Best DIY & self-managed stocks and shares ISAs

Here are some of the best self-managed Stocks and Shares ISAs for when you want to choose your own investments

Do-it-yourself, or self-select stocks and shares ISAs are ones where you choose the investments for your portfolio yourself. This could be a range of company shares, different types of funds and possibly even some commodities or precious metals. You’d be in control of managing your portfolio and ensuring it reflects the risk you plan to take.

Our picks below assume that you’re mostly interested in passive investing, which is mostly suited to beginners. This would mean you’d want to invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or index funds. With many of these providers, you can also invest in shares, but this takes a lot more knowledge and skill.

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What is a self-managed stocks and shares ISA?

A self-managed stocks and shares ISA, sometimes called a self-select ISA, is an investment account where you choose and manage your own investments, rather than having a fund manager do it for you. Like all ISAs, it lets you invest up to £20,000 per tax year completely free of UK income tax and capital gains tax.

The “DIY” part means you’re in the driving seat. You can invest in whatever’s available on your chosen platform – typically exchange-traded funds (ETFs), index funds, investment trusts or individual company shares. You decide what to buy, when to buy it and how to structure your portfolio.

That said, you don’t need to be an expert to get started. Many beginners use DIY ISAs to invest passively – putting their money into a small number of low-cost index funds that track the market and then largely leaving them alone. This approach keeps costs low and has historically performed well over the long term.

Best DIY Stocks and Shares ISAs

Here at Be Clever With Your Cash, we’re not regulated to give you financial advice. We aim to give you the facts about a provider or investment but it’s up to you to decide if it’s suitable for you. If you’re looking for more personalised guidance, find a financial adviser who can give you specific advice. Remember that your capital is at risk when investing — don’t invest more than you are prepared to lose.

Top picks

Sponsored

interactive investor Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.1/5

• Annual fee

  £5.99 per month for portfolios up to £100,000
• Trading fee

  From £3.99
• Minimum deposit

  £0
• Offer

  £100 in free trades*

*New customers can get £100 in free trades to use by the end of 2026

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash Yes – tiered interest is paid on cash balances within your ISA, based on the amount held.
• Fees £5.99 per month (up to £100,000), £14.99 per month (no upper limit)
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 141282
• Foreign exchange fee Core plan: 0.75%; Plus plan: 0.75% (first £50,000), then 0.25% above this
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees Ongoing fund charges vary depending on the investments you choose. These are set by fund managers and typically differ across funds.
• Offer details New customers opening an ISA or general investment account can get £100 in free trades when they sign up and make a deposit by 31 July 2026. You have until the end of the year to use the free trades.
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down
• Trading fees Funds: from £3.99 per trade, UK & US shares (including ETFs and investment trusts): £3.99 per trade, Other international shares: from £9.99 per trade, Regular investing: free
• Investments available Shares (UK and international), Funds, ETFs, Investment trusts, Bonds

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Our top pick

InvestEngine Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.7/5

• Annual fee

  £0
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £100

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash No
• Important details You can't invest in individual shares with InvestEngine, just exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 801128
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees When you invest in funds you'll also have to pay fund fees between 0.03% and 0.89%, depending on which ones you choose
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up

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Our top pick

Trading 212 Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.7/5

• Annual fee

  £0
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £1
• Offer

  Free fractional share up to £100*

*New customers get a free fractional share worth up to £100 when you sign up via our link or use the code BCWYC. Terms apply

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash 3.8%
• Important details Remember, the value of any money invested, which includes your free share, could go up or down
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 609146
• Foreign exchange fee 0.15%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in ETFs, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Fractional shares Yes
• Offer details To get the offer, you need to open a Trading 212 Stocks and Shares ISA or Invest account and deposit at least £1 within 10 calendar days
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up

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Lightyear Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.7/5

• Annual fee

  £0
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £0

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? If Lightyear goes out of business and there is a shortfall in the funds they are holding for customers, they may be able to claim for losses up to the value of £85,000 through FSCS
• ETF trading fee £0
• UK shares trading fee £0
• Interest on uninvested cash 1% on GBP for UK customers
• EU shares trading fee £0
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 987226
• Foreign exchange fee 0.1%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees between 0.03% and 0.78% depending on the funds you choose
• Fractional shares Available in General Investment Account only
• US shares trading fee £0
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up

Freetrade Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.7/5

• Annual fee

  £0
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £1

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash 1% on up to £1,000
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 783189
• Foreign exchange fee 0.99%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Fractional shares Yes
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down

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Other options

Sponsored

IG Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.7/5

• Annual fee

  £0
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £0
• Offer

  up to £1,000 in SpaceX shares*

*New customers can get between £30 and £1,000 worth of SpaceX shares when you invest £300

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Free SpaceX share offer New customers can get a randomly allocated bundle of SpaceX shares worth between £30 and £1,000 when you make £300 of trades by 31 July 2026. You need to maintain an average of £300 invested from 1 August 2026 until 31 October 2026. You need to use the code SPACEXSHARES to get the offer
• Interest on uninvested cash 3.75%
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 944492
• Foreign exchange fee 0.70%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Fractional shares No
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up.

