Stocks and Shares
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Discover our Pluto round-up of some of the best investment platforms on the market for investing in stocks and shares.
Introduction
In this comparison table, we present some of the best providers available on the market for users wanting to access and trade stocks and shares. We’ve covered a breadth of different platforms, so you can easily compare fees, key features, and minimums of each provider.
Stocks, shares, and equity
A stock, also known as a share or equity (often used interchangeably), represents ownership of a company. When investors purchase stocks, they are essentially buying a portion of that company. Companies issue shares as a means of raising capital to fund their operations, expansion, and other financial needs. They’re traded on stock exchanges, and their prices can fluctuate based on various factors, including the company's performance, market sentiment, economic conditions, and industry trends. Investing in stocks is probably the most common way for individuals to participate in the financial markets, often with the attempt to build long-term wealth.
How are share prices determined?
Simply put, the price of a given share is largely determined by supply and demand. If more people want to buy the share, than the number of shares available, the share price will go up. In the reverse, if more people want to sell their shares, the price of the share will fall.
What factors can impact share prices?
Several factors can impact a share’s price, ultimately by affecting supply and demand in some way.
Financial performance
Sometimes referred to as fundamentals, investors tend to look at a company’s financial position both now and forecasts for the future. This includes information like the company’s revenue, and profitability, which are shared publicly in periodic financial reports.
News and press
Investors around the world often keep up to date with the latest news on a company or an industry. Their perception of the information may differ, which will also influence their decisions to buy or sell, thus impacting the demand for a share.
Economic data
GDP figures, boom cycles, and recessions can all have a major impact on investor sentiment - being they are bullish or bearish about particular markets, geographies, and assets, like shares.
How much do I need to get started?
Almost all investment platforms have a minimum amount you can invest. This is the lowest amount of money an investor can add to their account, and use to buy things like shares with. In the UK, this generally ranges anywhere between £1-£50, but can even be as high as £500 or more with certain providers of certain accounts.
How do I get started?
You’ll need to research and choose a reliable, secure platform that offers stocks and share investing in the UK. You may want to consider things such as minimum deposit amounts, fees, customer service, and any other things important to you in a prospective broker. You’ll also want to consider the risks of investing before getting started.
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Name | Min. deposit | Assets | Fee per trade (fixed or variable) | Platform fee (flat fee) | Offer | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
£1 | Shares, ETFs, ISAs, SIPPs | £0 - £3 | £0 | £5 cashback | ||
£0 | Shares, ETFs | £0 (ETFs) - £1 (shares) | £0 | £10 fractional US share | ||
£0 | Shares, ETFs, funds, ISAs, SIPPs | £0 - £3.99 | £ 4.99 - £19.99 p/m | - | ||
£1 | Shares, ETFs, funds, ISAs | £0 | £1 p/m + 0.45% p/m + <0.58% p/a | - | ||
$50 | Shares, ETFs, crypto, forex, commodities, indices, CFDs | £0 (shares/ETFs) - 1% (crypto) | £0 | - | ||
£2 | Shares, ETFs, ISAs, SIPPs | £0 | Up to £11.99 p/m | - | ||
£1 | Shares, ETFs, ISAs, CFDs, forex, indices, commodities | £0 | £0 | - |
T&Cs apply. Fees may apply. Capital at risk.
T&Cs apply. Fees may apply. Capital at risk.
T&Cs apply. Fees may apply. Capital at risk.
T&Cs apply. Fees may apply. Capital at risk.
T&Cs apply. Fees may apply. Capital at risk.
T&Cs apply. Fees may apply. Capital at risk.
T&Cs apply. Fees may apply. Capital at risk.
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