We rate Beanstalk as a very good investing app for junior stocks and shares ISAs. In fact, it’s so good that it won our best JISA award two years in a row and I use it to invest for my son. Beanstalk also received very good feed back in our provider surveys with a customer rating of 4.9 from over 200 reviews.
Beanstalk Customer Reviews
App easy to use. Investment…
App easy to use. Investment growing. Lovely keeping track of the investment in realtime.
Excellent communications and app
Excellent communications and app
App easy to use. Investment…
App easy to use. Investment growing. Lovely keeping track of the investment in realtime.
An easy to use and…
An easy to use and well performing platform for saving toward my grandson’s future.
Easy to keep track
Easy to keep track
Super for children’s savings
Super for children’s savings
Easy to use and confident…
Easy to use and confident money is being invested wisely.
User friendly app, very responsive…
User friendly app, very responsive and helpful customer service
N/A
N/A
Beanstalk is an exceptionally well-crafted…
Beanstalk is an exceptionally well-crafted app, offering numerous options for saving towards my family’s future and encouraging contributions from other family members. The round-up feature is fantastic for effortlessly boosting savings, and the ability to invite friends and relatives enhances its functionality even more. Having a specialized app for children’s savings is invaluable. I highly recommend Beanstalk!
Easy to use and good…
Easy to use and good at prompting you to think about investing.
I passed a sum over…
I passed a sum over for a child family member to an account their parent had ser up. The ease of transaction and swiftness of transaction was nice, no long winded pages to complete. I know the parent was notified straight away and i was shown the parents view. The ease of switching between stocks or isa savings is so simplified its open to anyone at any level. Incredible smart banking for your loved ones future made simple and easy. Bravo
Investing for grandchildren’s future &…
Investing for grandchildren’s future & very happy with how beanstalk has invested the money
good
good
Easy to you app with…
Easy to you app with no glitch
Great app and service that…
Great app and service that allows me to save for my son’s future.
Very happy so far. Transparent…
Very happy so far. Transparent and easy to use
5/5
Good new company.
Good new company.
Easy to use
Easy to use
Excellent
Excellent
Worth every investment
Worth every investment
Very good and helpful as…
Very good and helpful as I have been able to put little amount of money into my daughter ISA
Brilliant!
Brilliant!
Secure but easy to use…
Secure but easy to use and access through the app.
Fantastic
Fantastic
5/5
Lovely company, kept very well…
Lovely company, kept very well informed on the app
Efficient
Efficient
All round Excellent
All round Excellent
Easy to set up and…
Easy to set up and a great tool to start investing
Satisfied
Satisfied
Great app and service providing…
Great app and service providing all I need to invest in my children for their future.
Great savings platform for long…
Great savings platform for long term and app itself is unique
I originally opened an account…
I originally opened an account with Beanstalk to begin a Junior ISA for my daughter, it was so easy and straightforward to use and anyone can contribute with a link which I loved as it made birthdays so much easier. Because I’ve had such a great experience with them I opened up ann ISA for myself and have saved more money with them than I have previously and I can see exactly where my money has been invested
Amazing for saving for your…
Amazing for saving for your kids
Easy, clear platform that helps…
Easy, clear platform that helps mine and the kids saving accounts. It is also useful to link to kidstart for ab extra boost. Customer service was convenient and helpful.
Great format
Great format
Very good, simple, and easy…
Very good, simple, and easy to use.
It’s easy to use and…
It’s easy to use and I can see what the investment is doing
No comment
No comment
I really recommend to a…
I really recommend to a friend
4/5
Great platform, easy to use,…
Great platform, easy to use, good information and support
4/5
Great for kids investments
Great for kids investments
5/5
Good
Good
Very easy to create account,…
Very easy to create account, the investment is in good hands. They give you lots of information to be able to decide what way to go.
5/5
Great for little savers
Great for little savers
Easy to set up.
Easy to set up.
