General Investment Accounts explained
A GIA sometimes goes by other names. You might see it called a share dealing account, shares account, or simply an investment account. They all mean the same thing.
The main advantage of a GIA investment account is that there’s no limit to how much you can invest.
It’s a flexible account, with thousands of investments to choose from. That makes it ideal for investing outside of your ISA and SIPP.

General Investment Account tax
If you’re investing in a GIA, you may need to file an annual tax return.
Tax-efficient investment accounts
A SIPP is a pension designed for you to save until your retirement and is for people who want to make their own investment decisions. You can normally only draw your pension from age 55 (57 from 2028), except in special circumstances.
At present, Freetrade only supports Uncrystallised Fund Pension Lump Sums (UFPLS) for customers who wish to withdraw funds from their SIPP after their 55th birthday. We strongly encourage you to seek financial advice before making any withdrawals from your SIPP.
Reasons to invest with Freetrade
Compare our pricing
Comparison disclosure
Costs are based on those published costs on the other providers’ websites as of 24 March 2026. They are shown for illustrative purposes only. For confirmation of their up-to-date charges and product information, you should visit their websites.
Calculations exclude interest on customer cash and do not include investment growth or tax relief. Annual percentage based charges and monthly fixed account fees are applied after UK and US trading fees and FX fees.
Freetrade: There are no commission charges per trade and no subscription fee on the Basic plan, which gives you access to a Stocks and Shares ISA, Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), and General Investment Account (GIA). FX fees are 0.99% on Basic, reduced to 0.59% on Standard and 0.39% on Plus.
Hargreaves Lansdown: Subscription fee is based on the annual 0.35% charge on the value of shares held in the share dealing account, which is the equivalent of a general investment account (GIA). This is capped at £12.50/mo. Fee per trade reduces, depending on the number of trades executed in the previous month, from £6.95 for up to 19 trades to £3.95 for 20 or more trades. The FX rate is tiered by transaction value: 0.99% for the first £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001–£24,999.99, and 0.20% for £25,000 or more.
Interactive Investor: Subscription fee is based on the Core plan at £5.99/mo, which allows for a maximum portfolio size of £100,000. For portfolios above this, customers are switched to the Plus plan, which costs £14.99/mo. The FX rate varies by plan: 0.75% on Core, 0.75% on the first £50,000 and 0.25% for over £50,000 on the Plus plan, 0.25% on the Premium plan.
AJ Bell: Subscription fee is based on the annual 0.25% charge on the value of shares held in the dealing account, which is the equivalent of a general investment account (GIA). This is capped at £3.50/mo. Fee per trade reduces, depending on the number of trades executed in the previous month, from £5.00 for up to 9 trades to £3.50 for 10 or more trades. The FX rate is tiered by transaction value: 0.75% for up to £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001–£20,000, and 0.25% for above £20,000.
Comparison disclosure
Costs are based on those published costs on the other providers’ websites as of 24 March 2026. They are shown for illustrative purposes only. For confirmation of their up-to-date charges and product information, you should visit their websites. Calculations exclude interest on customer cash and do not include investment growth or tax relief. Annual percentage based charges and monthly fixed account fees are applied after UK and US trading fees and FX fees.
Calculations exclude interest on customer cash and do not include investment growth or tax relief. Annual percentage based charges and monthly fixed account fees are applied after UK and US trading fees and FX fees.
Freetrade: There are no commission charges per trade and no subscription fee on the Basic plan, which gives you access to a Stocks and Shares ISA, Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), and General Investment Account (GIA). FX fees are 0.99% on Basic, reduced to 0.59% on Standard and 0.39% on Plus.
Hargreaves Lansdown: Subscription fee is based on the annual 0.35% charge on the value of shares held in an ISA account. This is capped at £12.50/mo. Fee per trade reduces, depending on the number of trades executed in the previous month, from £6.95 for up to 19 trades to £3.95 for 20 or more trades. The FX rate is tiered by transaction value: 0.99% for the first £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001–£24,999.99, and 0.20% for £25,000 or more.
Interactive Investor: Subscription fee is based on the Core plan at £5.99/mo, which allows for a maximum portfolio size of £100,000. For portfolios above this, customers are switched to the Plus plan, which costs £14.99/mo. The FX rate varies by plan: 0.75% on Core, 0.75% on the first £50,000 and 0.25% for over £50,000 on the Plus plan, 0.25% on the Premium plan.
