Very yellow. Bit dull. Safe. Reliable.
It works pretty well and is simple enough to navigate, even for beginners.
What we say
Holly's View
Holly has accounts with all the providers on our website and independently reviews all of them.
This is an OK option for investors who don’t really want to dig deep into the world of investing. If you fancy a pretty vanilla approach from a big brand, and have insurance with Aviva which you can see on one big dashboard with any ISAs, then this is OK. If you like investing, or want to learn, it’s not your best option. Costs are fair and the big brand is a comfort to many more nervous investors.
Customer reviews
We collect reviews and share feedback from real users to give you the best information about providers.
Your opinion matters!
Leave a review for Aviva
Overall Summary
Best Buy 2021
Best Buy for Beginner Pension
Ease of use
The upfront landing page is clear and reasonably engaging.
Reviews for Aviva are mostly positive, with many citing the platform’s simplicity and ease of use. There are occasionally a few grumbles about the customer service. The strength of the brand is also frequently mentioned.
Online chat is available and pops up if you sit still for a minute or two!
Mobile & Apps
The Aviva app has been improved upon, with the ability to research, sign up, trade and add money all functional. It also neatly links to very mobile friendly web pages with good functionality and portfolio information. Like the desktop version, it is pretty good and simple to navigate. Despite not being integrated into the app, the mobile experience is easy to use.
Behind the scenes
The online experience is very traditional and works well enough. No complaints.
But then when the snail mail kicks in – OMG! The letters are substandard and alienating. We received five letters from Aviva after opening our test account. One of these was half complete and two of these had ‘Add Line 1’, ‘Add Line 2’ etc. in the address fields. The five letters could easily have been merged into one as they each contained a small piece of information about the new account.
Investment Choice
Products
Stocks and Shares ISA
Investment Account
Pension
Investments available
Own brand funds
Funds from other groups
Investment help
Robo advice / ready-made portfolios
Includes a shortlist of investments
Pick your own funds
The 'Geeky' Details
Provider details
A big household name, Aviva offers easy entry with a £50 per month minimum. The website is nice and simple and offers a shortlist of 4 ‘ready-made’ ISA funds which spread your money around lots of different shares and investments. Ballpark costs for an ISA, including fund charges, are 0.75% which is £7.50 a year on £1,000.
For those that want to pick their own investments, there is a much wider range of funds available, but you can’t buy individual company shares.
Although it's quite a bland service and experience, it's from a massive solid brand which will comfort some. And it is fairly straightforward to park your money into a solution which is managed and maintained for you on an ongoing basis at an OK fee.
Important Facts & Figures
Provider Size:
Large insurance and pension firm / huge global brand
Minimum amounts:
£50 minimum monthly amount
£500 minimum initial amount
Aviva