Lightyear Eliminates ISA Commission Fees, Now Among the Cheapest UK Stocks and Shares ISAs

Investment platform Lightyear has today announced it will be removing all commission fees from its Stocks and Shares ISA, making it one of the most affordable ISAs of its kind in the UK.

Lightyear’s announcement moves in lockstep with the UK Government’s Leeds Reforms unveiled by Chancellor Rachel Reeves at Mansion House last month, designed to boost retail investment and encourage savers to reap the benefits of long-term investing in high-yield equities.

This move comes at a time when demand for low-cost, flexible investment options is surging. Over the past decade, research by Lightyear found that the value held in UK stocks and shares ISAs and personal equity plans has grown by 94%, rising from £222 billion in 2012/13 to nearly £430 billion in 2022/23.

Earlier this year, Lightyear introduced its Cash ISA and Stocks and Shares ISA to the UK market. Research from Capital Economics found that Lightyear’s ISA was ten times cheaper than the market average, thanks to the product having no account, subscription, custody, or withdrawal fees.

Now, with commission fees also being removed — previously £/€/$1 per trade (capped at 0.1% or $1 for US stocks) — Lightyear cements its position as a leading affordable ISA option in the UK, aligning with its mission to create successful investors.

Lightyear’s move reflects a broader shift in the retail investing landscape, where consumers are increasingly fee-conscious and tech-savvy. With more than £200 billion in new ISA investment over the last decade, platforms that prioritise value and simplicity are quickly winning market share.

In July 2025, Lightyear also announced it had raised a $23m Series B round, to drive UK retail investing. It simultaneously launched a host of AI-powered market intelligence tools, with three new features that break open access to expert analysis and financial news, summarised in the context of a user’s portfolio and what they’re looking at.

Wander Rutgers, UK CEO at Lightyear, commented: “For too long, ISA investing in the UK has been dominated by legacy platforms charging high, hidden, or confusing fees. We’re changing that. People want transparency, flexibility, and fairness, and they’re moving billions of pounds to find it. By removing commission fees entirely, we’re making investing more accessible to more people, helping them grow their portfolio without losing a chunk of it to unnecessary costs. As UK retail investing continues to surge, ISA providers need to ensure they’re working for the customer, not the platform.”