Crowdcube vs SyndicateRoom
Pick your own companies on a crowdfunding marketplace, or invest in a managed EIS fund
Crowdcube and SyndicateRoom both give you exposure to early-stage UK companies, in different ways. On Crowdcube you choose which company to back from its live pitches, and your shares are held for you by a nominee. SyndicateRoom is a fund manager: in its Access EIS fund you invest once and it spreads the money across a portfolio of companies, investing alongside angel investors it has selected.
Both firms are directly authorised by the FCA, and both are open to retail investors who complete the FCA's high-risk investment checks, as well as to high-net-worth and sophisticated investors.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Crowdcube | SyndicateRoom |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Crowdcube Capital Limited (Co. no. 09095835) | Syndicate Room Ltd (Co. no. 07697935) |
| FCA status | Directly authorised (FRN 650205). Also: EU ECSP licence (Spain, CNMV); Gibraltar FSC incoming MiFID services | Directly authorised (FRN 613021) |
| Who can invest | Retail investors (restricted), high-net-worth and sophisticated investors | Retail investors (restricted), high-net-worth and sophisticated investors |
| Minimum | £10 | £5,000 |
| What you buy | Shares and bonds, held through a nominee | Shares and fund units, held through a nominee |
| Returns | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Investor fees |
|
|
| Selling early | Exits mainly via company sale, event-driven secondaries (often alongside a primary round, possibly at a discount) or buybacks. Liquidity fee 5-7.5% on secondary sales; 5% success fee on exit profits. Shares illiquid otherwise. | Exit is via company trade sale/IPO; no platform-run secondary market identified. |
| ISA, pension and tax wrappers | EIS | EIS and SEIS |
| Auto-invest | — | — |
| FSCS protection | Only if the firm itself fails in its regulated activity; investment losses aren't covered | Not covered |
| Founded | 2011 | 2013 |
| Scale | £1.5bn invested (Oct 2025) | £84m invested (Sep 2026) |
Generated from Other.'s facts files, which are checked against the FCA Register, Companies House and each platform's own site. Dates show when a figure applies.
Key Differences
1. Who picks the companies. On Crowdcube you pick each company and decide how much to put in. In SyndicateRoom's Access EIS fund, SyndicateRoom picks, co-investing where angel investors with strong track records invest, and builds a portfolio of many companies over about a year.
2. Minimums and fees. Crowdcube's minimum is low, and its fees are charged on each investment and on profits at exit. SyndicateRoom's minimum is much higher and its fees follow a fund model: a setup fee, annual management fees over the fund's life and a performance fee above a hurdle. Its other funds (Carbon13 SEIS, Angel Academe EIS and University of Nottingham EIS) need a higher minimum than Access EIS. The table shows the current figures.
3. Tax relief. Crowdcube deals may qualify for EIS, deal by deal, but it doesn't run SEIS raises. Access EIS is an EIS fund, and SyndicateRoom offers SEIS through its Carbon13 SEIS fund.
4. Selling early. SyndicateRoom has no secondary market, and EIS shares must be held for at least three years to keep the relief. Crowdcube shares can sometimes be sold in company-led secondary events or in London Stock Exchange Private Securities Market auctions.
5. History. SyndicateRoom began as a platform for co-investing alongside angel investors and later became an FCA-regulated fund manager. Crowdcube has run as a marketplace throughout.
Who Is Each Platform Best For?
Crowdcube
- Investors who want to choose each company themselves
- Investors starting with a small amount
- Investors who want the option of occasional company-led secondary sales
SyndicateRoom
- Investors who want a manager to build a diversified EIS portfolio
- Investors who want SEIS through a dedicated fund (Carbon13 SEIS)
- Investors comfortable holding for the full EIS period and beyond
Verdict
Choose Crowdcube if you want to pick individual companies yourself and start with a small amount. Choose SyndicateRoom if you'd rather hand the picking to a manager and spread one investment across many EIS-qualifying companies, accepting fees over the fund's life and no way to sell early. On both, early-stage companies can fail and returns can take many years.
Disclaimer: Investing in early-stage companies involves risks, including illiquidity, loss of investment and dilution. Tax relief depends on individual circumstances and on companies keeping their qualifying status. This comparison is information, not financial advice.
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