Buy and sell US shares for free with Bestinvest
Want to invest some of your money across the pond? You can buy and sell shares in hundreds of the largest US companies with no online dealing fees on Bestinvest. Other fees apply such as a 0.95% FX fee per trade and an account Service fee.
The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested. The value of US investments may be affected by currency fluctuations, which could impact their value in sterling.
With over 3,000 UK funds, shares, investment trusts and ETFs, you've always had a wide range of investment options to choose from with Bestinvest.
But it's not just the UK you can invest in – if you’re interested in having your own slice of Wall Street you can also buy and sell hundreds of US shares.
Why choose Bestinvest?
Free investment coaching
Advanced goal planning
Plan and personalise your investment goals and see how small changes could help you reach them.
Great value for money
Pay 0.2% per year in service fees on our Ready-made Portfolios and US shares or 0.4%* for other investments. There is no online US share dealing fee but there is 0.95% FX fee per transaction. Underlying fund charges may also apply.
*Our adult SIPPs have a minimum service fee of £10 per month, which means you could pay more than the above service fees.
Expert insights
With fund factsheets, guides and articles, you can learn everything you need to power your investment decisions.
How much does it cost to trade US shares?
- No online US share dealing fee
- 0.95% foreign exchange fee on trades
- No foreign exchange fee on dividend reinvestment or payout
- Maximum 0.2% service fee to hold US shares on the platform in any account
- No monthly subscription required, only pay for shares you hold
Get started
- Open or transfer in an account to Bestinvest if you don’t already have one
- Search for US shares then click ‘Invest now’
- Follow the instructions to complete a W-8BEN form
- Enjoy trading!
New to Bestinvest?
US share trading FAQs
You can hold US shares in any account. If you’re trading US shares in your ISA, Junior ISA or Investment Account you’ll need to have an up-to-date W-8BEN form. To trade US shares in a SIPP or trust account, you’ll need a different W-8BEN form, which we can arrange for you.
- No online share dealing fee*
- 0.95% foreign exchange fee on trades
- No foreign exchange fee on dividend reinvestment or payout
- Maximum 0.2% service fee to hold US shares on the platform in any account
- No monthly subscription required, only pay for shares you trade
*Telephone orders are priced at £30 per deal
- What is it? A W-8BEN form is also known as a Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting
- Why do I need one? You need to complete a W-8BEN to hold US shares in any account except a SIPP or trust account. Depending on your residency, you may also benefit from treaty taxation relief on your US income upon the completion of this form.
- When do I need to complete it? When you buy US shares for the first time you will be asked to complete this form if you haven’t done so already. A W-8BEN form is valid for three years.
- How do I complete it?
For ISAs and Investment Accounts, you can complete a W-8BEN form online. Just log in (or create an account), try to buy a US share and follow the instructions.
For a Junior ISA you need to complete the W-8BEN form offline. You can find the form and guidance on completing it here.
For a SIPP or trust account, you need to complete a different W-8BEN form. Please contact us on best@bestinvest.co.uk or 020 7189 9999 and we will arrange this for you.
- A CREST Depository Interest (CDI) is a UK investment that represents an investment listed on an exchange outside the UK. We use CDIs to allow you to trade US shares in your account.
- CREST is the electronic system for holding financial securities and settles transactions for UK stocks. CDIs are needed because you can’t settle international shares in CREST (Certificates Registry for Electronic Share Transfer).
- When you buy or sell a US share in your Bestinvest account, CREST issue a CDI, which lets you settle your purchase or sale in GBP, exactly as you would for a UK share.
- CREST issues one CDI for each share in a US company – each CDI is equivalent to one share of the underlying company. Dividends are paid on CDIs in the local currency of the investment and converted to GBP before being credited to your account.
- Please note that a foreign exchange charge (for converting USD to GBP) applies when you buy or sell a US share.
For more information, see How much does it cost to buy US shares?