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Vanguard UK Review

Written by Elizabeth Anderson
Fact-checked by Steven Hatzakis
Edited by Jeff Anberg

November 21, 2025

Elizabeth Anderson

Elizabeth Anderson is the lead writer and researcher for UK.StockBrokers.com. She has been a financial journalist for more than a decade and has written for major publications including BBC, The Times, and Bloomberg.

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Your capital is at risk.

Vanguard U.K. Investor is part of the Vanguard group, one of the world’s largest fund managers. The platform is built around low costs, simplicity, and long-term investing, offering a range of index funds and ETFs that have made Vanguard a global favourite among cost-conscious investors. As such, Vanguard is particularly appealing to beginners and long-term savers who want a reliable, low-maintenance way to grow their money.

verified#1 SIPP Provider

Minimum Deposit: £500
ISA: Yes
SIPP: Yes

Ratings Awards Historical Ranking

4.0

OVERALL SCORE

Investment Choices
Charges & Fees
Website
Education
Mobile App
Ease of Use

Check out UK.StockBrokers.com's picks for the best investment platforms in 2025.

#1 SIPP Provider

Winner

2025	#20
2024	#17

Why you can trust us

Led by Elizabeth Anderson, Lead Writer and Researcher, the UK.StockBrokers.com research team collects data and tests products on an ongoing basis. We review the tools and features most important to U.K. investors – including beginners, casual investors, passive investors, and active traders.

We collect and track data on trading charges, fees, and interest rates to make it easier to understand the cost of investing in the U.K. We analyze a wide range of savings and investment offerings, like ISAs, SIPPs, investment portfolios, pensions, and active trading accounts. We hand-collect and audit data across more than 50 variables in our coverage of the best U.K. investment platforms.

Our researchers open personal brokerage accounts and test all available platforms on desktop, web, and mobile for each broker reviewed on UK.StockBrokers.com. Learn more about how we test.

Pros & Cons Vanguard Fees Range Of Investments Vanguard ISA Review Mobile Trading Apps Trading Platforms Education Final Thoughts Vanguard Star Ratings FAQs

Pros & cons

thumb_up_off_alt Pros

Excellent value for portfolios above £32,000.
Great for low-cost, diversified investing.
Ideal for beginners seeking simple, long-term options.

thumb_down_off_alt Cons

Limited to Vanguard funds and ETFs only.
Website experience could be improved.
£4 monthly fee is steep for small portfolios.
Other platforms may be cheaper for larger portfolios.

My top takeaways for Vanguard UK Investor in 2025:

Vanguard has a £4 monthly fee for investors with less than £32,000 across all its accounts. If you have less than £32,000 held on the Vanguard platform, this fee will make the platform more expensive than some competitors. However, Vanguard's simplicity will appeal to many.
Vanguard offers a range of accounts, including SIPPs and ISAs, for tax-efficient investing.
There is no ability to buy shares, investment trusts, or to invest in alternative assets, such as commodities or crypto with Vanguard.
Vanguard has increased the educational material on its website in the past few years, featuring around 100 articles on a range of topics, such as how ETFs work.

Vanguard fees

Vanguard is widely recognised for its low costs, but its fee structure is most beneficial for investors with medium to large portfolios. While charges are simple and transparent, the minimum monthly fee can make Vanguard expensive for small balances, especially compared with platforms that charge no custody fees at all.

Platform fees: Vanguard charges a straightforward platform fee of 0.15% per year, applied across all the accounts you hold on the platform. This fee is capped at £375, meaning once your combined investments exceed £250,000, you will not pay more than £375 annually. Vanguard does, however, have a minimum charge of £4 per month, which means that small portfolios—typically those under £10,000—can face proportionally high costs.

The minimum fee does not apply to junior ISAs, where the standard 0.15% platform charge is used instead. For example, a £5,000 Junior ISA would cost just £7.50 per year, working out to less than £1 per month.

Fee example: On a total investment of £1,000, for example, you’d pay fees of £48 with Vanguard — equivalent to a 4.8% annual percentage platform charge. In comparison, AJ Bell charges platform fees of 0.25%, equal to £2.50 in this example, and Hargreaves Lansdown charges up to 0.45% (£4.50), while a platform such as Trading 212 or XTB don't charge platform fees for the ISAs.

Management fees: Like all investment platforms, there are separate annual management fees for each fund you invest in. These average at 0.2% across Vanguard’s funds but the cheapest fund is just 0.07%. Vanguard has cut fees on several ETFs in 2025. For example, the Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF, which invests in 3,600 company stocks worldwide and is one of the most popular ETFs on Vanguard's U.K. platform, has dropped to 0.19% from 0.22%.

