Compare ISA Providers
Choose the best ISA to make the most of this year’s tax free allowance.
Interest paid annually. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. ISA transfers also allowed in (some providers charge a transfer fee). Open and manage online. FSCS Protected.. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older. After 12 months the interest rate changes to 1.45% AER variable. Online ISA is provided by OneFamily, savings in Post Office Cash ISAs are deposited with Bank of Ireland UK
Investment ISAs put your capital at risk & you may get back less than you originally invested
Mobile App only account. *Up to three withdrawals can be made within each 12-month period from the date of opening without affecting the interest rate. More than three withdrawals made within each 12-month period, a lower rate of 0.75% (variable) will be applied. The Moneybox Cash ISA includes a 4.70% AER variable underlying rate and a bonus rate of 0.47% for the first 12 months. Up to three withdrawals can be made within each 12-month period from the date of opening without affecting the interest rate. Transfer in any ISAs you hold with other providers into a Moneybox Cash ISA, entirely in-app. Covered by FSCS. If more than three withdrawals made within each 12-month period, a lower rate of 0.75% (variable) will be applied for the rest of that 12-month period. The lower interest rate of 0.75% will also apply if the account balance dips below £500, automatically returning to the higher interest rate when the balance returns to £500 or more again. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
Mobile App only account. *Up to three withdrawals can be made within each 12-month without affecting the interest rate. More than three withdrawals made within each 12-month period, a lower rate of 3.00% (variable) will be applied. Includes a bonus of 0.88% AER (variable) if account held for 12 months. Transfer in any ISAs you hold with other providers. Interest rates drop if more than three withdrawals per year. Covered by FSCS. Rate when you transfer in your existing ISA – 4.04% AER (variable). Rate for each 12-month period after your first 12 months – 4.04% AER (variable). Rate when balance drops below £100 or after your fourth annual withdrawal – 3.00% AER (variable). Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
- Term: Instant Access
- Invest From: £1
Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Interest paid annually. ISA transfers also allowed in. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2024. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
- Term: Instant Access
- Invest From: £100
Interest paid annually. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. ISA transfers also allowed in (some providers charge a transfer fee). Open and manage online. FSCS Protected.. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older. After 12 months the interest rate changes to 1.45% AER variable. Online ISA is provided by OneFamily, savings in Post Office Cash ISAs are deposited with Bank of Ireland UK
- Term: Easy Access
- Invest From: £1,000
Interest paid monthly or annually. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. ISA transfers also allowed in. Open and manage online. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
- Term: Easy Access - 30 Day Notice
- Invest From: £1,000
Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. ISA transfers in allowed. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and aged 16 or older. Withdrawals subject to 30 days notice
- Term: 1 Year, with option to make three free withdrawals
- Invest From: £1
Make up to three withdrawals during the 12-month term of this account. Tax free ISA account. Open with £1 or transfer in existing ISA funds. Invest up to £20,000 per tax year. Manage your account online. Interest paid at maturity. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and aged 16 or older. Make more than three withdrawals and the rate drops to 1.75% AER/gross p.a. (variable). Not available in branch
- Term: 1 Year
- Invest From: £1
Interest paid at maturity. ISA transfers also allowed in. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2024. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older. No withdrawals permitted
- Term: 1 Year
- Invest From: £1,000
ISA transfers in allowed. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and aged 16 or older. Withdraw cash early if you need to (subject to loss of interest)
- Term: 1 Year
- Invest From: £500
Interest paid annually. ISA transfers also allowed in (some providers charge a transfer fee). Open and manage online. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older. Withdrawals permitted subject to 90 days loss of interest. Online ISA is provided by OneFamily, savings in Post Office Cash ISAs are deposited with Bank of Ireland UK
- Term: 1 Year
- Invest From: £1,000
Terms and Conditions: You must be 18 or over and a UK Resident. Currently you can only subscribe to one Cash ISA with NatWest Bank per tax year. You must hold the account solely in your name. NatWest’s FRISA rates are 4.00% AER/Tax-free p.a. (fixed) for 1 year and 3.80% AER/Tax-free p.a. (fixed) for 2 years. Rate available until 5pm on 8th January 2025 for new customers and 13th January 2025 for existing customers. Offer may be withdrawn early due to limited availability. Interest is calculated daily and paid annually to your ISA on the first business day in April and on the Maturity Payment Date. You can withdraw money from your account up to 31st January 2025. If you want to make a withdrawal after this time and before the Maturity Date, you must close your account by giving written notice in branch. ISA subscription limits apply. If you make a payment into your Fixed Rate ISA you will not be able to make any further payments for that tax year into any other cash ISA with NatWest or Royal Bank of Scotland. Early Closure Charge applies. The Early Closure Charge will be the lower of the amount of interest earned on your account or 90 days’ interest. The Early Closure Charge will be deducted from the balance of your Fixed Rate ISA. The interest payable on the money held in your account is tax-free. The tax treatment may be subject to change in the future and depends on your individual circumstances.
