Junior stocks and shares ISAs (JISAs) let you invest in a tax-efficient wrapper for your children which they can only access at 18. For the 2024/25 tax year, you have until 5th April 2025 to invest up to £9,000 tax-free for each of your children, which they can only access when they reach 18. We have tested, ranked, compared and reviewed some of the best Junior stocks and shares ISA providers and accounts in the UK that are regulated by the FCA.
Beanstalk: Best Overall Junior Stocks & Shares ISA Provider
- Investments: Cash & funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: 0.5%
- Dealing fee: £0
Beanstalk JISA Review
Name: Beanstalk
Description: Beanstalk is an investment app that helps you invest for your children through a Junior ISA. It was founded by the team behind Kidstart (a cashback site for children’s shopping) and won our 2022 & 2023 award for Best Junior Stocks & Shares ISA as they make setting up an account to invest for your children’s future cheap, easy, flexible and accessible for you and for others to contribute to.
Summary
Beanstalk’s Junior ISA won our award for the best JISA in 2023 and 2022 as they provide a simple yet effective way to invest for your children’s future. Friends and family can also make deposits directly into your child’s account via the app. The investment options are split between cash and the stock market enabling parents to adjust the level of risk they are prepared to take. It’s a good option for parents who want to investment for their children, but don’t want to pick individual invesments.
Pros
- Switch between stocks and cash
- Low cost & tax efficient
- Easy to use & contribute
Cons
- JISA funds can only be accessed when your child turns 18
- App only, no website access
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Pricing
(4)
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Market Access
(3.5)
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Online Platform
(4.5)
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Customer Service
(4.5)
-
Research & Analysis
(3.5)
Overall
4
Wealthify: Invest in a Junior stocks and shares ISA from just £1
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: 0.6%
- Dealing fee: £0
Capital at risk
Wealthify Junior ISA Review
Summary
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: 0.6%
- Dealing fee: £0
Fees: It costs 0.6% to start investing in a junior ISA with Wealthify, which is one of the cheapest robo-advisor general investment account fees. There are also investment costs of on average 0.16% for original plans and 0.7% for ethical plans.
Special Offers:
- £50 when you refer a friend – You can get a unique link when you have a funded Wealthify account to use to recommend them to friends. To get the £50 bonus, your friend needs to invest at least £250 for three months.
Pros
- Managed portfolios
- Low minimum deposit of £1
- Low account fee of 0.6%
Cons
- Cannot trade individual shares or ETFs
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Pricing
(4)
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Market Access
(3.5)
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Online Platform
(4.5)
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Customer Service
(4)
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Research & Analysis
(4.5)
Overall
4.1Interactive Investor: Free self-select JISA for ii customers
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: £0
- Dealing fee: £3.99 – £5.99
Interactive Investor Junior ISA Review
Name: Interactive Investor Junior ISA
Description: If you have an investing account with Interactive Investor, you get a free Junior stock and shares ISAs account for your children. You can invest in over 40,000 shares, bonds, funds or pre-built portfolios. So if you are looking for a free self-select JISA it is one of the cheapest and most flexible investment ISAs for children on the market at the moment compared other large investment platforms like AJ Bell (who charge 0.25% a year). You also get one free trade per month, after that it costs £5.99 per deal, compared to AJ Bell’s £9.95 per share deal.
Capital at risk.
Summary
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: £0
- Dealing fee: £3.99 – £5.99
Fees: *II JISAs are free for customers who have already opened an ISA or Trading Account. Dealing commissions are a free trade every month, then UK Shares and Funds, US Shares charged £7.99 or upgrade to a £19.99 “Super Investor” account 2 free monthly trades and deal for £3.99. Regular investing is free.
Special Offers:
- One free trade per month – One buy or sell order is free every month, after that, the cost is between £3.99 and £5.99 depending on what plan you are on.
- Free investing for your friends and family – You can give up to five people a free investment account subscription with Interactive Investor’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 will still pay normal dealing commissions when they buy and sell investments.
- Get £200 when you refer a friend to Interactive Investor – Recommend a friend or family member to ii 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. However, your friend will not receive the usually monthly free trade.