Excellent
Excellent
I have got one for…
I have got one for my child and I love the fact I can keep track on how it is preforming
Very professional and easy to…
Very professional and easy to use
5/5
A great place to save…
A great place to save money for your children.
Brilliant concept which they have…
Brilliant concept which they have put forward. Not easy to talk to someone to explain. Not as easy as they advertise to open accounts for adults, not just children. Advice and information doesn’t always workout, information can be vague. Definitely overall amazing opportunity.
Superb JISA. Easy to save…
Superb JISA. Easy to save monthly, and link with Kidstart means extra savings from regular shopping. Who doesn’t like money for nothing?
No dealings
No dealings
Great
Great
This is the best investment…
This is the best investment platform. They are very helpful.
The best platform saving for…
The best platform saving for my kids
Excellent customer service
Excellent customer service
Great! Exactly what I need.
Great! Exactly what I need.
Good service
Good service
Beanstalk allows us to save…
Beanstalk allows us to save for our daughter’s future without being able to touch the funds! Securing her future x
Love it so far and…
Love it so far and looking forward to opening other accounts
Great for families aswell as…
Great for families aswell as a great ISA offer for individuals. Love the interface
👍
👍
5/5
Helpful, easy to access
Helpful, easy to access
Good
Good
Easy to use, clear to…
Easy to use, clear to follow, brilliant support
5/5
Absolutely great – simply and…
Absolutely great – simply and user friendly
Great value investment
Great value investment
An investment platform with soul,…
An investment platform with soul, straightforward, good performance
5/5
Great investment platform for children
Great investment platform for children
Great advice, very helpful with…
Great advice, very helpful with transfer. Good returns already with an amazing easy to use platform and app. Highly recommend thank you beanstalk
Excellent
Excellent
Easy to setup and use….
Easy to setup and use. Great return on investment for myself and my kids
Very helpful, very to use…
Very helpful, very to use and track. Best one so far.
Great platform. Very child friendly….
Great platform. Very child friendly. Well done.
Very easy to navigate and…
Very easy to navigate and information is clear
Very handy to be able…
Very handy to be able to save using the app and invite others to save too.
Best JISA App
Best JISA App
Easy to use for any…
Easy to use for any expertise – clear guidance
5/5
Absolutely brilliant app. The userface…
Absolutely brilliant app. The userface could be better though.
There great
There great
5/5
Easy, userfriendly and good offers…
Easy, userfriendly and good offers and returns
Easy to use and great…
Easy to use and great investment tool for my children
5/5
Excellent for planning for the…
Excellent for planning for the future
Brilliant such amazing service
Brilliant such amazing service
Have made investing in my…
Have made investing in my child’s future easy, less scary and somewhat fun. I love the app, very easy to use and track my children’s funds progress.
Very good way to help…
Very good way to help parents save for their children
Really pleased with Beanstalk they…
Really pleased with Beanstalk they have my daughter and myself with all my child investments and they are very quick to get back to you to help when needed, not a bad word to say about them
Great way to save for…
Great way to save for my children
Easy to set up and…
Easy to set up and use
Simple and intuitive app, that…
Simple and intuitive app, that allows me to save for myself and my kids
N/a
N/a
Its a great tool and…
Its a great tool and aimed at people like me with children. I also love that it connects to Kidstart which I already used.
Excellent
Excellent
Great for saving for children
Great for saving for children
Exceptional service.
Exceptional service.
Easy for new investor
Easy for new investor
Make investment simple for beginners
Make investment simple for beginners
Absolutely wonderful platform. Very friendly,…
Absolutely wonderful platform. Very friendly, self explanatory. Brilliant investment and great perks. Amazing! A*****
Great platform easy to use
Great platform easy to use
Easy to open/transfer investments to…
Easy to open/transfer investments to Beanstalk. App is easy to use and can view all investments on the same screen. Can make changes to investments/contributions easily. Regular updates on growth of investments received. Queries dealt with quickly. Can’t fault the service or investment platform.
