Pensions & Retirement2 min check

SIPP Fees Calculator

See how much your SIPP platform and fund charges actually cost you over decades — and whether a flat-fee platform would be cheaper.

Short answer

A 1% total annual charge on a £200,000 pot growing at 5% costs around £80,000 over 25 years vs a 0.25% flat-fee platform. Above ~£100k, flat-fee SIPPs (e.g. £200/year) usually beat percentage platforms.

Step 1 of 10%

How it works

SIPP costs come in two layers: platform fee (custody, admin, sometimes capped) and fund OCF (the manager's cost). On a percentage platform, both compound against you every year.

Above ~£100,000 a flat-fee platform (e.g. £150-£300/year) usually wins, because the percentage charge becomes more expensive than the flat alternative.

Worked example

£200k pot, £10k/year contributions, 20 years, 6% growth, 0.25% platform + 0.22% funds:

With fees: ~£795k
Without fees: ~£907k
Cost of fees: ~£112k (~12% of pot)

Who should use this

•DIY investors with a SIPP
•Pension consolidators reviewing fees
•High net worth pension holders considering flat-fee platforms

Common mistakes

×Ignoring fund OCFs and only looking at platform fees
×Holding active funds with 1%+ OCFs out of habit
×Staying on a percentage platform when over £100k
×Forgetting trading fees, drawdown fees, exit charges

Frequently asked questions

What's a fair SIPP total cost?▾

All-in 0.40-0.60% per year is competitive for under £100k. Above that, target 0.30% or less via a flat-fee platform + index funds.

Are flat-fee SIPPs always cheaper?▾

Above ~£80-100k yes. Below that, percentage platforms (e.g. Vanguard 0.15% capped) tend to win.

Are exit fees still allowed?▾

FCA banned exit fees on most pension transfers in 2020.

What is OCF?▾

Ongoing Charges Figure — the all-in annual cost of a fund (management fee + admin + custodian).

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