October 15, 2026 — No Comments

Monzo Invest vs Freetrade vs Lightyear: Which App Costs Less?

Last updated: 15 October 2026. I checked every fee in this Monzo Invest vs Freetrade comparison on each provider's own site on 14 October 2026.

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.

Not financial advice. This comparison is information, not a personal recommendation, and CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Nothing here tells you which account to open or what to buy. If you are unsure, speak to a qualified financial adviser. MoneyHelper explains how to choose one.

Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

Want a free share with Freetrade?

Freetrade picks the refer-a-friend share at random, worth £10 to £100, and the cheaper shares come up far more often. The steps and conditions are on my referral page.

See the Freetrade free share terms

More on Monzo. My Monzo guides hub covers the bank account, the paid plans and the savings pots alongside the investing side.

Investing appsHead to head

Monzo Invest, Freetrade and Lightyear, priced in pounds

If you already bank with Monzo, the easiest place to start investing is the tab you already have open. This Monzo Invest vs Freetrade comparison, with Lightyear as the third app, asks what staying put costs you. So I priced all three on the same jobs. That means the yearly fee on a £2,000 and a £20,000 pot, the charge for buying US shares, and the accounts each one will open. In short, Monzo charges £50 a year to hold £20,000. Freetrade's free plan and Lightyear charge nothing to hold it, but they bill you every time pounds become dollars.

Read more

September 21, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Managed Investment Platforms UK: 7 Compared

Seven UK managed investment platforms ranked on what they really cost, from J.P. Morgan Personal Investing to Monzo. All-in fees from 0.45% to 0.97%, every figure checked 10 September 2026.

Read more

November 17, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Monzo Investments Review UK 2026: Honest Verdict for Beginners

Last updated: 7 October 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is my own experience. I've invested in Monzo's Adventurous fund since November 2025, paying in £50 a month, with round-ups and my savings interest topping it up on the side.

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are my own and do not constitute professional advice.

Cool Factor: 4/5 Stone cold

This Monzo Investments review is based on real money I've had invested since late 2025, not a quick five-minute demo. I wanted to invest without downloading five apps, reading 19 Reddit threads, and accidentally becoming a part-time day trader. Monzo Investments keeps things simple on purpose. You pick a risk level, deposit from as little as £1, and let BlackRock-managed funds do the heavy lifting. No stock picking. No fiddling. No "should I buy Nvidia" spiral at 1am. And with the recent launch of Build Your Own portfolios, there's now more choice than ever without losing that trademark Monzo simplicity.

Before you read on: This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them. This is not financial advice.

Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

Want the Monzo current-account bonus?

There's no live Monzo Investments referral, but you need a current account to invest anyway, and that one does have a working offer (rewards from £5, up to £50, sometimes up to £100). For the full lowdown on the bank itself, read my Monzo review UK after four years of daily use. The latest terms are on my referral page.

Get the Monzo current-account bonus

New to Monzo as well as to investing? My Monzo guides hub covers the bank account, the paid plans and the savings pots alongside the investing side.

Read more

November 14, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

How to Start Investing UK: A Beginner’s Guide for 2026

Last updated: 7 October 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Your savings account probably gives you a forgettable return while inflation slowly chews up the value of your cash. Plenty of us know we should look at the alternatives, yet investing can feel like a locked club where you need a pinstripe suit and a secret handshake to get past the door. So, this guide on how to start investing UK-side is here to open the door.

We will walk through the difference between saving and investing, explain what a Stocks and Shares ISA actually does, share what has worked for us starting with small amounts, and look at beginner-friendly apps including Freetrade, Lightyear, Robinhood UK, Monzo Investments and J.P. Morgan Personal Investing. So, let us get into it.

Important: This article is for information only and does not constitute financial advice or a personal recommendation. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.

Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

Read more

Follow us: Instagram

Contact us

Copyright 2026 CoolCuration | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Affiliate Disclosure | Cool Factor

-----------

 

We are proud supporters of a safer more private internet via encouraging people to use Brave browser and are actively taking on Spammers as part of ProjectHoneypot. This site is hosted on servers that run on 100% renewable energy in the UK thanks to GreenWebHosting.

This site contains affiliate links, including to Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase or sign up for a service via these links, at no extra cost to you. All offers and promotions are accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change or withdrawal by the businesses featured. We cannot guarantee their continued availability. Read our full affiliate disclosure.

Reviews and opinions on CoolCuration reflect the personal experience of our writers at the time of publication. They are not professional endorsements and your experience may differ. Scores use our Cool Factor rating system and are given independently of any commercial relationship.

All content on CoolCuration is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendations or an endorsement of any product or service. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and do not offer personalised financial guidance. You should always do your own research or consult a qualified financial advisor before making any financial decisions.