Pros
- Pick your own investments or use their model portfolios
- £1 minimum deposit makes it easy to get started
- £0 account fee*
Cons
- You have to pick your own investments
- Only free if you have an II trading account
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Pricing
(4.5)
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Market Access
(4.5)
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Online Platform
(4)
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Customer Service
(4.5)
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Research & Analysis
(4)
Overall
4.3Hargreaves Lansdown: Excellent no-fee DIY Junior ISA with lots to invest in
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: 0%
- Dealing fee: Shares £0, funds £0
Capital at risk
Hargreaves Lansdown currently tops our list as the best JISA as there are no account costs and your money can be invested in the stock market.
Hargreaves Lansdown Junior ISA Review
Name: Hargreaves Lansdown Junior ISA
Description: Hargreaves Lansdown is one of the largest investment platforms in the UK, and have recently removed their Junior ISA fees. You also get the widest selection of UK and international shares as well as bonds, ETFs, VCTs, gilts and bonds to invest for your children.
Capital at risk.
Summary
An HL JISA is one of the best around. There are no charges for a Junior stocks and shares ISA with Hargreaves Lansdown. There are also no dealing costs for shares, funds or bonds. This and Hargreaves Lansdown’s high customer satisfaction in our awards surveys make it a great place to invest for your children.
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: 0%
- Dealing fee: Shares £0, funds £0
Fees: Hargreaves Lansdown has recently reduced the cost of their Junior ISA and JISA are now free for HL customers. There are also no fees for buying and selling funds and shares.
Pros
- Thousands of UK and international shares, bonds & funds
- Ready-made portfolios with different levels of risk
- Excellent research and analysis
- An established and listed company on the LSE.
Cons
- Not a cash ISA
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Pricing
(5)
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Market Access
(4.5)
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Online Platform
(4.5)
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Customer Service
(4.5)
-
Research & Analysis
(4.5)
Overall
4.6AJ Bell: A well-rounded and good-value low-cost JISA investing account
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £500
- JISA account charge: 0.25%
- Dealing fee: Shares £3.50 – £5, funds £1.50
Capital at risk
AJ Bell Junior ISA Review
Name: AJ Bell Junior ISA
Description: AJ Bell is one of the cheapest self-select JISAs with account fees of only 0.25%, although it is not free. Fees are capped at £2.50 per month for shares, investment trusts ETFs, gilts and bonds, but there is no cap for holding funds. You also have dealing charges of £1.50 for funds and £9.95 for shares. It is more expensive than Hargreaves Lansdown’s (now free) JISA and providers a relatively similar service.
Capital at risk.
Summary
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, bonds & funds
- Minimum deposit: £500
- JISA account charge: 0.25%
- Dealing fee: Shares £3.50 – £5, funds £1.50
Fees: AJ Bell charges 0.25% of the value of your for a Junior ISA. Share account fees are capped at £2.50 a month. Dealing costs are £1.50 for funds and £5 for shares but drop to £3.50 where there were 10 or more online share deals in the previous month.
Special Offers:
- Recommend a friend, and you’ll both get £100 gift vouchers – When you recommend a friend to AJ Bell Youinvest that invests more than £10,000 in a SIPP or ISA, you and your friend can get One4All gift vouchers worth £100.
- Switch your share dealing account and receive up to £500 to cover exit fees – If you transfer your share dealing general investment account valued at more than £20,000 to AJ Bell they will help cover any exit fees charged by your current provider. They 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
Get a free subscription to Shares (worth over £220 per year) by maintaining a balance of £4,000 or more across your AJ Bell investing accounts.
Pros
- Pick your own shares, funds and bonds or use their investing ideas
- Low JISA account fees capped at £2.50 a month for shares
- Lots of account types
Cons
- High phone dealing charges
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Pricing
(4)
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Market Access
(4.5)
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Online Platform
(4)
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Customer Service
(4)
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Research & Analysis
(4.5)
Overall
4.2Bestinvest: Good for JISA investment advice and low costs
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: 0.2% to 0.4%
- Dealing fee: Shares £4.95, funds £0
Capital at risk
Bestinvest Junior ISA Review
Name: Bestinvest Junior ISA Review
Description: Bestinvest has combined low-cost online investing and share dealing with personalised expert advice to help clients choose the right investments for their junior ISAs. A good choice for parents that want to pick their own investments with a bit of advice.
Capital at risk.
