Looking for trickle feed tracker

doberryfirkin

innovate wrote: »

(they don't include HL)

Wonder why HL wont participate? Says a lot...

kevin52

Could someone please explain why they invest in trackers through a platform rather than go direct when it is no cheaper and possibly dearer?

brasso

doberryfirkin wrote: »

Wonder why HL wont participate? Says a lot...

No it doesn't.

You ask: "Wonder why?" which suggests you don't know why, then you say "Says a lot" as if you do know why. Which is it?

I'm guessing the implication is that HL is more expensive, and trying to conceal it. Not my experience, but that's incidental.

It may be that they think this sort of attempted price comparison is too simplistic, or that it's trying to compare apples with oranges.

It's a bit like having a comparison site for fish and chip restaurants. Here is a list of restaurants and prices. Great. Would you automatically rush to the cheapest?

It may be that the cheapest is the best. But it might not be.

jimjames

kevin52 wrote: »

Could someone please explain why they invest in trackers through a platform rather than go direct when it is no cheaper and possibly dearer?

If you only have trackers and your direct provider has all the ones you want then this may be valid. Most people would generally have a mix of trackers and active funds so they couldn't get them all from the same direct route but can via a platform.

A number of platforms are still free and you can't get cheaper than that!

doberryfirkin

jimjames wrote: »

A number of platforms are still free and you can't get cheaper than that!

Please elaborate.

Perelandra

doberryfirkin wrote: »

Please elaborate.

HL will (probably) work out the cheapest if you want one or two Vanguard trackers, or the SWIP UK Index tracker alone. Other platforms/brokers may be cheaper if you want a suite of trackers, or have a low starting amount.

This table:

http://monevator.com/compare-uk-cheapest-online-brokers/

gives a good breakdown for some of the major players (including HL), although you'll still need to do some maths to work out which is best- particularly if the fund you're buying still gives trail commission that is partly/fully refunded- or if you're trying to compare pre-and-post RDR flavours of the same fund.