Updated October 21, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
ii vs Plum
ii
Plum
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | iiReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | PlumReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £0Lower | £2 |
| Stock trade fee | £3.99 | £0Lower |
| Account fee | £71.88 | £0Lower |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Funds, BondsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Funds |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Jisa, Joint | ISA, SIPP, Lisa |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free transfers in/out; free next-day withdrawals, GBP15 same-day | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | 0.8% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Regulators (Financial Conduct Authority), Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000), Platforms (Mobile app).
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Key differences
- Plum scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.6.
- Minimum deposit is lower at ii: £0 vs £2.
- Stock trade fee is lower at Plum: £0 vs £3.99.
- Account fee is lower at Plum: £0 vs £71.88.
- Markets: only ii offers Bonds.
- Account types: only ii offers Jisa, Joint.
- Account types: only Plum offers Lisa.
- Support channels: only ii offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Plum offers Email.
- Features: only Plum offers Fractional shares.
Our verdict on each
ii
ii suits investors who want tax efficient and family accounts with ISA, SIPP and jisa alongside stocks, ETFs and funds through Mobile app. Stock trades cost £3.99 and the account fee is £71.88, so active traders should balance dealing charges against portfolio growth.
Plum
Plum suits beginners in the UK who want to start small and pay nothing to deal, with a minimum deposit of £2. The trade-off is a short market list, confined to stocks, etfs and funds, and an overall score of 6.5 that leaves the case resting on price rather than choice.
Score breakdown
| Area | ii | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.6Low entry hurdle with minimum deposit of £0 balanced by dealing charges | 9.3HigherCosts are the strongest suit: account fee £0, stock trade fee £0, management fee 0.15% to 0.6%. |
| Offer | 8.9Choice across stocks, ETFs and funds held within ISA, SIPP and jisa via Mobile app | 8.9 |
| Trust | 8.5Oversight from Financial Conduct Authority with cover of FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | 8.5 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | ii | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Available in 1 country for both.
What it costs in practice
A year: 5,000 invested, 4 US stock trades a month
ii
£263.40
48 × £3.99 + 1 × £71.88
Plum
£0
48 × £0 + 1 × £0
Plum costs £263.40 less.
Excludes currency conversion fee (not stated by Plum). Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 28, 2026.
Choosing between them
Pick ii if minimum deposit and markets matter most.
Pick Plum if cost, stock trade fee, and account fee matter most.
Where these facts come from
ii
- ii.co.uk: 16 facts, checked September 28, 2026
Plum
- withplum.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- finextra.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | ii | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 322 of 654 | 243 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 234 of 358 | 176 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 17 of 25 | 9 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 13 of 23 | 6 of 23 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | ii | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Fractional shares, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Interactive Investor Services Limited | Plum Fintech Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2016 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre | Email, Help centre |
Savings
| Fact | ii | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | Not confirmed | 3.05% to 3.65% |
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Variable |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | Same day access, no lock-in, no notice period |
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | Easy access |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | ii | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0.15% to 0.6% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | £1 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF, Cash |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | ii | Plum | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £0lowest quarter | £2below the median | £15 |
| Stock trade fee | £3.99highest quarter | £0at the median | £0 |
| Account fee | £71.88highest quarter | £0at the median | £0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%above the median | Not confirmed | 0.4% |
| Interest on cash | 0.8%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 2.875% |
Median across 77 listed providers.
Pros and cons
ii
Pros
- Begin with £0 and invest across stocks, ETFs and funds without funding pressure
- Hold ISA, SIPP and family accounts through ISA, SIPP and jisa in a single provider
- Cover of FSCS up to GBP 85,000 under Financial Conduct Authority for added assurance
Cons
- Account fee of £71.88 applies whether you trade or leave holdings untouched
- Stock trades cost £3.99 versus $0 at ActivTrades
- Foreign trades carry conversion costs of 0.75% on top of dealing charges
Plum
Pros
- Fractional shares are offered, so £2 is enough to hold a slice of a company rather than whole shares.
- Eligible money is covered by the protection scheme, with the ceiling given as FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
- The account types cover isa, sipp and lisa, so investing, retirement saving and a home deposit pot sit with the same provider.
Cons
- Markets stop at stocks, etfs and funds, so there is no dealing in listed bonds, overseas currency or crypto through the account.
- Help runs on email and help centre only, so a stuck withdrawal or transfer has no phone route.
- Managed portfolios charge 0.15% to 0.6%, which takes a slice from every pot you hand over.
Who each suits
ii
Who it suits
- Investors building ISA and SIPP holdings with junior and joint accounts included
- Buy and hold investors focused on shares, funds and bonds with mobile access
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders sensitive to per order costs may prefer ActivTrades where stock trade fee is $0 rather than £3.99
- Investors comparing entry levels may consider XTB with minimum deposit of €0 or eToro with minimum deposit of $50
Plum
Who it suits
- Beginners in the UK who want to begin with £2 and see share dealing in plain terms.
- Investors building an ISA or pension habit on a phone, since access runs through Mobile app.
- Anyone happy with a market list of stocks, etfs and funds for a starter portfolio.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro is the place to check if the market list here, stocks, etfs and funds, is too tight for what you want to trade.
- bunq if you are starting from a €10 minimum rather than buying shares.
- cfi if you want no minimum deposit, since its floor is $0 against £2 here.
Country by country
| Country | ii | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
ii
What does ii charge for share dealing and account holding?+
Stock trades cost £3.99 and the account fee is £71.88. The account fee covers holding of investments across wrappers and applies on top of dealing charges. Check how often you expect to trade before judging value against infrequent use.
Is ii regulated and is money protected?+
ii is provided by Interactive Investor Services Limited and regulated by Financial Conduct Authority. Client cover is FSCS up to GBP 85,000. Protection applies within scheme limits and does not remove market risk, so holdings can still fall in value.
Plum
What does it cost to trade and hold with Plum?+
Dealing is commission-free and the stock trade fee is listed as £0. The account fee is £0 and the monthly subscription is £0, so holding an account costs nothing. Managed portfolios are the exception, charging 0.15% to 0.6% on the money you put into them. That covers the charging picture on the investment side.
Is my money protected if something goes wrong?+
Eligible investments sit under the protection scheme, and the stated ceiling is given as FSCS up to GBP 85,000. Cash held in the app is listed the same way under FSCS up to GBP 85,000. The figure is a limit rather than a promise of returns, and it applies to eligible money rather than to every balance on the account. Read the terms for the eligibility conditions before you rely on it.