Review Methodology

The five criteria

Every product we review or include in a "Best of" list is assessed on the same five criteria. The relative weight of each criterion is shown in brackets.

1. Total cost of ownership (40%) — fees, platform charges, FX, dealing costs, trail commissions. Total cost over a typical 5-year hold dominates the long-run user outcome more than any other variable.
2. Product range (20%) — does the provider cover the wrappers, products and account types most UK users actually need? A platform missing an ISA, SIPP, JISA or LISA is structurally less useful than one that covers them.
3. Standout features (15%) — anything materially different from the competition. Fractional shares, automated investing, integrated cash interest, and similar features count here.
4. App and platform experience (15%) — usability, reliability, advanced tooling. Scored from direct use of the product, not from marketing copy.
5. Regulatory protection and trust (10%) — FCA authorisation, FSCS coverage, complaints history, ownership, length of UK trading. Binary in most cases — non-FCA brands don't make our lists at all.

Why total cost gets the most weight

For UK personal finance products, the gap between the best and worst provider on cost is typically 5–10× the gap on any other criterion, compounded over a typical holding period. A user holding £20,000 for 20 years at 0.15% all-in cost keeps roughly £5,000 more than the same user paying 0.45% all-in. That gap is bigger than every other criterion combined.

The scoring process

For each product, an editor researches the five criteria from primary sources (provider documentation, the FCA register, published rate cards, our own use of the product where possible). Findings are scored and the product's overall ranking is computed. The methodology is documented in each review's "How we scored" box.

When we update

Reviews are checked at least every six months. The "Last reviewed" date on every page reflects the most recent check. If a provider materially changes a fee, feature or product range between scheduled reviews, we update the affected pages immediately.

What disqualifies a brand from inclusion

• Not authorised by the FCA (non-negotiable floor)
• Outstanding regulatory action or significant complaints volume
• Products primarily aimed at high-risk speculation (retail CFDs, leveraged crypto products, gambling-adjacent finance)
• Material conflicts of interest with their own user base

Brands ruled out for the third reason can still appear if they offer a non-speculative product — for example, Trading 212 appears for its share-dealing ISA, but the review notes that we do not recommend its CFD product.

Affiliate relationships and ranking

If we have an affiliate relationship with a brand, that has no effect on its ranking. The five criteria are weighted and applied identically regardless of whether a brand pays a commission. See the affiliate disclosure for the full list of brands we have relationships with.