance wherever you are.
However, there is a downside to investment apps. Because you have constant access to your long-term investments, you may be tempted to buy and sell on a more regular basis. That’s more of a trading strategy, rather than investing.
Investing apps make money through commissions when customers buy and sell investments, as well as through account charges. You can see a comparison of account charges and commission in our investment account comparison table.
Investing apps are for long-term capital growth and they provide normal investing accounts, stocks and shares ISAs and SIPPs, whereas trading apps are more for short-term speculation like financial spread betting and contracts for difference (CFDs).
Yes, generally investing apps are free to download from the relevant app stores. The providers of the investment apps will charge for the services available through the app. This charge is usually deducted from your investment account, rather than charged through an app store.
If an investing app is trying to charge you to download it then beware – it may be a scam.
Yes, you can make money with an investing app. However, when investing you only make money if you choose good investments. The value of any investment can go up as well as down.
Investing apps connect to investment platforms and allow you to monitor your portfolio and make trades on the go via your smartphone or tablet. All you need is your device and an internet connection. The key advantage of apps is the convenience they provide – you can invest wherever you are and react quickly to opportunities if you need to.
AJ Bell is the cheapest investing app in our analysis, with account fees starting from 0.25%. It’s important to note that some other investing apps – IG and Interactive Brokers – offer free investing accounts, but they are primarily derivatives platforms, whereas AJ Bell offers a dedicated investing app.
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