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XTB Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.7/5

• Annual fee

  £0
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £0

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash 4.50%
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 522157
• Foreign exchange fee 0.50%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Fractional shares Yes
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down

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Emma Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.9/5

• Annual fee

  £0
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £1

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash No
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 669450
• Foreign exchange fee 0.99%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Fractional shares No
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up

AJ Bell Dodl Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.7/5

• Annual fee

  0.15% (minimum £1 per month)
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £100 or £25 per month

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Other investment options You could also choose to invest in managed portfolios with Dodl
• Interest on uninvested cash 3.8%
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 211468
• Foreign exchange fee 0.75% (up to £10,000)
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees between 0.03% and 0.45% depending on the funds you choose
• Fractional shares No
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down

Vanguard Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.4/5

• Annual fee

  0.15% (minimum £4 per month)
• Trading fee

  up to 0.46%
• Minimum deposit

  £100 per month or £500

Sells its own funds only

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash 2.35%
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 527839
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down

AJ Bell Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.3/5

• Annual fee

  0.25%
• Trading fee

  From £1.50 (or free with regular investing)
• Minimum deposit

  £25 per month or £250 lump sum

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash 1.75% AER
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 155593
• Foreign exchange fee 0.75% on £0-£10,000, 0.50% on £10,000-£20,000, and 0.25% on values over £20,000
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Risk warning The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you originally invested

Quilter Invest Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.8/5

• Service fee

  0.25%
• Dealing charge

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £10
• Offer

  Discounted annual fee*

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? FSCS protection may apply if the custodian fails. It does not protect against investment losses.
• Fees £2 per month and a 0.25% platform fee - if you join before 31 July using code SUMMER26, you’ll pay no subscription fee and a lower 0.15% platform fee
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes, FRN 955775
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees When you invest in funds you'll also have to pay fund fees
• Investments available You can invest in OEICs and exchange-traded investments
• Risk warning The value of investments can go up and down and you may get back less than you invested.

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Monzo Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.9/5

• Annual fee

  0.25% (max £250 per year)
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £1

You could get back less than you invest

• Flexible ISA Yes
• FSCS Protected? Your eligible investments are protected by the FSCS up to £85,000 per person per firm. This doesn’t cover losses incurred due to investment performance.
• Investments available You can create your portfolio by selecting themed collections. These include: Automation and robotics, Blockchain creators, Clean energy, Healthcare innovation, Metaverse, Tech focused, American companies, British companies, Emerging markets, European companies and Global companies. Or keep it simple with ready-made funds.
• Eligibility You need a Monzo current account to use Investments. UK residents 18+. Ts&Cs apply.
• Interest on uninvested cash No
• Fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose. Management fees are dependent on what you invest in. See full fees breakdown on monzo.com/help/investments/investments-fees
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 730427
• Foreign exchange fee N/A
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fractional shares No
• Risk warning You could get back less than you invest.

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Charles Stanley Direct Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 3.6/5

• Annual fee

  0.3% (min £5 per month)
• Trading fee

  £50 worth of free trades every 6 months
• Minimum deposit

  £0
• Offer

  Up to £1,500 cashback*

*You can get £300-£1,500 cashback when you transfer an ISA between £20,000 and £200,000

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash Yes - 1.5% on balances up to £99,999 and 1.9% on balances over this
• Fees You get £50 worth of free trades every 6 months. Funds cost £4 per trade and shares cost £10 per trade
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 124412
• Foreign exchange fee 1%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose. There are no platform or trading fees when you invest in Charles Stanley Multi Asset Funds
• Fractional shares No
• Offer details The amount you'll get in cashback depends on how much you transfer. A transfer of £20,000 gets you £300 cashback
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up

Santander Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 3.9/5

• Annual fee

  0.35%
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  Lump sum of £100 or £20 per month

• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Investments available You can choose from a range of investment funds created by asset managers. There are 850 to choose between.
• Interest on uninvested cash 2.22%
• Important details You can't invest in individual shares with Santander, just funds
• Fees The fee you pay depends on how much you invest. You'll pay 0.35% on up to £50,000; 0.2% on any amount between £50,000 and £500,000; and 0.1% on anything over £100,000.
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 106054
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees You pay additional fees to run your fund, charged by the fund provider. These can be found in the Key Investor Information Document.
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down

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eToro Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 3.8/5

• Annual fee

  Custody fee of 0.35% per year (max £45)
• Shares trading fee

  £3.95 per trade
• Minimum deposit

  $50
• Offer

  free £50 worth of assets*

*Get £50 worth of free assets when you deposit £200 into a General Investment Account

• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Trading fees You'll pay £3.95 per trade for shares, ETFs and mutual funds and £5.95 per trade for bonds
• Interest on uninvested cash 3% on balances up to $50,000, 3.8% on balances over this
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes, FRN 583263
• Foreign exchange fee 0.7%
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees, which cost on average ~0.16% per year, with additional market-spread effects up to 0.05%
• Fractional shares Yes
• Offer details You need to sign up, verify your account and deposit at least £200 to get the free asset. ISA deposits aren't included in the £200 requirement to get the offer.
• Risk warning The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. ISA powered by Moneyfarm. ISA rules apply. UK residents only.

