Which one is the best shares/stocks trading platform for beginners?

ColdIron

Flobberchops wrote: »

Within a S&S ISA, are you tied to a particular platform

An ISA is a product offered by a particular platform or ISA manager at that platform so basically yes

Eco_Miser

Flobberchops wrote: »

Within a S&S ISA, are you tied to a particular platform or can you choose your own?

First you choose a platform, then open an ISA account with it.

If you change your mind you can transfer the ISA to a different platform.

You can also open ISAs with different platforms in different years.

So, one platform per ISA, but you can change it.

Flobberchops

Aah, thanks for the info. So, if I went for a Barclays S+S ISA I'd be tied to Barclays Stockbrokers, if I wanted a Halifax S+S ISA it'd be with whatever platform Halifax uses, etc?

panter

Hargreaves Lansdown. The only thing I have heard against them is they are not always the cheapest.

I have experience of others (eg Alliance Trust) and they less user-friendly, some have limitations, faults even. Some are just a pain in the ar*e to use. You really don't need hassle when you're on an investment platform.

I would recommend Hargreaves. Excellent website, excellent human beings if you c*ck something up and need help.

Eco_Miser

Flobberchops wrote: »

Aah, thanks for the info. So, if I went for a Barclays S+S ISA I'd be tied to Barclays Stockbrokers, if I wanted a Halifax S+S ISA it'd be with whatever platform Halifax uses, etc?

Don't go to a bank for financial advice - they can only sell you their own (or a small panel of) products. Mostly don't go to a bank for a platform (Halifax Sharedealing and their white label Iweb are an exception, but go direct online, not through the high street bank). ISA's are simply tax wrappers, and if someone's trying to sell you a pre-packed, brand-name one, avoid it.

With most platforms, once you open and fund an ISA account, you can buy within the tax-wrapper any share or bond traded on the London Stock Exchange, and any fund (collective investment into shares and bonds) from a UK regulated fund manager (Some only do shares, some only do funds, some might not carry specific funds).

marvin

Simple platform is Halifax cheap is XO