Clim8 

On the surface Clim8 Invest looks like a fantastic investment app that would appeal to someone like me who prefers to invest ethically. However, and I hate to say it, but they are clearly doing something wrong as their returns are dreadful. For the last 6 months I have been comparing their returns against other ethical investments I have made (in companies trading in the same uncertain market), and they continually do a LOT worse - but why?? This week I have decided to finally cut my losses and withdraw my funds, losing a few hundred pounds in the process. I had such high hopes for Clim8 Invest, but have been sorely disappointed.

Update: Shortly after my review, Clim8Invest closed down.

Have to agree with many of the reviews here. When opening this account I chose the higher risk, and have just been adding small amounts in, I've not been adding in anything I cannot afford. And after all, the ethos of the app is meant to be about 'green investment' not 'greed'. And yet, they took it upon themself to decide that this was no longer suitable for me, and stopped me being able to add money in. My options are to withdraw what I have in, or just leave it there.
I also noticed something else suspicious recently. In that they sent an email noting corrections in the previously reported investment factsheets, where the gains weren't as high as previously indicated for the Adventurous and Balanced portfolios. I mean, if an investment company can just do this whenever they want, how do you know you're ever receiving what you're supposed to! Alternatively, my guess is also that this is possibly why everyone has been receiving these stops and changes to their accounts —someone has made a massive eff up, and we are unfortunately the ones who have had to pay for it.
Will be withdrawing my money, cutting my losses here, as WOW LOOK CLIM8 I CAN AFFORD TO DO THAT... and trying elsewhere.
Nice try, Clim8. Lovely app and all. But it unfortunately ends there for good user experience.

After completing a questionnaire, like others my 'product' was changed to a lower risk rating. I didn't want this, I wanted the higher risk as I'm not investing a fortune and had actively chosen this. I tried to communicate this to them but they would not listen. A series of confusing emails followed, most of them addressed to someone called Wendy, even after I had pointed out that my name was not Wendy. This undermined my confidence that they were even talking to the right person. I'm just looking for an alternative green investment then I'll remove my money. The app is nice though. Clim8 - I have read your standard reply on all the emails with the same tale as me below, so don't worry about taking the time to reply if that's all you have to say.

Like others below, I have been forced to change my risk profile against my will.

I received a questionnaire in August/September that I completed but made a mistake. As a result, they SUGGESTED that I made a change to my profile. I CHOSE not to (because it was a suggestion). I didn't receive any more communication from them on the matter until this week where they have said that my direct debit will be cancelled in less than 10 days.

My financial situation has not changed and I've told them this repeatedly over the phone and by email and that I want to remain with the same risk profile but the customer services guy refuses to listen or offer a suitable resolution. The options offered are not acceptable.

When I asked to speak to someone else, I was told that there is nobody else to talk to! There is only one phone number on the website and one email address. Doesn't feel very transparent to me.

I appreciate that they do this to protect investors but when the INVESTOR is on the phone saying that they want to remain on the same risk profile, I would have thought this would trump an emailed questionnaire. Nuance is not picked up in a questionnaire.

Very disappointed.

I’ve been putting a small amount into the fund, because I think green investing is a good idea, and I have the available funds not to worry about it.

Today I get an email telling me that their investment doesn’t meet my profile and I can no longer add funds, they will sell what I have and put it into a less risky fund.

Interesting, since they have no view on my total portfolio, so have no real idea of my actual attitude to risk.

Having read Sean’s review, I’m clearly not alone, although I had no phone call.

I’ve asked them to return my money to me, on the date they refuse to accept additional funding. Let’s see if they actually manage to do that.

Really enjoyed using this company for seven months and was all going fine until they asked me to complete a set of questions about my finances. Stupidly I answered these honestly, at which point I was then told I had to schedule a phone call with them. I declined as I don’t have time for that kind of rubbish when the app is so simple to use and I’m only putting in £50/month as a small savings pot.

Unfortunately it was one of those, ‘non optional’ phone calls. They ended up informing me that based my answers to their questions they decided that I wasn’t suitable to invest £50/month with them, stating that I was ‘allowed’ to leave my current money in the account however my direct debit was being cancelled shortly. So kind of them…

Anyway they forgot to do this, much to my advantage, then unfortunately remembered again a few months later. Direct debit now cancelled by them today. I then attempted to withdraw all of the money from my account today only to be told it would take 10 working days for it to happen and please could I leave feedback as to why I wanted to remove my money and close my account. Can you believe it?

