Best Stocks and Shares ISAs UK to Invest in 2023

Stocks and shares ISAs are among the most popular investment accounts for UK residents. These accounts provide an array of tax benefits, including exemption from income and capital gains tax, whilst allowing investors to contribute up to £20,000 each tax year.

This guide presents a comprehensive overview of the best stocks and shares ISAs by performance, detailing the various providers on offer and the fees they charge. We’ll also explore the main benefits of investing in these ISAs, before highlighting a viable alternative investment that could provide higher returns over the long term.

Crypto Presales – Better Alternative to Stocks and Shares ISAs

Those looking to invest £5k in the UK (or more) may wish to consider the best stocks and shares ISA by performance, as these accounts offer unique tax benefits and are often accompanied by low fees. However, it’s also important to note that annual returns may be limited since ISAs tend to only focus on equities, bonds, and funds.

Due to this, investors with a higher risk tolerance may prefer an alternative to the best-performing stocks and shares ISAs. If that’s the case, one popular alternative is crypto presales. Although crypto presales are very different from ISAs, they have the potential to beat the returns that are attained from traditional equity/bond investing.

Ever wondered how to invest in the UK according to Reddit? If you’ve searched through discussion forums you would have seen that crypto presales are a hot topic at the moment. Put simply, crypto presales offer the ability to buy cryptocurrency through a new project’s presale phase. Often, the project in question will still be in development, meaning presales are a popular way for development teams to raise capital and boost awareness.

There are several benefits to investing in crypto presales, such as discounted token prices and exposure to new and exciting use cases. We’ll explore these benefits in detail later in this article, but for now, let’s take a look at two of the most sought-after crypto presales of 2023 – both of which have attracted significant attention from the investment community: 

Dash 2 Trade (D2T) – Innovative Crypto Signals and Social Trading Platform with Backtesting Tools

Investors looking for an alternative to the best stocks and shares ISA funds by performance may wish to consider Dash 2 Trade. Dash 2 Trade is a new crypto analytics project that combines several valuable tools into one platform. By taking this approach, Dash 2 Trade’s team aims to create an ‘all-in-one’ ecosystem that caters to traders’ and investors’ needs.

The Dash 2 Trade platform is hosted on the Ethereum blockchain, meaning it can also be considered sustainable due to Ethereum’s low energy requirements. In terms of Dash 2 Trade’s features, users can benefit from the following:

• Trading signals from Dash 2 Trade’s experienced research team
• Social sentiment indicators to identify trending cryptos
• Custom-built strategy builder with full backtesting capabilities
• Bespoke crypto presale scoring system
• Instant CEX/DEX listing alerts for new cryptos
• Online trading competitions for subscribers

According to Dash 2 Trade’s whitepaper, the platform will also have a distinct focus on community. Users will be able to interact and network through an exclusive Discord group, providing scope to build relationships with like-minded people.

All of Dash 2 Trade’s features will be made possible thanks to D2T – the platform’s native ERC-20 token. This token will be used to distribute trading competition prizes and for voting, since Dash 2 Trade’s team aims to transition to a DAO in the future.

However, D2T’s primary use case is to pay for the monthly subscription fee to access the ‘Starter’ and ‘Premium’ tiers. Both of these tiers contain Dash 2 Trade’s most valuable features – although there will also be a free tier that provides a taste of Dash 2 Trade’s full capabilities.

Dash 2 Trade’s presale is ongoing, with the development team taking a revolutionary ‘staged’ approach. The presale will have nine stages, each with an increased token price. By structuring the presale in this way, early investors are rewarded with greater price appreciation – and will have the scope to make higher returns from future CEX/DEX listings.

At the time of writing, Dash 2 Trade has just entered stage 3, meaning tokens are priced at 0.0513 USDT. More than $5.6m has been raised for the Dash 2 Trade project since the presale commenced – highlighting the incredible buzz from retail traders. Those interested in D2T can learn more by joining the official Telegram group, and reading the whitepaper.

