Barclays Smart Investor investment platform review

Is Barclays Smart Investor any good?

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What do customers say about Barclays Smart Investor?

• ‘I feel I know what I am doing for a novice and I can keep track of my investments easily as well. I feel I am getting good value for money.’
• ‘I find they give so much help and have so many resources, and it helps you to learn. There are guides to making smarter investment decisions.'
• ‘While some aspects of their service are good, others are very poor. For example, I have been trying to access my Isa via its mobile app for months. Each time I raise this issue, they say they'll deal with it but nothing happens.’

How much does Barclays Smart Investor cost?

There's no difference in fees whether you're investing in a Barclays Smart Investor stocks and shares Isa or general investment account.

Platform annual charge: 

• 0.25% of the value of your portfolio up to £200,000
• 0.05% over £200,000

Trading charge: 

• £6 for buying and selling shares, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), investment trusts, bonds and gilts
• No trading charge for funds, or regular investing

Foreign exchange charge:

This applies to each trade of investments denominated in another currency, for example US stocks, on top of fund and trading charges.

• 1% on first £5,000
• 0.75% on the next £5,000
• 0.5% on next £15,000
• 0.25% on next £225,000
• 0.1% on amounts over £250,000

How much would I pay to invest with Barclays Smart Investor?

We've estimated the cost of investing over a year in a Barclays Smart Investor stocks and shares Isa, assuming that you make four purchases and four sales each year.

Costs will vary depending on how much you invest and whether you trade funds or shares. 

If you're thinking of using Barclays Smart Investor to take an income from your pension in a drawdown plan, read our comparison of pension drawdown charges.

• Find out more: Compare investment platform fees and charges 

What can you invest in with Barclays Smart Investor?

Barclays Smart Investor accounts and services

• General investment account
• Stocks and shares Isa (flexible Isa)
• Self-invested personal pensions (Sipps)
• Ready-made portfolio

Investments on Barclays Smart Investor

• 2,396 funds (OEICs, multi-asset funds)
• 269 trusts
• 1,196 exchange-traded funds
• 4,154 stocks
• 298 bonds

Correct as of January 2024

Is Barclays Smart Investor good for ethical investors?

There is an 'ESG' (environmental, social and governance) sector on Barclays Smart Investor's 'Barclays Funds List', which selects funds that the team at Barclays anticipates will provide good returns. There is a short explanation about why each fund is included in the list, which details the fund's strategy but does not show its top 10 holdings, for example.

There are no ethical or ESG options available among its ready-made investments.

• Find out more: Ethical investing explained

Is your money safe with Barclays Smart Investor?

Barclays is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

When you invest with an investment platform that's registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, your money will be ring-fenced and should be returned to you if a company goes bust - without having to wait alongside other creditors.

If ring-fencing failed, you would be compensated by the FSCS.

The FSCS will cover up to £85,000 of investments per person, per platform. You can claim for free online at www.fscs.org.uk; there's no reason to use a claims management company.

You won't be compensated for investments falling in value or if a company in which you hold shares goes bust unless this poor performance resulted from bad advice given by a regulated Independent Financial Advisor that has since gone bust.

• Find out more: How the FSCS works