Trading fees: There are no fees for buying, selling, or switching funds. Vanguard places bulk deals twice a day, and your purchase will be included in that for free. However, if you want to buy or sell an ETF in real-time, you’ll pay a £7.50 fee.

There are no exit or transfer fees.

Vanguard offers great value for money for investors with mid to large portfolios. However, if you have a portfolio worth more than £100,000 then a platform that charges a flat fee — such as Halifax, Interactive Investor (ii), or even Hargreaves Lansdown — may be more economical. Halifax, for example, charges £36 a year for its ISA or share dealing account although you do pay trading charges, unlike with Vanguard. Another option could be InvestEngine, which offers a similar service to Vanguard but doesn't charge platform fees.

You should weigh up how often you’ll be trading and your investment choices when working out which is the better value.

Feature	Vanguard UK Investor
Minimum Deposit info	£500
Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month info	N/A
Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month info	N/A
Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month info	N/A
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 info	£48 - £375
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K info	£375
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m info	£375
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over info	£375
Bonds - Corporate - Fee info	N/A
Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee info	N/A
ETFs - Fee info	£0
Investment Trusts - Fee info	N/A
Telephone Dealing Fee info	N/A

query_stats What type of trader are you?

New to the world of investing? See my picks for the best UK trading platforms for beginners. More experienced traders should check out my guide to the best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders. If you're looking to trade shares on the go, read my guide to the best UK stock trading apps.

Range of investments

Vanguard offers a deliberately simplified investment range, focusing exclusively on low-cost mutual funds and ETFs. While this means you can’t buy individual shares, investment trusts, or alternative assets, it creates a streamlined platform that strongly suits long-term, buy-and-hold investors.

You can invest across global markets, including the U.K., U.S., Europe, and emerging markets, through diversified funds and ETFs rather than picking individual securities. These can be held in a Vanguard ISA, SIPP, junior ISA, general account, or self-employed pension.

Vanguard offers a streamlined selection of index funds and ETFs, giving investors simple access to global markets.

Funds

Funds are the heart of Vanguard’s platform, and the selection, around 90 index funds and ETFs, is designed to offer broad global diversification at very low cost. Popular choices include the FTSE 100 Index Fund, the S&P 500 UCITS ETF, and the FTSE All-World UCITS ETF, which now has a reduced fee of 0.19%.

Vanguard’s well-known Lifestrategy range is especially appealing for beginners. These all-in-one portfolios combine global equities and bonds in different proportions (such as 20%, 60%, or 80% equity) and automatically rebalance, making them a simple starting point for long-term investors.

Vanguard’s LifeStrategy funds offer low-cost, diversified portfolios for long-term investing that you can track.

Vanguard also offers a “Managed ISA” option, matching investors with one of five portfolios to reflect their saving goals and attitude to risk for an average cost of 0.52%. These investments are regularly monitored and adjusted by Vanguard to suit your risk level and investment preferences.

Vanguard's Managed Personal Pension (SIPP) works in a similar way, creating an investment plan for you depending on your attitude to risk, the age you plan to retire, and how much you'd like to invest. Total fees are around 0.62% a year, including Vanguard's 0.15% platform fee and fund management fees of 0.47%.

Feature	Vanguard UK Investor
Share Trading info	No
CFD Trading info	No
ETFs info	Yes
Mutual Funds info	Yes
Bonds - Corporate info	No
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info	No
Investment Trusts info	No
Spread Betting info	No
Crypto Trading info	No
Advisor Services info	Yes

Vanguard ISA review

Vanguard’s stocks and shares ISA is a great choice for new investors looking for simplicity. You get access to a wide range of low cost, diversified funds and ETFs. You can invest in a diversified fund such as the Lifestrategy range, or can select the Managed ISA option where the portfolio is rebalanced when needed, according to your risk profile.

It’s easy to sign up for the ISA, and the Vanguard ISA is flexible, giving you the ability to withdrawal money and replace it within the same tax year. There is perhaps a higher entry point than other platforms. You can invest from £100 per month or with a minimum £500 lump sum.

Charges are on the low side, averaging about 0.41% a year. If you invested £50,000 in a Lifestrategy fund, for example, you’d pay Vanguard platform fees of £75 (0.15%) and an average fund management cost of £130 (0.26%), meaning total annual charges of £205.

Vanguard’s ISA can work out more costly than other platforms if you hold less than £20,000, due to the minimum £4 monthly fee. But some think £4 a month is a small price to pay for an easy-to-access diversified investment ISA.

