What we say
Holly's View
Holly has accounts with all the providers on our website and independently reviews all of them.
BMO was better known as F&C before being acquired by the Bank of Montreal. This group was a big player in the Child Trust Fund space and so will have a lot of teenagers today on its books. With a fixed fee of £72 a year for ISAs this is decent enough. Offers access to a solid 10 investment trusts. Website is basic and help with which investments to pick could be improved.
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Overall Summary
Overview
The Onboarding process is clear enough and some help is given to compare the various investment options.
Mobile & Apps
BMO recently released an app to the market. Whilst it does allow users to monitor their portfolio and track their transactions; the interface is severely limited and trades cannot be conducted.
The app design is plain and there are no eye-catching features or gimmicks.
Nothing fancy - but it is functional and a step in the right direction.
Behind the scenes
Both the regular website and logged-in experience are easy-to-use, clear to follow and allow the user to navigate towards desired information efficiently. However, whilst the website has helpful articles and a wealth of relevant content, information behind the scenes is severely limited.
For users who like to visualise their investments, track their progress and dissect their portfolio, this is lacking and will leave you extremely frustrated.
Investment Choice
Products
Stocks and Shares ISA
Junior ISA
Investment Account
Investments available
Investment Trust
The 'Geeky' Details
Provider details
BMO offers a decent range of investment trusts along with the flagship F&C Investment Trust which is a mixed bag of global shares. Fixed fees on accounts (£72 for an ISA, £48 for a GIA and £30 for a Junior ISA) are decent. As with all fixed fee models, it becomes more cost-effective the more that you invest. BMO recently lowered the minimum investment to £25 a month and have waived the 0.2% dealing charge completely, increasing both the accessibility and competitiveness of its offering.
For investors who prefer the structure and benefits of investment trusts (you can read more about this here (https://www.boringmoney.co.uk/learn/articles/what-is-an-investment-trust/)) and are happy with a limited range of decent investments from a well-established and well-respected global fund manager, this could be the place for you. BMO will suit those who want minimum fuss and a decent website; but is not for people who want to pick and choose from a wide range of funds/shares.
Important Facts & Figures
Provider Size:
A huge global fund manager that manage over $850b (CAD) in assets. They have been in the game for a long time, with their Investment Trust founded over 150 years ago.
Minimum amounts:
£25 per month
£100 minimum lump sum