Accounts & headline costs
Sections ↑Bestinvest is a UK execution-only investment platform combining tax wrappers, a general investment account, pensions and optional Ready-made Portfolios. Its pricing cannot be reduced to one annual percentage: the platform rate depends on the type of holding and the value in each tier, while UK share dealing, U.S. currency conversion, fund costs and exceptional services form additional layers. The practical starting point is the account wrapper and intended investment mix.[1][4][5]
Account comparison01
Account and service routes at a glance
| Account or route | Customer scope | Headline condition |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks & Shares ISA | UK-tax-resident adult; annual allowance rules | No minimum service fee; tiered service charge on invested assets.Source 4Source 1Source 5 |
| General Investment Account | UK resident adult; taxable holdings | No annual contribution cap; taxes and reporting remain the customer’s responsibility.Source 4Source 5 |
| Best SIPP | Eligible pension applicant, ordinarily UK resident under 75 | £10 monthly minimum service fee; pension access and transfer rules apply.Source 1Source 5 |
| Junior ISA / Junior SIPP | Parent or guardian opens for a child | Child owns the wrapper; contribution and access rules differ from adult accounts.Source 4Source 5 |
| Ready-made Portfolio | Portfolio choice held inside an eligible wrapper | Lower Bestinvest service-fee schedule than third-party funds/UK shares; fund costs remain.Source 1Source 4 |
Broker essentials02
Opening essentials
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary starting contribution | From £50 | Most funds accept £50; one-share cost plus charges governs an equity purchase.Source 7Source 4 |
| UK online share/ETF dealing | £4.95 per trade | Separate SDRT/PTM and investment-product costs may apply.Source 1Source 2 |
| US online share dealing | £0 commission + 0.95% FX | The currency charge is per conversion transaction; U.S. market costs remain.Source 1 |
| Current contracting company | Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Limited | Bestinvest is a trading name; company number 02830297, FCA FRN 165169.Source 11Source 13 |
The platform fee is calculated monthly in arrears using marginal value bands. A customer with several investment types can therefore pay different rates inside the same account: a Ready-made Portfolio and U.S. shares use the lower schedule, while third-party funds and UK shares use the higher opening rate.[1]
Products & platforms
Sections ↑Availability03
Products and what is actually held
| Product | Published access | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Funds | More than 3,000 funds and platform investments across the service | Fund OCF and any transaction-specific costs remain beyond the platform fee.Source 6Source 4 |
| UK shares, ETFs and investment trusts | Online quote-and-deal through web/app | £4.95 transaction charge, plus applicable taxes and market spread.Source 2Source 6 |
| U.S. shares | Online dealing with currency conversion | No online dealing commission; 0.95% FX charge and U.S. market risk apply.Source 1Source 3 |
| Ready-made Portfolios | Pre-built diversified fund portfolios | Separate investment strategy and underlying fund expenses; not personalised advice.Source 4Source 1 |
| SIPP investments | Platform-supported securities inside pension wrapper | Pension trusteeship, contribution limits and access rules are separate from dealing mechanics.Source 5Source 1 |
Platforms & products04
Platforms and tools
| Platform or tool | Published capability | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Bestinvest website | Portfolio, dealing, documents, cash and account administration | Availability of a function does not establish live execution performance.Source 6Source 8 |
| Bestinvest mobile app | Trade funds, shares and ETFs; open/transfer accounts; add cash and plan goals | App feature scope can evolve and remains subject to account eligibility.Source 6 |
| Planning tools and goals | Track goals and retirement planning | Illustrations are not guarantees and do not replace tax or personal advice.Source 6 |
| Family linking | View linked family/friend accounts with permission | Visibility and authority must not be confused; use formal mandates for transactions.Source 6 |
Bestinvest combines execution-only dealing with free coaching and paid advice options. Coaching can explain choices and goals, while an execution-only account leaves the customer responsible for investment selection. A Portfolio Health Check or other paid advice session is a separate service with its own scope.[1][4]
Fees & holding costs
Sections ↑Pricing & charges05
Core charges
| Charge | Published amount | Scope or trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-made Portfolio funds / U.S. shares | 0.20% to £500,000; 0.10% £500,000–£1m; 0% above £1m | Marginal bands; calculated monthly.Source 1 |