Easy to use and straight…
Easy to use and straight forward way to save for your little ones
5/5
It’s easy to build an…
It’s easy to build an investment for children through every day shopping choices in small increments that aren’t painful to the pocket
5/5
Beanstalk is a reliable facility…
Beanstalk is a reliable facility for savinetg for granted children
Wonderful app to introduce saving…
Wonderful app to introduce saving for the little ones
It is easy to use….
It is easy to use. I can put money in as little and as often I want. My parents can also contribute. Their fees are quite low
A colleague advised me
A colleague advised me
Using to invest for my…
Using to invest for my child future, although no contact via phone, email response really good and quick issues resolved straight away! Will deffo reccomend
Fit for purpose
Fit for purpose
Easy to ise
Easy to ise
Excellent
Excellent
Reliable and helpful
Reliable and helpful
Easy to manage, simple, trustworthy…
Easy to manage, simple, trustworthy
Easy to use linked to…
Easy to use linked to cash back shop
Good investment for long term…
Good investment for long term savers
Beanstalk are always happy to…
Beanstalk are always happy to help and advise. They are friendly, patient and professional
Great for JISA family and…
Great for JISA family and friends top ups
Great for JISA
Great for JISA
Outstanding: Investing Simplified
Outstanding: Investing Simplified
I like the way its…
I like the way its linked to kidstart, so when you are buying online you are saving as well
3/5
Great service and easy to…
Great service and easy to use app
Simple the best
Simple the best
Easy to use and setup
Easy to use and setup
I love it so easy…
I love it so easy to apply for and keep track of.
Easy to use and good…
Easy to use and good rates
5/5
Very easy to use. Good…
Very easy to use. Good tools and educational sections.
.
.
Easy to use and good…
Easy to use and good features like cashback. Takes a little too long for cash to appear as cleared
Very clear and user friendly…
Very clear and user friendly platform
A company with good values
A company with good values
Very good and future saving…
Very good and future saving for my children
Fantastic
Fantastic
My first stocks isa and…
My first stocks isa and I love it
Always very helpful
Always very helpful
Very good
Very good
Good investment for grandchildren
Good investment for grandchildren
I’ve been using Beanstalk for…
I’ve been using Beanstalk for more than 3 years. I transferred my son’s CTF and I like knowing his money is growing and that it will be available to him when he is ready for it. The friends and relatives can also donate into it for him. I can also save through their sister company Kidstart.
Really pleased with Beanstalk they…
Really pleased with Beanstalk they have my daughter and myself with all my child investments and they are very quick to get back to you to help when needed, not a bad word to say about them
5/5
Pros:
It’s easy to understand, upfront and allows us to save for our child.
Cons:
Not sure, but I think they are doing really well as it is.
5/5
Pros:
Clear to understand app
Cons:
Display certain information
5/5
Pros:
Convenience
Cons:
Easier to contact directly by phone
5/5
Pros:
Easy app use
5/5
Pros:
Easy to use for grandchildren.
4/5
5/5
Pros:
Easy access, transparent and trustworthy
Cons:
Not sure
5/5
Pros:
The ability to share gifting links
Cons:
Option to invest ethically
5/5
4/5
Pros:
Savings for kids and adults
5/5
Pros:
App is easy to use
Cons:
Not sure
5/5
Pros:
Always willing to provide good services
Cons:
N/A
5/5
Pros:
Honest, clear and professional
Cons:
Carry on as they are
5/5
Pros:
Easy to use
Cons:
Nothing
5/5
Pros:
Easy to set up, clear to use
Cons:
More community links
5/5
Pros:
Saving for childrenÔÇÖs future
1/5
4/5
Pros:
78606414
Cons:
78606414
5/5
Pros:
Easy to use
5/5
5/5
4/5
Pros:
easy to use
5/5
Pros:
The app
Cons:
Nothing
5/5
Pros:
They provide trust and made life easier
Cons:
They are great
5/5
Pros:
Kidstart. Excellent way to save
Cons:
Website could be improved
5/5
5/5
Pros:
app – I can see my investment in real time
Cons:
not sure
5/5
Pros:
Customer Support
Cons:
AI
5/5
Cons:
Very supportive and respond quickly
5/5
Pros:
Ease of use
Cons:
More incentives to save more
5/5
Pros:
The personalized profile
Cons:
Na
5/5
5/5
Pros:
I can see exactly where my money is within the app and if its value has increased or decreased.