IMPT (IMPT) – Revolutionary Carbon Offset Program Allowing Users to Tokenize Carbon Credits for NFTs

Another viable alternative to the best junior stocks and shares ISA by performance is IMPT. IMPT is one of the most sustainable investments in the UK. As an innovative carbon credits trading ecosystem it leverages the power of the Ethereum blockchain to simplify the process of investing in these assets.

Carbon credits have become a popular way for individuals and businesses to lower (or eliminate) their carbon footprint. IMPT’s team aims to make these credits accessible to the masses by structuring them as NFTs, ensuring they are immutable and can be easily traded.

Trades are facilitated using IMPT Tokens, the platform’s native ERC-20 token. As noted in IMPT’s whitepaper, users can buy, sell, trade, and speculate on carbon credits using these tokens through the platform’s built-in marketplace. This means carbon credits can be used as an alternative asset class for diversification purposes and capital gains potential.

However, IMPT’s team takes things one step further by enabling users to obtain carbon credits through their everyday shopping activities. IMPT has partnered with thousands of leading brands, such as River Island and GameStop, which will see each dedicate a portion of their sales to eco-friendly initiatives.

When an IMPT user shops with one of these brands, they’ll receive IMPT Tokens as a reward. Once enough tokens are accrued, the user can instantly exchange them for a carbon credit. Users can even ‘retire’ these carbon credits, which effectively ‘removes’ CO2 from the atmosphere and will earn them a unique digital artwork NFT.

Like Dash 2 Trade, IMPT is in the midst of a successful presale phase and has raised a staggering $12.4m since it commenced in early October. IMPT’s presale will have three stages, with the token price rising incrementally between stages. Stage two is still ongoing at the time of writing, enabling investors to buy IMPT tokens for just $0.023.

Only 660 million tokens are allocated at this price point – once they’re gone, the token price will rise by 21% for the final stage. Investors can keep track of IMPT’s progress by joining the official Telegram channel.

Best Performing Stocks and Shares ISAs UK Reviewed

Whether investors are looking for a regular stocks and shares ISA or a junior stocks and shares ISA, the concept of crypto presales is undoubtedly worth considering as an alternative due to their returns potential. However, if these ISAs are the sole focus, then detailed below are ten of the most popular providers available today:

1. InvestEngine – One of the Most Popular Stocks and Shares ISAs by Performance

Those searching for the best-performing stocks and shares ISA may wish to consider InvestEngine. InvestEngine is ideal for individuals looking to invest £10k in the UK (or any amount) without having to pay any hefty fees. Moreover, InvestEngine’s ISAs have no exit fees attached, making it easy for individuals to withdraw their money.

InvestEngine allows ISA holders to build their own investment portfolio or choose one of the provider’s managed portfolios. There are three pre-made portfolios on offer, each with its own risk level. The portfolio with the highest volatility offers an estimated annual yield of 5.2% – making this an option for the best stocks and shares ISA 2023 by performance.

Another great feature is that InvestEngine charges no account fees for self-managed ISAs. The pre-made portfolios will only cost 0.25% per year, although there will also be spread costs to consider. Finally, InvestEngine also allows savers to transfer over their existing ISAs for free.

2. Wealthify – Top Stocks and Shares ISA with Pre-Made Investment Plans

Wealthify is an often-quoted Martin Lewis stocks and shares ISA, meaning it’s one of the most popular on our list. With Wealthify, individuals can invest in the best shares to buy to create a self-managed portfolio with low fees. For example, Wealthify charges an annual management fee of just 0.60% plus any accrued spread costs.

However, individuals can also utilise the Wealthify Investment Plans, each containing around 15 funds from leading providers like Fidelity and BlackRock. Like all investments, annual returns vary, although the assumed average annual return for this approach is 5.62% per year.

Wealthify provides an easy sign-up process and allows individuals to withdraw their cash without penalty. This provider also offers 24/7 account access and has a dedicated contact centre, complete with live chat, telephone, and instant messaging options.

