Compare investment options

Find out how to choose what kind of investment suits you and compare investment options.

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Find out how to choose How to choose a provider

There are loads of different ways to invest, all suited to different types of people depending on how much you’ve got to invest, how much time you want to commit to investing and how much risk you fancy taking. We’ve compiled some different types of investments to help you understand what it is you’re after and help you get the most out of your money. You can also find out some key things you’ll want to consider when deciding how to invest.

Meet Finder’s investment experts

Our team can help you navigate the world of investing. We start with the basics – like why people invest – explain the jargon and offer practical tips.

Zoe Stabler DipFA
Senior investment writer

Danny Butler
Senior investment publisher

Louise Bastock
Deputy editor

Alice Guy
Investment and tax writer

Roland Head
Investment writer

Liz Edwards
Editor-in-chief

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What is investing?

Investing is where you put your money into shares, property, government bonds, commodities and other financial instruments with the hope of making a profit. Some people like to choose individual company shares and instruments to invest in and create their own “portfolio“. Other investors aren’t interested in creating a portfolio themselves and prefer to choose a ready-made portfolio and pay an additional fee for an expert to manage it on their behalf.

What to consider before you invest

There are a couple of things you need to consider when choosing the best investments.

  • Have you got an emergency fund? If you have a bit of cash floating about and don’t have an emergency fund, it could be worth putting it aside in an easy access savings account to make sure you can get hold of it if you need it. Ideally you have a couple of months worth of living expenses set aside in case anything goes wrong, just to ensure that you’re covered.
  • Do you have any debt? If you have any expensive debt like credit cards, loans, payday loans or anything else in that category, consider paying it off first. The likelihood is that you’ll save more money in interest on these balances than you’d earn on your investments.
  • How much money do you have to invest? The amount you have available to invest makes a huge difference in what you’ll want to invest in – it’s partly due to risk, which we get onto a bit later, but also about how well you diversify your portfolio.
  • How long do you want to invest for? This is a huge consideration when investing. If you reckon you’ll need the money in the next three years, it’s probably not a good idea to invest it. You’re better off looking for a high interest savings account to put it away. If you’ll need it soon, make sure it’s easy access.

Do I need a financial advisor?

If you’re lucky (or hard working) enough to have a large amount of money to invest (we’re thinking sums above £50,000), you might want to consider getting yourself a financial adviser. Not that you couldn’t do it yourself, of course, but with such a large chunk of money, you might find value in someone else’s expertise (and save yourself a few headaches!). A financial advisor will help you build a portfolio that suits you, your investment needs and desires and that matches your attitude to risk. They can keep track of it and make changes to it to make sure it stays on track.

Investment products

Shares

When you buy Shares you take ownership of a fraction of a company. As the value of that company goes up or down, your investment does too.
Learn more

Stocks and Shares ISA

Stocks and shares individual savings accounts (ISAs) let you invest without having to pay tax on your profits.
Learn more

ETFs

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are a type of fund that’s listed on a stock exchange.
Learn more

SIPPs

Self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs) are private pensions where you manage the investments yourself.
Learn more

How to choose the right investment platform

You need to ensure that you make smart decisions about your investments so they match what you’re looking for.

  1. Figure out which investment option suits you. Do you want a hands on approach or would you prefer to sit back and let the experts manage your investments? We’ve detailed some of your choices below.
  2. Compare providers. Take a look at our comparison table below to compare investment providers.
  3. Choose between your chosen provider’s choices. Some providers have a series of different risk profiles to choose between. You may also get the choice to invest in an ethical portfolio. If you choose to create your own portfolio, check out some of their tips for choosing investments.
  4. Choose the type of account you want. Some providers let you invest in an ISA, which lets you use your ISA allowance, or a pension, which lets you save for retirement.

