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InvestEngine 2025 Review

InvestEngine Review: A low-cost, ETF-only platform ideal for passive investors seeking simple, hands-off wealth building with no trading fees.

Posted by
Zaven Boyrazian, CFA
Zaven is an equity investment analyst. Specialising in corporate valuation, he employs a modern take on the principles set out by Benjamin Graham to identify hidden value in companies that are making the world a better place. Zaven has previously worked in the aerospace and video game industries, holding a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, a Master's degree in Investment Management, and has passed the Level 3 CFA exam. “We never can be sure of an outcome, but I think we can get the odds on our side by understanding where we are in the cycle.” - Howard Marks
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Our Bottom Line

InvestEngine is a flexible passive investment platform geared towards beginners. Whether you’re looking for a fully managed portfolio by professionals or prefer to build and balance your own using exchange-traded funds (ETFs), InvestEngine can help with minimal platform fees.

The service offers three different ways to build wealth:

  • DIY – Investors select which ETFs they want to buy and hold from a list of over 800 offerings.
  • LifePlan Portfolio – Investors select from a collection of five pre-built portfolios at different risk levels to match their own tolerance and objectives.
  • Managed Portfolio – A robo-advisory service where investors fill out a questionnaire, and a custom portfolio will be created and professionally managed on your behalf.

The platform is restricted to investing in ETFs only. As such, it’s quite restrictive compared to other brokerage accounts. However, the fees are exceptionally low with no trading costs whatsoever, and only a 0.25% management fee for its LifePlan Portfolio and Managed Portfolio service. Investors can also take advantage of tax-efficient wrappers like a Stocks and Shares ISA or a SIPP at no additional cost.

Overall, InvestEngine is a cheap and cheerful wealth-building solution for investors seeking to stick to ETFs and want to take a largely hands-off approach to investing.

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Pros & Cons

Here’s what we like about the platform:

  • No commission fees on trades.
  • Low 0.25% platform fees (0% for DIY accounts).
  • Vast selection of ETFs (800+).
  • Easy and automatic portfolio rebalancing.
  • Can invest in fractional shares.
  • Support for ISAs and SIPPs.
  • Mobile app and web platform access.
  • Good customer service with complimentary educational content.

However, InvestEngine also has some downsides:

  • Can only invest in ETFs (no individual shares, trusts, bonds, gilts, or mutual funds).
  • No thematic portfolios (Ethical, ESG, etc.)
  • No advanced order types (limit orders, stop loss, etc.)
  • No direct phone call option for customer support.
  • No virtual portfolio or watchlist.

Key Features and Services

The InvestEngine platform offers a decent range of features and capabilities, allowing investors to manage and monitor their investments over time.

  • Managed Portfolios – InvestEngine creates a diversified global ETF portfolio based on your individual risk profile assessed through a quick questionnaire. From there, everything is managed by InvestEngine, putting an investor’s portfolio on autopilot.
  • LifePlan Portfolios – Similar to Managed Portfolio, except instead of a questionnaire, investors can select which level of risk they wish to take on from five different pre-built portfolios.
  • DIY Portfolios – Allows investors to build their own ETF portfolio from a carefully curated list of low-cost ETFs. Investors can set target weights, automate rebalancing, and leverage fractional shares to fine-tune exposure as well as access premium-priced investments.
  • Rebalancing tools – Automatically rebalance a DIY portfolio using pre-set asset allocation tools.
  • Top up automation – Set up recurring deposits and automatically allocate them to your various portfolios to help with consistent wealth building every month.
  • Fractional shares – Some ETFs can trade for hundreds or even thousands of pounds, making them prohibitively expensive for smaller investors. InvestEngine solves this by allowing investors to buy fractional shares.

Fees and Trading Costs in 2025

While InvestEngine is more restrictive compared to other investing platforms, it makes up for it with exceptionally low fees. It’s arguably one of the most affordable investing platforms in the UK, especially for ETF investors.

  • Platform fee – None.
  • Management fee – 0.25% for LifePlan Portfolios and Managed Portfolios. 0% for DIY portfolios.
  • Fund Costs – Since investors are buying ETFs, these instruments incur their own management fees that need to be paid. InvestEngine does not make any money off these fees, and the amount that needs to be paid depends on the ETFs owned in a portfolio. These fees start from 0.03% with the average Managed Portfolio fee sitting at around 0.13% per year. InvestEngine provides a complete list of ETFs and their fees.
  • Transaction costs – None.
  • Foreign exchange – None. All ETFs offered on InvestEngine’s platform are GBP-denominated. It does not offer any foreign currency support on its platform.
  • Deposit fee – None.
  • Withdrawal fee – None.

InvestEngine Requirements

Here are the minimum requirements for investors to start using InvestEngine’s platform.

  • Minimum opening amount – Before funds can be invested in any of InvestEngine’s portfolios, investors must have at least £100 in their account.
  • Minimum top-up amount – Additional funds can be added to the InvestEngine platform from as little as 1p for instant bank transfers, £20 for variable recurring payments, and £50 for Direct Debits.
  • Minimum Direct Debit amount – Direct Debit payments can be made starting from a minimum of £50 a month.
  • Eligibility – InvestEngine is available to all UK tax residents aged 18+. You’ll need a National Insurance Number and a debit card to get started.
  • Account opening time – Creating an account with InvestEngine typically takes 5-10 minutes. However, you may be required to complete identity verification, which could take up to one working day.