3. Nutmeg – Widely-Used Stocks and Shares ISA Offering Multiple Portfolios

Those seeking the best stocks and shares ISA by performance may also gravitate towards Nutmeg. Nutmeg offers some of the best investments in the UK, including a selection of managed ISAs with an array of pre-made portfolios. Individuals can start with as little as £500 in these ISAs, with the option to set up a regular savings plan.

There are numerous pre-made portfolios on offer, ranging from ‘Fully Managed’ to ‘Socially Responsible’. Each has its own risk level and expense ratio, although fees don’t exceed 1.1% per year. This includes the fund costs, spreads, and Nutmeg’s management fees.

Most of the assets held in the pre-made portfolios will be equities, with a small allocation of the best bonds to help with diversification. Moreover, Nutmeg’s portfolios typically focus on US and UK-based assets, with some portfolios adding in other countries. Finally, all client assets are held with Barclays and State Street, providing an additional layer of protection.

4. evestor – Respected ISA Provider with Low Annual Fee

evestor is referenced by many analysts as the best stocks and shares ISA by performance for beginners. This is due to evestor’s user-friendly interface and quick sign-up process. Moreover, evestor allows free withdrawals at any time and enables investors to start with just £1.

In terms of fees, evestor charges a flat 0.51% annual fee, meaning an investment of £10,000 would cost just £51 per year. Individuals can choose from Low, Medium, or High-Risk portfolios, each offering a unique composition of equities, property, bonds, and cash.

The ‘High Risk’ portfolio is a consideration for the title of best-performing stocks and shares ISA since it generated a return of 19.65% in 2021. This portfolio has also made a positive return in four of the last five years – although it’s important to remember that historical performance isn’t an accurate predictor of future performance.

5. Halifax – Huge UK Bank with Dedicated Stocks and Shares ISA

Although Halifax is a bank, it also offers some of the services online trading platforms provide – including a dedicated stocks and shares ISA. Opting for the Halifax stocks and shares ISA will mean users avoid any charges for transferring in or out of the ISA and will pay no commissions on international trades.

UK-based equity trades will have a commission of £9.50, although Halifax is currently running an offer to lower this to just £2. Additionally, Halifax charges a ‘customer admin fee’ of £36 per year.

Unlike the other ISAs mentioned up until this point, Halifax doesn’t offer any pre-made portfolios – so investors must do their research and construct their own portfolio. However, Halifax does provide a free investing guide and has a dedicated help centre for newcomers to the financial markets.

6. Hargreaves Lansdown – Popular Alternative to the Vanguard Stocks and Shares ISA

The Hargreaves Lansdown stocks and shares ISA is a popular option for those with larger lump sums. Although the minimum initial investment in Hargreaves Lansdown ISA is just £100, these accounts can hold over £1m, with a maximum annual charge of just 0.45%.

Like Halifax, Hargreaves Lansdown only offers self-managed ISAs, although it does enable investors to buy funds, equities, trusts, bonds, and ETFs. There’s even the ability to purchase international equities, although the commissions on share trades are high relative to the other providers on our list.

Hargreaves Lansdown allows individuals to set up a regular Direct Debit from just £25 per month or make a one-off lump sum payment into the ISA. Finally, this provider even has a money-back guarantee, meaning that if individuals aren’t happy with the ISA within the first year, they will have any accrued account charges refunded.

7. Fidelity – Acclaimed Stocks and Shares ISA with Detailed Investment Advice

Fidelity is perhaps best known for its popular stock trading app, although this provider also offers a range of other products – including a stocks and shares ISA. This self-managed ISA costs just 0.35% per year for individuals that invest at least £7,500 (or set up a regular savings plan).

The minimum investment for savings plans is just £25, making it easy for those with less cash to get started. However, commissions are set at £10 for online trades, along with 0.5% Stamp Duty on UK-based equities.

Although the Fidelity stocks and shares ISA is self-managed, this provider offers a dedicated help centre highlighting an array of funds selected by financial experts. Fidelity also has a ‘Navigator’ tool that will ask several questions and recommend some funds that may suit the individual’s unique goals and risk tolerance level.