AJ Bell: Subscription fee is based on the annual 0.25% charge on the value of shares held in an ISA account. This is capped at £3.50/mo. Fee per trade reduces, depending on the number of trades executed in the previous month, from £5.00 for up to 9 trades to £3.50 for 10 or more trades. The FX rate is tiered by transaction value: 0.75% for up to £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001–£20,000, and 0.25% for above £20,000.
Comparison disclosure
Costs are based on those published costs on the other providers’ websites as of 24 March 2026. They are shown for illustrative purposes only. For confirmation of their up-to-date charges and product information, you should visit their websites.
Calculations exclude interest on customer cash and do not include investment growth or tax relief. Annual percentage based charges and monthly fixed account fees are applied after UK and US trading fees and FX fees.
Freetrade: There are no commission charges per trade and no subscription fee on the Basic plan, which gives you access to a Stocks and Shares ISA, Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), and General Investment Account (GIA). FX fees are 0.99% on Basic, reduced to 0.59% on Standard and 0.39% on Plus.
Hargreaves Lansdown: Subscription fee is based on the annual 0.35% charge on the value of shares held in the share dealing account, which is the equivalent of a general investment account (GIA). This is capped at £12.50/mo. Fee per trade reduces, depending on the number of trades executed in the previous month, from £6.95 for up to 19 trades to £3.95 for 20 or more trades. The FX rate is tiered by transaction value: 0.99% for the first £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001–£24,999.99, and 0.20% for £25,000 or more.
Interactive Investor: Subscription fee is based on the Plus plan at £14.99 per month, as the portfolio exceeds £100,000 after the first monthly contribution. The Plus plan includes one free trade credit per month, worth £3.99, which has been applied to UK trading in this calculation. Standard trading fees are £3.99 per trade on Core and Plus plans for UK and US shares and ETFs, reduced to £2.99 on the Premium plan. FX fees vary by plan, with 0.75% on Core, 0.75% on the first £50,000 and 0.25% above £50,000 on Plus, and 0.25% on Premium.
AJ Bell: Subscription fee is based on the annual 0.25% charge on the value of shares held in the dealing account, which is the equivalent of a general investment account (GIA). This is capped at £3.50/mo. Fee per trade reduces, depending on the number of trades executed in the previous month, from £5.00 for up to 9 trades to £3.50 for 10 or more trades. The FX rate is tiered by transaction value: 0.75% for up to £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001–£20,000, and 0.25% for above £20,000.
Comparison disclosure
Costs are based on those published costs on the other providers’ websites as of 24 March 2026. They are shown for illustrative purposes only. For confirmation of their up-to-date charges and product information, you should visit their websites.
Calculations exclude interest on customer cash and do not include investment growth or tax relief. Annual percentage based charges and monthly fixed account fees are applied after UK and US trading fees and FX fees.
Freetrade: There are no commission charges per trade and no subscription fee on the Basic plan, which gives you access to a Stocks and Shares ISA, Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), and General Investment Account (GIA). FX fees are 0.99% on Basic, reduced to 0.59% on Standard and 0.39% on Plus.
Hargreaves Lansdown: Subscription fee is based on the annual 0.35% charge on the value of shares held in the share dealing account, which is the equivalent of a general investment account (GIA). This is capped at £12.50/mo. Fee per trade reduces, depending on the number of trades executed in the previous month, from £6.95 for up to 19 trades to £3.95 for 20 or more trades. The FX rate is tiered by transaction value: 0.99% for the first £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001–£24,999.99, and 0.20% for £25,000 or more.
Interactive Investor: Subscription fee is based on the Plus plan at £14.99 per month, as the portfolio exceeds £100,000. The Plus plan includes one free trade credit per month, worth £3.99, which has been applied to UK trading in this calculation. Standard trading fees are £3.99 per trade on Core and Plus plans for UK and US shares and ETFs, reduced to £2.99 on the Premium plan. FX fees vary by plan, with 0.75% on Core, 0.75% on the first £50,000 and 0.25% above £50,000 on Plus, and 0.25% on Premium.
