Smart Investor

Time is money – act by 5 April 2025

INVESTMENTS

There’s still time to open an Investment (Stocks and Shares) ISA and grow your money tax-free.

Start investing with as little as £50, up to a maximum of £20,000 tax-free a year.

Capital at risk. ISA rules apply.

The value of investments can fall as well as rise so you may get back less than you invest. Tax rules can change and their effects vary depending on your individual circumstances. Please check the costs involved before transferring.

Why choose Smart Investor?

Smart Investor gives you the investment choice and research tools you need to help grow your money. Over 300,000 people have used our award-winning accounts, expert insights and resources to help work towards their financial goals.

Investment choice

Over 8,000 different investments to choose from

Accessible

Check your investments and trade anytime online or with the Barclays app

UK-based call centre

If you need any help or support our helpdesk is here for you

Award-winning

‘Best Stocks & Shares ISA Provider 2022’ at the Online Money Awards and ‘Best SIPP Provider 2022’ from the Shares Awards(1)

What sets us apart?

We were voted Best for Customer Service 2024 and Consumer Rated Value for Money 2024 from Boring Money, 5 Star Platform Winner for International Shares by the Investors Chronicle and Best SIPP Provider 2024 at The Online Money awards.

Boring Money, Best for customer service 2024
Boring Money, Consumer rated value for money 2024
 Investor Chronicle, Platform for international shares,  5 star winner
 Online Money Awards, Best SIPP provider 2024

A simple, low-cost fee structure

Customer fee

0.25% p.a.

up to £200,000

and 0.05% on investments over £200,000

Buying and selling shares online*

£6

per trade**

Free to invest in funds online

Activity costs table

Activity

Cost

Buying and selling funds online

No charge**

Regular investments (including shares)

No charge

Dividend reinvestment

No charge

Holding cash

No charge

Transferring investments

No charge

Cash withdrawal and account closure

No charge

*Including ETFs, investment trusts, bonds and gilts

**£25 per trade by telephone. Taxes may apply when buying shares. A foreign exchange and an international brokerage fee will be charged when trading international shares.

Learn more about our fees and Interest rates on cash.

You can also use our simple cost calculator to understand the charges that would apply.

Choose your account

We have three types of investment account. Choose one to start with and then you can always add another one later on.

Investment ISA

Otherwise know as a Stocks and Shares ISA, this is the most popular account people choose when they start to invest.

You can pay in up to £20,000 per tax year into our award winning ISA.

Any returns you make are tax free and you can withdraw cash when you like.

Investment Account

A flexible account if you’ve already used your ISA allowance for the current tax year OR you’re already paying into an ISA with another provider.

No limits on the amount you can invest and you can withdraw your cash at any time.

SIPP Account

Our award winning Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) designed to help you prepare for retirement.

Let us help you build your retirement pot and make your own investment decisions.

You may be eligible for tax relief on the money you pay in.

If you have investment accounts elsewhere, you can transfer them to us and benefit from having everything in one place. Transferring ISAs and SIPPs doesn’t affect their tax-efficient status and with any transfer, you should make sure that you don’t have to pay penalties or give up valuable benefits. Just let us know and we’ll manage the transfer for you.

Fund your account

You have three ways to fund your Smart Investor account. Choose the option that best suits you and get started in minutes with your very own Investment Account (GIA), Investment ISA, or SIPP.

1. Setup a direct debit

Setup a regular Direct Debit from your chosen UK Bank Account

2. Top up your account

Top-up online or by phone using a UK Debit Card in your name

3. Transfer funds

Transfer in by moving money from your Barclays account

Choose investments that suit you

I’d like some inspiration

Choose from one of our five Ready-made Investment funds based on the level of return you’re hoping for balanced against how you feel about taking investment risk

Put together by our team of investment professionals, who monitor them regularly to make sure they stay true to their objectives

I’d like to see the Barclays Funds List

See the Funds List that our experts have put together

Use funds to help balance your risk across different industries, geographic locations and investment types

I know what I’m doing

Choose from thousands of investments including funds, shares, gilts and bonds

Use the tools and insights in our Research Centre to make your own investment decisions

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Get the Barclays app

Join the 10 million Barclays app customers. If the account’s just for you and you’re over 18, you can use our app.

Important information

  1. The Smart Investor Investment ISA was named Best Stocks & Shares ISA Provider 2022 at The Online Money awards. The Barclays SIPP was named Best SIPP 2022 at the Shares Awards.

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  2. Lines are open from 7:30am to 7pm Monday to Thursday, 7:30am to 6pm on Friday and closed during weekends and public holidays. To maintain a quality service, we may monitor or record phone calls. Call charges.(Return to reference)