Junior ISA providers compared: Fidelity, Vanguard, AJ Bell and more

Once you've decided to open a Junior ISA, the next question is where. There are dozens of providers, and over 18 years the difference in charges can add up to hundreds or thousands of pounds.

This guide compares five well-known platforms for stocks and shares Junior ISAs, and explains what to look for in a cash one. We haven't scored or ranked them: the right one depends on how you want to invest. Squids-In is independent, and we don't earn anything from any provider or fund we mention.

The short version: for a simple approach (one low-cost index fund, paid in monthly), several platforms now charge no account fee at all on Junior ISAs, including Fidelity and Hargreaves Lansdown. Then the main cost is the fund's own charge. The other platforms can still suit you, depending on the funds you want and how you like to invest.

Charges change often. The figures below were checked in September 2026 against each provider's own website. Always check the current price list before you open an account.

Choosing between Fidelity and Vanguard? Our Fidelity vs Vanguard Junior ISA comparison puts them side by side on fees, funds and transfers.

See what regular payments could grow to with our Junior ISA calculator.

What to look for

1. The total cost

• Account or platform fee: a percentage of the balance, a flat fee, or nothing
• Fund charges: the fund's own yearly charge (for a global index fund, often 0.1% to 0.25%)
• Dealing charges: for buying and selling. Many platforms don't charge for regular monthly investing
• Why it matters: a difference of 0.25% a year adds up over 18 years

2. Fund choice

• Low-cost index funds, especially a global one
• Enough range if you'd like more than one fund
• Why it matters: you need the fund you want to be available

3. Minimums

• The smallest lump sum, and the smallest monthly payment
• Why it matters: many families start small

4. Ease of use

• A simple application
• A clear app or website
• Why it matters: you may use it for 18 years, and your child can take control at 16

5. Safety

• Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
• Protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS): cash deposits up to £120,000 per person per bank, and investments up to £85,000 per person per firm if a firm fails
• Why it matters: it's your child's money

FSCS protection covers a firm failing, not investments falling in value.

Stocks and shares Junior ISA platforms

Fidelity

Charges:

• Account fee: none on Junior ISAs
• Fund charges: depend on the fund (for example, the Fidelity Index World Fund charges 0.12% a year)

Minimums:

• Monthly: £25
• Lump sum: £100

Fund choice:

• A wide range of funds, including index funds from several fund companies

Worth knowing:

• With no account fee, the only yearly cost for a single index fund is the fund's own charge
• Suits families who know which fund they want

Hargreaves Lansdown

Charges:

• Account fee: none on Junior ISAs
• Online dealing: no charge on Junior ISAs
• Fund charges: depend on the fund

Minimums:

• Monthly: £25
• Lump sum: £100

Fund choice:

• A very wide range of funds, investment trusts, ETFs and individual shares
• Research and fund information for parents

Worth knowing:

• The UK's largest investment platform
• Lots of choice, which some parents like and others find a lot to take in

Vanguard

Charges:

• Account fee: 0.15% a year, capped at £375 a year
• The £4-a-month minimum fee on Vanguard's adult accounts doesn't apply to Junior ISAs
• Fund charges: Vanguard's own funds, from about 0.06% (for example, the FTSE Global All Cap Index Fund charges 0.23%)

Fund choice:

• Vanguard's own funds and ETFs only
• A good range of index funds, including LifeStrategy funds that mix shares and bonds

Worth knowing:

• Simple, with a small choice, which some families find reassuring
• On a £5,000 balance, the account fee is £7.50 a year
• Only Vanguard funds, so you can't hold other companies' funds

interactive investor (ii)

Charges:

• Account fee: no separate fee for a Junior ISA if you have an ISA or trading account on ii's Plus (£14.99 a month) or Premium (£39.99 a month) plan. Junior ISAs aren't available on the Core plan
• Regular investing: free, from £25 a month
• Dealing: funds cost £1.49 a trade on Plus (free on Premium), after any free trades in your plan

Fund choice:

• A very wide range of funds, investment trusts, ETFs and shares

Worth knowing:

• A good fit if you already use ii's Plus or Premium plan for your own investing, since you can add Junior ISAs without paying more
• Not a low-cost choice if you'd be taking out a plan just for the Junior ISA

AJ Bell

Charges:

• Account fee on funds: 0.25% a year
• Account fee on shares, ETFs and investment trusts: 0.25% a year, capped at £2.50 a month
• Dealing: £1.50 to buy or sell a fund; regular investing is free
• Fund charges: depend on the fund

Minimums:

• Monthly: £25

Fund choice:

• A wide range of funds, ETFs, investment trusts and shares

Worth knowing:

• If you hold ETFs rather than funds, the £2.50-a-month cap keeps the account fee low on bigger balances
• For funds, the 0.25% has no cap

At a glance

Fund charges come on top in every case. Figures checked September 2026.