Cons:
I’m new to the world of investments so I’ll have to say that I really like the way the Beanstalk app shows me everything I need to know right now.
5/5
Pros:
rainy day
Cons:
lot more
5/5
Pros:
Excellent access to account information and management
5/5
Pros:
Easy to use
Cons:
Add more features
5/5
Pros:
Easy to use
5/5
Pros:
Clear and easy access
5/5
Pros:
Ease of setting up and then use
Cons:
Multiply my money!
5/5
Pros:
Simplicity
5/5
Pros:
Accessibility and ease of seeing my childÔÇÖs investment
Cons:
I donÔÇÖt know.
5/5
Cons:
N/A
5/5
Pros:
Incredible tech
Cons:
Grow a bigger customer base
5/5
Pros:
Real people with real life understanding of customer needs and who react quickly.
Cons:
Nothing
5/5
Pros:
Easy to use. Seems great investment
5/5
Pros:
They make it easy, offer a great service and their customer service is excellent. Good web/phone access too.
Cons:
IÔÇÖm happy with my progress to date
Leave a review
- Tell us what you think of this company and help others make more informed financial decisions.
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
-
Pricing
(4)
-
Market Access
(3.5)
-
Online Platform
(4.5)
-
Customer Service
(4.5)
-
Research & Analysis
(3.5)
Overall
4Beanstalk JISA Expert Review
We quite often go to the ponies as a family, and if there is more than a single page of horses on the card for a race we always let the children have a little bet to cover more of the field. The other day we were at Sandown, it was the last race of the day, and Hugo, my youngest chose a horse based on the only sensible strategy available to a two-year-old, he picked one at random. As luck would have it, it was a rank outsider, a 13-year-old with an exceptional track record that was now a little bit long in the tooth. But, he wished and he hoped and Wishing and Hoping romped home to win at 50-1, after leading the pack the entire race.
ITV Racing caught us trackside on the TV as the owner burst into floods of tears and the trainers were whooping away. That’s us on the left…
We didn’t get 50-1, we got 34-1 because we only bet with the bookies at the track, in particular, we like a chap called Barry, who wears a Fedora.
A tidy return nonetheless, but what to do with it? Usually, we’d all go out to dinner to celebrate, but because it’s Dry January, we just went home. And because we’re trying to be more responsible parents, we thought we’d invest his winnings. Let it ride as it were, on the biggest bet out there, the stock market.
Last week, we invested one of my other children’s birthday money through GoHenry, but as Hugo is too young to get pocket money, I chose Beanstalk for him.
But is now a good time to be investing for your children’s future? I hear you ask. The stock market is coming off five-year highs, we are in a recession, the world is nearly at war and the tech giants who have historically created massive shareholder returns are laying people off left right and centre.
- Related guide – How to invest in a recession
Well, here’s the thing, there is always a disaster around the corner, and actually now is the best time to start investing, because it is in fact, now. When it comes to long-term returns (Hugo can’t access money in his JISA until he is 18), the best time to invest is as soon as possible.
When I interviewed Julian Robson, the co-founder of Beanstalk last year, he told me that one of the inspirations for setting up the Beanstalk JISA was a chart that was on the wall in his old boss’s office. It was a chart of the stock market going back to the 1900s. His point was that if you look at a long-term chart of the stock market, you can’t see 1987’s Black Monday, The 1930’s Great Depression, or any other major stock market crash. In general, it just goes up.
