S&S ISA Providers: 2026/27
UK Stocks & Shares ISA Provider Comparison (2026/27)
Practical UK Stocks & Shares ISA provider comparison for 2026/27: Vanguard / Trading 212 / InvestEngine / AJ Bell / Hargreaves Lansdown / Interactive Investor / Freetrade across platform fee + trade fee + features, cost crossover points by portfolio size, transfer mechanics, JISA + LISA availability, and how dividends + foreign withholding work inside the wrapper.
Top UK S&S ISA providers
| Provider | Platform fee | Trade fee | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Investor | 0.15% (cap £375/yr at £250k) | £0 fund / £7.50 ETF | Vanguard funds only. Best for index investors with simple needs |
| Trading 212 | 0% (interest on cash) | £0 commission stocks + ETFs | Wide range, fractional shares, $0 minimum, mobile-first. Best for active stock pickers |
| InvestEngine | 0% (DIY) / 0.25% (managed) | £0 | ETFs only. Auto-investing + rebalancing. Best for ETF-only investors |
| AJ Bell | 0.25% (funds) / £25/yr cap (shares + ETFs) | £1.50 fund / £5 share + ETF | Wide range + research. Best for £40k+ portfolios shifting to shares + ETFs (£25 cap) |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | 0.45% (funds) capped £45/yr (shares + ETFs) | £0 fund / £11.95 share + ETF | Best research + customer service but priciest funds. Best for £30k+ share-focused portfolios (£45 cap) |
| Interactive Investor | £4.99-£11.99/month flat | £3.99 per trade (free monthly trade) | Flat fee best for £50k+ portfolios. Most cost-effective at scale |
| Freetrade | £0 (Basic) / £5.99/mo (Plus) | £0 | Simpler UI, fewer features. Best for beginners + small portfolios |
Who should use which provider
- First-time investor with under £10k: Trading 212, InvestEngine, or Freetrade Basic. 0% all-in. Simple UI.
- Index investor going Vanguard route: Vanguard Investor 0.15% platform + 0% fund fees + their FTSE Global All Cap (£10k+ portfolios).
- Active stock picker: Trading 212 (free) or Freetrade Plus (£5.99/mo for more features).
- £50k+ multi-asset portfolio: Interactive Investor £9.99-£11.99/mo flat = cheaper than percentage fees at this scale.
- £100k+ share-focused portfolio: HL or AJ Bell with their £25-£45 cap on shares + ETFs.
- Research-heavy investor: HL (best research portal). AJ Bell second.
- JISA: Vanguard, HL, AJ Bell, Moneybox.
- LISA: Moneybox or AJ Bell.
Frequently asked questions
Which provider is cheapest for me?
Depends on portfolio size + activity. Rule of thumb crossover points: Under £20k: Trading 212 (0% all-in), Freetrade Basic (0% with limits), InvestEngine 0%. £20k-£50k: Vanguard 0.15% if using only Vanguard funds. £50k-£100k: Vanguard if Vanguard-only, else AJ Bell or HL with cap on shares + ETFs. £100k+: Interactive Investor flat fee £4.99-£11.99/month wins on most usage patterns. Calculate annual cost = platform fee + trade fees expected. Free fund switching usually available; share + ETF trading attracts per-trade fees on most platforms.
Can I transfer ISAs between providers?
Yes. Use the formal ISA transfer process. Cash ISA + Stocks & Shares ISA can be transferred in part or full. Transfer ABOUT IN SPECIE (keeping investments intact) vs CASH (sell + re-buy at new provider) - in specie usually preferable to avoid out-of-market periods + minimise CGT events (though within ISA, no CGT applies anyway). Costs: receiving provider usually covers transfer fees up to £500. Some specialist providers charge exit fees - check terms. Timeline: cash transfers ~15 working days; in-specie ~30 working days. Don't withdraw + redeposit - that loses the ISA wrapper.
Is "free" really free?
Mostly yes for index investors + simple ETF holders. Trading 212 + Freetrade + InvestEngine are genuinely free for their core service. How they monetise: (a) interest on uninvested cash (your idle cash earns lower interest while they earn full market rate), (b) Payment for Order Flow (PFOF) - controversial but legal in UK - small per-trade revenue, (c) Premium tiers for advanced features. Costs you might miss: (a) FX spreads on US shares typically 0.5%, (b) gift / inheritance withdrawal fees, (c) paper statements. For typical UK index-investing usage, the free providers are honest about it.
Should I use multiple providers?
Generally NOT for ISA. You can only fund ONE Stocks & Shares ISA per tax year (technically from April 2024 you can fund multiple but it complicates tracking; most stick to one). For SIPP / GIA / Lifetime ISA you can have multiple. Reasons to consider multiple: (a) different features at different providers (HL research + Trading 212 free dealing), (b) FSCS protection diversification (£85k per platform), (c) different access for spouse / partner / children. Reasons NOT to: simpler tracking, fewer logins, easier transfers later. For most: ONE main provider for ISA + occasionally a secondary for specific features.
What about Junior ISAs?
Subset of provider offerings. Vanguard offers JISA (popular for low-cost index investing for kids). AJ Bell + HL offer JISA. Trading 212 + Freetrade do NOT currently offer JISA. Limits: £9,000/year (2026/27), locked until 18. Many parents use JISA + Junior SIPP combination. Setup: contributing parent / grandparent doesn't need to be the platform account holder; child holds the JISA in their own name. At 18, JISA automatically becomes a normal ISA in the child's name + they have full control.
Lifetime ISA providers?
Very limited compared to general S&S ISA. Major LISA providers: AJ Bell, Hargreaves Lansdown, Moneybox, Tembo, Nutmeg. Vanguard does NOT offer LISA. Trading 212 does NOT offer LISA. Most LISA savers use Moneybox or AJ Bell. £4k/year max + 25% government bonus. Locked until first home purchase up to £450k or age 60. See our LISA guide.
Are crypto ISAs available?
No. UK does not currently allow crypto holdings within ISA wrappers. Cryptocurrency held outside ISA is subject to CGT (18%/24% rates) + Income Tax on mining / staking / DeFi. Some platforms offer crypto-exposed ETFs (e.g. iShares Bitcoin Trust, Invesco Bitcoin ETF) that CAN be held in S&S ISA - giving tax-free crypto exposure indirectly. But direct crypto custody in ISA is not yet permitted as of mid-2026 + has not been announced.
How are dividends taxed in S&S ISA?
Tax-free. Dividends from UK shares + funds + ETFs + bonds held within an S&S ISA are NOT taxed in the UK regardless of size. This is the main S&S ISA advantage vs taxable General Investment Account. Outside ISA: dividends use £500 Dividend Allowance (2026/27) + then taxed at 10.75% / 35.75% / 39.35% (basic / higher / additional rate, post Autumn Budget 2025 +2pp uplift on the ordinary and upper rates). Foreign withholding tax may still apply to overseas dividends - check W-8BEN on US shares (most platforms handle this). Foreign withholding generally cannot be reclaimed within ISA.
Related guides
- UK ISA Strategy Complete Guide 2026/27 - holistic ISA planning.
- UK Cash ISA vs Taxable 2026/27 - Cash ISA alternative.
- UK Lifetime ISA 2026/27 - first home / age 60.
- UK SIPP vs Personal Pension 2026/27 - parallel pension wrapper.