If you have an ISA with another provider, you don’t need to open a brand-new one to start investing with InvestEngine. Instead, you can transfer your existing ISA to us.

An ISA transfer lets you move your investments or cash from one provider to another without losing the valuable tax benefits.

In this guide, we’ll explain how ISA transfers work, how to transfer your ISA to InvestEngine, and some of the reasons investors choose to switch.

What is an ISA transfer?

An ISA transfer allows you to move money or investments held in an individual savings account (ISA) from one provider to another while keeping the tax-free benefits of the account.

Importantly, you should always opt for an official ISA transfer process rather than withdrawing the money yourself. If you withdraw funds and then reinvest them manually, you could lose part of your annual ISA allowance.

For the 2025/26 and 26/27 tax year, the ISA allowance is £20,000, meaning you can invest up to that amount each year without paying tax on income or capital gains.

Using the ISA transfer process ensures your money stays within the ISA wrapper and keeps its tax benefits.

How to transfer an ISA to InvestEngine

The actual process of transferring an ISA to us is simple. It can, ordinarily, all be handled online and without the need for much input at all from your side.

Bringing an existing ISA over to InvestEngine couldn’t be easier. Here’s how you do it:

Log into your InvestEngine account
On ‘My dashboard’, open your ISA portfolio (or create one) and you’ll see an option to transfer an existing ISA
Confirm your details and the details of the ISA you want to transfer
Sit back and relax

Log into InvestEngine

If you don’t have an existing InvestEngine account, you’ll have to open one before you can transfer. It only takes a couple of minutes and you can do it here.

Here are those steps in a bit more detail:

Step 1: Open an InvestEngine account

First, sign up for an InvestEngine account and choose the type of account you want to transfer into.

In this case, it’ll be our fee-free ISA. You only pay the small ETF costs from the providers – this is how you keep more of what you make.

Step 2: Request the transfer

During the process, you’ll be asked to provide details about your current ISA provider.

This usually includes:

The provider’s name
Your account number
Whether you want to transfer cash, investments, or both

InvestEngine will then contact your existing provider and arrange the transfer on your behalf.

Step 3: Wait for the transfer to complete

ISA transfers typically take around between 10 and 30 days to complete. We aim to abide by the HMRC guidelines that no transfer should take more than 30 days to complete, but we can’t guarantee this.

In most cases, however, we are able to complete the transfer within around 14 days.

If you’re already invested in ETFs that we hold on our platform, you may be able to transfer them over “in-specie”, i.e. without selling them first. Your provider may, however, need to sell your investments before transferring the proceeds as cash.

Transferring from mutual funds to ETFs? Knowing what to invest in when switching can be tricky – read our full guide here.

Why would you transfer an ISA?

There are a few reasons why investors choose to move their ISA to a different platform.

1. Lower costs

A common reason to move is lower fees. Charges can make a meaningful difference to long-term returns. Some platforms charge:

Platform fees
Trading fees
Account fees
Withdrawal fees

InvestEngine’s DIY portfolios have none of these. You only pay the underlying ETF costs, which are low.

For investors focused on keeping costs low, switching platforms can potentially improve long-term outcomes.

2. Access to a wide range of investment options

InvestEngine offers a wide range of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These can give you access to everything from broad global financial markets, to individual sectors or themes that interest you.

It’s easy to get started. From our curated range, investors can build globally diversified portfolios across sectors, regions, and asset classes.

This allows you to tailor your investments to match your goals and risk tolerance.

3. Easy automation

InvestEngine also offers tools that help simplify investing, including:

Automated, regular investing with Savings Plans. You choose how much and how often to invest and we do the rest.
Put all your cash to work. Our AutoInvest feature automatically invests any available cash in your portfolio.
Fractional investing. This means you can invest small amounts into each ETF regardless of their price. So, your portfolio reflects your goals.

These features can make it easier to invest regularly and keep your portfolio aligned with your strategy.

4. Flexible ISAs

InvestEngine’s ISA is flexible.

This means if you withdraw money during the tax year, you can reinvest it later without reducing your remaining ISA allowance, provided it’s done within the same tax year.

Not all ISA providers offer this feature.

Things to consider before transferring

Before starting a transfer, it’s worth reviewing a few factors:

Exit fees
Some providers charge transfer or exit fees. Make sure you know what you might pay before you transfer – InvestEngine doesn’t charge these fees.

Market downtime
This shouldn’t matter too much over the long-term, but if your investments are sold during the transfer, your money may be temporarily out of the market.

Investment choices
Check that the ETFs or funds you want are available on the new platform.

Taking a moment to review these details can help ensure the transfer works smoothly.

The bottom line

Transferring an ISA is a common way for investors to review their platform choice and ensure it still suits their needs.

Moving your ISA to InvestEngine could offer:

Lower fees
Access to a wide range of investments
Automated investing tools
Flexible ISA features

As with any investment decision, it’s worth considering the pros and cons before making a change.

Important information

Capital at risk. The value of your portfolio with InvestEngine can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invest. ETF costs apply.

This communication is provided for general information only and should not be construed as advice. If in doubt you may wish to consult a professional adviser for guidance.

Tax treatment depends on personal circumstances and may change in the future.

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How to transfer an ISA to InvestEngine (and why you might want to)