8. Moneyfarm – One of the Best Performing Stocks and Shares ISAs according to Boring Money

Moneyfarm is a personalised investment service that offers self-managed stocks and shares ISAs or pre-made portfolios. This means that Moneyfarm is often cited in the media as having the best stocks and shares ISAs by performance – and even won an award from Boring Money in 2021.

Investors can choose from seven different pre-made portfolios, each with its own risk level and returns potential. As noted on Moneyfarm’s website, each of these portfolios has beaten the average returns of comparable investment providers since the platform’s inception.

For example, the highest-risk portfolio has generated a total return of 44.9% over the past four years (net of fees). Finally, Moneyfarm only charges a flat fee of up to 0.75% for actively managed ISAs – although this drops to 0.45% (or lower) for self-managed portfolios.

9. Interactive Investor – ISA Provider with over 400,000 Clients

Those looking for a self-managed alternative to the best stocks and shares ISA UK by performance may wish to consider Interactive Investor. Using this provider to open an ISA will cost just £9.99 per month, with a relatively low commission of £5.99 on new equity purchases.

Interactive Investor serves more than 400,000 clients and is backed by the FSCS, meaning clients are insured up to £85,000 in the unlikely event that the company becomes insolvent. Moreover, opening an Interactive Investors ISA will provide one free monthly trade and as many Junior ISAs as the individual has children.

The minimum recurring investment is just £25 per month, with the sign-up process taking less than ten minutes to complete. Finally, Interactive Investor even has an ‘Investment Ideas’ service highlighting popular assets for investors with varying risk appetites.

10. IG – Popular Stocks and Shares ISA with ‘Smart Portfolio’ Service

Concluding our discussion of the best stocks and shares ISA by performance is IG. Although IG has a reputation as one of the most popular forex brokers in the UK, this company does provide other products, including a stocks and shares ISA.

Users can create their own portfolios or use one of IG’s ‘Smart Portfolios’, which will see an expertly-built portfolio offered that caters to the user’s risk profile. If users opt for the former, they’ll be able to choose from over 13,000 equities and ETFs. Moreover, users that have an ISA with another provider can transfer it to IG for free.

IG’s Smart Portfolios are one of the most popular approaches to saving and cost just 0.50% per year on the first £50,000 invested. Moreover, IG also provides free portfolio rebalancing and a fractional investing approach to ensure all of the individual’s capital is used appropriately.

Stocks and Shares ISAs Explained

Stocks and shares ISAs are a type of investment account that shield the holder from having to pay income tax or capital gains tax on any accrued earnings. The best way to think about these ISAs is as a sort of ‘wrapper’ that is put around a basket of investment products, helping shield savers from taxation.

According to the Financial Times, stocks and shares ISAs were first introduced in 1999, with other types of ISAs arriving in the following decades. Typically, ISAs are offered by banking and financial institutions, but some online platforms have also begun offering these accounts in recent years.

The vital thing to note is that stocks and shares ISAs do not provide interest like traditional savings accounts do. However, they do allow savers to invest in an array of asset classes, which provides scope for higher yields. Some of the most popular asset classes include:

• Equities (shares)
• Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
• Bonds
• Unit trusts
• Investment trusts

There are also some stocks and shares ISA rules that individuals must abide by, which may discount their benefits somewhat. Let’s take a closer look at these rules and how they impact the investment process. 

What are Stocks and Shares ISAs?

Stocks and shares ISAs aren’t typically used for short-term investments since their taxation benefits are most notable over a period of years (or decades). Although the avoidance of income and capital gains tax will allow investors to retain more of any accrued earnings, it’s essential to understand that the maximum contribution to a stocks and shares ISA is £20,000 per tax year.

This means that if an individual wishes to open one of the top stocks and shares ISAs by performance, they can either contribute £20,000 in one lump sum, divide this amount over several smaller lump sums, or even set up a regular direct debit to pay into the account each month. Even if a saver places their money in an ISA and then withdraws it, the initial contribution will still count towards the annual limit.

