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Megan is a senior researcher and writer at Which?, with a background in data analysis and stats in the public and charity sectors.
In this article
Barclays Direct Investing is the investing arm of one of the UK's biggest high street banks.
It only offers a general investment account or stocks and shares Isa, and you can open either with a minimum investment of £50 a month.
Please note that this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular T&Cs of an investment platform before committing to any financial products.
Visit Barclays Direct Investing to find out more about its accounts, services and investment options.
Barclays received an above-average score from customers (72%) and from Which? for asset choice (35%). At the time of analysis, Barclays picked up a fee score of 49%, but has since scrapped account fees for customers.
61%
Annual fees (for funds)
of 23 providers
Annual platform charge:
Trading charges:
Find out how these fees compare with other stocks and shares Isas.
Megan Thomas, Which? investments writer, says:
Barclays Direct Investing scored the full five stars for its ease of use, and you can integrate Barclays Smart Investor more easily into the rest of your finances if you use its banking services.
Barclays scrapped its monthly account fees in June 2026, meaning you'd only pay fees when you buy or sell shares which costs £6 each time. You should be mindful of high foreign exchange fees (1% on trades worth £5,000 or less) if you would be regularly investing in overseas stocks.
You can invest in a broad range of assets with Barclays, but other providers offer more options.
Barclays customers gave it a 72%, the ninth-highest score of any platform in our survey.
Comments from Barclays customers who took part in our survey include:
Visit Barclays Direct Investing to find out more about its accounts, services and investment options.
| Aspect of service | Star rating |
| Customer service | |
| Ease of use | |
| Information on investments | |
| Value for money |
These results are based on a January 2026 online survey of 3,053 adults – members of the Which? Connect panel and members of the public – who told us about 4,146 experiences with stocks and shares Isas. Barclays Direct Investing results based on sample size of 216.
Barclays Direct Investing is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
If Barclays went bust and its other arrangements to protect your money failed, the FSCS will cover up to £120,000 of investments per person, per platform. You can claim for free online at fscs.org.uk, so there's no reason to use a claims management company.