| Other funds / UK shares | 0.40% first £250,000; 0.20% next £250,000; 0.10% £500,000–£1m; 0% above | Marginal bands by investment category.Source 1 |
| Best SIPP minimum | £10 monthly | Can exceed percentage fee for smaller balances; Junior SIPP excluded from this minimum.Source 1 |
| UK online shares/ETFs | £4.95 each buy or sell | Spread, SDRT and PTM levy where applicable remain.Source 1Source 2 |
| US online shares | £0 dealing commission; 0.95% FX | Currency conversion occurs on each relevant purchase or sale.Source 1 |
| Funds online | £0 dealing charge | Platform service fee and fund OCF remain.Source 1Source 3 |
Pricing & charges06
Worked cost examples
| Example | Calculated amount | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| £50,000 split equally between Ready-made and other funds | £150 annual platform fee | £25,000 × 0.2% + £25,000 × 0.4%; excludes fund costs.Source 1 |
| £5,000 chargeable UK share purchase | £29.95 before spread | £4.95 dealing + £25 SDRT at 0.5%; PTM not triggered below its threshold.Source 1 |
| US$5,000 share purchase funded from sterling | US$47.50 equivalent FX charge | 0.95% applied to conversion; exchange rate and market spread remain.Source 1 |
Pricing & charges07
Other costs and continuing charges
| Item | Published treatment | Practical consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Telephone dealing | £30 per trade | Waived when Bestinvest places an order by phone because a technical issue prevented online dealing.Source 3 |
| Paper statements/valuations/contract notes | £37.50 quarterly | Electronic documents avoid the paper-service charge.Source 1 |
| Fund OCF | Investment-specific | Charged by fund manager and deducted from fund value, not replaced by platform fee.Source 1 |
| Cash interest | 2.98% AER shown as of 29 December 2025 | Custodian-set variable rate; the date must remain attached rather than treated as a guaranteed 2026 rate.Source 1 |
| Fee collection shortfall | Investments can be sold after notice | Bestinvest first uses available cash; sale choice and tax consequence can matter.Source 1 |
The service fee is not one blended rate on the whole account. Bestinvest applies marginal tiers and separates lower-rate holdings from the higher-rate category. A customer comparing platforms should model the actual mix, not multiply the entire balance by the top visible percentage.[1]
Execution & trading rules
Sections ↑Specifications08
Order handling and market access
| Rule or route | Published operation | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Online share/ETF order | Quote-and-deal through supported web/app route | £4.95 for UK securities; order price can move before acceptance.Source 2Source 6 |
| Fund order | Submitted before the fund cut-off for the next dealing point | The price is normally the next valuation, not a live exchange quote.Source 7 |
| Limit order | No separate Bestinvest fee | Execution is not guaranteed; validity and supported market appear in the instruction.Source 1 |
| Telephone order | Client Relations can place supported instructions | £30 unless the telephone route is used because of a Bestinvest technical issue.Source 3 |
| Regular investing | Monthly direct-debit purchases of selected funds. | No Bestinvest dealing charge, but product/platform fees remain.Source 1 |
Trading & service hours09
Sessions, settlement and order timing
| Situation | Published treatment | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| UK exchange dealing | During supported market/quote hours | Outside-hours instructions and illiquid securities can wait for the next available market.Source 7 |
| Fund dealing point | Fund-specific daily or less frequent valuation | Orders after cut-off move to the following dealing point.Source 7 |
| Settlement and cash | Cash becomes withdrawable after sale settlement and account checks | Displayed value or an executed order is not necessarily same-day bank cash.Source 8 |
| Order state | Review transaction and document records | No universal public long-dated-order maximum was established for all securities.Source 7 |
The platform supports both exchange securities and forward-priced funds. They should not be evaluated with the same execution expectation: an equity quote can be accepted immediately, while a fund order is priced at a later dealing point.[7]
Deposits, withdrawals & transfers
Sections ↑Transfer terms10
Funding and available cash
| Route | Published process | Restriction or timing |
|---|---|---|
| Debit card or bank transfer | Add cash through the authenticated account | Debit-card cash is investable after the payment-provider confirmation; bank transfers normally credit ISAs, Junior ISAs and Investment Accounts the next working day, while SIPPs can take longer.Source 18 |
| Monthly contribution | Set up regular payments | Direct-debit timing can persist briefly after bank-detail changes.Source 6Source 8 |
| Incoming transfer | Transfer an ISA, SIPP or Investment Account | Asset eligibility and wrapper-specific transfer rules apply; completion is not immediate.Source 6Source 4 |