An alternative to Vanguard could be InvestEngine, which offers Vanguard funds and ETFs (in addition to ones from other providers) but doesn’t charge a platform fee.

With Vanguard’s ISA you can view fees, compare fund performance at a glance, and see and manage your holdings.

Mobile trading apps

Vanguard’s mobile app is functional but extremely basic, offering only the essential features needed to manage a long-term portfolio. It works well for investors who simply want to check their balance or make regular contributions, but it lacks many of the tools and features offered by more modern investing apps.

One downside is that you can't open an account in the mobile app, you have to go through the website.

Elizabeth's take:

"In my testing, I found the app quite comprehensive. It’s great to see all my accounts on the go, without having to log into the platform on a web browser, as used to be the case before the mobile app was introduced. It means I can check my accounts more frequently. You can see in bullet points where the bulk of your investments are held, such as in equity funds, cash, or ready-made portfolios."

Elizabeth Anderson

Trading platforms

Vanguard’s trading platform is intentionally simple, offering a clean and straightforward website that prioritises ease of use over advanced tools or research features. While this minimal approach makes the platform accessible for beginners and long-term passive investors, it lacks many of the analytical tools, market data, and educational content found on more comprehensive investment platforms.

I found it easy to open an account in just a matter of minutes. You can link to another account, which means you can view another person’s account (with permission) and they can see yours. This is handy for couples when managing their household finances. Other investment platforms, such as Hargreaves Lansdown and AJ Bell, also offer this feature. You can also see Junior ISA accounts you may hold for any children. Vanguard doesn't offer junior SIPPs.

Research, help, and support are more limited than at other brokers. But Vanguard’s lack of extensive investor options means it is easy enough for even a novice investor to figure out. You can filter funds by risk appetite, asset class, or geographical location. Just pick a fund and start investing. There are no charges for switching investments if you feel you have made an error. It’s worth doing some reading elsewhere on the difference between accumulation and income choices and how to decide whether you want to lean towards equities or bonds. Interactive Investor, Hargreaves Lansdown, Fidelity or AJ Bell are helpful for this type of guidance.

Feature	Vanguard UK Investor
Web Platform info	Yes
iPhone App info	Yes
Android App info	Yes
Stock Alerts info	No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info	0
Charting - Drawing Tools info	0
Charting - Notes info	No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info	No
Charting - Stock Overlays info	No
Charting - Index Overlays info	No

Education

Vanguard’s educational offering is solid but limited, providing useful written guidance for beginners while lacking the breadth and variety found on more comprehensive platforms. However, Vanguard has increased the educational material on its website in the past few years, featuring around 100 articles on a range of topics such as how ETFs work, teaching your children about the value of money, and how to choose between income and accumulation.

There are no podcasts or webinars. I think it would be great if Vanguard could offer more variety of educational content on its website and app.

You can create a Portfolio Valuation Report from your account. This includes a pie chart showing your asset allocation — such as how much you have in U.K. equities and other global equities — along with gains and losses since your initial investment. This is created in a matter of seconds and is helpful for seeing all your funds and total gains or losses in an understandable list format.

Feature	Vanguard UK Investor
Education (Share Trading) info	No
Education (Funds) info	Yes
Education (Retirement) info	Yes
Client Webinars info	No
Client Webinars (Archived) info	No

Final thoughts

Vanguard is basic in functionality and choice but offers a very good service for less experienced investors and those looking for simple long-term investments — perhaps those looking ahead to retirement. Fees in general are low, although if you have only a small amount to invest, there will likely be other cheaper platforms. Vanguard is worthy of consideration by savers looking to take a hands-off approach to investing, either through an ISA, SIPP, or general investment account.

Vanguard Star Ratings

Feature	Vanguard UK Investor
Overall Rating
Charges & Fees
Investment Choices
Mobile App
Website
Ease of Use
Education

FAQs

Who is Vanguard?

Vanguard is one of the world’s largest investment managers and was founded by Jack Bogle in 1975. Vanguard is known for its low-cost, straightforward investing approach with an emphasis on passive funds. It launched its online service in the U.K. in 2017, and offers ISAs and SIPPs.

Is Vanguard good for beginners?

Vanguard is a great option for beginner investors. You can be confident you are putting your money with a reputable brand that has been in business for many years. It offers the chance to build or access diversified investment portfolios at a very low cost. The limited investment range also means you can easily select a fund without having to trawl through thousands of options. However, if your interests lie in learning how to actively trade shares, you will find better options elsewhere.

Watch out for the new £4 monthly fee, which can work out to be quite expensive with only a small amount invested. If you only have a small amount to invest (less than £20,000), you may be better with another platform charging lower fees.