AJ Bell: Subscription fee is based on the annual 0.25% charge on the value of shares held in the dealing account, which is the equivalent of a general investment account (GIA). This is capped at £3.50/mo. Fee per trade reduces, depending on the number of trades executed in the previous month, from £5.00 for up to 9 trades to £3.50 for 10 or more trades. The FX rate is tiered by transaction value: 0.75% for up to £10,000, 0.50% for £10,001–£20,000, and 0.25% for above £20,000.
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General Investment Account FAQs
Here you’ll find answers to the most frequently asked questions. If you have a question that’s not listed, please contact support.
How much does a General Investment Account cost?
As little as £0/month. A GIA is included with all Freetrade plans and trades are commission-free. Other charges may apply when trading. See our pricing table for more details.
How much can you invest in a General Investment Account?
As much as you like. Although, it’s important to make sure you don’t invest more than you can afford to. And, with a GIA, you need to be aware of any taxes you might have to pay on gains above your various allowances.
What can you invest in with a GIA?
Choose from 8,200+ investment choices on Freetrade, across UK, US, and EU stocks, ETFs and investment trusts, funds, gilts, UK Treasury bills, and more.
Is investing in stocks worth the risk?
Over longer periods, investing in stocks and shares has proven to be a useful way to build wealth. But only if you can make the decision that investing is right for you. It’s up to you to choose if you’re willing to accept the investment risk that you may get back less than you put in.
Can I open more than one General Investment Account?
Yes, you can open multiple GIAs with different brokers. There’s no limit. But you can save yourself effort and hassle by keeping all your investments in one place with Freetrade. Transfer cash or stocks from other providers now.
What is the difference between a GIA and an ISA?
The main difference between a GIA and ISA is tax efficiency. Gains made in your GIA may be subject to tax if you go over your yearly allowances. With an ISA, you can invest up to £20,000 each year without having to pay capital gains or UK dividend tax. With Freetrade, your ISA is flexible. This means you can withdraw and replace money during the tax year without impacting your annual allowance.
ISA eligibility rules apply. Tax treatment depends on personal circumstances and current rules may change.
What is the difference between a savings account and a GIA?
The question of saving vs investing is a common one. With a savings account, there’s no risk of getting back less money than you put in. However, you’re limited with what you can do. And if the interest rate you’re getting is lower than inflation, the value of your money could erode in real terms. There’s a higher potential for gains in a GIA. But, your capital is at risk if your chosen investments perform poorly.
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Stocks and shares ISA
NewJunior stocks and shares ISA
NewPension (SIPP)
NewGeneral investment account
Commission-free investing in Freetrade’s full universe of stocks, ETFs, and investment trusts
FX fee of 0.99% on non-GBP trades
1% AER on up to £1k uninvested cash
Mutual funds and gilts
New
Stocks and shares ISA
Junior stocks and shares ISA
NewPension (SIPP)
NewGeneral investment account
Commission-free investing in Freetrade’s full universe of stocks, ETFs, and investment trusts
FX fee of 0.59% on non-GBP trades
2.5% AER on up to £2k uninvested cash
Mutual funds and gilts
New
Stocks and shares ISA
Junior stocks and shares ISA
NewPension (SIPP)
General investment account
Commission-free investing in Freetrade’s full universe of stocks, ETFs, and investment trusts
FX fee of 0.39% on non-GBP trades
3.5% AER on up to £3k uninvested cash
Mutual funds and gilts
New
Stocks and shares ISA
NewJunior stocks and shares ISA
NewPension (SIPP)
NewGeneral investment account
Commission-free investing in Freetrade’s full universe of stocks, ETFs, and investment trusts
FX fee of 0.99% on non-GBP trades
1% AER on up to £1k uninvested cash
Mutual funds and gilts
New
Stocks and shares ISA
Junior stocks and shares ISA
NewPension (SIPP)
NewGeneral investment account
Commission-free investing in Freetrade’s full universe of stocks, ETFs, and investment trusts
FX fee of 0.59% on non-GBP trades
2.5% AER on up to £2k uninvested cash
Mutual funds and gilts
New
Stocks and shares ISA
Junior stocks and shares ISA
NewPension (SIPP)
General investment account
Commission-free investing in Freetrade’s full universe of stocks, ETFs, and investment trusts
FX fee of 0.39% on non-GBP trades
3.5% AER on up to £3k uninvested cash
Mutual funds and gilts
New















