Which is the cheapest way to hold ETFs in the UK? I priced eight platforms on the same job, on a £2,000 pot and a £20,000 one, and the ranking flips.
April 19, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Trading 212 Review UK 2026 — Honest Verdict After 3 Months
Last updated: 8 October 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
This Trading 212 review reflects my own experience using the app daily to invest for three months. In the end, I moved almost all of my self-managed investing to Freetrade. I still have all the apps, but I prefer Freetrade for ease of use.
This is our honest Trading 212 review after three months of using it daily to invest. When Trading 212 kept coming up in conversations, we figured we should give it a fair shot. After using it daily for a full quarter, the verdict is clear: Trading 212 is a perfectly fine platform trapped inside a frustratingly cluttered app. The fees are competitive, the savings rate is genuinely good, but the experience of actually using it every day left me reaching for Freetrade instead. In the end, I moved almost all of my self-managed investing there. Here is why.
This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.
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 article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always do your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.
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.
Cool Factor
★★☆☆☆
2 out of 5: Lukewarm
April 18, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Best Savings Options for the New Tax Year UK 2026/27
Last updated: 10 September 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
Every April, we go through the same routine. The ISA allowance resets, savings rates shift, and there is a brief window where everyone actually pays attention to where their money is sitting. The best savings options for the new tax year are worth sorting now, before the motivation fades and another 12 months slip by. Here is what the CoolCuration team is doing with ours this year, along with a look at the platforms and accounts worth considering right now.
This year there is an added urgency. The 2026/27 tax year is the last year under-65s can put the full £20,000 into a cash ISA. From April 2027, cash ISA contributions will be capped at £12,000 for anyone under 65, with the remaining £8,000 needing to go into stocks and shares or other ISA types. So if you have been meaning to top up your cash ISA, this is the final window at the current limit.
Important: this is not financial advice. This article is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this post constitutes a recommendation to open any particular account, invest in any product, or take any specific financial action. Savings rates, ISA rules, and tax treatment can change at any time. CoolCuration is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and cannot advise you on what is right for your circumstances. Always do your own research or speak to a qualified, independent financial adviser before making financial decisions. 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.
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March 16, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Best Investment ISA 2026 – Top Picks Before the Deadline
Last updated: 6 September 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
Best investment ISA2026 Edit
The best investment ISA for every kind of UK investor
Finding the best investment ISA in 2026 really comes down to one question: what kind of investor are you? So instead of crowning a single winner, this guide matches the main UK stocks and shares ISA platforms to the people they actually suit, then compares them on the things that move the needle: fees, FX costs, choice of investments and how easy each one is to use.
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 article is for information only and reflects personal experience, not a recommendation. Because investing carries risk, always do your own research or speak to a qualified financial adviser before you act.
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.
The low-cost ISA we track most
For transparency, Lightyear is the low-cost Stocks and Shares ISA we use and follow most closely, so you will see it referenced throughout. It is also the account behind our living can AI turn £1,000 into £10,000 experiment. You can check its current ISA details and any live offer on our referral page before you decide anything.
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March 15, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Cheapest Investment App UK (2026) – FX Fees Compared
Investing · FX fees2026 Edit
Commission-free is not cost-free
Last updated: 6 September 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
Looking for the cheapest investment app in 2026? The headline says "zero commission". Yet the foreign exchange (FX) fee on every US share quietly adds up. So we rechecked the live pricing for Lightyear, Robinhood, Trading 212, Freetrade, InvestEngine, Hargreaves Lansdown and J.P. Morgan. Then we worked out the real cost of buying a US share on each.
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 piece reflects what works for us, not a personal recommendation, so please do your own research or speak to a qualified adviser before investing. 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.
See the lowest flat FX fee in our comparison
Of the apps below, Lightyear currently has the lowest flat FX fee on US shares. The latest sign-up steps are kept up to date on our referral page.
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