Starling’s cash ISA may be convenient but you can get better rates elsewhere

- Special Offer: Deposit £1 & receive a free fractional share worth up to £100. Capital at risk. Refer a friend/sponsored link. T&Cs apply. 

- Cash ISA Bonus Rate: Currently 3.6% variable + 1yr 1.41% bonus (new customers only). Sponsored link. T&Cs apply. 

Trading 212 offers access to a broad range of stocks and ETFs across 16 exchanges. In total, there are over 13,000 stocks and ETFs available on the platform. 

Additionally, it offers access to a range of features that many traditional investment platforms don’t offer such as:

• Commission-free trading 
• Fractional shares (you can buy fractions of shares) 
• 24/5 trading 
• Investment pies: A pie is a diversified portfolio that invests automatically for you but note, this is an execution only service meaning the management is down to you ● A debit card with no FX fees, issued by Paynetics 

What accounts are available on Trading 212? 

Trading 212 currently offers a range of investment accounts including a regular investment account, a Stocks ISA, a Cash ISA, and a SIPP. We look at some of these accounts in more detail below. 

Stocks ISA 

With Trading 212’s Stocks ISA, you can invest in a broad range of stocks and ETFs commission-free, although other fees may apply. You can deposit up to £20,000 per year and there is no tax payable on investment gains or income but note, tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and regulations which may change. 

Benefits of this account include: 

• Access to 13,000 stocks and ETFs 
• No account fees 
• The ability to earn interest on your cash 
• Low FX fees when trading international shares (0.15%) 
• Access to ready-made portfolios 
• Fractional shares 

Overall, the Trading 212 Stocks ISA is a solid offering. It could be a good option for those looking to trade stocks and ETFs with no commissions. 

Cash ISA 

The Trading 212 Cash ISA offers a simple way to save money. You can deposit up to £20,000 per year and withdraw your money at any time.

Benefits of this account include: 

• Attractive interest rates (3.6%* AER at the time of this review) 
• Interest paid monthly 
• No minimums 
• No account fees 
• FSCS protection up to £120,000 

This ISA could be well suited to those who want a Cash ISA on the same platform as their investments. It may be possible to find higher interest rates elsewhere, however. 

SIPP 

Trading 212’s SIPP is a pension account. With this product, you can deposit up to £60,000 every year, however, you cannot access the money until age 55 (57 from 2028). Trading 212’s SIPP is operated and administered by Platform One. 

Benefits of this account include: 

• Tax-relief is provided on top of your deposits 
• No tax on investment gains or income 
• Access to 13,000 stocks and ETFs 
• Commission-free trading 
• Low FX fees (0.15%) 
• No account fees 
• Fractional shares 
• Access to ready-made portfolios 

Overall, this is a solid pension offering. There’s access to many investments and fees are very low. 

Market access 

Trading 212 offers access to UK stocks, international stocks, ETFs, investment trusts, and more. In total, there are over 13,000 global stocks and ETFs available on the platform which for most investors, is going to be more than enough options.

Those in the UK can also access CFDs. With CFDs, it’s possible to trade indices, commodities, forex, and stocks. 

Where the platform falls short against traditional platforms, however, is mutual funds. Regular mutual funds are not available – only ETFs and investment trusts. 

One other thing to point out is that the company executes through Interactive Brokers. It can take time to fill orders on small UK stocks. 

What are Trading 212’s fees 

Trading 212’s fees are very competitive. Here’s a snapshot of its fee structure: 

• Trading commissions - free 
• Custody fee - free 
• FX fees - 0.15% 
• Deposits via bank transfers - free 
• Deposits via cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay - free below £2,000 then 0.7% ● Withdrawals - free 

Note when buying UK shares, you still have to pay Stamp Duty. This is 0.5% of the transaction value. 

How does Trading 212 make money? 

Trading 212 offers commission-free trading and also charges no custody fees. So, how does it make money? 

Well, one source of revenue is CFDs – here it makes money from the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sell price of a CFD. Another source of revenue is interest on uninvested cash. 

Who is Trading 212 regulated by and is it safe? 

In the UK, Trading 212 is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In the unlikely event of a default, FSCS compensation is up to £120,000. 

