SIPP platforms compared

Factual comparison · no ranking spin · capital at risk

Disclosure: this page may in future contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a commission if you open an account — at no extra cost to you. That never changes how platforms are described. Investing puts your capital at risk, and pension rules on access apply. Fee details change often — always confirm on the provider's own site.

A SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) is just a pension wrapper you control — the platform you hold it on determines the fees you pay and the investments you can choose. Over decades, platform cost is one of the few return factors you fully control: 0.3% a year on a £300,000 pot is £900 every year.

The right platform depends mostly on two things: how big your pot is (percentage fees suit small pots, capped or flat fees suit large ones) and what you want to hold (an ETF-only platform is no restriction at all if ETFs are all you want).

Platform	Platform fee	Dealing costs	Investment range	Worth knowing
InvestEngine	No platform fee (DIY)	Free (ETF only)	ETFs only	Managed option costs extra; ETF-only universe suits index investors
Vanguard Investor	0.15% / yr (capped £375)	Free (funds)	Vanguard funds & ETFs only	Simple and cheap if you only want Vanguard products
Fidelity	0.35% / yr (tiered)	Free funds; share deals charged	Funds, shares, ETFs	Fee tiers fall for larger balances
AJ Bell	0.25% / yr (tiered, shares capped)	Charged per deal	Wide: funds, shares, ETFs, ITs	Long-established SIPP provider
Hargreaves Lansdown	0.45% / yr (tiered, shares capped)	Free funds; share deals charged	Very wide	Priciest of the majors; strong service reputation
interactive investor	Flat monthly fee	Charged per deal	Very wide	Flat fee favours larger pots

Fee summaries are simplified and were last reviewed July 2026; tiers, caps and promotions change — check the provider's current schedule before opening an account.

How to choose, briefly

Small pot, index funds: zero or low percentage-fee platforms keep early costs near nil.
Large pot: capped or flat-fee structures usually win — do the arithmetic at your balance.
Want individual shares or a wide fund range: the full-service platforms cost more but offer everything.
Transferring an old pension in: check exit fees on the old scheme and whether the new platform accepts in-specie transfers.

Before deciding how much to contribute, see what a contribution really costs you with the SIPP tax relief calculator — and what it could grow into with the growth calculator.