- Term: 1 Year
- Invest From: £1,000
Terms and Conditions: You must be 18 or over and a UK Resident. Currently you can only subscribe to one Cash ISA with Royal Bank of Scotland per tax year. You must hold the account solely in your name. Royal Bank of Scotland’s FRISA rates are 4.00% AER/Tax-free p.a. (fixed) for 1 year and 3.80% AER/Tax-free p.a. (fixed) for 2 years. Rate available until 5pm on 8th January 2025 for new customers and 13th January 2025 for existing customers. Offer may be withdrawn early due to limited availability. Interest is calculated daily and paid annually to your ISA on the first business day in April and on the Maturity Payment Date. You can withdraw money from your account up to 31st January 2025. If you want to make a withdrawal after this time and before the Maturity Date, you must close your account by giving written notice in branch. ISA subscription limits apply. If you make a payment into your Fixed Rate ISA, you will not be able to make any further payments for that tax year into any other cash ISA with Royal Bank of Scotland or NatWest. Early Closure Charge applies. The Early Closure Charge will be the lower of the amount of interest earned on your account of 90 day’s interest. The Early Closure Charge will be deducted from the balance of your Fixed Rate ISA. The interest payable on the money held in your account is tax-free. The tax treatment may be subject to change in the future and depends on your individual circumstances.
- Term: 2 Years
- Invest From: £1,000
ISA transfers in allowed. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and aged 16 or older. Withdraw cash early if you need to (subject to loss of interest)
- Term: 2 Years
- Invest From: £1
Interest paid annually. ISA transfers also allowed in. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2024. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older. No withdrawals permitted
- Term: 2 Years
- Invest From: £1,000
Terms and Conditions: You must be 18 or over and a UK Resident. Currently you can only subscribe to one Cash ISA with NatWest Bank per tax year. You must hold the account solely in your name. NatWest’s FRISA rates are 4.00% AER/Tax-free p.a. (fixed) for 1 year and 3.80% AER/Tax-free p.a. (fixed) for 2 years. Rate available until 5pm on 8th January 2025 for new customers and 13th January 2025 for existing customers. Offer may be withdrawn early due to limited availability. Interest is calculated daily and paid annually to your ISA on the first business day in April and on the Maturity Payment Date. You can withdraw money from your account up to 31st January 2025. If you want to make a withdrawal after this time and before the Maturity Date, you must close your account by giving written notice in branch. ISA subscription limits apply. If you make a payment into your Fixed Rate ISA you will not be able to make any further payments for that tax year into any other cash ISA with NatWest or Royal Bank of Scotland. Early Closure Charge applies. The Early Closure Charge will be the lower of the amount of interest earned on your account or 90 days’ interest. The Early Closure Charge will be deducted from the balance of your Fixed Rate ISA. The interest payable on the money held in your account is tax-free. The tax treatment may be subject to change in the future and depends on your individual circumstances.
- Term: 2 Years
- Invest From: £1,000
Terms and Conditions: You must be 18 or over and a UK Resident. Currently you can only subscribe to one Cash ISA with Royal Bank of Scotland per tax year. You must hold the account solely in your name. Royal Bank of Scotland’s FRISA rates are 4.00% AER/Tax-free p.a. (fixed) for 1 year and 3.80% AER/Tax-free p.a. (fixed) for 2 years. Rate available until 8th January 2025 for new customers and 13th January 2025 for existing customers. Offer may be withdrawn early due to limited availability. Interest is calculated daily and paid annually to your ISA on the first business day in April and on the Maturity Payment Date. You can withdraw money from your account up to 31st January 2025. If you want to make a withdrawal after this time and before the Maturity Date, you must close your account by giving written notice in branch. ISA subscription limits apply. If you make a payment into your Fixed Rate ISA, you will not be able to make any further payments for that tax year into any other cash ISA with Royal Bank of Scotland or NatWest. Early Closure Charge applies. The Early Closure Charge will be the lower of the amount of interest earned on your account of 90 day’s interest. The Early Closure Charge will be deducted from the balance of your Fixed Rate ISA. The interest payable on the money held in your account is tax-free. The tax treatment may be subject to change in the future and depends on your individual circumstances.
