Beanstalk
Beanstalk is a UK-regulated mobile app offering stocks-and-shares Junior ISAs and adult ISAs for families, with family linking, gift links, round-ups, and retailer cashback features, charging a 0.5% annual AUM fee.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Beanstalk does
Beanstalk is a UK-regulated mobile-first family savings and investing platform that operates as a trading name of KidStart Limited, founded in 2020 and built on KidStart's 15-year heritage in child savings (KidStart was established in 2008). The product is a stocks-and-shares wrapper offering two core accounts: the Beanstalk Junior ISA (JISA) and the Beanstalk adult ISA, both backed by a choice of two underlying funds — the Fidelity Index World Fund (a passive MSCI World tracker with a 5-star Morningstar rating and a 0.12% annual charge) and the Legal & General Cash Trust (a money-market fund with a 0.15% annual charge) — allocated via a proprietary slider tool. The app targets UK parents, grandparents, and extended family, with primary use cases covering university fees, house deposits, and long-term nest-egg building for children, plus tax-efficient adult savings on the side.
The technology stack is built on FCA-regulated infrastructure: Seccl Custody Limited provides custody and execution, Bud Financial powers Open Banking connectivity for the round-up feature and gift payments, and Fastpay handles Direct Debit collection. Differentiating features include a Family Linking/Invite Tool that allows grandparents and friends to contribute directly to children's accounts with permission controls, Gift Links that generate shareable child gifting pages, round-up investing that sweeps spare change across linked accounts, and KidStart cashback that deposits affiliate commissions from 2,000–2,500 retailers directly into children's accounts. The app holds a 4.9/5 rating from 600+ Good Money Guide reviewers and over 4 stars on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Beanstalk's revenue model is anchored on a 0.5% annual AUM fee (plus 0.12–0.15% deducted within fund prices), supplemented by affiliate commissions from the KidStart retail network. Distribution is mobile-app-first direct-to-consumer through iOS and Android, with no branches, supported by content marketing, organic social, PR in major UK outlets, and referral incentives. The company has won the Good Money Guide Best Junior ISA award five years running (2022–2026) and People's Choice Best Investment Account in 2025, but is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding and serves 'thousands of families' with AUM described only as 'millions' in public commentary.
Beanstalk firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Beanstalk
- Legal name
- KidStart Limited
- Website
- https://beanstalkapp.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Beanstalk is a UK-regulated mobile app offering stocks-and-shares Junior ISAs and adult ISAs for families, with family linking, gift links, round-ups, and retailer cashback features, charging a 0.5% annual AUM fee.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Beanstalk industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Junior ISA and Family Savings Platform
- NAICS
- Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth / Family Wallets & Allowance Payments (FSAMAEAK)
Keywords
Where Beanstalk is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Beanstalk business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Asset Under Management (AUM) Fee: Annual fee of 0.5% charged on the value of any Beanstalk Account. This is the primary revenue stream. The low fee structure is positioned as a key differentiator.
- KidStart Cashback Commissions: Commission revenue from retailer partnerships through KidStart shopping service. Users earn money back on purchases at 2,500+ retailers which is paid into children's Beanstalk accounts. Beanstalk/KidStart receives affiliate commissions from retailers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Beanstalk Junior ISA - 0.5% annual AUM fee |
| Subscription | Annual | Beanstalk Adult ISA - 0.5% annual AUM fee with £10 minimum opening |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Fidelity Index World Fund - 0.12% annual fund charge |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Legal & General Cash Trust - 0.15% annual fund charge |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Beanstalk product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Beanstalk is a mobile-first investment platform offering stocks and shares Junior ISAs (JISA) and adult ISAs for UK families. Parents and guardians can save and invest tax-efficiently for their children's future, with features such as a fund allocation slider (cash vs. shares), Open Banking-powered round-ups, KidStart cashback integration, family linking for grandparents and friends to contribute, and Gift Links for monetary gifts. The platform charges a 0.5% annual fee on assets under management, with fund-level charges of 0.12-0.15%.
