invest
Investing for the future is one of the most effective ways to build long-term wealth, protect your money from inflation, and give yourself financial freedom later in life. Dividends, in particular, are powerful because they provide a stream of passive income while allowing your investments to grow. Reinvesting your dividends over time can significantly accelerate your wealth building.
Some great investing platforms are InvestEngine, WeBull, and Robinhood. Some banking and budgeting apps also offer investing, such as Emma, Plum, and Monzo. This is helpful as all of your money is stored in one app.
InvestEngine
InvestEngine is a UK-based platform focused on ETF investing, offering both build your own and managed portfolios, fractional investing, automated savings plans, and commission-free trades.
Pros:
-
Offers savings portfolios, ISAs, and SIPPs
-
Low-cost investing - 0% platform fee for DIY portfolios, 0.25% annually for managed portfolios
-
Focuses on ETF investing, with access to 500+ ETFs split into categories,
-
Offers one-click rebalancing, fractional share investing, and automated savings plans
-
ETFs are a great starting point for learning about investing and different asset classes
-
FCA-regulated and FSCS protection up to £85k
Cons:
-
Limited to ETF investing while others offer more options
-
Minimum investment threshold of £100 to start a portfolio
Start investing with InvestEngine and get a free £20 - £100 bonus just for creating an account!
WeBull
WeBull is a more advanced platform for more experienced investors. WeBull have advanced trading tools which are great for serious traders, but can be confusing for new starters.
Pros:
-
Advanced trading tools which are useful for serious traders
-
Low fees, no minimum deposits, and low commission of 0.025%
-
Offers fractional US shares and a paper-trading demo account
Cons:
-
Limited UK offerings - only US, Hong Kong, and China stocks
-
Limited range of services in the UK - no ETFs, options, ISAs, or SIPPs in the UK
-
Currency conversion fees as traded in USD
Start using WeBull and get a free reward of up to $300 in fractional shares!
Robinhood
Robinhood is a great platform for new investors, with a highly intuitive interface which is perfect for while you learn about investing. Robinhood also offer high interest rates on your idle uninvested cash.
Pros:
-
Zero commissions on trading US stocks and fractional shares, with no FX or platform fees
-
High interest on idle uninvested cash
-
Very easy to use for new investors
Cons:
-
Limited investment types - US-only stocks, no ISAs
-
No FSCS protection safety net
Create a Robinhood account for welcome bonus worth between $7 - $175!
Emma
Emma is a budgeting tool, offering spending insights, automated savings, cashback deals, and investing.
Pros:
-
Seamless integration within the app. Track your finances in one app, with alerts and dividend reinvestment
-
Low entry threshold, easy watchlists, and real-time updates
Cons:
-
Limited scope - only US equities, no tax wrappers like an ISA or SIPP, not FCA-regulated as a broker
-
Currency conversion charges
Sign up here for an extended 30 day free trial with Emma!
Plum
Plum is a budgeting app which gives spending insights, automatic savings such as rainy day savings, savings pots, and investing all in one app.
Pros:
-
Budgeting and investing in one app
-
Start with £1, which you can invest into thematic funds
-
ISA and pension support, and autosaving functions
Cons:
-
Limited fund selection
-
Advanced features behind paid tiers
-
Premium tiers and fund costs may add up
Join Plum here to start saving and investing in one platform!
Monzo
Monzo is a great app for transferring money, splitting savings into pots, and investing in a range of ready-made funds.
Pros:
-
Convenient as it is built into the Monzo banking app
-
Invest from £1 into risk-related BlackRock funds
-
ISA option available
-
Easy to learn the essentials to investing as you go
-
Good range of funds - divided into risk-related ones, sector specific ones, and ones for specific countries
Cons:
-
Relatively expensive investing platform as the fund fees can be up to 0.6%
-
Fewer options and limited control compared to other investing platforms
Start investing through Monzo!