| Cash for fees | Monthly charges use available account cash first | Insufficient cash can lead to an investment sale.Source 1 |
Transfer terms11
Withdrawals and transfers
| Action | Published process | What changes the timing |
|---|---|---|
| Online ISA / Investment Account withdrawal | No Bestinvest fee; sent by Faster Payments, normally reaching the nominated bank in 1–2 working days. | Only available cash can leave; changing bank details blocks withdrawals for one working day.Source 18Source 8 |
| CHAPS withdrawal | £35; request by telephone or email before 15:00 for the stated same-day service. | Contact Bestinvest before submitting an online withdrawal; the same cash must not already be in that workflow.Source 18 |
| Investment sale before withdrawal | Wait for settlement and cash release. | Fees, pending trades and unsettled sales can reduce the cash available to withdraw.Source 18 |
| Account closure | Sell/transfer holdings and withdraw remaining cash | Typical closure 7–10 working days; account remains open six months for residual income.Source 8 |
| SIPP access | Pension withdrawal/transfer rules | Ordinary bank withdrawal is unavailable before pension-access conditions; transfer to another SIPP remains separate.Source 8Source 5 |
The one-day security block after changing bank details is a useful distinction between account value and cash access. A closure request also does not immediately erase the account: Bestinvest keeps it open for residual dividends or interest and continues valuations until fully closed.[8]
Protection & regulation
Sections ↑Essentials12
Legal entity and authority evidence
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Contracting firm | Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Limited | Company 02830297; Bestinvest is its trading name.Source 11 |
| FCA reference | 165169 | Authorised and regulated; permissions must be read from the current register.Source 11Source 13 |
| Custody/cash operator | SEI and partner banks under the disclosed arrangement | Custody, bank cash and platform company are distinct roles.Source 10 |
| Group ownership | Part of NatWest Group | Registered-details page now states group membership; earlier February announcement was conditional at publication.Source 11Source 12 |
Protections & eligibility13
Protection depends on the asset and account
| Arrangement | Relevant scope | What it does not cover |
|---|---|---|
| Custodied investments | Held under custody arrangements for clients | Segregation/return rights do not insure market value or issuer default.Source 10 |
| Investment FSCS | Eligible claims against failed authorised firm, normally up to £85,000 per person/firm | Does not cover poor performance or every loss.Source 17 |
| Cash at partner banks | Up to £120,000 per eligible person per UK-authorised bank, subject to the client-money ownership and eligibility rules. | Balances held directly or through other services under the same banking licence count towards that limit.Source 10Source 16 |
| SIPP and tax wrappers | Legal/tax structure around investments | A wrapper does not make the investments capital-guaranteed.Source 4 |
SEI spreads client cash among partner banks, according to Bestinvest. The amount protected depends on the actual allocation and the customer’s other deposits under each banking licence. Bestinvest’s security FAQ still quotes the former £85,000 bank-deposit limit; FSCS raised that limit to £120,000 on 1 December 2025. The separate investment-firm compensation limit remains £85,000.[10][16][17]
Opening an account & support
Sections ↑Process14
Application and account administration
| Stage | Published requirement | Operational detail |
|---|---|---|
| Adult accounts | At least 18, UK resident; ISA also UK tax resident; non-US citizen under public eligibility | Online identity, tax and bank information required.Source 5 |
| Junior accounts | Parent/guardian opens for person under 18 | Child ownership and access rules apply.Source 5 |
| Choose investment route | Ready-made or self-selected funds/shares | Platform fee differs by holding category.Source 1Source 4 |
| Fund account | From £50 for many funds or one share plus costs | Minimum varies by instrument; approval is not a recommendation.Source 7Source 4 |
Verified service routes
Client RelationsTelephone
+44 20 7189 9999Source 9
Scope Account, urgent support and telephone dealing.
Hours Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00, excluding UK bank holidays.
Online contact formWebsite
https://www.bestinvest.co.uk/help/contact-usSource 9Source 4
Scope Non-urgent enquiries; published aim is contact within three business days when unavailable.
ComplaintsEmail
[email protected]Source 8Source 15
Scope Formal complaint route; Financial Ombudsman escalation may follow.
General emailEmail
[email protected]Source 11
Scope Published support address; do not send passwords or unencrypted sensitive data.