Product overview
Beanstalk is a mobile-first family savings and investing platform built around two core products: the Beanstalk Junior ISA (JISA) and the Beanstalk ISA. Both are stocks and shares accounts offering two investment fund options — the Fidelity Index World Fund (global shares tracker) and the Legal & General Cash Trust — selectable via a unique slider allocation tool. The platform differentiates through family collaboration features: the Family Linking/Invite Tool lets grandparents and friends link to children's accounts, and Gift Links provide shareable pages for sending monetary gifts. Saving tools include Round-Ups (powered by Open Banking via Bud) that automatically invest spare change, and KidStart Cashback that earns money back from 2,000+ retailers and deposits it directly into children's accounts. Additional tools include a Junior ISA Calculator, ISA Calculator, and Switch & Save Calculator. Beanstalk charges 0.5% annual fee on assets under management plus 0.12–0.15% in fund-level charges — one of the lowest-cost JISA providers available.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beanstalk Junior ISA (JISA) A stocks and shares Junior ISA allowing UK parents and guardians to save and invest tax-free for their children's future, with contributions up to £9,000/year locked until the child turns 18. Family and friends can link to contribute.
- Beanstalk ISA A stocks and shares ISA for adults to save and invest for themselves, with contributions up to £20,000/year tax-free. Shares features with the JISA including round-ups and family linking.
- Family Linking / Invite Tool A collaboration feature that allows parents to invite grandparents and other family/friends to link to their children's accounts and contribute directly through the Beanstalk app, with configurable permission levels.
- Gift Links / Child Gifting Pages Unique gifting pages for each child that can be shared with friends and family to send money gifts with personal messages, deposited directly into the child's Junior ISA.
Quantifiable outcome
- £1000 invested 10 years ago would be worth £2482 at 40% cash/60% shares allocation (based on past performance)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Beanstalk
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Beanstalk technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature5 records
Beanstalk partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.
- Bud (Bud Financial Limited)coreBud is an FCA Authorised Account Information Service Provider that manages the connection between Beanstalk users' banks and the app for the round-up tool and Beanstalk Gifting payment initiation service. Bud handles open banking consent and transaction data retrieval.
- Seccl Custody LimitedcoreSeccl Custody Limited is Beanstalk's custody provider, authorised and regulated by the FCA. They provide platform services including dealing, safe custody, client money management, settlement, and post-execution services for investments and cash contributions.
- Fastpay LimitedcoreFastpay Limited is an FCA authorised payment services provider that sets up and arranges collection of Direct Debits for Beanstalk. Direct Debits appear on bank statements as 'Kidstart Limited t/a Beanstalk' or 'Beanstalk'.
- Fidelity InternationalcoreFidelity International provides the Fidelity Index World Fund (GB00BJS8SJ34), a passive tracker fund tracking the MSCI World Index with a 0.12% annual charge. The fund has a 5-star Morningstar rating and holds shares in Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Tesla, and other global companies. Fidelity manages over £700 billion in assets as of June 2025.
- Legal & GeneralcoreLegal & General provides the L&G Cash Trust Fund (GB00B0CNHB64) which aims to maintain capital and provide returns in line with money market rates with a 0.15% annual charge. L&G is one of the UK's largest financial services businesses with over £1 trillion in assets as of June 2025.
- KidStartcoreKidStart is the parent company behind Beanstalk, established in 2008 with 15 years of experience helping families save. KidStart operates the affiliate cashback network with 2,500+ retailers. When Beanstalk accounts are opened, they automatically become linked to KidStart Savings for cashback collection.
- Octopus EnergystrategicExclusive partnership offering Beanstalk users 1% cashback on monthly energy bills paid into children's savings, plus £50 energy credit on switch. Even existing Octopus customers can link accounts for 1% bill cashback. This exclusive offer is highlighted as a special benefit for Beanstalk members.
- amicableminorCo-parenting app partnership offering Beanstalk users two months free on amicable's co-parenting coordination service. Aimed at separated families who need help coordinating schedules, managing shared expenses, and communicating effectively.
- Eleos (income protection and life insurance)minorPartnership offering Beanstalk users access to income protection (up to 65% income replacement for illness/injury) and life insurance products. Includes free wellness perks: remote GP, mental health, physiotherapy. Positioned in 'Services You May Like' section.
