Frequently Asked Questions

Fair question. Here's why we think you can:

• Real money testing — We open accounts and deposit our own money. We've invested over $300,000 testing 53+ platforms across multiple markets.
• Qualified team — Our senior analyst Thomas Drury holds the ACII qualification with 12+ years in financial services.
• Editorial independence — Affiliate partnerships never influence ratings. We've rejected 20+ partnerships that didn't meet our standards.
• Transparent methodology — We publish exactly how we test and score platforms.

We're a registered UK company (TIC Investments Ltd, company number 15242358) that operates internationally — you can verify us on Companies House.

No. The Investors Centre is not a regulated financial adviser in any jurisdiction. We don't provide personalised financial advice, manage investments, or handle client money.

We're an independent comparison and review website. Our content is for informational and educational purposes only — it's designed to help you make more informed decisions, but it's not a substitute for professional financial advice tailored to your circumstances and local regulations.

The brokers and platforms we review are typically regulated by relevant local authorities (such as ASIC in Australia, the FCA in the UK, or the SEC/FINRA in the US), and we always note regulatory status in our reviews.

Email us at [email protected] for general enquiries. We aim to respond within 48 hours.

For specific issues:

• Editorial/corrections: [email protected]
• Partnerships: [email protected]
• Privacy/data requests: [email protected]

See our full contact page for all team contacts.

No, absolutely not. The Investors Centre (theinvestorscentre.com) is operated by TIC Investments Ltd, a legitimate UK-registered company. We have no connection to any scam or fraudulent investment entity.

If someone contacts you claiming to be us and asks for money or investments, that is a scam. Please report it to your local financial regulator immediately.

You can verify our company registration on Companies House.

We test every platform with real money. That means actually opening accounts, depositing funds, making trades, testing withdrawals, and contacting customer support.

Our testing covers:

• Account opening experience and verification time
• Platform usability (desktop and mobile)
• Actual fees and spreads (not just what's advertised)
• Customer support responsiveness and quality
• Regulation and security measures

We've spent over 1,100 hours testing and invested $300,000+ of our own capital across global markets. For the full breakdown, see How We Test.

Each platform is scored across multiple categories: fees, usability, features, customer support, and regulation. We weight these based on what matters most to typical users.

Scores are out of 5 and reflect our genuine assessment after hands-on testing. We don't accept payment to improve scores, and affiliate relationships don't influence ratings.

Our methodology page explains exactly how we calculate scores.

We review and update content regularly — typically every 3-6 months for major platforms, or sooner if something significant changes (fee updates, new features, regulatory issues).

Every page shows a "last updated" date so you know how recent the information is. If you spot something outdated, email [email protected] and we'll investigate.

No. We don't accept payment to write reviews, and platforms can't pay to influence their scores. Our reviews reflect genuine testing and assessment.

We do have affiliate partnerships with some platforms, but these are separate from editorial. A platform being an affiliate partner doesn't guarantee a good review — we've given poor scores to partners when warranted, and we've rejected partnership offers from platforms that didn't meet our standards.

A standard brokerage account (sometimes called a general investment account) lets you invest without limits, but you may pay tax on gains and dividends depending on your country's rules.

A tax-advantaged account shelters your investments from some or all taxes. Examples include the Stocks & Shares ISA (UK), SIPP (UK pension), superannuation (Australia), RRSP/TFSA (Canada), and Roth IRA/401(k) (USA).

In most countries, it makes sense to maximise your tax-advantaged allowances before investing in a standard account.

Less than you might think. Many platforms now let you start with as little as $1/£1/AU$1. Fractional shares mean you can invest in expensive stocks without needing to buy a whole share.

The most important thing is to start — even small, regular contributions compound significantly over time. Waiting for "enough money" is one of the most common investing mistakes.

Platform fees are what you pay the broker or investment platform to hold and manage your investments. They typically include:

• Account/platform fee — A percentage of your holdings or flat monthly fee
• Trading fees — Cost per trade when buying or selling
• FX fees — Currency conversion costs for foreign investments

Fees matter because they compound over time. A 1% annual fee might not sound like much, but over 30 years it can reduce your final pot by 25% or more. Our reviews always break down the true cost of each platform.

At reputable regulated brokers, your investments are protected in two key ways:

• Segregated assets — Your investments are held separately from the platform's own money, so they can't be used to pay company debts
• Investor compensation schemes — Most regulated markets have compensation schemes (e.g. FSCS in the UK up to £85,000, SIPC in the US up to $500,000, AFCA in Australia)

Always check a platform is regulated by your local authority before investing. We include regulatory status in all our reviews.

Both approaches have merits:

Lump sum investing tends to perform better historically — because markets generally rise over time, getting money in earlier gives it longer to grow.

Regular investing (dollar/pound-cost averaging) reduces the risk of investing everything at a market peak. You buy more shares when prices are low, fewer when they're high.

For most people, the best approach is the one you'll actually stick with. If a lump sum feels too risky, monthly investing is perfectly sensible — and it's how most people build wealth anyway.