Stocks & Shares ISA, robo-advisors & apps in the UK
A Stocks & Shares ISA lets you invest up to your annual allowance with no UK tax on gains or dividends. Robo-advisors (e.g. Nutmeg, Vanguard Managed ISA) manage the portfolio for a fee; apps like Trading 212 or Freetrade let you choose funds and shares yourself. FSCS investment protection covers firm failure (up to £85,000), not market losses.
Comparison
| Product | Rate / return | Cost | Conditions | Promo end | Protection | Risk | Verified | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard UK – ISA / Managed ISA | No guaranteed return | DIY: £4/month under £32,000, 0.15%/year at £32,000+ (max £375). Managed ISA: 0.15%/year (cap £375) + fund costs | Fund costs extra (e.g. ETFs 0.01%–0.26%). | n/a | FSCS investments up to £85,000 if the firm fails — not market losses | medium Market risk | ✅ official source for Vanguard UK – ISA / Managed ISA | |
| Freetrade – Stocks & Shares ISA | No guaranteed return | FX fee on non-GBP trades 0.99% / 0.59% / 0.39% depending on plan; plan prices pending verification | Interest on uninvested cash varies by plan. | n/a | FSCS investments up to £85,000 if the firm fails — not market losses | medium Market risk | ✅ official source for Freetrade – Stocks & Shares ISA | |
| Nutmeg – robo-advisor ISA | No guaranteed return | pending verification | Official fee page could not be read this week. | n/a | FSCS investments up to £85,000 if the firm fails — not market losses | medium Market risk | ⏳ pending verification official source for Nutmeg – robo-advisor ISA | |
| Trading 212 – Invest / ISA | No guaranteed return | pending verification | Official page blocked automated checks. | n/a | FSCS investments up to £85,000 if the firm fails — not market losses | medium Market risk | ⏳ pending verification official source for Trading 212 – Invest / ISA |
Order: as collected, not a sponsored ranking. "Pending verification" values could not be confirmed on the official website and must not be used to decide. Sources: "official source" link in each row · how we read protection.
Not sure whether to save or invest? Take the Save, invest or both? quiz or read the basics.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I put in an ISA?
The overall allowance is £20,000 per tax year across all your ISAs (check gov.uk for any changes).
Robo-advisor or DIY?
A robo-advisor charges a management fee to build and rebalance; DIY in a low-cost global index fund can be cheaper but requires discipline.