What we say
Holly's View
Holly has accounts with all the providers on our website and independently reviews all of them.
This site is for the confident investor who knows what they are doing, and who is looking for a low-cost, no-frills service. Price is the USP and for any less confident investors there is very little help, content, guidance or substance to offer a more rounded experience.
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Overall Summary
Ease of use
Navigating this site can be a bit frustrating. Researching shares and funds is not intuitive and the fund information, supplied by Morningstar, is factual without offering much help about what to actually pick and why. It’s difficult to zip through the website, as everything is cluttered and the content is extremely text heavy.
Mobile & Apps
There is no investment app available. The website is not particularly mobile-friendly, especially when assessing potential fund choices. Investors are even advised to only attempt certain functions on desktop.
Behind the scenes
If you know what you want – to get in, trade and then get out – it works fine. And at £12.50 a year to hold an ISA here, with additional trading fees, it’s easy to see why they don’t spend a lot on development. Really depends on what the individual wants but the less confident will get lost.
Ready-made
Low charges for larger portfolios due to fixed-fee model
Investment Choice
Products
Stocks and Shares ISA
Junior ISA
Investment Account
Pension
The 'Geeky' Details
Provider details
Halifax charge a set £36 yearly admin fee for their Stocks & Shares ISA, making it a cheaper alternative for both medium and larger portfolios than pretty much anyone else. Annual costs of a pension of more than £50,000 are £180 plus transaction fees. The website lacks sophistication and user-friendliness, feeling quite old-school and stuffy.
They do offer 3 ready-made funds, varying in risk – however these funds were launched in September 2019 and hence lack any meaningful track record. There is also a shortlist of 96 funds available, produced by global research house Morningstar. The site also supports trading UK, US and European equities.
Trading fees are £9.50 per trade, falling to £2 a trade if you set up a regular trading plan.
Important Facts & Figures
Provider Size:
A sizeable platform, administering billions. Part of FTSE 100 listed company Lloyds Banking Group.
Minimum amounts:
£0 minimum investment