With Trading 212, your cash is held at some of the world’s largest banks where it is ring-fenced. This means that it is held separately to the firm’s money.

As for shares, Trading 212 works with The Bank of New York Mellon and IBKR to safeguard your assets. Here, shares are ring-fenced and completely segregated from the company’s assets. 

So overall, the platform operates within safeguarding requirements. There are obviously risks that come with investing on the platform, however, especially if trading CFDs. App and platform 

Trading 212 offers desktop access and an app. The app, which has a 4.7 rating in Apple’s App Store – tends to be more popular with customers. 

Through the app, you can trade stocks and ETFs, check your account balances, analyse your portfolio and asset allocation, and research individual companies and ETFs. The interface is clean and suitable for both beginners and advanced investors. 

One issue to be aware of, however, is that the company is constantly tweaking the app and desktop interfaces. Some users find this frustrating. 

Added value and research 

Trading 212 offers more investing information than a lot of other low-cost platforms. On its ‘Learn’ page, there are many educational articles. 

That said, some topics are not explained that well. As a result, beginner investors could end up a little confused. 

One handy feature on the platform is the Trading 212 Hotlist. This shows the most popular stocks among its customers. 

On the downside, there doesn’t seem to be any investment research on the platform. The only source of investment ideas is the Hotlist. 

Customer service 

You can contact Trading 212 24/7 via the ‘contact us’ function in the app. This connects you with the T212 chat assistant who can connect you with an agent from the customer care team on chat.

It should be noted, however, that some users have complained about poor customer service. One common theme is withdrawals, these seem to be an issue for many users.

Please note, when investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Tembo’s Easy Access Cash ISA allows savers to earn 4% AER (variable) on up to the 2026/27 ISA allowance of £20,000 per tax year, while keeping interest tax-free under the ISA wrapper. The account is designed to be simple and app-based, allowing customers to track their balance and interest growth through the Tembo mobile app. Interest accrues daily and is paid monthly, which helps savers benefit from compounding over time. The account also offers unlimited withdrawals without reducing the interest rate, making it suitable for people who want access to their savings without locking money away. Withdrawals can take up to 2 working days to process. One unusual feature is that Tembo links its savings accounts with its mortgage brokerage service. Customers who open a Tembo savings account are offered fee-free mortgage advice, which the company promotes as an added benefit for those saving for a house deposit. Savings held through Tembo are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), although the protection level depends on the underlying partner bank where the funds are held. Tembo states that funds are protected up to £120,000, reflecting the structure of its savings arrangements. Is There a Catch? The headline rate includes a temporary bonus for the first 12 months. Once the bonus expires, the rate will fall unless Tembo increases the underlying rate. Overall, Tembo’s Cash ISA is competitive for new savers who want flexibility and a strong introductory rate, but the bonus structure and lack of transfers mean it’s worth reviewing the rate again after the first year. If you're happy to lock away your savings for a year, it's worth checking out Tembo's 12-month Fixed Rate Cash ISA, which was offering a higher rate than its easy access ISA when we checked.

The 4% rate is not guaranteed. XTB’s ISA terms confirm that interest is calculated daily and credited monthly at a variable rate that may change. This means the base rate could rise or fall depending on market conditions.

Is Your Money Held in a Bank or a Money Market Fund?

Another key consideration is where client money is held. XTB states that Cash ISA funds may be placed in segregated client money bank accounts or in one or more Qualifying Money Market Funds (QMMFs).

If funds are placed in a QMMF, they are not treated as bank deposits and do not benefit from traditional FSCS deposit protection in the same way as money held in a bank account. Instead, they fall under FCA client asset rules, with FSCS investment protection potentially applying in the event of firm insolvency, but not against investment losses.

Is XTB's Cash ISA worth it?

XTB's 4% is competitive but not the best rate we found. And funds may be held in a money market fund rather than a traditional bank account.

If you are putting money away in the long run, the stock market can offer much better returns, so investing in a stocks and shares ISA may make you more money.

Moneyfarm’s Cash ISA allows savers to earn tax-free interest on cash savings, with a current introductory rate of 3.87% AER (variable) in the first year. After 12 months, the rate drops to 3.57% AER (variable).

