Provider comparison
NEST vs Smart Pension
Side-by-side comparison from the PerkIQ directory. Cover, pricing, regulator status, and fit at a glance.
Category
Pension & Retirement
Pension & Retirement
Best for
Any size
1-10,000+ employees
Pricing model
Free for employer; 1.8% contribution charge + 0.3% AMC
Free for employer; 0.45-0.75% AMC for members
UK presence
Since 2010
Since 2015
Regulator
TPR
TPR & FCA
Strapline
NEST (National Employment Savings Trust) is the government-backed master trust set up to support auto-enrolment. Free for employers, simple to use, and the default choice for many UK SMEs.
Smart Pension is a digital-first workplace pension master trust used by 70,000+ UK employers. Quick onboarding, modern member app, and competitive AMC make it a popular choice for SMEs.
What's included
- Free for employers. No setup or ongoing employer fees. Member charges fund the entire scheme.
- Government-backed. Public service obligation means NEST cannot refuse any employer, making it the universal fallback for auto-enrolment.
- Multiple default fund options. Higher Risk Fund, Lower Risk Fund, Ethical Fund, and Sharia Fund all available to members.
- Payroll integrations. Direct integrations with all major UK payroll providers for automated contribution submission.
- Fast setup. Sign up online and start auto-enrolment in under an hour. No paperwork, no broker required.
- Member app. Mobile-first pension management, employees can change contributions, switch funds, and project retirement income in-app.
- Sustainable default. Smart Sustainable Growth fund is the auto-enrolment default, with ESG screens and climate alignment baked in.
- API integrations. Native integrations with major UK payroll systems (Xero, Sage, BrightHR, Iris) for automated contributions.
Who it's for
No fit notes published.
No fit notes published.
Pricing approach
No pricing notes published.
No pricing notes published.
At a glance
- TPR authorised
- Government-backed
- 12m+ members
- 1m+ employer schemes
- Free for employers
- Any size eligible
- Master trust authorised by TPR
- 1.5m+ members
- 70,000+ employer schemes
- Self-service setup in <1 hour
- AMC 0.45-0.75%
- Sustainable default fund
Pick the right one with data, not a sales pitch
Score your benefits stack with PerkIQ and you'll see which of these (or another provider entirely) closes the biggest gaps for your team.
Information on this page is editorial, gathered from public sources and the providers' own materials, and does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation. For a quote, contact each provider directly or speak to an FCA-authorised broker. PerkIQ is not a reseller and earns no commission on provider sign-ups.
