The short version
Both provide a genuine human adviser relationship, which suits people who want someone else to hold the plan. Both carry layered charges that materially reduce long-term returns, and neither gives you a model you control.
Why people compare them
The two large UK advice and wealth management networks that consumers compare when they have been approached by an adviser from one of them.
Price and fit, side by side
| Feature | Quilter | St. James's Place |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | Quilter£2 per month | St. James's Place3% on the first £250,000 per one-off |
| Free tier | QuilterNo | St. James's PlaceNo |
| Billed in pounds | QuilterNo | St. James's PlaceNo |
| Best for | QuilterPeople who want a mainstream UK provider for an ISA, JISA or SIPP, either through their own adviser or through the Quilter Invest app | St. James's PlacePeople with a substantial portfolio who want a named human adviser handling everything |
Where Quilter wins
- Quilter publishes both its adviser platform charge tiers and its consumer app prices openly, which is rarer in this market than it should be
- Quilter Invest is a genuine direct-to-consumer product, so you do not need an adviser relationship to open an ISA, JISA, GIA or SIPP
- The platform charge tapers as holdings grow, from 0.35% on the first £50,000 down to 0.15% above £750,000, and family linking lets a household combine values to reach a lower band
Where St. James's Place wins
- You get a real adviser you can sit down with, which no software replaces
- Holistic service across pensions, investments, protection, mortgages and estate planning in one relationship
- Scale and longevity: SJP is FCA regulated, listed, and has been advising UK households for decades
Quilter vs St. James's Place: common questions
Quilter is £2 per month and St. James's Place is 3% on the first £250,000 per one-off. Compare the billing period before the number: an annual price and a monthly price are not the same thing.
You can, and some people do, because they solve different halves of the problem. It does mean paying for both, so add the two annual figures together before deciding.
Judge it on billing currency, Open Banking coverage and whether ISAs and pensions are handled. Check each one against those three points, because a tool that scores well elsewhere can still be a poor fit in the UK.
Quilter suits people who want a mainstream uk provider for an isa, jisa or sipp, either through their own adviser or through the quilter invest app. St. James's Place suits people with a substantial portfolio who want a named human adviser handling everything. The one that matches how you already think about money will take less setting up.
Quilter scores 4.5/5 on Apple App Store (UK) from 890 ratings. St. James's Place scores 2.6/5 on Apple App Store (UK) from 437 ratings. Weigh the volume as well as the score.