Both are FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected. The real difference is fees, account types and how each platform feels to use. Verified against each provider’s published charges.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy.
Beginners building a habit, and first-time buyers using the Lifetime ISA.
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Tick what you need above and we'll tell you which of the two covers it.
Account availability verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Long-term investors praise the low fund costs and the simplicity of LifeStrategy portfolios.
The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service.
Read Vanguard reviews on TrustpilotUsers love the round-ups, the goal-based design and how painless it makes starting. 93% of customers surveyed in 2026 would recommend it.
The £1 monthly subscription on top of the platform fee is often flagged as expensive for balances under £5,000.
Read Moneybox reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | Vanguard | Moneybox |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year | £1/month subscription (waived at £5,000+) plus 0.15% to 0.45% platform fee |
| Share dealing | Not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) | US stocks available, 0.45% FX fee |
| Fund dealing | Free | Free (fund fees apply) |
| FX fee | None (GBP funds) | 0.45% on US stocks |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies | Subscription plus 0.15% on Moneybox funds or 0.45% on other funds |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies | 0.45% on the first £100k then 0.15% (other funds); 0.15% capped at £150 a year (Moneybox funds); no subscription |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £100/month or £500 lump sum | £1 |
A 0.25% yearly fee gap sounds small. On £50,000 over 20 years it is about £5,900 (illustrative). Add your ISA and pension balances to Delphina yourself and see what your charges cost by retirement and whether you're on track.
See what my fees costIllustrative: £50,000, 5% a year growth before charges, 0.25% vs 0.50% a year in charges, no further contributions. Not a recommendation of Vanguard or Moneybox. Delphina is guidance, not financial advice.
Vanguard UK is the default answer for one-fund index investing. If your plan is a LifeStrategy or FTSE Global All Cap fund and nothing else, the combination of cheap funds and a capped 0.15% platform fee is excellent, especially above £32,000.
Below £32,000 the £4 monthly minimum changes the maths, and a free platform like Trading 212 or Prosper holding a similar Vanguard ETF can work out cheaper. You also cannot hold individual shares or other fund managers' products.
Moneybox is designed for getting started. Round-ups, weekly deposits and simple starter portfolios remove the friction that stops most people investing, and its Lifetime ISA is one of the most popular routes to a first home deposit.
The convenience has a cost on small balances: £1 a month plus up to 0.45% is one of the higher fee stacks here below £5,000 in non-Moneybox funds. The subscription drops away at £5,000, and Moneybox's own funds carry 0.15% rather than 0.45%, so the total depends on your pot size and fund choice.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. Vanguard's platform fee is £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year, against £1/month subscription (waived at £5,000+) plus 0.15% to 0.45% platform fee at Moneybox. On dealing, Vanguard charges not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) for shares and free for funds, while Moneybox charges US stocks available, 0.45% FX fee for shares and free (fund fees apply) for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
Vanguard is best for hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy. Moneybox is best for beginners building a habit, and first-time buyers using the Lifetime ISA. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On Vanguard's ISA: Platform fee applies. On Moneybox's ISA: Subscription plus 0.15% on Moneybox funds or 0.45% on other funds. Vanguard offers a flexible ISA and Moneybox does not. Minimums are £100/month or £500 lump sum at Vanguard and £1 at Moneybox.
Vanguard offers a SIPP (platform fee applies). Moneybox does not offer a SIPP.
Vanguard scores 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Excellent) from 5,332 reviews (checked 12 October 2026). Moneybox scores 4.4 out of 5 (Excellent) from around 4,800 reviews. The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service. The £1 monthly subscription on top of the platform fee is often flagged as expensive for balances under £5,000.
Yes. UK platforms accept ISA and SIPP transfers in, and you start the transfer with the receiving provider rather than the one you are leaving. Vanguard charges free on withdrawals and Moneybox charges free. Transfer as cash and you are out of the market while it settles; transfer in specie and you keep your holdings but it takes longer.
Vanguard or Moneybox, the account is the easy part. What decides when you can retire is how much goes in and for how long. Delphina works that out from what you already hold and what you pay in each month.
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