Individuals can only pay into one stocks and shares ISA each year. Moreover, if any of the £20,000 annual allowance is unused at the end of the tax year, it cannot be ‘rolled over’ into the next tax year. Finally, most ISA providers will charge an annual fee for ‘managing’ the ISA – so individuals must shop around to find a provider that suits them best.

Why Invest in Stocks and Shares ISAs?

There are many benefits to identifying and investing in the best-performing stocks and shares ISA – which is why these accounts are popular with UK-based savers. Let’s examine the four main benefits below:

Save Money on Tax

No discussion of ISAs would be complete without noting their tax benefits. When saving using a stocks and shares ISA, individuals will avoid paying capital gains tax (CGT), income tax, and dividend tax. In turn, this allows investors to retain any investment gains that they accrue.

However, ISAs aren’t entirely ‘tax-free’. Individuals must still pay stamp duty, inheritance tax, and corporation tax in the instances where these apply.

Suitable for Beginner Investors

Stocks and shares ISAs are also beneficial since they suit beginner investors. Entering the financial markets can be daunting – and ISA providers understand this. To help streamline the process, many ISA providers offer ‘pre-made’ investment portfolios that remove the need to conduct prior asset research.

By opting for one of these pre-made portfolios, individuals can benefit from the skills and expertise of the financial planner(s) that created them. Most providers will offer a selection of portfolios with varying risk levels, ensuring an option for everyone. 

Higher Returns Potential Than Traditional Bank Accounts

As reported by the BBC, the Bank of England (BoE) recently raised its benchmark rate to 3% – its highest level in 14 years. However, traditional savings accounts will offer a lower rate than this, with easy-access accounts generally offering up to 2.50% per year at the time of writing.

This can be frustrating for savers – especially given the rising level of inflation. However, by investing in assets through a stocks and shares ISA, savers can often match (or exceed) the benchmark interest rate, enabling them to get a ‘bigger bang for their buck’. Although investment returns aren’t guaranteed, this can be the ideal approach for savers with a higher risk tolerance level. 

Can Help Shield from Inflation

Finally, using a stocks and shares ISA can be a great way for savers to hedge against inflation risks. According to The Guardian, inflation in the UK is currently just above 10%. This means that if a saver were to use a savings account offering a yield of 2.50%, the value of their money would be eroding.

Opting to enter the financial markets through a stocks and shares ISA can help slow (or remove) this value erosion. Naturally, it’s challenging to match the current inflation rate since obtaining annual returns of 10%+ is something even the top fund managers struggle with. However, even if returns of 6% or 7% were attained, it still means that savers will retain a higher value of their cash.

How Many Stocks and Shares ISAs Can I Have?

A common question from those interested in the best-performing stocks and shares ISAs is how many of these accounts can operate simultaneously. Fortunately, there is no upper limit on the number of ISAs a person can have open, meaning there’s the freedom to shop around and use various providers.

However, an important point to note is that individuals can only pay into one stocks and shares ISA per year. For example, if someone had a Moneybox stocks and shares ISA and contributed the full £20,000 allowance, they could not pay into an ISA with another provider until the next tax year.

How is Stocks and Shares ISA Performance Judged?

If someone is looking to invest £20k in the UK into a stocks and shares ISA, it’s natural that they’ll want to understand how the ISA’s performance is judged. Judging stocks and shares ISAs by performance can be challenging since several factors come into play, although there are some key tactics that savers can employ.

Firstly, many of the most popular stocks and shares ISAs are self-managed – meaning that the individual must construct their own investment portfolio. Naturally, judging performance will depend on the individual’s skill level and experience within the financial markets.

However, several ISA providers will offer ‘actively-managed’ portfolios, which are essentially pre-made investment portfolios that streamline the asset-selection process. Most providers will offer a selection of portfolios that differ in terms of risk and expected returns.

The key metric to look out for when evaluating these portfolios is historical returns. This metric indicates the returns investors could expect to receive if they used the related portfolio. A good approach is to average the returns over five or ten years to provide a more accurate estimation.

