Our main aim is always to supply you with unbiased, factual information that can be used effectively to make an informed decision as to whether a platform is best suited for your unique requirements.
Users of InvestingReviews can rest assured that every platform on our site has undergone a rigorous review process beforehand.
Our review process
While this is a constantly moving landscape that the team at InvestingReviews endeavours to remain up to date with, there is a standard procedure that we employ in order to effectively review each platform and conduct a relevant comparison to similar offerings.
We also work with the companies in question to ensure that any changes to their structure or service are reflected in our reviews.
Fees can quickly start to eat away at your investment gains and pricing structures vary wildly from one platform to another. This is why we take the time to understand how the pricing structure works and whether it is best suited to a small investment pot or a large one.
We also look for any ‘hidden fees’ during this process. These are the fees that can take you by surprise, such as withdrawal fees. We make contact with the platform in question to confirm these fees before publishing them in our reviews.
The main fees that we consider include:
- Platform fees
- Spreads
- Commissions
- FX fees
- Inactivity fees
- Fund management fees
- Withdrawal fees
- Deposit fees
We take the time to open an account with each of the brokers that we review in order to assess how easy the process is and the length of time it takes.
Some of the platforms require a KYC (Know Your Customer), which can hinder the process but is often a necessary evil in order to meet compliance regulations.
All this is detailed as part of the review so you can know what to expect.
Only by depositing and withdrawing actual funds can we gain a true picture of how this process works with each platform.
There are often discrepancies in what is published on their own websites in terms of times, methods, and charges for depositing and withdrawing.
All this is then detailed in the review.
This is in relation to the overall experience and usability of the platform itself.
We detail whether you should expect a mobile trading experience, a desktop-based platform, a web-based platform, or all three.
Within this section, we take a detailed look at the tools and features on offer and how they affect your trading experience.
We also check for third party platforms such as MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.
It’s important that the platform you choose provides access to the sort of investment opportunities that will suit you best.
To this end, we take the time to detail the investment products and markets that each platform provides access to and whether they might be suited to inexperienced or advanced investors.
The level of research you need and the amount provided can vary significantly between platforms.
A platform with ready-made portfolios won’t benefit from pages of research tools; however, platforms designed to help you make your own investment decisions should supply a healthy amount of tools to help you build a diversified portfolio.
Poor customer service can be frustrating and time-consuming which is why we make contact with each platform through the channels provided.
We always make contact a number of times on a variety of issues and in addition, we read countless reviews from other customers in order to take their accounts into consideration.
A platform with robust education content can help develop your trading and investment skills, which is why we take a detailed look at what is provided and the channels available, be they webinars, articles, blogs, videos, or podcasts.
This section is also scored according to what we believe is required for the type of platform that we are reviewing.
Safety is of utmost importance when it comes to your finances and therefore we will only review platforms that we deem to meet minimum safety requirements, such as being authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
In addition, we take a look at any additional safety measures employed by the platform, such as how they store your funds and whether they are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. If there is any cause for concern, we ensure this is highlighted in our review.
How we remain impartial
You may be wondering if InvestingReviews receives a fee for the platforms we recommend. While it is true that some (but not all) of the platforms we review will pay a small amount for each new client referred to them, it does not influence how we rate the platform in question.
We will only make changes requested by the platforms if we consider them to be fair and representative of the service they offer.
Here at InvestingReviews, we are not afraid to point out the weaknesses of any of the platforms we review. If we think a platform isn’t safe, then it simply won’t make it onto our list.
Our review process is the very foundation of our business and we therefore strive to offer only the best, most up-to-date information on all the platforms we feature. Our rapidly growing team adheres to this level of commitment in order to ensure we continue to provide our readers with the best possible service.
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