Look beyond the headline fee.
A practical introduction to the costs of buying, holding, and moving investments.
In this guide
Both transaction costs and ongoing charges can reduce the money left to earn returns.
What changes when you change the numbers?
Explore time, contributions, and two fee scenarios in an interactive illustration.
Try the growth & fee calculator ↗One price rarely tells the whole story.
Investment costs can include transaction fees and recurring charges. A platform’s headline trading price may not capture account, transfer, advisory, or underlying fund expenses. [1]
Read the relevant documents.
Look at the provider’s fee schedule and account documents. For a fund, read the prospectus and its fee table. Ask which costs are charged directly and which are taken from the investment itself.
Compare the full picture.
Ongoing fees leave less money invested over time. Compare costs for the services you actually need, and check potential exit or transfer charges before switching. This guide does not rank providers or claim that any platform is free.