Process15
When the platform or device is unavailable
| Situation | Published route | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot deal online due to technical issue | Call Client Relations for supported instruction | Published £30 telephone fee is waived in this specific technical-issue scenario.Source 3Source 9 |
| Uncertain order | Check transactions/documents and contact support before resubmission | Duplicate instructions can create a second trade.Source 6Source 9 |
| Lost device/login problem | Use official security and contact routes | Additional verification can be required; no fixed withdrawal-hold period beyond documented bank-detail change was established.Source 10Source 9 |
Additional services
Sections ↑Reference table16
Additional services and account controls
| Service | Service scope | Control or cost |
|---|---|---|
| Free investment coaching | Goal and option discussion without a per-session charge | Coaching is not personal investment advice or discretionary management.Source 1 |
| Portfolio Health Check | £495 including VAT per advice session | Separate paid advice engagement.Source 1 |
| Ready-made Portfolios | Pre-built diversified funds | Lower platform-rate schedule; underlying expenses remain.Source 1Source 4 |
| Family account linking | View linked accounts with permission | Viewing and trading authority are different; formal authorisation remains necessary.Source 6 |
| Referral cash reward | £100 each after qualifying ISA/SIPP and £5,000 investment under current terms | Not automatic; claim and promotion conditions apply before credit.Source 4 |
Reference table17
Account records and access controls
| Function | Documented operation | Practical detail |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | Download quarterly statements, trade contract notes, annual tax certificates and direct-debit agreements. | Tax certificates for applicable accounts are normally produced around the end of June.Source 8 |
| Web access | Username, password and PIN form the login credentials. | Use the official forgotten-details route for recovery.Source 8 |
| App biometric access | Face or fingerprint login is available after initial credential setup. | The setting can be enabled or disabled in the app’s security details.Source 8 |
| Linked family/client accounts | The other client must approve access. | Linking allows viewing; it does not authorise cash contributions or investment purchases on their account.Source 8 |
| Bank-detail change | Withdrawals are paused for one working day. | Trading remains available during this security hold.Source 8 |
Company background & evidence
Sections ↑Entities & regulation18
Company identity and evidence
| Item | Current evidence | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Trading name | Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners | Service brand of Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Limited.Source 11 |
| Regulated firm | FRN 165169 | Current FCA register should be used for permissions.Source 13Source 11 |
| Ownership development | Evelyn Partners became part of NatWest Group | February 2026 announcement initially described a conditional sale; current registered page states group membership.Source 12Source 11 |
| Operational continuity | No client action required under the announcement at that time | A corporate owner change does not by itself move every client contract or alter protection terms.Source 12 |
The current contracting company remains the key identity for fees, custody and complaints. Group ownership is relevant background but should not be used to substitute NatWest banking protection for the actual Bestinvest custody and partner-bank arrangements.[11][10]
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1986
Legal entities & licences
These are source-dated records, not a blanket assessment of the broker. Read each issuer, identifier, status and scope together.
Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Limited
| Issuer & identifier | Recorded status | Date & scope |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Conduct Authority165169 | Authorised | Checked 15 Oct 2026Named FCA-authorised company; permissions and status should be checked in the current register.Source 13Source 11 |
Sources & further reading
- Bestinvest fees, tiered service charges and cash interest Bestinvest · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Dealing fees for funds, UK and US securities Bestinvest · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Charges, fee collection and technical-issue telephone dealing Bestinvest · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- ISA, Junior ISA, Investment Account and SIPP range Bestinvest · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Account eligibility and online opening routes Bestinvest · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Bestinvest web and mobile app functions Bestinvest · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Fund and equity dealing mechanics and minimums Bestinvest · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Bank-detail holds, complaints and account closure Bestinvest · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Client service routes and hours Bestinvest · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Security, custody cash and compensation explanation Bestinvest · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Registered company details and FCA references Evelyn Partners · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Announcement of Evelyn Partners sale to NatWest, 9 February 2026 Bestinvest · 9 Feb 2026 · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd — FRN 165169 Financial Conduct Authority · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Investment and deposit protection limits Financial Services Compensation Scheme · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Bestinvest complaints handling procedure Bestinvest · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- FSCS: current bank-deposit limits and shared banking licences Financial Services Compensation Scheme · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- FSCS: current investment compensation and eligibility Financial Services Compensation Scheme · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Bestinvest: deposits, ordinary withdrawals, CHAPS and available cash Bestinvest · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
This profile reports dated public information, including broker-published services and terms. It does not independently test or guarantee execution, pricing or withdrawals. Inclusion is not an endorsement. Permissions and protections apply only to the named legal entity, service and client category; check the current official records and your contract.