UK Investment Platform Fee Calculator 2026
Enter your portfolio size and see exactly what you pay each year on Interactive Investor, Hargreaves Lansdown, Vanguard, and AJ Bell — including where ii is not the cheapest.
HL and AJ Bell charge differently for funds vs shares. Most investors hold funds or ETFs.
Annual savings vs Interactive Investor (Core or Plus plan)
10-year total fees (assuming same portfolio size, no growth)
New customers only. Fund with £5,000+ within 12 months to activate. Capital at risk.
Methodology & assumptions
All fees verified from official provider websites, April 2026.
- Interactive Investor: Core plan £5.99/mo (£71.88/yr) for portfolios up to £100,000; Plus plan £14.99/mo (£179.88/yr) above £100,000. Platform fee only — trading fees not included.
- Hargreaves Lansdown: Fund/ETF charge: 0.35% up to £250k, 0.25% £250k–£1m, 0.10% £1m–£2m, 0% above £2m (no annual cap on funds). Shares-only: 0.35% capped at £150/yr. Mixed: blended estimate. Fees effective 1 March 2026.
- Vanguard: 0.15% per year, capped at £375/yr. Vanguard funds only — cannot hold other providers' funds or individual shares on Vanguard's platform.
- AJ Bell: Funds: 0.25% up to £250k, 0.10% £250k–£500k, 0% above £500k (no cap). Shares ISA: 0.25% capped at £42/yr. Shares SIPP: 0.25% capped at £120/yr. Mixed: blended estimate.
- Platform fees only. Trading fees, fund OCFs, FX charges, and stamp duty are not included.
- Assumes a single ISA account. Multiple accounts on HL are charged separately; ii includes all accounts in one flat fee.
- This is not financial advice. Fees can change — always verify on the provider's website before making a decision.
How UK Investment Platform Fees Work in 2026
Most UK investment platforms charge in one of two ways: a flat monthly fee (like Interactive Investor) or a percentage of your portfolio (like Hargreaves Lansdown). Understanding which model suits your portfolio size is the single most important fee decision you can make.
Why portfolio size is everything
Percentage-based fees grow with your portfolio — a 0.35% charge on £10,000 is £35/yr, but on £250,000 it's £875/yr. A flat fee stays fixed. This means there is always a crossover point above which the flat-fee platform becomes cheaper. For Interactive Investor vs Hargreaves Lansdown (at current rates), that crossover is around £20,600 for a portfolio holding funds or ETFs.
Where Interactive Investor is genuinely the cheapest
For any portfolio holding funds or ETFs above approximately £21,000, ii's flat fee beats HL. Above £48,000, it beats Vanguard too. Above £29,000, it beats AJ Bell on funds. For large portfolios the savings are substantial — a £250,000 ISA costs £875/yr on HL vs £180/yr on ii, a saving of £695 every single year.
Where Interactive Investor is NOT the cheapest — honestly
For portfolios under £20,000, percentage-based platforms are cheaper. Vanguard charges just £15/yr on a £10,000 ISA vs ii's £72/yr minimum. For investors who hold only individual shares (no funds or ETFs), both Hargreaves Lansdown (capped at £150/yr) and AJ Bell (capped at just £42/yr for an ISA) are cheaper than ii at any portfolio size. Vanguard does not allow individual shares at all — only Vanguard funds and ETFs.
The referral offer: 12 months free on top of everything
New Interactive Investor customers who sign up via a referral link and fund their account with £5,000+ within 12 months get their first year with no platform fee — saving £72 (Core) or £180 (Plus). This can also be stacked with the transfer cashback bonus (up to £3,000, ends 30 April 2026). If ii is cheaper for your portfolio size, the referral offer makes year one even more compelling.
Fee sources (all verified April 2026)
- Interactive Investor fees & charges
- Hargreaves Lansdown charges
- Vanguard UK fees explained
- AJ Bell charges
This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Fees shown are platform custody fees only. Always verify current fees on each provider's website before making a decision. Capital at risk. Interactive Investor is authorised and regulated by the FCA.