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Hargreaves Lansdown Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.3/5

• Annual fee

  0.45%
• Trading fee

  £6.95
• Minimum deposit

  £1

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash 2.53%
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 115248
• Foreign exchange fee 1.00%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down

View Deal

Plum Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.8/5

• Annual fee

  £3.99 per month + 0.45% annual fee
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £1

You need a Plum Plus account which costs £3.99 per month to start investing in funds.

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes - up to £85,000
• Interest on uninvested cash No
• Investments available You're limited to 13 funds to invest in, and can invest in the full range of 26 funds with the Premium plan which costs £14.99 per month
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 900573
• Foreign exchange fee 0.45%
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
• Fractional shares Yes
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up

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Scottish Friendly My Choice ISA

Customer rating 3.7/5

• Annual fee

  1.50%
• Trading fee

  £0
• Minimum deposit

  £30 per month or £100 lump sum

Invest in funds only

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash No
• Investments available You can't invest in individual shares with this ISA, instead it offers ten funds.
• Fees Fees are tiered, so you’ll pay 1.5% on the first £5,000, 1% on amounts between £5,001 and £20,000, and 0.5% on any amount over £20,000. This is calculated daily and deducted on a monthly basis.
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 110002
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Offer details Investments in the Unitised With-Profits Fund are subject to an annual fee of 1.50% which is reflected in the bonus rates declared. Over 2025, Scottish Friendly will apply a special offer, reducing your overall charge applied to Unitised With-Profits Funds in your ISA or Junior ISA by 0.25%. This means bonuses applied over 2025 will reflect a reduced annual fee of 1.25%
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down.

interactive investor Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.1/5

• Annual fee

  £5.99 per month for portfolios up to £100,000
• Trading fee

  From £3.99
• Minimum deposit

  £0
• Offer

  £100 in free trades*

*New customers can get £100 in free trades to use by the end of 2026

• Flexible ISA No
• FSCS Protected? Yes
• Interest on uninvested cash Yes – tiered interest is paid on cash balances within your ISA, based on the amount held.
• Fees £5.99 per month (up to £100,000), £14.99 per month (no upper limit)
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 141282
• Foreign exchange fee Core plan: 0.75%; Plus plan: 0.75% (first £50,000), then 0.25% above this
• Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
• Fund fees Ongoing fund charges vary depending on the investments you choose. These are set by fund managers and typically differ across funds.
• Offer details New customers opening an ISA or general investment account can get £100 in free trades when they sign up and make a deposit by 31 July 2026. You have until the end of the year to use the free trades.
• Risk warning Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down
• Trading fees Funds: from £3.99 per trade, UK & US shares (including ETFs and investment trusts): £3.99 per trade, Other international shares: from £9.99 per trade, Regular investing: free
• Investments available Shares (UK and international), Funds, ETFs, Investment trusts, Bonds

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What to look for in a DIY stocks and shares ISA

Platform fees

Most platforms charge either a flat monthly or annual fee, or a percentage of the amount you hold. Percentage fees are generally cheaper when you’re starting out; flat fees tend to make more sense once you’ve built up a larger pot. Watch out for additional charges too – some platforms add dealing fees each time you buy or sell.

Range of investments

If you’re a beginner focusing on passive investing, most platforms will offer everything you need. But if you want to access a wider range of ETFs, investment trusts or individual stocks, it’s worth checking what’s available before you sign up.

Minimum investment

Some platforms have a minimum lump sum to open an account, while others let you start with as little as £1. If you’re starting small or want to invest a fixed amount each month, make sure the platform you choose works for your budget.

App and interface quality

If you’ll be checking your ISA regularly or managing your investments on the go, it’s worth considering how good the app or website is. Most providers now offer mobile apps, but ease of use and depth of information vary significantly.

FSCS protection

Always check that any platform you invest with is regulated by the FCA and covered by the FSCS, which protects your eligible investments up to £85,000 per firm if the provider fails. This does not cover investment losses.

Frequently asked questions

Expert thoughts on self-managed stocks and shares ISAs from Be Clever With Your Cash

DIY stocks and shares ISAs are one of the most rewarding financial tools available – there’s real satisfaction in building your own portfolio, and the potential for long-term returns that leave cash savings accounts in the dust. That said, for anyone new to investing, the best starting point is always to keep things simple.

The most common mistake beginners make is jumping straight into individual shares before getting to grips with the basics. Starting with a low-cost global index fund through one of the platforms above is a perfectly sensible strategy as it gives you broad market exposure, keeps fees low, and means you don’t need to spend hours researching individual companies.