Compare investment providers

Table: sorted by promoted deals first
Name Product Ratings Finder rating Customer rating Min. initial deposit Price per trade Frequent trader rate Platform fee Offer Link
Finder Award
OFFER
Freetrade
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
★★★★★
User survey
£0
£0
-
£0 - £9.99
Receive a free share worth up to £100 when you deposit £50 within 30 days into your account. T&Cs apply.

Capital at risk

Platform details
FREE TRADES
IG Share Dealing
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
★★★★★
User survey
£250
UK: £8
US: £10
EU: 0.1% (min €10)
UK: £3
US: £0
EU: 0.1% (min €10)
£0
Get 0% commission on US shares when you make 3+ trades in the previous month.

Capital at risk

Platform details
FREE TRADES
eToro Free Stocks
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
★★★★★
User survey
$50
£0
N/A
£0

Capital at risk

Platform details
OFFER
CMC Invest share dealing account
Finder score
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
Not yet rated
£0
£0
N/A
£0
Get a £50-£250 bonus when you transfer your account to CMC Invest. T&Cs apply.

Capital at risk

Platform details
Saxo Markets Share Dealing Account
Finder score
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
Not yet rated
£500
£8
N/A
0.12% per year

Capital at risk

Platform details
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Name Product Ratings Finder rating Customer rating Minimum deposit ISA fee Price per trade Offer Brand description Link
Finder Award
OFFER
Freetrade stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
★★★★★
User survey
£2
£4.99 per month
£0
Get a free share worth up to £100 when you open an ISA. ISA rules & terms apply.

Capital at risk

Platform details
CMC Invest flexible stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
Not yet rated
£0
£10 per month
£0
Transfer your ISA by the 30th of June and get a £50-£250 bonus based on how much you transfer (T&Cs apply).

Capital at risk

Platform details
IG stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
★★★★★
User survey
£0
0.5%
UK: £3
US: $0

Capital at risk

Platform details
OFFER
Scottish Friendly stocks and shares ISA
Not yet rated
Not yet rated
Not yet rated
£100 or £10 a month
1.5%
N/A
Get a welcome gift up to £75 when you start investing (T&Cs apply)

Capital at risk

Platform details
Fidelity stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
★★★★★
User survey
£1000 or a regular savings plan from £50
0.35%
£10.00
Fidelity is another good all-rounder, offering a good package at a decent price. Not suited for trading shares. Capital at risk.

Capital at risk

Platform details
interactive investor stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
★★★★★
User survey
£9.99 a month
£9.99 per month
£5.99

Capital at risk

Platform details
Saxo Markets stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
Not yet rated
No minimum deposit requirement
0.12%
£8.00
Saxo Markets offers a wide access to a range of stocks, ETFs and funds. Capital at risk.

Capital at risk

Platform details
Halifax stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
Not yet rated
£20
£36
£9.50

Capital at risk

Platform details
OFFER
Bestinvest
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
★★★★★
User survey
£0
0.4%
£4.95
Get up to £1,000 cashback when you transfer your account over to Bestinvest. T&Cs apply.

Capital at risk

Platform details
Shepherds Friendly stocks & shares ISA
Not yet rated
Not yet rated
Not yet rated
£30 monthly or £100 lump sum
1.5%
3%
Claim your free shopping voucher up to £50 when you pay into a stocks & shares ISA. T&Cs apply

Capital at risk

Platform details
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Name Product Ratings ISA fee Invest from Price per trade Offer Link
IG stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
0.5%
£250
UK: £8
US: £10
EU: 0.1% (min €10)

Capital at risk

Platform details
OFFER
Scottish Friendly stocks and shares ISA
Not yet rated
1.5%
£10
N/A
Get a welcome gift up to £75 when you start investing (T&Cs apply)

Capital at risk

Platform details
Finder Award
OFFER
Freetrade stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
£4.99 per month
£0
£0
Get a free share worth up to £100 when you open an ISA. ISA rules & terms apply.