What the charges could mean over 18 years

Example: £200 a month for 18 years, 6% a year before charges (an illustration, not a promise).

What stands out: a quarter of a percent a year adds up to around £2,000 on this example. Worth knowing, but much less than the difference between investing and not investing, or between an index fund and an expensive active fund.

Cash Junior ISAs

If you've chosen a cash Junior ISA (often for money that will be needed within about five years), they're offered by banks, building societies and NS&I.

What to look for:

• The interest rate. Rates change often, so compare current ones on sites such as MoneySavingExpert or Moneyfacts
• Whether the rate is variable. Most are
• Safety. Bank and building society accounts are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 per person per bank. NS&I is backed by the government

For money that can stay put for 10 years or more, our stocks and shares vs cash comparison explains why many families choose to invest instead.

Which might suit you?

No-account-fee platforms (such as Fidelity or Hargreaves Lansdown) may suit you if:

• You want to keep costs as low as possible
• You're investing in a simple index fund
• You're happy to choose your own fund

Vanguard may suit you if:

• You specifically want Vanguard funds
• You'd like a small, simple choice

interactive investor may suit you if:

• You already pay for ii's Plus or Premium plan
• You'd like a very wide choice, including individual shares

AJ Bell may suit you if:

• You'd like to hold ETFs or shares, where the account fee is capped
• You like its app and tools

A cash Junior ISA may suit you if:

• The money will be needed within about five years
• Any fall in value would really worry you

As we covered in our guide to opening a Junior ISA, which provider you pick matters less than starting. You can always move later.

Common questions

Q: Can I switch providers later?

A: Yes. Ask your new provider to arrange a transfer, and they'll handle it, usually within a few weeks. Don't take the money out yourself.

Q: Do any providers offer learning for children?

A: These platforms are built for the parent who runs the account. That's the gap Squids-In aims to fill: short lessons for children aged 10 and up, and a practice investing game with pretend money. You keep the real Junior ISA with whichever provider you choose.

Q: Can grandparents pay into any provider's Junior ISA?

A: Most providers accept payments from family and friends, though the way they do it varies. The total from everyone can't go over £9,000 a tax year.

Q: What if I'd like to buy individual company shares?

A: Hargreaves Lansdown, interactive investor and AJ Bell all offer individual shares in Junior ISAs. Vanguard offers only its own funds and ETFs. For most families, a fund is simpler and much more spread out.

Q: Do providers rebalance for me?

A: Some funds do it themselves, such as Vanguard's LifeStrategy funds, which keep a fixed mix of shares and bonds. With a single global index fund, there's nothing to rebalance.

What matters more than the provider

The provider matters less than:

1. Starting early: time does more than anything else
2. Paying in regularly: small amounts add up
3. Keeping costs low: mainly by choosing a low-cost fund
4. Staying invested: not selling in a panic when markets fall
5. Involving your child: so they understand the money when it becomes theirs

You could pick a provider that turns out to be slightly more expensive and still do well. Or spend six months researching the perfect one and miss six months of growth.

Start when you're ready, and review it now and then.

Key points

• Several platforms now charge no account fee on Junior ISAs, so a single low-cost index fund can cost very little each year
• Percentage fees still add up over 18 years, but less than fund choice and starting early
• interactive investor's Junior ISA is included with its Plus and Premium plans
• All the platforms here are FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected
• You can move providers later, so don't let the choice stop you starting

Next steps

1. Decide how you want to invest (one index fund, or more)
2. Check current charges on the providers' own websites
3. Open the account (our step-by-step guide)
4. Choose the fund (our index funds guide)
5. Set up a monthly payment
6. Involve your child as they grow

See what regular payments could become with our Junior ISA calculator. Thinking about a pension for your child too? Our Junior SIPP calculator includes the 25% government top-up.

Related guides:

• How to open a Junior ISA
• What is a Junior ISA?
• Stocks and shares or cash Junior ISA
• Junior ISA vs Junior SIPP

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This article is for education only and isn't financial advice. Charges change, so check current figures before opening an account. The value of investments can go down as well as up.