Online investing services offer their customers distinctly different experiences but are becoming more similar in how they combine investing, saving and day-to-day money, according to our latest UK D2C: Investor Experience report.
Differences abound. Established services are comprehensive in what they offer, while newer entrants tend to specialise, exemplified by InvestEngine’s ETF focus. They also differ in how they offer content. Newer services focus on distribution through social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram rather than their own websites.
In some areas services are growing more similar. We are seeing a move toward holistic wealth management, where self-directed clients can increasingly manage their investments, cash savings and banking together – preferably though a mobile app.
Direct platforms like AJ Bell, Charles Stanley Direct and Hargreaves Lansdown offer cash savings with proprietary or third-party cash platforms. Neo-brokers have launched debit cards linked to investment accounts. Digital banks like Chase UK and Monzo now have fully integrated investment propositions.
Data-driven personalisation is helping to enhance user experience, with content tailored to relevant investment solutions and better mobile experiences. But while we have seen many improvements to specific aspects of UX, providing good long-term investor experience remains a work in progress with further opportunities for innovation and differentiation ahead.
We recently published our UK D2C: Investor Experience report. For more information, please get in touch.