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Which Share/Fund dealing platform?

Between myself and my OH we have 2 ISAs, 2 share dealing accounts and a SIPP with Alliance Trust. I have just found out that they are putting their fees up again and it is prompting me to see if there is a better option out there.

What share dealing platforms does everyone else use? I have a mixture of funds and investment trusts across all 5 accounts.

I need an platform with a straightforward, easy to use website for online trading and something that can give valuations for given periods - i have had experience of Fidelity and hated it!

Thanks for any help.
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Comments

  • I use Charles Stanley for ISAs and AJ Bell YouInvest for SIPPS and trading.
    I've been with Charles Stanley for a while though I now prefer th You Invest layout and info. It's cheaper too...
  • silvermum
    silvermum Posts: 250 Forumite
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    I've been using Interactive Investor for a couple of years now due to their very low costs, but you get what you pay for - their customer service is RUBBISH! I no longer have any confidence in them to follow through with anything I ask. I've been compensated once already by them for an ISA transfer which took 8 months to complete. Just today I was chasing them about reclaiming the tax relief on a SIPP payment from 18 months ago. It turns out that the person 'dealing with it' left some months ago and cases don't seem to be passed on...grr..
  • Have a look at http://www.comparefundplatforms.com/compare.aspx , should help whittle it down to a few contenders for you.
  • george4064
    george4064 Posts: 2,930 Forumite
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    I use HL for my ISA, as all my ISA is made up of individual shares and ITs I only pay £45 per annum admin fees.
    "If you aren’t willing to own a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes” Warren Buffett

    Save £12k in 2025 - #024 £1,450 / £15,000 (9%)
  • Thanks for all the replies, lots of ideas to consider - especially the link to comparefundsplatform. Just shows that for some situations Alliance is by no means the most expensive. Interesting.
  • cloud_dog
    cloud_dog Posts: 6,334 Forumite
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    george4064 wrote: »
    I use HL for my ISA, as all my ISA is made up of individual shares and ITs I only pay £45 per annum admin fees.
    Just a comment... The OH uses TD Direct (for both normal and ISA dealing accounts) and doesn't pay any annual admin fees (holding direct shares and ITs). I use X-O and likewise do not pay any annual admin fee (fro direct and IT investments).

    EDIT: X-O whilst good is very basic.
    Personal Responsibility - Sad but True :D

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  • I find it strange that with all the services out there that there isn't a true comparison site that lists them all, I'm with idealing.com but never see them on any lists, no idea why - only time I see a mention has been indirectly when I've seen tv programmes on BBC and ITV which do a piece on share clubs and you can see in the background that they're with idealing.

    Anyway I went with them (donkeys year ago) for basic buy/selling shares and the pricing was easy for me to understand, basically £5 a quarter admin fee per account and just under £10 per trade, not had any issues with them, like their phone app, dividends appear in my account on the official payment day, my ISA transfer from an external bank went ok a few years back. I'm sure there cheaper alternatives, I look around see what else is on offer, for my usage popular providers like hargreaves and iii are more expensive for me and I've read all the current issues iii customers are raising with late payments of dividends.

    I had wondered about IPO offerings, my provider covers the odd one, the last well known one to come through was the Post Office, will wait to see if they offer Lloyds when it comes up. Is it something people think about when choosing a service? I'd be interested in the offer but not if I had to purchase elsewhere as think allocation will be too low to warrant to outside costs.
  • dunstonh
    dunstonh Posts: 119,853 Forumite
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    edited 6 March 2016 at 4:56PM
    I find it strange that with all the services out there that there isn't a true comparison site that lists them all

    Comparison sites that exist in motor, household etc dont show all those either. Just the products chosen to retail via that method. The product versions on comparison sites may differ to that available via brokers or IFAs or other distribution channels. There are an awful lot of decent products that you wont see on comparison sites and some providers will have a cut down version for low price on comparison sites and a fully featured option available for purchase elsewhere.

    IFAs have comparison tools but we have to pay for them. If they were offered freely then the companies would lose their income. Even the ones we have to use will only show the providers that retail via intermediaries and not the DIY versions.

    Comparison sites take a commission. Commission is banned with platform class investment class business (although not all investment class business on the DIY side has it banned)
    I am an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). The comments I make are just my opinion and are for discussion purposes only. They are not financial advice and you should not treat them as such. If you feel an area discussed may be relevant to you, then please seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser local to you.
  • masonic
    masonic Posts: 27,427 Forumite
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    I find it strange that with all the services out there that there isn't a true comparison site that lists them all, I'm with idealing.com but never see them on any lists, no idea why - only time I see a mention has been indirectly when I've seen tv programmes on BBC and ITV which do a piece on share clubs and you can see in the background that they're with idealing.

    Anyway I went with them (donkeys year ago) for basic buy/selling shares and the pricing was easy for me to understand, basically £5 a quarter admin fee per account and just under £10 per trade, not had any issues with them, like their phone app, dividends appear in my account on the official payment day, my ISA transfer from an external bank went ok a few years back. I'm sure there cheaper alternatives, I look around see what else is on offer, for my usage popular providers like hargreaves and iii are more expensive for me and I've read all the current issues iii customers are raising with late payments of dividends.

    I had wondered about IPO offerings, my provider covers the odd one, the last well known one to come through was the Post Office, will wait to see if they offer Lloyds when it comes up. Is it something people think about when choosing a service? I'd be interested in the offer but not if I had to purchase elsewhere as think allocation will be too low to warrant to outside costs.
    iDealing has been mentioned here before, but they have very confusing information regarding their charges (I couldn't work out if the trading fee was £9.90, £2.10 or £1.65 - all three were listed). From what you say above, they are not that cheap - compared to the likes of Degiro, who come with some caveats around compensation schemes and stock lending. Quite a few use X-O.
  • bigfreddiel
    bigfreddiel Posts: 4,263 Forumite
    This weeks 4mar - 10 mar, edition of Investors Chronicle has a feature on dealing platforms.

    Cheers fj
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