- Term: 2 Years
- Invest From: £500
Interest paid annually. ISA transfers also allowed in (some providers charge a transfer fee). Open and manage online. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older. Withdrawals permitted subject to 180 days loss of interest. Online ISA is provided by OneFamily, savings in Post Office Cash ISAs are deposited with Bank of Ireland UK
- Term: 3 Years
- Invest From: £1,000
ISA transfers in allowed. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and aged 16 or older. Withdraw cash early if you need to (subject to loss of interest)
- Term: 5 Years
- Invest From: £1
Interest paid annually. ISA transfers also allowed in. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2024. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older. No withdrawals permitted
What is an ISA account?
An ISA account is a savings account that has several added tax benefits granted by HMRC.
With a standard savings account, you need to declare any interest and dividends you receive from your investments on your tax return. Depending on how much personal income you have from other sources, you could be required to pay a substantial amount of income tax on these investments.
However, any investments that you hold in an ISA account are completely tax-free.
In addition to this, you can also avoid paying any capital gains tax (CGT) on the gains that your investments make in an ISA. If you are a higher-rate taxpayer, you would need to pay 20% tax on any investment gains held outside of an ISA account, so this represents a considerable saving opportunity.
ISA accounts come in two different types: Cash ISAs and Stocks and Shares ISAs. You can also open Junior ISAs, which are specifically designed for children’s investments, and Lifetime ISAs, which are designed to save for a house purchase.
What is a Cash ISA?
Cash ISAs are usually offered by banks and building societies, and they can only hold cash investments. They will generate an interest rate that is set by your Cash ISA provider. There are two types of interest rates: fixed rates, and variable rates.
Fixed-Interest Cash ISAs:
- Will have a set term, ranging from one to five years
- Guaranteed interest rates for this period
- Higher interest rates than variable rates
- You are locked into the term, meaning that you will be charged for withdrawing early
Variable-Interest Cash ISAs:
- Interest rates will fluctuate over time
- Interest rates are generally lower than fixed-term products
- You can withdraw funds at any time, free of charge (easy access)
What is a Stocks and Shares ISA?
A Stocks and Shares ISA allows you to invest your ISA money in the stock market. Instead of being limited to interest-based cash savings, you can invest in a broad range of stocks and shares.
This gives you access to greater potential investment growth and investment income, but your investments will be at risk of losing money.
There are many investments you can hold within a Stocks and Shares ISA, and we have created a list of the most popular products:
- Managed Funds (OEICs, Unit Trusts and Investment Trusts)
- Shares
- ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds)
- Corporate & Government Bonds
- Managed Portfolios
You can invest in a mixture of all of the above assets provided that your ISA provider permits for holding all these investments.
Some investments focus on generating income in the form of regular dividends or income payments, whereas others are tailored towards investment growth over the long term.
Most investments in a Stocks and Shares ISA can go down as well as up in value, and so you should make sure you are comfortable with the risks involved.
What are the best performing ISAs?
When comparing Cash ISAs to Stocks and Shares ISAs, performance usually falls on the side of Stocks and Shares ISAs.
This is because of the broad range of investments you can hold in a stock ISA, and the potential for these to gain significant value.
Cash ISAs will be limited to interest rates. While you can have a guaranteed interest rate with a fixed-term Cash ISA, the chances that this investment will outperform a Stocks and Shares ISA are slim.
However, if you open a Stocks and Shares ISA and your investment perform poorly, you could end up losing money and being worse off than you invest in cash. This is particularly true for short term investments, as stocks and shares can be volatile over shorter periods.
Generally, stock markets go up over time, and so if you are investing for the long term then opening a Stocks and Shares ISA is worth considering.
Managed Portfolios vs Self-Select Platforms
Many Stocks and Shares ISA providers are known as investment supermarkets because you need to pick your investments yourself from the many selections available.
Finding the best fund or share to invest in can be a difficult task given the unpredictability of the stock market. Here are some top tips to consider when choosing your own investments:
- Diversify your portfolio – avoid putting all of your money in one fund or share so that your risk is spread across multiple companies.
- Diversify by sector and geography – as well as spreading your money across multiple companies, having exposure to lots of different sectors and geographical areas will make your investments more resilient to market fluctuations.
- Research the best funds and shares – most investment platforms will provide research and insight into their top fund picks. You can also look at a company’s shareholder information and quarterly results online, as well as the Key Investor Information Documents (KIIDs) for funds.