Does Vanguard have an app?

Vanguard launched its U.K. mobile app in September 2024. On the app, you can view your accounts, see all your investments, buy and sell funds, and set up a monthly payment.

Is a Vanguard stocks and shares ISA good?

A Vanguard stocks and shares ISA is worth considering as it’s easy to open one, the fees are low, and the investment options are not too overwhelming. You can either self-direct your own funds to invest in, or pick Vanguard’s Managed ISA, where investing decisions are taken for you. You can pay into multiple investment ISAs each year, so you could hold a Vanguard ISA alongside an ISA offered by another provider if you are looking for a wider range of investments. However, make sure you don't go over the £20,000 total annual ISA allowance. Other options for ISAs in the U.K. include Trading 212, Freetrade, AJ Bell, InvestEngine, XTB, or Hargreaves Lansdown.

How do Vanguard’s funds compare to other brokers?

Vanguard’s funds are focused on low costs by taking a passive approach, although Vanguard does offer some active funds. Passive funds ‘track’ the overall performance of an entire market index, such as the FTSE 100 or S&P 500. They come with lower fees than active funds where managers research and pick individual shares or bonds they think are going to do well. Vanguard’s approach is that by keeping fees as low as possible, investors have the potential to make greater returns over time.

What kind of customer support does Vanguard offer?

You can phone Vanguard for help and technical support Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, which will appeal to many investors as not all investment platforms in the U.K. offer the chance to speak to someone on the phone. However, Vanguard doesn’t offer a live chat experience in the app, which could be a downside for some.

Our testing

Why you should trust us

Elizabeth Anderson has been a financial journalist for more than a decade. She’s written for major national newspapers, contributed to corporate reports and research, and reviewed dozens of share dealing platforms, SIPP providers, ISAs, and brokerage firms. Elizabeth started her career at Bloomberg and has worked for the BBC, The Telegraph, The Times and the i newspaper. She is passionate about helping people understand finance and investing. A keen investor herself, Elizabeth invests through general dealing accounts, ISAs and several SIPPs.

All content on UK.StockBrokers.com is handwritten by a writer, fact-checked by a member of our research team, and edited and published by an editor. Our ratings, rankings, and opinions are entirely our own, and the result of our extensive research and decades of collective experience covering the U.K. brokerage industry.

Ultimately, our rigorous data validation process yields an error rate of less than .1% each year, providing site visitors with quality data they can trust. Click here to learn more about how we test.

How we tested

At UK.StockBrokers.com, our online broker reviews are based on our collected quantitative data as well as the observations and qualified opinions of our expert researchers. Each year we publish tens of thousands of words of research and collect hundreds of data points while testing brokerage firms, share dealing platforms, SIPP providers, ISA providers, and other financial service providers relevant to U.K. investors.

Mobile testing is conducted on modern devices that run the most up-to-date operating systems available:

For Apple, we use MacBook Pro laptops running the latest version of and the iPhone 15 running the latest version of iOS.
For Android, we use the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra devices running Android OS 14.

All websites and web-based platforms are tested using the latest version of the Google Chrome browser.

Our researchers thoroughly test a wide range of key features, such as the availability and quality of trading platforms for web, desktop, and mobile, charting, real-time and streaming quotes, and educational resources – among other important variables. We also evaluate the overall design of the mobile experience, and look for a fluid user experience moving between mobile and desktop platforms.

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About Vanguard

Vanguard pioneered index investing when it launched in the U.S. in 1975, founded by legendary investor John Bogle, who is credited with inventing the index fund. Vanguard launched its U.K. retail platform in 2017 and says it has gained more than 30 million customers since then.

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About the Editorial Team

Elizabeth Anderson, lead writer and researcher, has been a financial journalist for more than a decade. In addition to her work with UK.StockBrokers.com, she has written extensively for major publications including BBC, The Times and Bloomberg. A keen investor herself, she is passionate about helping people understand finance and investing.

Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Online Broker Research for UK.StockBrokers.com and ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. Steven is an active fintech and crypto industry researcher and advises blockchain companies at the board level. Over the past 20 years, Steven has held numerous positions within the international forex markets, from writing to consulting to serving as a registered commodity futures representative.

Jeff Anberg is a Senior Editor at UK.StockBrokers.com. Along with years of experience in media distribution at a global newsroom, Jeff has a versatile knowledge base encompassing the technology and financial markets. He is a long-time active investor and engages in research on emerging markets like cryptocurrency. Jeff holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature with a minor in Philosophy from San Francisco State University.