Summary
- Investments: Shares, ETFs, funds
- Minimum deposit: £1
- JISA account charge: 0.2% to 0.4%
- Dealing fee: Shares £4.95, funds £0
Fees: 0.2% account fee is for holding ready-made portfolios. above £500,000 it reduces to 0.1%. For other investments, the account fee is 0.4% up to £250k. Dealing commissions £4.95 per online share trade, fund dealing is free.
Pros
- Expert advice from professionals
- Low minimum deposit of £1
- Very low account fees from 0.2%
Cons
- No bond investing
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Pricing
(4)
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Market Access
(4)
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Online Platform
(3.5)
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Customer Service
(4)
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Research & Analysis
(4.5)
Overall
4Nutmeg: Best JISA for simple investment options
Approved by Nutmeg on the 11 September 2023
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £100
- JISA account charge: 0.75% – 0.45%
- Dealing fee: £0
Capital at risk. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change in the future
Approved by Nutmeg on the 11 September 2023
Nutmeg Junior ISA Review
Name: Nutmeg Junior ISA
Description: Nutmeg’s Junior ISA is good for parents who do not need such a wide range of investment options from platforms like Hargreaves Lansdown, Interactive Investor and AJ Bell as you cannot buy individual stocks or funds. Instead, you invest in pre-made portfolios built up from low-cost ETFs. This is a great way to build a cheap and diverse investment ISA for your children for investors who are willing to take on some level of risk. There are no dealing costs, and the fully managed account costs 0.75% per year.
Capital at risk.
Summary
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £100
- JISA account charge: 0.75% – 0.45%
- Dealing fee: £0
Fees: Nutmeg charge 0.75% for their managed portfolios which drops to 0.35% for balances over £100k. For their fixed allocation portfolios, they charge 0.45% dropping to 0.25% for balances over £100k. For all portfolios, there is an additional charge by the investment fund managers of around 0.2% and the market spread on buying and selling portfolios is currently between 0.04% and 0.09%.
Pros
- Simple managed JISA
- Regular investing is available (one off payments or Direct Debits)
- Scaled account fees that reduce as your portfolio grows
Cons
- Cannot invest in individual shares
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Pricing
(4)
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Market Access
(3.5)
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Online Platform
(4.5)
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Customer Service
(4.5)
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Research & Analysis
(4)
Overall
4.1Moneyfarm: Good Junior stocks and shares ISA for simple risk-based portfolios
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £500
- JISA account charge: 0.75%
- Dealing fee: £0
Capital at risk
Moneyfarm Junior ISA Review
Name: Moneyfarm Junior ISA
Description: Moneyfarm smart tech allows you to monitor your JISA’s performance from anywhere, automate your monthly deposits so you’ll never miss an opportunity again, and their team of dedicated investment consultants are on hand to answer any queries you may have via anytime calls, chats, or emails.
Capital at risk.
Summary
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £500
- JISA account charge: 0.75%
- Dealing fee: £0
Fees: Moneyfarm junior stocks and shares ISA account fees are scaled between 0.75% for accounts between £500 and £50,000, then above £100k are 0.45% to 0.35%. Average investment fund fees are 0.2% and the average market spread when buying and selling is 0.10%
Pros
- Risk-based JISA portfolios
- Low-cost investing
- Easy-to-use
Cons
- Limited amount of individual shares
- No US shares available
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Pricing
(4)
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Market Access
(3.5)
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Online Platform
(4)
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Customer Service
(4)
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Research & Analysis
(3.5)
Overall
3.8GoHenry: Simple child-friendly investment ISA
- Investments: Pre-made portfolios
- Minimum deposit: £10
- JISA account charge: 0.45%
- Dealing fee: £0
Capital at risk
GoHenry JISA Review
Name: GoHenry
Description: GoHenry is a pocket money app that helps children learn about money by giving them the independence to make their own choices about what they spend their cash on. They also have a Junior Stocks and Shares ISA that lets you invest in your children’s future. Once you invest in a JISA the money is held in a tax-efficient account and can only be accessed by your child when they turn 18.
Summary
GoHenry is a great way to combine educating your children about the future value of money along side giving the financial independence with their pocket money app. When you invest in the GoHenry Junior ISA you are buying Vanguards LifeStrategy 60% Equity Accumulation Fund, which contains a mixture of stocks and bond
Pros
- Investments by Vanguard
- Low cost and easy to use
- Get contributions from friends and family
Cons
- Children cannot make their own contributions from pocket money.