I politely reminded them that perhaps they should communicate to each other within their own team as they were the ones who said I couldn’t continue investing with them and now they’re asking me for feedback as to why I want to withdraw my money and close my account. Good one!!

Needless to say, fantastic company and app pre questions. If you get one of these ‘suitability questionnaires’ don’t answer it honestly or don’t answer it at all as they will suddenly become your financial advisor and will subsequently state that the account is not suitable for you if you haven’t answered in the way they want you to. They also conduct lazy or no financial checks on you, basing their assessment of your finances solely on your answers.

Avoid at all cost and invest with a company that actually wants your business and treats you like a customer.

Happy to discuss this with someone reasonable at Clim8 and come up with a resolution.

Very impressed by the service. They respond in a matter of minutes not days like other investment companies. Returns seem to be competitive.

I invested £20,000 with this firm and my investment shrank continuously until after less than a year it had depreciated by 10% at which point I closed my account to cut my losses. Watching it shrink via the phone app was not a good experience.
I have invested profitably, directly in green energy and rewilding projects rather than share funds, via a Triodos ISA and would advise anyone who is interested in ethical investment to do the same.

These guys seem very good. Recently set up an ISA and filled in a question on risk wrong so they made sure to contact me to make sure I understood what I was getting in to (turns out I had misread a question). Investment doing well so far and good to know my money is not being used to destroy the planet and people's lives. Really recommend them. Shame it's only on an app though. Would be nice to have a website.

The app seems good on the surface. However, one thing that deeply concerns me is that on my account currently the time weighted return (twr) is as far as I can tell incorrect.
From my understanding of twr, it is a measure of % gain, supposedly I should have 4.58% increase on my account. Which from 150 should result in approximately 32.75. However I've only made 1.17, which is only 4.58% of my very first investment of £20.
If this is corrected, I will be thoroughly pleased with the app.

Dealing with Clim8 is great as you can speak to a real UK based person and they made the process of moving my ISA simple. Very happy.

Easy to sign up and it feels good to be investing in all of our futures. Too easily to tell on return - I’ll let you know in a year or so.

I wished to transfer my tracker ISA to a more ethical fund. Clim8 were absolutely fantastic in keeping me informed of progress and stepping up when needed because my original investment company was extremely slow in sorting the transfer. Excellent service so far.

Easy to add money but no way within the app to withdraw. I don't like that at all.

Seems more volatile that markets would suggest going from +7% at one point to -7% most recently. They'll no doubt give you the answer of "unstable markets" but a differential of 14% in a matter of months doesnt bode well.

Edit - 20.6.22

Closing my account has thus far taken 6 weeks of emails to complete something fairly simple. I have an ISA and a GIA. My first email was 10 may and they merely withdrew the ISA to my bank. I emailed again and told them to close my accounts. They did nothing. I have emailed them again this morning asking why my ISA is still open and why the GIA still has money in it.

For this reason I have dropped my 2 stars to 1 and would say to avoid this company at all cost. If they are unable to successfully close an account in 6 weeks it really makes me doubt their ability to invest my money with any level of competence.

I've am currently down over 6% on my ISA. While I appreciate the markets have been difficult over the past year, the reason I trust experts is to navigate through this and getting me a better return than putting my money in a bank savings account. So I have to give one star despite the features on the app. Also I couldn't close my account through the app. So poor performance and no easy exit. I am just glad I tried a small amount first and didn't commit more funds.

(Thanks for the reply, it's good to know the investment is making a difference as the return heads to -8%)

I've got a 2.4% return so far but it's gone up and down over the year. Not sure I'd invest a whole lot with them but good that my money's doing something useful.

Considering how the much the world is investing in green energy at the moment, I don’t think a -2.5% return is very good!

Such an easy app to use, really great meaning behind it also. Strongly recommend it

Amazing app- love the positioning. The problem is your fund in underperforming.

Unfort not had a good return on my investment, down by 7% for many months now.