Here is a good example of the Covid market crash that Cem Eyi (Beanstalks other co-founder highlighted on LinkedIn recently (the fund is Fidelity World Index).
What does the Beanstalk JISA invest in?
When you invest in a Junior stocks and shares ISA with Beanstalk, you are essentially making two investments (three if you want to include your child’s future), the Legal & General Cash Trust fund and Fidelity Global Index fund. The first tracks interest rates and keeps your money as cash, the second tracks the stock market, and holds big profitable companies like Apple, Microsoft and Johnson & Johnson (you can see the full portfolio breakdown here). It’s a standard diversified portfolio.
How much does the Beanstalk JISA cost?
It costs, 0.5% of the balance of your portfolio for a Beanstalk JISA, but if cost is your only concern, you can buy these funds individually with a DIY platform like AJ Bell (0.25%), Hargreaves Lansdown (0.45%) and Interactive Investor (JISA is free with a £9.99 per month trading account). Regardless of who you invest with you will still have to pay the 0.12-0.15%. charges levied by L&G and Fidelity for managing the fund.
Why invest with a Beanstalk JISA then?
Where Beanstalk earns its money is that you can very easily switch between what percentage of cash and stocks are in your child’s portfolio. There is a handy slider, which also shows what the historic returns would have been depending on the allocation.
So, if you think the market is going to crash you can switch to more cash and interest, rather than stock market investments. But remember, a general rule of thumb when it comes to investing is that the younger you are, the more risk you should take. If you are old, the closer to retirement you are the lower risk your investments should be. So, when your child comes close to 18, you can tune down the risk so that you don’t get bitten by a shock stock market crash the week before they get their money.
I’m not suggesting for a second that you bet on horses to kickstart your children’s financial literacy, that would be idiocy. But, if you have a few pounds sitting around, pick up your phone, download the app, and start investing for your children’s future. If you’re looking to bet on a winner, that’s a sure thing.
Beanstalk Awards
Beanstalk has won the best junior stocks and shares ISA in our 2023 and 2024 awards.
Beanstalk Junior ISA Video Review
Watch as we invest live in a Beanstalk JISA and explain the pros and cons of the app versus traditional investment platforms.
Beanstalk Facts & Figures
| ⬜ Public Company | ❌ |
| 👉 Number Active Clients | na |
| 💰 Minimum Deposit | £10 |
| 💸 Client Funds | na |
| 📅 Founded | 2020 |
Account Costs | |
| ➡️ Investment Account | ❌ |
| ➡️ SIPP | ❌ |
| ➡️ Stocks & Shares ISA | 0.5% |
| ➡️ Junior ISA | 0.5% |
| ➡️ Lifetime ISA | ❌ |
Dealing Costs | |
| ➡️ UK Shares | ❌ |
| ➡️ US Stocks | ❌ |
| ➡️ ETFs | ❌ |
| ➡️ Bonds | ❌ |
| ➡️ Funds | £0 |
Capital at risk
Richard is the founder of the Good Money Guide (formerly Good Broker Guide), one of the original investment comparison sites established in 2015. With a career spanning two decades as a broker, he brings extensive expertise and knowledge to the financial landscape.
Having worked as a broker at Investors Intelligence and a multi-asset derivatives broker at MF Global (Man Financial), Richard has acquired substantial experience in the industry. His career began as a private client stockbroker at Walker Crips and Phillip Securities (now King and Shaxson), following internships on the NYMEX oil trading floor in New York and London IPE in 2001 and 2000.
Richard’s contributions and expertise have been recognized by respected publications such as BusinessInsider, Yahoo Finance, BusinessNews.org.uk, Master Investor, Wealth Briefing, iNews, and The FT, among many others.
Under Richard’s leadership, the Good Money Guide has evolved into a valuable destination for comprehensive information and expert guidance, specialising in trading, investment, and currency exchange. His commitment to delivering high-quality insights has solidified the Good Money Guide’s standing as a well-respected resource for both customers and industry colleagues.