- HabitominorDigital mortgage broker partnership offering Beanstalk users free expert mortgage advice. Habito provides end-to-end mortgage application services combining technology with expert advice.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Beanstalk competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Moneybox: UK savings and investment app offering Junior ISA, Stocks & Shares ISA, and Lifetime ISA with a digital-first, mobile-only proposition. Most directly comparable peer — same target customer (parents/families), same ISA wrapper products, similar fee structure, and similar GTM motion.
- PensionBee: UK consumer fintech offering mobile-first pension consolidation and investing. Different product wrapper (pension vs ISA) but highly comparable as a UK digital-first consumer investing platform with strong consumer brand and similar GTM motion targeting long-term savers.
Broad incumbents
- AJ Bell Youinvest: UK investment platform with full Junior ISA, ISA, and SIPP range, broad fund selection, and competitive pricing tier similar to Beanstalk's positioning. Comparable low-cost investment platform but operating at meaningfully larger scale.
- Starling Bank: UK digital-only challenger bank offering children's savings pots via its mobile app. Comparable parent demographic and digital-first distribution, but product is a savings account (not ISA wrapper) and Starling serves a much broader banking purpose beyond children's saving.
- Hargreaves Lansdown: UK's largest investment platform offering Junior ISAs, Stocks & Shares ISAs, SIPPs, and a broad fund universe. Dominant incumbent in UK direct investing with higher fees but vastly superior scale, AUM, and product breadth compared to Beanstalk.
- Vanguard UK Personal Investor: Vanguard's UK direct-to-consumer platform offering low-cost ISAs and general investment accounts. Competes most directly on fee positioning — both platforms focus on low-cost passive index tracking — but Vanguard offers far broader fund selection and brand scale.
- Nutmeg: UK digital wealth manager backed by JPMorgan offering Junior ISAs and Stocks & Shares ISAs. Competes for the same JISA customer but operates at much larger scale with broader portfolio options (managed portfolios, ETFs, fixed income) and significantly deeper marketing spend.
Others
- Fidelity International: One of Beanstalk's core fund partners, providing the Fidelity Index World Fund (5-star Morningstar rating) used in Beanstalk portfolios. Not a direct competitor but a critical upstream supplier — competing fund houses (Vanguard, iShares, HSBC) would be alternatives if the partnership shifted.
- Legal & General: Provider of the L&G Cash Trust Fund offered through Beanstalk for the cash allocation. Critical infrastructure partner — Beanstalk's binary cash/shares product design depends on L&G continuing to offer the cash trust and managing it within stated parameters.
Emerging players
- GoHenry: UK-based kids' allowance and financial education app with a prepaid debit card for 6-18 year olds. Same end customer (parents/children) but different product (spending/learning vs investing) — represents adjacent competition for the same family wallet.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Beanstalk social profiles
Digital presenceBeanstalk compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Beanstalk financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Beanstalk leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Beanstalk funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Beanstalk M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Beanstalk
What does Beanstalk do?
Beanstalk is a mobile-first investment platform offering stocks and shares Junior ISAs (JISA) and adult ISAs for UK families. Parents and guardians can save and invest tax-efficiently for their children's future, with features such as a fund allocation slider (cash vs. shares), Open Banking-powered round-ups, KidStart cashback integration, family linking for grandparents and friends to contribute, and Gift Links for monetary gifts. The platform charges a 0.5% annual fee on assets under management, with fund-level charges of 0.12-0.15%.
Is Beanstalk a public or private company?
Beanstalk is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Beanstalk founded?
Beanstalk was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Beanstalk based?
Beanstalk is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Beanstalk make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Asset Under Management (AUM) Fee is the primary driver. The others are kidStart Cashback Commissions.
Who are Beanstalk's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Moneybox and PensionBee. Broad incumbents are AJ Bell Youinvest, Starling Bank, Hargreaves Lansdown, Vanguard UK Personal Investor and Nutmeg. Others are Fidelity International and Legal & General. GoHenry is listed as an emerging player.
Does Beanstalk have an API?
No public API is recorded for Beanstalk.
What industry is Beanstalk in?
Beanstalk's product category is Junior ISA and Family Savings Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAEAK, Youth / Family Wallets & Allowance Payments. Its NAICS code is 525 and its SIC code is 6282.