Formerly Selftrade, the company was purchased by Equiniti in 2015, a FTSE 250 listed company which manages and administers the shares for 70% of the FTSE 100, holds around 70 million shareholder records and sends out £90 billion in payments each year.
Stocks and Shares ISA
EQi’s Stocks and Shares ISA allows you to invest up to £20,000 per year and any gains are tax-free. This has the potential for higher returns than a Cash ISA over the long term. This ISA is flexible, meaning you have the freedom to withdraw money, and pay it back in the same tax year, without it counting against your annual £20,000 allowance.
You can invest in companies from around the globe and in funds which offer a basket of ready-made investments. To qualify you must be a UK resident aged 18 or over.
Lifetime ISA
EQi’s Lifetime ISA is designed for the big things in life – a first home and a comfortable retirement. It lets you invest up to £4,000 per year and the government will add a 25% bonus up to a maximum of £1,000. The platform gives your control over your investments whereby you have access to independently rated investment funds.
This let you buy into a whole basket of assets in one transaction. EQi has the lowest custody fee in the market of just 0.2% per annum. Couples saving for a first property can each open an EQi LISA and any gains your investments make will be free from capital gains and income tax. The product is available for those aged 18-39.
Other Services
As well as ISAs, EQi also offer SIPPs, child trust funds, ETFs, investment funds, stocks and share and more.
EQi Reviews and Ratings
Online reviews for EQi are poor with customers unhappy with the cumbersome administration processes and the company’s complete lack of meaningful communication, as people complain about their awful online and telephone experiences.
Trustpilot – 1.4/5 (based on 67 reviews)
Pros
- A FTSE 250 listed company with a large global customer base
- Fee holiday for the first two quarters
- Best Execution Price Promise
- The lowest custody fee in the market of just 0.2% per annum
- Invest in companies from around the globe and in funds which offer a basket of ready-made investments
- Fast easy online setup
Cons
- Only offers Stocks and Shares, and Lifetime ISA products
- Other ISAs not offered
- Lifetime ISA only available for those aged 18-39
- Poor customer reviews
- Bad communication experiences, including online and over the phone
Website: EQi