- More expensive than investing direct
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Pricing
(4)
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Market Access
(3.5)
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Online Platform
(4)
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Customer Service
(4)
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Research & Analysis
(3.5)
Overall
3.8❓Methodology: We have chosen what we think are the best Junior investment ISAs based on:
- over 17,000 votes in our annual awards
- our own experiences testing the Junior ISA accounts with real money
- an in-depth comparison of the features that make them stand out compared to alternative Junior stocks and shares ISAs.
- interviews with the JISA company CEOs and senior management
You can use our comparison of what we think are the best junior stocks and share ISA accounts to compare whether or not you have to make your own investment decision or you get help from an expert, what the minimum deposit is and how much the accounts costs to run.
What is a Junior Stocks & Shares ISA (JISA)?
Junior stocks and shares ISAs are an investment account for your children where you can invest up to £9,000 a year. Profits from these savings and investments are tax-free and can only be accessed by your child when they turn 18.
Junior ISAs are based on the same principle as its adult peers that is it is a government-sponsored tax-free savings vehicle, within which up to a predetermined sum of money can be invested and not be subject to either income or capital gains taxes while it remains in the shelter.
It is important to note that, unlike an adult investment ISA, you can only have one Junior Investment ISA account rather than multiple plans with different providers however you can transfer funds between providers.
Junior stocks and shares ISAs offer better potential returns than cash ISAs as they are investment accounts rather than savings accounts. However, it’s important to remember that the stock market can go up as well as down.
Pros & cons of junior stocks and shares ISAs (JISAs)
Here is a round-up of the advantages and disadvantages of investing for your children:
Pros
- Tax-free-profits – The main benefit of Junior Investment ISA is undoubtedly the tax-free shelter it provides for savings. Long term capital growth could see the money invested into Junior Investment ISA appreciate over the lifetime of the account which can run to 18 years. With regular investment and the right market, a Junior Investment ISA could grow very nicely indeed, if it’s invested correctly and all those gains will be made free of taxes. Something that would be very difficult to achieve outside of the vehicle.
- Money when they need it – What’s more, the Junior Investment ISA is specifically designed to allow minors to save money for a time in their life when they may need a lump sum perhaps to help towards university tuition fees, to fund driving lessons or the purchase of the car. The funds invested grow inside the tax-free shelter and can’t be accessed until the child’s 18th birthday and remain beyond temptations reach until then.
- Better potential returns – The Junior Investment ISA provides much more flexibility than its savings counterpart, meaning the funds invested in the ISA can be optimised for long-term capital growth which is likely to be the investment strategy most applicable for a minor investing for the future.
Cons
- Poor performance – The main risk in using Junior Investment ISA is the market risk of the investments within it. Stock and shares and associated funds can rise as well as fall in value and if financial markets take a turn for the worse then it’s possible that you could lose money rather than grow it for your children.
- Account fees – Unlike cash ISAs you have to pay a fee to hold you investments. That said risk and reward are two sides of the same coin and regular saving for the longer term has been shown to be an effective way to grow our money and a well-diversified strategy can often outperform cash on deposit, which is usually seen as the risk-free alternative to stock market investment and saving.
- Money locked away – The other consideration is that money invested in a Junior Investment ISA is locked away for the full term of the plan that is until the 18th birthday of the beneficiary. So, you won’t be able to dip into those funds on a rainy day and top them up later, as they are completely ring-fenced from you.
What can you invest in through a Junior Stocks & Shares ISA?
Unlike the Cash ISA, the Junior Investment ISA has a lot more freedom to invest and indeed it’s specifically designed to allow parents to invest in
- stocks and shares
- managed funds
- ETFs
- bonds
- gilts
- pre-made portfolios
The full list of instruments you can invest in on behalf of your child or loved one will vary from provider to provider and so it is definitely worth checking out what is and isn’t permissible with a particular manager before you apply for a Junior Investment ISA. In order to ensure the type of investments you have in mind are covered by that provider.
