Am I paying too much in fees?
Fees compound against you every year. Even small differences add up dramatically over time. Aim for a total cost of ownership below 0.5% per year. Many UK investors unknowingly pay 0.75–1.5%+ across platform, fund, and trading costs.
The fee layers
Platform fees, fund ongoing charges (OCF), trading costs, currency conversion, and any advice fees all add up. Most investors don't see the combined total.
What that difference actually costs
On £100,000 invested for 30 years at 7% gross return, moving from 1.25% to 0.25% total fees can mean £200,000+ more in your pocket at the end.
What low-cost investing looks like
Broad index ETFs (0.07–0.20% OCF) on a low-fee platform can keep total costs under 0.45% for most DIY investors.
To see exactly what each UK platform charges at your portfolio size, compare them in the UK Broker Fee Index 2026.
Key takeaway: Fees are the one drag on returns you can control. Lower costs don't mean lower quality — evidence strongly favours low-cost index investing for most people.
Arken calculates your total annual cost across all holdings and benchmarks it against lower-cost alternatives, showing you the real pound impact over your timeline.
