Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Plum vs Vanguard Investor UK
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Plum | Vanguard Investor UK ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £2Lower | £500 |
| Account fee | £0Lower | £48 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, FundsCovers more | ETFs, Funds |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa | ISA, SIPP, Jisa |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Mobile app | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000).
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Key differences
- Plum scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.8.
- Regulators: only Plum offers Financial Conduct Authority.
- Regulators: only Vanguard Investor UK offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Founded is lower at Vanguard Investor UK: 1975 vs 2016.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Plum: £2 vs £500.
- Account fee is lower at Plum: £0 vs £48.
- Markets: only Plum offers Stocks.
- Account types: only Plum offers Lisa.
- Account types: only Vanguard Investor UK offers Jisa.
- Support channels: only Plum offers Email, Help centre.
Our verdict on each
Plum
Plum is a UK app aimed at beginners who want to start small and pay nothing to hold or trade. Stocks, ETFs and funds sit behind fractional shares, the account fee is £0 and the minimum deposit is £2, so small amounts can be put to work in a SIPP, ISA or LISA.
Vanguard Investor UK
Vanguard Investor UK suits beginners who want a simple fund and ETF portfolio inside an ISA, SIPP or Junior ISA, backed by a long-established UK regulated provider. The trade-off is the entry price: a minimum deposit of £500 and a flat account fee place it behind rivals that ask for less to start.
Score breakdown
| Area | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherStock dealing is £0, the account fee is £0 and management fees run 0.15% to 0.6% on portfolios. | 8.2Cost rests on a £48 account fee and a £500 minimum deposit, both above the cheapest entries in the field. |
| Offer | 8.9Higher | 8.8 |
| Trust | 8.5 | 9.2Higher |
Choosing between them
Pick Plum if cost, minimum deposit, account fee, and markets matter most.
Pick Vanguard Investor UK if trust matter most.
Licences and countries
| Country | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Lisa | Yes | No |
| Jisa | No | Yes |
How they place
| Ranking | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 160 of 490 | 181 of 490 |
| Investment platforms and apps | 33 of 85 | 38 of 85 |
| Brokers for beginners | 43 of 88 | 53 of 88 |
| Robo-advisors | 66 of 153 | 79 of 153 |
| Stocks and shares ISA providers | 7 of 21 | 10 of 21 |
| SIPP providers | 6 of 22 | 9 of 22 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Low fees |
| Audience | Beginners | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Plum Fintech Limited | Vanguard Asset Management |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2016 | 1975Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre | Phone |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.15% to 0.6%Lower | 0.2% |
| Minimum investment | £1Lower | £500 |
| Portfolio types | ETF, CashCovers more | ETF |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £2below the median | £500highest quarter | £25 |
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | £0at the median | £48highest quarter | £0 |
Median across 16 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Plum
Pros
- Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so holding and dealing carry no charge.
- The account opens from £2 and the smallest investment is £1, which suits small regular amounts.
- Fractional shares on a Mobile app let a small sum hold part of a share rather than a whole one.
Cons
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so an urgent question waits for a written answer.
- The market list is stocks, etfs and funds and portfolio types run to etf and cash, so the account is narrow beside a full trading platform.
- The minimum deposit of £2 ranks 89 of 213, and CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0.
Vanguard Investor UK
Pros
- A 0.2% management fee keeps the ongoing fund charge low, which fits the low-cost model listed in low fees.
- Investor protection is FSCS up to GBP 85,000 under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), so the money sits inside a UK regulated structure.
- The audience named is beginners, and the range of etfs and funds keeps the choice simple for a first account.
Cons
- The £48 account fee is a fixed platform charge, where the account fee at eToro is $0.
- A £500 minimum deposit sits far above the $0 minimum deposit at CFI and the $5 minimum deposit at Vantage.
- Support runs on phone only, so anyone expecting written help or a live chat route has a single line.
Who each suits
Plum
Who it suits
- Beginners who want a SIPP, ISA or LISA going from a first deposit of £2.
- Investors who want to pick their own shares and are content with portfolio types of etf and cash.
- Readers who care most about the cost of a trade, since dealing is £0 and the account fee is £0.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting a lower floor than the £2 minimum, since CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0.
- Readers comparing purely on dealing costs, since eToro also charges $0 for a stock trade.
- People who want to fund from a higher starting amount: Vantage lists a minimum deposit of $5.
Vanguard Investor UK
Who it suits
- UK beginners, the audience named in beginners, who would rather hold etfs and funds than pick shares, and who can commit £500 at the outset rather than the $0 CFI asks for.
- Parents opening a Junior ISA and adults building a retirement pot, since isa, sipp and jisa all come from one provider with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 behind the money. That matters more here than a lower entry level at Vantage, where the minimum deposit is $5.
- Savers who value a flat £48 fee and a 0.2% management fee over the $0 account fee at eToro, and who are content with support on phone.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone starting small: £500 is far above the $0 minimum deposit at CFI and the $5 minimum deposit at Vantage.
- Savers who want no fixed platform charge, since the account fee here is £48 against $0 at eToro.
Country by country
| Country | Plum | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Plum
How much does it cost to use Plum?+
Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so there is no dealing charge and no annual subscription to pay. The cost that can appear is the management fee of 0.15% to 0.6% on portfolios, which applies to the managed side rather than to every account. On the cost of holding and dealing, Plum sits at the cheap end of the field.
Is Plum regulated, and is my money protected?+
Plum is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and the account is held with Plum Fintech Limited. The stated investor protection is FSCS up to GBP 85,000, which is the compensation available if the firm cannot pay a valid claim. That is the standard UK arrangement for a firm holding investments, and it is the part to check before depositing.
Vanguard Investor UK
What does Vanguard Investor UK charge to hold an account?+
The platform charges an account fee of £48, and money has to be committed at a minimum deposit of £500 before the account opens. On top of that sits the management fee of 0.2% on the funds and ETFs held. The cost picture is therefore a fixed platform charge plus an ongoing fund charge, rather than a charge on each trade.
How much do I need to deposit to open an account?+
The stated minimum deposit is £500, and the minimum investment is £500, so the money has to be in place before the account gets going. A saver starting with a smaller balance would have to look elsewhere: CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0 and Vantage a minimum deposit of $5.