AJ Bell review
Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
AJ Bell pairs a flat £3.50 with FCA regulation and FSCS up to GBP 85,000 of cover, so it suits UK savers who want four wrapper types. Deals in shares cost £5 and currency conversion adds 0.75%, which leaves it short of the cheapest names on our data.
Key facts
- Best for
- UK investors wanting ISA, SIPP, LISA and Junior ISA accounts from an FCA-regulated broker.
- Minimum deposit
- £25 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Stock trade fee
- £5 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Account fee
- £3.50 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Markets
- Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Regulators
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Investor protection
- FSCS up to GBP 85,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 0.75% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Deposit and withdrawal fees
- Free withdrawals (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Web platform, Mobile app (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Account types
- ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- AJ Bell (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Mobile app
- Pricing model
- Low fees
- Official website
- ajbell.co.uk
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- Four account types in one place: isa, sipp and lisa.
- Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 of cover on eligible money.
- A flat £3.50 annual charge against a market median of €0.
- A small £25 opening deposit, well inside the range most brands ask.
- A mobile app among Web platform and Mobile app, so dealing does not need a desktop.
Cons
- Dealing shares costs £5, where eToro charges $0.
- The account fee places AJ Bell 111 of 138 brands on our data.
- Support runs on chat and help centre only, with no phone line listed.
- Currency conversion at 0.75% adds a cost on overseas holdings.
Who it suits
- You want an FCA-regulated broker with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 behind the account and do not need the lowest dealing cost.
- Your saving changes shape over time and you want ISA, SIPP, LISA and Junior ISA under one roof, since isa, sipp and lisa all sit here.
- You are a regular UK investor who prefers a flat £3.50 to a percentage-based platform charge.
Who should look elsewhere
- You trade very often, because eToro charges $0 on stock deals against £5 here.
- You are starting with almost nothing, since Vantage takes $5 and CFI takes $0 against the £25 asked for here.
- You want phone support, as AJ Bell lists chat and help centre and nothing wider.
How your money is protected
AJ Bell is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), so the firm operates under UK rules on how client money is held and used. Eligible investments sit under FSCS up to GBP 85,000, meaning a claim is covered up to that ceiling if the firm fails. The same scheme sits behind other FCA-authorised brokers, so the real choice here is between a regulated firm with that cover and one without it. For a UK reader holding savings in an ISA or SIPP, protection and regulation carry more weight than the cost of a single dealing.
Fees and costs
The account fee is a flat £3.50, set against a market median of €0 and a top-end €219.24. A dealing costs £5 in shares, where the market median is €0 and the highest on our data is €17.54. The minimum deposit is a modest £25, so the account is easy to open and top up. Currency conversion costs 0.75%, which matters for anyone holding US shares or funds, and the dealing and account charges are the ones to weigh against a cheaper alternative.
How it compares on our data
Across the 270 brands we track, AJ Bell ranks 111 of 138 on account fee, 128 of 213 on minimum deposit and 146 of 161 on stock trade fee. None of those positions sits near the top, and none sits at the bottom either, which describes a mid-priced broker rather than a cost leader. The cost part of our overall score is 2.2, out of an overall 2.2 for this page. The pattern is consistent: reliable and priced like much of the market, with no single figure that wins a category on its own.
Markets and platforms
You can deal stocks, etfs and bonds, which covers the core holdings most retail portfolios are built from, and you can reach them through Web platform and Mobile app. The account is offered in four forms, isa, sipp and lisa, so the same dealing platform covers tax-wrapped saving, retirement income and money held for a child. A mobile app is listed among the features, so the portfolio can be checked and deals placed away from a desk. For someone who wants one regulated provider for general investing and for wrapped saving, the range here is the practical draw.
The company behind it
The legal entity is AJ Bell, headquartered in the GB and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), so the same UK rules that govern other domestic brokers apply. Support is offered through chat and help centre. That mix suits readers who are comfortable with self-service help and live chat, and less suited to anyone who wants to pick up a phone during a volatile week. Combined with a flat £3.50 and FCA authorisation, it reads as a straightforward UK operation rather than an offshore wrapper.
How AJ Bell compares
8.7 vs 9.0
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8.7 vs 8.7
MarketScreener
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8.7 vs 8.7
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 8.7
8.7 vs 8.6
8.7 vs 9.2eToro charges $0 on a stock deal, where AJ Bell charges £5, so eToro suits frequent traders.
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8.7 vs 9.0
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Intellectia
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Where AJ Bell is available
- Available
- United Kingdom
- Licence in United Kingdom
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does AJ Bell charge to hold an account?+
The account fee is a flat £3.50 a year. That sits above the market median of €0 and well below the €219.24 at the expensive end of our data, so it is a mid-range holding cost rather than a free account.
How much does it cost to buy shares?+
A dealing in shares costs £5. The market median is €0 and the highest figure on our data is €17.54, so frequent dealing adds up quickly and investors who trade rarely feel it least.
Is my money protected at AJ Bell?+
Yes. AJ Bell is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and eligible investments are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000 if the firm fails. That limit is a ceiling on compensation, not a promise that every loss is covered.
What is the smallest deposit needed to open an account?+
The minimum deposit is £25, which is a small entry point for a UK retail account. For comparison, Vantage asks for $5 and CFI lists $0.
Which account types are available?+
Four types are offered: isa, sipp and lisa. Having tax-wrapped, retirement and child accounts in one place means one set of dealing charges instead of separate providers with separate costs.
Is there a mobile app?+
Yes. AJ Bell offers Web platform and Mobile app, and a mobile app is listed among its features, so you can check a portfolio and place deals without sitting at a computer.
How do deposits and withdrawals work?+
The minimum opening deposit is £25 and withdrawals are Free withdrawals, so money can be taken out without a withdrawal charge. Remember that currency conversion costs 0.75% on any non-sterling trade.
Is AJ Bell a good fit for a beginner?+
It suits readers who want regulation and cover in place of the lowest dealing price, and who want ISA, SIPP, LISA or Junior ISA access early. The caution is that dealing shares at £5 each is not the cheapest way to trade often.
Sources
- ajbell.co.uk checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account types, Markets
“Self-invested personal pension (SIPP), Stocks and shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA”
- ajbell.co.uk/charges checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Currency conversion fee, Headquarters, Legal entity, Minimum deposit, Platforms, Support channels
“AJ Bell mobile app on App Store and Google Play”
- ajbell.co.uk/dealing-account/charges checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account fee, Deposit and withdrawal fees, Investor protection, Pricing model, Regulators, Stock trade fee, Licences
“Shares account charge: 0.25% (max GBP3.50 per month) - Dealing account”
Compiled from 3 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Inactivity fee, Retail accounts that lose money.
AJ Bell
UK investors wanting ISA, SIPP, LISA and Junior ISA accounts from an FCA-regulated broker.