# Properly consider total cost of investing

By Andrew Prosser — 2026-03-09

Andrew Prosser, head of investments at InvestEngine, said: “Recent fee changes across the investment platform market show just how competitive the landscape has become.

“The government’s plans to encourage greater take-up of retail investing, in an effort to improve people’s long-term finances, has clearly made pricing a new key battleground.

“Greater competition is healthy, and in principle, it should mean investors keep more of their hard-earned money invested, rather than seeing returns chipped away by often opaque or unclear charges.

“We are also seeing a shift in how people invest.

“Data from Boring Money shows the number of DIY investment accounts has doubled to 12.9 million in 2025, with assets growing to £547 billion.

“More investors are clearly choosing to go it alone, often attracted by the potential for lower costs and greater control, and making transparency around fees even more important.

“But the picture is not always straightforward.

“While some investors will benefit from lower headline fees announced by several platforms, the reality is others may face higher or additional charges depending on the size of their portfolio or how they invest.

“Fee structures can quickly become complex, making it difficult for people to understand what they are actually paying and what that in turn will mean for their long-term returns.

“Our own research shows low fees are the number one priority for UK investors when choosing a platform, with 49 per cent ranking them above potential returns (45 per cent) and brand recognition (40 per cent).

“Yet despite this, nearly two thirds (63 per cent) admit they do not know what they pay in fees. That lack of awareness can be costly.

“Two people investing £1,000 each month over 20 years, achieving the same returns of five per cent real per year, could end up with a difference of more than £43,000 in today’s money purely because one paid one per cent in fees and the other paid none.

“It’s a big reason why we have kept our account fees at zero across the board.

“Investors need clarity and certainty over what they will pay, without having to navigate a complex maze of pricing and charges.

“In 2025, 122,000 of our customers collectively avoided £36.4 million in account fees and dealing charges, keeping an average of £300 extra each invested and compounding for their future.

“Markets will always move up and down – it’s a normal part of investing.

“What investors pay in fees, however, is one of the few factors that they can directly control.

“As we approach the end of the tax year and more investors review or switch products, like their Stocks and Shares ISAs, in search of better deals, it is vital they look beyond the headline rates and properly consider the total cost of investing.

“Over time, even small differences in fees can have a significant impact on the value of their investments.”

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