Quick Summary
If you are self-employed in the UK, a stocks and shares ISA is one of the most tax-efficient ways to invest for the long term. You pay no capital gains tax and no income tax on dividends or growth within the ISA wrapper. For 2026/27, the annual ISA allowance remains £20,000.
The challenge for self-employed investors is that income can be irregular. The best ISA providers for self-employed individuals offer flexible contributions, low platform fees for variable investment amounts, and access to low-cost index funds.
🔎 Our top picks at a glance
Lowest fees overall: Trading 212 (zero platform fee)
Best for ETF investors: InvestEngine (zero platform fee, ETF-only)
Best for fund range: Hargreaves Lansdown (widest selection)
Best for beginners: Trading 212 or Freetrade
Best for index fund simplicity: Vanguard UK
Platform Comparison Table
Fees and features verified against provider documentation as of April 2026. Always check the provider website before opening an account as fees may change.
| Platform | Platform Fee | Trading Fee | Fund Range | Min. Investment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading 212 | 0% | Free | Stocks, ETFs | £1 |
| InvestEngine | 0% | Free (ETFs) | ETFs only | £100 |
| Freetrade | From £4.99/mo | Free (basic) | Stocks, ETFs | £2 |
| Vanguard UK | 0.15% (max £375) | Free | Vanguard funds only | £100 lump sum / £25/mo |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | 0.45% (reduces) | £11.95 per trade | Widest in UK | £1 |
Trading 212 ISA
Trading 212 charges no platform fee and no dealing commission on its ISA, making it one of the lowest-cost options available to UK investors. It offers access to thousands of stocks and ETFs, including the major global index trackers self-employed investors typically want.
The platform is well-suited to self-employed individuals with variable income: there is no minimum monthly contribution requirement, and you can invest from £1. The AutoInvest feature allows you to set proportional allocation across multiple assets, which suits irregular lump sum contributors.
Open a Trading 212 ISA
Commission-free stocks and shares ISA. No platform fee. Start from £1.
Affiliate link -- we may earn a commission. Capital at risk. Not advice.
InvestEngine ISA
InvestEngine specialises in ETFs and charges no platform fee and no trading commission. If you want a low-cost, passive investing approach -- buying a small number of diversified ETFs and holding them long term -- InvestEngine is hard to beat on cost.
The managed portfolio option, which automatically allocates to a diversified ETF portfolio based on your risk profile, charges 0.25% per year. The DIY option, where you select and manage your own ETF portfolio, is entirely free.
Open an InvestEngine ISA
Zero platform fee. Commission-free ETF investing. DIY or managed portfolios.
Affiliate link -- we may earn a commission. Capital at risk. Not advice.
Freetrade ISA
Freetrade offers a stocks and shares ISA from £4.99 per month (Standard plan). The Basic account does not include an ISA wrapper. The Standard plan includes ISA access, instant trades and a wider stock universe.
Freetrade suits self-employed investors who want stock-picking capability alongside index fund investing, at a predictable flat monthly cost rather than a percentage fee.
Open a Freetrade ISA
ISA from £4.99/month. Access thousands of UK and US stocks and ETFs.
Affiliate link -- we may earn a commission. Capital at risk. Not advice.
Vanguard UK ISA
Vanguard's platform charges 0.15% per year (capped at £375), with no dealing fees. You can only invest in Vanguard's own funds and ETFs -- but for most self-employed investors building a simple, diversified long-term portfolio, this range is entirely sufficient. The LifeStrategy funds and FTSE All World ETF are among the most widely used index investments in the UK.
Hargreaves Lansdown ISA
Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK's largest investment platform by assets under administration. Its ISA offers the widest fund and stock universe of any UK platform. The 0.45% platform fee is higher than competitors for smaller portfolios, but reduces at higher asset levels. Dealing fees of £11.95 per trade make it expensive for frequent stock traders.
HL is best suited to more experienced investors who want access to a wide fund range, or those consolidating multiple investments in one place.
Verdict: Which ISA Suits the Self-Employed?
For most self-employed individuals who want to invest tax-efficiently without paying unnecessary fees, Trading 212 or InvestEngine are the strongest starting points. Both charge zero platform fees and zero dealing commissions, which matters significantly over long investment horizons.
If you prefer Vanguard's specific fund range and want the simplicity of a single-provider approach, Vanguard's own platform is well-priced. If you want the widest possible fund universe and are managing a large portfolio, Hargreaves Lansdown becomes more competitive at higher asset levels.