If you are not comfortable in picking your investments yourself, then you may wish to invest in a Managed or Ready-Made ISA portfolio.
These portfolios are created and managed by professional portfolio managers, and so you have the peace of mind that the underlying investments are of the highest quality.
However, the drawback of these products is that you will pay higher charges. These charge an annual percentage of the value of your portfolio.
The portfolio managers will take an ongoing fee from your investment. This will be on top of the standard fees that include your ISA provider’s fees and any underlying fund manager’s fees where applicable.
Which is the best ISA provider?
The best ISA provider for you will depend on your savings goals and investor experience. We have put together a list of some of the crucial factors to consider when weighing up the options:
Charges
- Cash ISAs will not charge an ongoing fee, but Stocks and Shares ISAs will have a platform charge
- Check the annual management charge that your ISA provider will take each year
- Check if this charge is tiered, or has any other limits or exceptions that may make it cheaper
- Look at dealing fees, account closure fees and any other ad hoc fees that may apply
Research
- Many Stocks and Shares ISA providers offer exclusive research into funds and shares available through their platform
- Review the quality of this research and consider if it is worthwhile for your investment strategy
- Assess how much of this content is exclusively available to account holders
Customer Service
- Particularly relevant with Stocks and Shares ISAs compared to Cash ISAs
- Consider that ISA providers with higher fees may have better customer service as a result
- Better customer service ratings indicate quicker response times and a greater chance that any account issues you have will be resolved
- Think about whether customer service is important to you – it could be more essential for novice investors, but also can be vital for regular traders who are more likely to experience dealing or account issues
Account features
- If you pick a Stocks and Shares ISA investment platform, consider the trading tools it offers
- These include features like share price alerts, currency exchange services and stop losses and limit orders
- Weigh up which features are important for your investment portfolio, and whether these might be worth paying higher charges for
Account Types – Lifetime ISA or Junior ISA
- If you are investing for your child, then a provider offering a JISA might be best for you
- If you are saving for a house purchase, then you should consider looking for the best LISA provider for you, as HMRC will add 25% free to your contributions
Can I have ISAs with different providers?
Yes, you can. However, there are some rules and limitations to be aware of:
- You cannot contribute to more than one Stocks and Shares ISA, or more than one Cash ISA, in the same tax year
- You can contribute to both a Stocks and Shares ISA and a Cash ISA in the same tax year, provided you do not exceed the combined ISA allowance of £20,000
- You can hold more than one Cash ISA and contribute to them in different tax years
- You can hold more than one Stocks and Shares ISA and contribute to them in different tax years
- You can transfer a Cash ISA into a Stocks and Shares ISA, and vice versa
How do I invest in an ISA?
Once you have decided on the best ISA provider for you, you can open an account easily, in as little as five minutes. You can open an account in the following ways:
- Online
- With a mobile App
- Over the telephone
- Posting a form and cheque
You are usually required to make a minimum contribution of at least £100; however, this amount can be lower if you contribute via a monthly direct debit. In this case, the minimum will be around £25 per month.
You will need to have a few things handy when you apply and there are some general requirements to be aware of:
- Have your National Insurance Number handy
- Have your Debit Card details to make a lump-sum contribution
- Have your bank details if you wish to contribute via Direct Debit
- You must be over the age of 18
- You must be a UK resident
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can I contribute to an ISA?
The annual ISA allowance is set by HMRC each year, and the current limit is £20,000 per person for the 2024/25 tax year.
Can I withdraw money from an ISA?
You can withdraw money from a Stocks and Shares ISA at any time provided that you sell the underlying investments first.
You can withdraw from a variable-rate Cash ISA at any time.
Withdrawing from a fixed-rate Cash ISA may incur charges if you do so before the end of the specified fixed term.
How do I withdraw money from my ISA?
Most providers will allow you to withdraw from your ISA online, via a mobile app, telephone, or by written instruction in the post.
Am I committed to one ISA provider forever?
No. You can switch providers with an ISA transfer if you wish. You can also contribute to other ISA providers in separate tax years.
Can I have a Joint ISA?
No, ISA stands for Individual Savings Account and must be solely owned for tax purposes.
Will I be charged for an ISA?
A Stocks and Shares ISA provider will charge an ongoing, annual platform fee as well as some ad hoc charges.
A Cash ISA could also charge if you withdraw money before the end of a fixed-term investment.
Are ISA accounts safe?
ISA accounts are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means that all ISA providers are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) for up to £85,000 if they go out of business.
Please note that this may not apply to the underlying holdings within a Stocks and Shares ISA, and will not cover standard investment losses.