Platform and App Experience in 2025

InvestEngine’s web and mobile platform is clean, intuitive, and beginner-friendly. Creating a new portfolio, checking on existing investments, and adjusting asset allocation can all be done within a few clicks. This ease of use is evidently reflected in InvestEngine’s glowing reviews on Trustpilot (4.6 / 5), Google Play (4.6 / 5), and App Store (4.8 / 5).

Funding the account with fresh capital is also straightforward and can be easily automated through InvestEngine’s Savings Plan from as little as £20 a week. Furthermore, the platform’s AutoInvest feature can be used to automatically allocate this capital to existing portfolios, keeping the entire wealth-building process on autopilot.

Sadly, the platform lacks advanced tools for technical analysis, charting, limit orders, price alerts and stop loss orders, among others. This barebones approach can feel quite restrictive, even more so when investments are confined solely to ETFs and not individual stocks or bonds.

Similarly, contacting customer support can also feel a bit restrictive. There is no published phone number to get in touch. Instead, customers have to fill out an online form or send an email to receive help. This service is available between 5.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and 7am to 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.

To InvestEngine’s credit, it does tend to reply relatively quickly (within two hours). And it’s also possible to request a callback if you do need additional help over the phone.

Is InvestEngine Right For You?

InvestEngine is designed for passive, hands-off investors who don’t need or want a high level of control. It offers one of the lowest-cost robo-advisor services in the UK, automates almost the entire investing process, and keeps everything as simple as possible.

For investors who want more control and the ability to buy and sell shares, mutual funds, bonds, investment trusts, etc. InvestEngine is likely not a good fit. Similarly, investors who are interested in gaining access to in-depth research and trading tools will likely also be disappointed with InvestEngine’s capabilities.

However, for long-term ETF investors, InvestEngine is hard to beat in terms of value and ease of use.

Great for investors who want a simple and affordable experience

InvestEngine *

InvestEngine *
Apply Now On InvestEngine’s secure website
Risk Warning Investments are complex and involve various risks, and you may get back less than you put in. Tax benefits depend on individual circumstances and tax rules, which could change.

The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back all the money you put in. All investments carry a varying degree of risk and it’s necessary for you to understand the nature of these risks. You should consider whether you understand how Stocks and Shares ISAs and Robo-Investing products work and whether you can afford to take the risk of losing money. Remember that taxes can be complicated and the tax benefits of these products depends on your personal circumstances. Tax rules are subject to change. The Motley Fool believes in building wealth through long-term investing and so we do not promote or encourage high-risk activities including day trading, CFDs, spread betting, cryptocurrencies, and forex. Click here to learn more
Account Management Fee
  • 0.25% for the managed portfolio service.
  • No fee for the DIY service.
  • Pros & Cons
  • Fees & Charges
  • Sign-up Offer

Pros

  • No commission fees on trades.
  • Low 0.25% platform fees (0% for DIY accounts).
  • Vast selection of ETFs (800+).
  • Easy and automatic portfolio rebalancing.
  • Can invest in fractional shares.
  • Support for ISAs and SIPPs.
  • Mobile app and web platform access.
  • Good customer service with complimentary educational content.

Cons

  • £100 minimum investment to create a portfolio.
  • Can only invest in ETFs (no individual shares, trusts, bonds, gilts, or mutual funds).
  • No thematic portfolios (Ethical, ESG, etc.)
  • No advanced order types (limit orders, stop loss, etc.)
  • No direct phone call option for customer support.
  • No virtual portfolio or watchlist.
  • Platform fee – None.
  • Management fee – 0.25% for LifePlan Portfolios and Managed Portfolios. 0% for DIY portfolios.
  • Fund Costs – Since investors are buying ETFs, these instruments incur their own management fees that need to be paid. InvestEngine does not make any money off these fees, and the amount that needs to be paid depends on the ETFs owned in a portfolio. These fees start from 0.03% with the average Managed Portfolio fee sitting at around 0.13% per year. InvestEngine provides a complete list of ETFs and their fees.
  • Transaction costs – None.
  • Foreign exchange – None. All ETFs offered on InvestEngine’s platform are GBP-denominated. It does not offer any foreign currency support on its platform.
  • Deposit fee – None.
  • Withdrawal fee – None.

IMPORTANT NOTE: if you click on the links below to read the offer terms and conditions, make sure you return to this page and click on the Apply Now button to ensure the sign-up offers listed below get applied to your InvestEngine application.

SIGN-UP OFFER: open an InvestEngine account through The Motley Fool UK and you’ll get an investment bonus of between £10 & £50 when you sign up and deposit £100 (T&Cs apply)

ISA BONUS OFFER: top-up or transfer to InvestEngine by 6pm on 31/05/24 and receive a bonus of up to £2,500 (capital at risk, T&Cs apply)

* This is an offer from one of our affiliate partners. For more information on why and how we work with partners, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is InvestEngine Safe?

Yes. InvestEngine is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Client money and company assets are held in separate accounts. So, even if InvestEngine were to go bust, investors’ funds and investments would be protected.

However, it’s important to remember that the investments themselves are not risk-free and can go up as well as down.

Does InvestEngine Offer A Stocks and Shares ISA?

Yes. You can invest up to £20,000 per year tax-free and transfer from other ISA providers with no fees.

Can I Withdraw My Money From InvestEngine At Any Time?

Yes. You can sell investments and withdraw funds with no penalties. However, keep in mind that withdrawals can take up to two business days to complete.

Does InvestEngine Offer Fractional Investing?

Yes. InvestEngine offers he ability to buy fractional shares in ETFs, allowing you to invest the full amount of your deposits without having leftover cash sitting on the sidelines.

Alternatives To Consider

If you’re interested in exploring other robo-advisor services, other great options worth comparing include:

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