Interest is calculated daily, and you can deposit up to the £20,000 annual ISA allowance each tax year. Moneyfarm also allows free ISA transfers, so existing Cash ISA balances can be moved into the account without affecting your annual allowance.

Unlike traditional bank savings accounts, Moneyfarm holds customer cash in Qualifying Money Market Funds (QMMFs). These funds invest in short-term, low-risk instruments and are designed to act like cash while generating interest. The rate paid on the account is linked to the yield of these funds, meaning it can change if market rates move.

The account also offers some flexibility, allowing withdrawals when needed without penalties.

What’s the Catch?

The 3.85% headline rate only lasts for the first 12 months, after which the account reverts to 3.55%.

To maintain the boosted rate, savers must keep at least £500 in the account and limit withdrawals to 3 per year. Exceeding this reduces the rate to the lower level.

Finally, because savings are held in money market funds rather than a bank deposit, returns are variable and can change depending on market conditions.

Is Moneyfarm's cash ISA safe?

Yes, the Moneyfarm Cash ISA is FSCS-protected up to £120,000 per eligible person (this is the limit for investments rather than deposits), with cash held via qualifying money market funds managed by regulated institutions. However, because the rate is variable and linked to these funds, returns can change over time.

The Lightyear Cash ISA remains competitive thanks to its simple pricing, flexible terms and rate that tracks the Bank of England base rate, currently 3.75% AER (variable). You can withdraw and replace money without affecting your £20,000 ISA allowance, and there are no account fees, transfer charges or short-term bonus rates that later drop.

While the rate is solid, it now sits more in the middle of the market in 2026, with some rivals like Tembo offering slightly higher easy-access ISA rates. However, many of those come with bonus periods, withdrawal limits or tiered rates that can fall after the first year. Lightyear’s appeal is its straightforward approach: one variable rate that follows the base rate and no penalties for withdrawals.

Lightyear UK is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). FSCS protection applies to cash held with partner banks (typically up to £85,000 per person per bank), though this protection does not apply to money held in qualifying money market funds.

Yes, we rate CMC Invest's 3.69% Flexible Cash ISA as excellent as it comes with unlimited withdrawals and no fees.

Customers can easily transfer existing ISAs in-app, benefit from FCA regulation and protection of client money, and access the account within CMC’s wider investing platform, which serves over 1.5 million global users. The ISA is fee-free to hold (with an optional £15 urgent withdrawal fee) and sits alongside CMC Invest’s subscription plans that add investing features, lower FX fees and broader market access for those using the wider platform.

Rates: Wealthify’s Cash ISA currently pays 3.35% AER (3.30% tax-free p.a., variable) with interest calculated daily and paid monthly. Because the rate is variable, the amount you earn can rise or fall over time, typically moving in line with changes in the wider interest-rate environment. One advantage of using Wealthify is that savers can easily move into investment products on the same platform if savings rates fall and they want the potential for higher long-term returns.

As Wealthify's Cash ISA interest rate is variable, the amount of money you get monthly will go up and down in line with any rises or falls in the Bank of England's base rate.

But, the good thing about saving with Wealthify is that if rates go down again, you can switch into investments. One of the things that came up when I interviewed the then Wealthify CEO Andy Russell, back in 2020 was that it's hard to educate people to invest rather than save, so hopefully, this may be people's first step into a wider world of investing.

Market access & protection:  Wealthify's ISA is also flexible, so you can withdraw and replace money within the same tax year without affecting your £20,000 ISA allowance.

However, as the FSCS's compensation limit of £120,000 is per banking licence, and the Wealthify Cash ISA is powered by ClearBank, this means the £120,000 limit is shared across all accounts you hold with ClearBank. For example, if you have £100,000 saved in a Wealthify Cash ISA and £40,000 saved in another account powered by ClearBank elsewhere (including the Wealthify Instant Access Savings Account), only £120,000 of your deposits would be eligible for FSCS protection.'

App & platform: Wealthify’s website and app are simple and beginner-friendly, making it easy to open and manage a Cash ISA online.

Customer service: Although there are no branches, customers can contact Wealthify’s UK-based support team by phone, email or live chat if they need help.

Research & analysis: Wealthify provides guides, blogs and educational content about saving and investing, helping users learn more if they decide to move from cash savings into investments in the future.