Capital at risk

Platform details
Chip stocks and shares ISA
Not yet rated
£5.99 per 28 days
£1
£0

Capital at risk

Platform details
interactive investor stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
£9.99 per month
£0
£5.99 (with one free trade per month)

Capital at risk

Platform details
CMC Invest flexible stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
£10 per month
£0
£0
Transfer your ISA by the 30th of June and get a £50-£250 bonus based on how much you transfer (T&Cs apply).

Capital at risk

Platform details
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Name Product Ratings Annual fee (% of amount invested) Portfolios on offer Invest from Offer Link
InvestEngine stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
Managed portfolios are 0.25%
13 including fully managed options
£100

Capital at risk

Platform details
OFFER
Moneyfarm stocks and shares ISA
Finder score
★★★★★
0.35% - 0.75%
7 including fully managed options
£500
Make up to £750 cashback when you invest in a stocks & shares ISA before April 30th. T&Cs apply.

Capital at risk

Platform details
Wealthify stocks and shares ISA
User survey
★★★★★
0.6%
7 including fully managed options
£1

Capital at risk

Platform details
Finder Award
Moneybox
Finder score
★★★★★
User survey
★★★★★
0.45%
6 including sustainable and fully managed options
£1

Capital at risk

Platform details
Legal & General stocks and shares ISA
Not yet rated
0.25%
5 including fully managed options
£20

Capital at risk

Platform details
Shepherds Friendly stocks & shares ISA
Not yet rated
1.5%
2 portfolios - one for sustainable companies and one for a broad range of investments
£100
Claim your free shopping voucher up to £50 when you pay into a stocks & shares ISA. T&Cs apply

Capital at risk

Platform details
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1 - 7 of 7
Name Product Brand description Min investment Min monthly investment Number of funds Transfer available Offer Link
NO FEE
Interactive Investor SIPP
interactive investor is a flat-fee platform, which makes it cost effective for larger portfolios. Capital at risk.
£0
£25
3000
Open a SIPP and pay no SIPP subscription fee for your first 6 months. Terms apply. Capital at risk.

Capital at risk

Platform details
Freetrade SIPP
£0
£0
6000

Capital at risk

Platform details
Hargreaves Lansdown SIPP
Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK's biggest wealth manager. It's got three different retirement options. Capital at risk.
£100
£25
2500

Capital at risk

Platform details
BONUS
Penfold SIPP
£0
£0
4 Portfolios
Bonus of up to £1000 for your pension when tranferring to Penfold

Capital at risk

Platform details
Moneyfarm SIPP
Moneyfarm has pensions that are matched against your risk appetite, goals and planned retirement date. Capital at risk.
£1,500
£0
7

Capital at risk

Platform details
AJ Bell SIPP
AJ Bell has two different pension options, a self managed pension and one that is managed for you. Capital at risk.
£1,000
£1
2000

Capital at risk

Platform details
Saxo Markets SIPP
Saxo Markets gives flexibility and control over your investment strategy. Capital at risk.
£10
£0
11000

Capital at risk

Platform details
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All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.

Pros and cons of investing

Pros

  • With savings rates only going as high as 2% at the moment, there’s the potential of much higher returns on your savings with investing. But this isn’t guaranteed.
  • With income investing or dividend stocks, you have the chance to receive a regular income when investing.
  • If you invest in an ISA, you aren’t taxed on your profits (if you invest up to £20,000 per tax year)

Cons

  • It’s risky. Investments can go down in value as well as up, so it’s important to consider the risks and only choose ones that you’re comfortable with.
  • It can be time consuming to keep track of your investments and balance your portfolio
  • For those interested in robo-advisors, it can be pricey to have an expert manage your portfolio for you.

Bottom line

Investing is a good way of earning some extra interest on your savings, and putting away money regularly can be a really healthy habit. Make sure you choose a provider that suits you, the type of investing you want to do, and the risks you want to take on board.

You can invest for the long term, with a pension, as well as the shorter term, with an ISA or general investment account. You can also invest for your children with junior products. If you do plan to invest your money, ensure you don’t need it in the next few years to allow it to grow.

Ready to compare investment options?

All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.

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