For example, Hargreaves Lansdown offers Junior Investment ISA accounts access to 3000 funds, UK and Overseas shares and a range of investment trusts and ETFs. Whilst Nutmeg is more suitable for those not confident enough to pick their own investments by offering Junior Investment ISA accounts a choice of pre-built managed funds with varying risk profiles to invest in.
Funds
There are some of the most popular funds bought for JISA accounts on the Hargreaves Lansdown platform in the 2024/25 tax year:
- Fundsmith Equity
- Lindsell Train Global Equity
- Legal & General International Index Trust
- Legal & General US Index
- Rathbone Global Opportunities
Shares
For those wanting exposure to individual companies Hargreaves Lansdown customers favoured the below shares for their children’s junior stocks and shares ISA in the 2024/25 tax year.
How much could your child’s junior Stocks & Shares ISA?
Hargreaves Lansdown (which offers a free JISA) has recently calculated that by investing as little £25 a month for 18 years could result in a JISA of £10,831, assuming an annual return of 7%. This would be a huge boost for when your child, either goes to university, travels the world on a gap year, or starts full-time work.
You can use our JISA returns calculator to see how much you can save when investing for your children.
Please note these returns do not incorporate account or underlying investment fees. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Compare Junior Stocks & Shares ISAs
| JISA Provider | JISA Account Fees | DIY or Managed | Minimum Deposit | GMG Rating | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5% per year | Managed | £10 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
|
| £0 | DIY | £1 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
|
 | £0 | DIY | £1 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
|
| 0.25% per year | DIY | £500 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
|
| 0.75% | Managed | £500 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
|
 | 0.75% | Managed | £500 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
|
 | 0.6% | Managed | £1 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
|
| 0.2% | DIY | £1 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
|
| 0.45% | Managed | £1 | See JISA Capital at Risk |
⚠️ FCA Regulation
All junior stocks and shares ISA providers that operate in the UK must be regulated by the FCA. The FCA is the Financial Conduct Authority and is responsible for ensuring that UK junior investment ISA platforms are properly capitalised, treat customers fairly and have sufficient compliance systems in place. We only feature JISA providers that are regulated by the FCA, where your funds are protected by the FSCS.
Junior Stocks & Shares ISA FAQ:
Yes. The FSCS or Financial Services Compensation Scheme was set up by parliament and is funded by the financial services industry and it can compensate eligible investors in the event of fraud or insolvency. Under current legislation, the scheme can payout up to £85,000 for savings accounts and £50,000 on investment accounts. A Junior Investment ISA would fall into the latter category, so in the event of the provider of the ISA or the custodian of the assets becoming insolvent, the FSCS would step in.
The implicit guarantee provided by the fund and the tax-free benefits of the shelter certainly helps to make the Junior Stocks and shares ISA an attractive proposition when considering investment for the next generation.
A stocks and shares junior ISA can provide better returns.
There are almost 1 million Children’s ISAs in the UK, and only around 30% of them are invested in the stock market as opposed to 70% which are invested in cash savings accounts.
Historically the stock market has provided much better returns that cash savings accounts, but there are risks involved. Here are the key differences between cash and investment junior ISAs.
With a junior cash ISA money is held in a savings account and you receive interest. With a Junior stocks and shares ISA your money is invested in the stock market. This can result in better returns, but also comes with risk and you may get less back than you put in if the market underperforms.
Personally, the 3 junior ISAs I have for my children and main invested in the stock market, as these are longer-term investments over fives years and I’m prepared to take on the risk of the market dips.
Ultimately though, the stock market can go down, so with a cash JISA you are guaranteed to get back at least what you put in, if your money is invested in the stock market you can get back less than you originally invested.
It’s important to remember that past performance is not an indication of how well a stock and shares ISA account will do in the future. One way to ensure you get the right performance for you is by using a DIY JISA where you pick and choose exactly what investments you want for your children.
Or, view our comparison of Junior stocks and shares ISA accounts and visit the providers to see their individual performance.
Money can be invested in a Junior Investment ISA for a maximum of 18 years during which time it has the potential to compound and grow.
Money invested in a Junior Investment ISA cannot be withdrawn until the child’s 18th birthday when it reverts to the child.
Richard Berry
This article contains affiliate links which may earn us some form of income if you go on to open an account. However, if you would rather visit the junior stocks and shares provides via a non-affiliate link, you can view the product pages directly here: