Funds Explained: The Ultimate No-Nonsense Guide
Discover how funds let you invest in 30-60 companies with one single purchase. This no-nonsense guide explains active vs passive, bonds vs shares, and which investment strategy suits you best.
Everything you need to know about funds
Dive in and find out what funds are, how they work and the pros and cons of investing in them!
Comparing Mutual Funds, ETFs, and Investment Trusts
Compare mutual funds, ETFs, and investment trusts to find your ideal investment structure. Learn key differences in pricing, liquidity, management styles, and costs to build a diversified portfolio that matches your financial goals.
The cost of investing: 8 fees and charges investors should know
Understanding investment fees is crucial for maximizing returns. This guide explains OCF, platform charges, dealing fees, and hidden costs, plus proven strategies to minimise expenses and grow your wealth efficiently.
Best-selling funds
Every month, Boring Money collects data to bring you the most popular funds across the top investment platforms in the UK. Read on below to see the best-selling investments on AJ Bell, Fidelity, Hargreaves Lansdown and interactive investor every four weeks.
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Your questions answered!
Welcome to Boring Money's expert Q&A section. We collaborate with financial experts to provide clear answers on investments, pensions, and other money topics. We can help explain ISAs, pensions, and other financial products to help inform your decisions. Submit your question here for practical guidance from our team or our contributors.
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Frequently ask questions about funds
What are the best-selling funds in the UK?
Boring Money tracks the UK’s best-selling funds by collecting data from four of the biggest investment platforms: AJ Bell, Fidelity, Hargreaves Lansdown and interactive investor. The list updates every four weeks, showing which funds DIY investors are buying most.
What's the difference between active and passive funds?
Active funds employ a manager who picks investments to try to beat the market, typically costing 75p-95p a year per £100 invested. Passive funds, also called trackers or index funds, simply copy an index such as the FTSE 100 for around 8p-12p per £100. Passive delivers market returns cheaply; active aims higher, with no guarantee.
What's the difference between a mutual fund, an ETF and an Investment Trust?
Mutual funds (OEICs and unit trusts) are open-ended and priced once a day. ETFs trade on a stock exchange throughout the day like shares and are usually cheap trackers. Investment trusts are listed companies with a fixed number of shares, so their price can trade above or below the value of their holdings, and they can borrow to invest.
What fees do you pay when investing in funds?
There are three main charges. The fund's ongoing charges figure (OCF) covers running costs and is taken from the fund automatically. The platform fee is what your investment provider charges to hold your account, either a percentage or a flat fee. Dealing fees may apply each time you buy or sell. Together, these can significantly reduce long-term returns.
What is an OCF (ongoing charges figure)?
The ongoing charges figure (OCF) is the annual cost of running a fund, shown as a percentage of your investment. It covers management fees, administration and other operating costs. An OCF of 0.2% means paying £2 a year for every £1,000 invested. It's deducted from the fund's value, so you won't see a separate bill.
Where can I buy funds in the UK?
Most UK investors buy funds through an online investment platform, such as AJ Bell, Fidelity, Hargreaves Lansdown or interactive investor, usually inside a Stocks & Shares ISA or pension for tax benefits. Platforms differ on fees, fund choice and tools, so compare them before choosing.