However, it’s crucial to note that positive past performance doesn’t necessarily mean that the same will ring true in the future. The financial markets are unpredictable, meaning that if a portfolio makes a positive return in one year, it may still make a negative return the following year. Thus, savers must understand this and accept the possibility of losing money.

Stocks and Shares ISAs Fees

As highlighted by the stocks and shares ISAs performance tables in our list earlier in this article, each provider will have its own fee structure that individuals must be aware of. Typically, there are two main fees associated with having an ISA:

• Annual/monthly charge
• Dealing fees

The former is an ongoing charge levied by the provider for ‘managing’ the ISA. This is usually expressed as a percentage of the invested amount and tends to be higher for actively-managed investment portfolios. Most providers take this fee annually, although some gather it every month.

Dealing fees refer to the commissions charged when the individual buys/sells assets for their stocks and shares ISA. These commissions vary wildly from provider to provider and are usually expressed as a flat fee per trade.

There may also be additional fees to be aware of, such as spread fees or platform fees. Again, this will depend on the provider, so it’s important to conduct prior research before opening an ISA. 

Why Crypto Presales are a Better Investment than Stocks and Shares ISAs

Before concluding our discussion of the best-performing stocks and shares ISA, let’s again turn our attention to the concept of crypto presales, which was noted earlier in this article. These presales can offer some unique advantages when compared to stocks and shares ISAs – with some of the main benefits listed below:

Low Initial Capital Requirement

One of the main reasons crypto presales may be better than stocks and shares ISAs is that the initial capital requirement of the former is relatively low. Most stocks and shares ISAs require an investment of £100 or more – yet many crypto presales allow investment for much less than this.

For example, the Dash 2 Trade presale has a minimum investment threshold of 1,000 tokens, equating to just $51.30 (£44.75). This low investment threshold hasn’t stopped Dash 2 Trade’s presale from amassing more than $5.6m in funding at the time of writing, enabling the project to expand in the coming weeks and months.

High Returns Potential

Even the best stocks and shares ISA by performance will struggle to generate annual returns of over 7% on a regular basis. This means that it’ll take much longer for savers to benefit from compound returns and see exponential capital growth.

On the other hand, crypto presales have historically generated huge returns that blow these ISAs out of the water. For example, the meme coin project Tamadoge recently wrapped up its presale phase and delivered returns of over 1,000% to presale investors once TAMA was listed on the OKX exchange.

Another prominent example is Lucky Block, which also sold out its presale allocation. Once the allocation sold out, Lucky Block’s team was able to list the LBLOCK token on LBank, resulting in presale investors generating quadruple-digit returns on their investment. 

Access to New Use Cases

Finally, crypto presales provide additional benefits besides returns potential – like access to new and exciting use cases. Projects like Dash 2 Trade and IMPT cannot be found anywhere else in the crypto market, meaning they have a unique selling point (USP) that should enable them to grow over the longer term and provide value to token holders.

Some projects, like Calvaria, aim to improve on the use cases offered by other projects. Calvaria is a pioneering NFT trading card game that is also going through a presale phase and has raised more than $1.5m since it began. Given that Calvaria is involved in the play-to-earn (P2E) niche, investors will also be able to generate tokenised rewards through skilled gameplay – increasing their returns potential. 

Best Performing Stocks and Shares ISAs – Conclusion

In summary, this article has presented an overview of the best-performing stocks and shares ISAs available to UK residents, diving into which providers offer these accounts and the many benefits that these accounts can provide.

As noted earlier, those looking for an alternative to the best stocks and shares ISA by performance may wish to consider investing in crypto presales. Dash 2 Trade is currently hosting one of the most sought-after presales of 2023, raising over $5.6m in just a few weeks. Investors can still get involved in the presale, with D2T tokens priced at just 0.0513 USDT.

Another hugely-popular crypto presale is the one being facilitated by IMPT. This revolutionary carbon credits trading platform is still in development, although the project has raised a staggering $12.4m through the presale at the time of writing. Stage two of the presale is still ongoing, allowing investors to buy IMPT tokens at a discounted price of just $0.023.

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