How we calculate fees
Platform fee
We support four fee models, detected automatically from the platform’s data:
Tiered percentage (HL, Fidelity): Each portion of your portfolio is charged at the rate for that tier. For example, HL charges 0.45% on the first £250,000, then 0.25% on the next £750,000. A £300,000 portfolio pays: (£250,000 × 0.45%) + (£50,000 × 0.25%) = £1,125 + £125 = £1,250.
Simple percentage with cap (AJ Bell, Vanguard): Portfolio × percentage rate, capped at a maximum. AJ Bell caps ISA ETF fees at £42/year.
Flat fee (Interactive Investor, Freetrade): A fixed annual amount regardless of portfolio size.
Zero fee (InvestEngine, Trading 212): No platform charge.
Dealing fees
Dealing fees are calculated as:
dealing cost = max(0, annual trades − free trades) × cost per trade
Interactive Investor includes 12 free trades per year in their monthly subscription. Additional trades cost £5.99 each.
Total annual cost
total = platform fee + dealing fees
Rounded to the nearest pound.
What we don’t include
- Fund OCF (ongoing charges figure): This is charged by the fund itself and applies regardless of which platform you use. We exclude it from platform comparisons.
- FX charges: Currency conversion fees for overseas shares.
- One-off fees: Transfers, paper certificates, CHAPS payments.
- Interest on cash: Some platforms pay interest on uninvested cash — not included.
Data sources
All fee data is sourced directly from each platform’s charges page. Source links are shown on every platform page. We update data when platforms publish changes.
Limitations
- Fees shown are for the stated assumptions. Changing portfolio size, asset type, or trading frequency will change the result.
- Promotional rates and new customer offers are not included.
- Some platforms have minimum fees or charges that may apply to small portfolios — these are noted where applicable.
- SIPP fees may include pension-specific charges not captured here.
Last updated: April 2026