AJ Bell Review

Company background

AJ Bell was founded in 1995 by Andy Bell and Nicholas Littlefair and is headquartered in Salford, Manchester. The company listed on the London Stock Exchange in November 2018 and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. As of 2025, AJ Bell reports approximately £8.9 billion in assets under management and over 1,500 employees. It also operates Dodl, a simplified app-only platform with a 0.15% annual fee targeting beginner investors.

Fees and pricing

For shares, ETFs and investment trusts, AJ Bell charges an annual platform fee of 0.25% capped at £3.50 per month in an ISA or dealing account and £10 per month in a SIPP. For funds, the fee is 0.25% on the first £250,000 and 0.10% on the next £250,000, with no monthly cap, making it expensive for large fund portfolios. Share and ETF dealing costs £5 per trade, or £3.50 for investors who completed 10 or more online deals in the previous month. Fund dealing costs £1.50 per transaction and is free for AJ Bell funds. Regular monthly investing from £25 carries no dealing charge.

AJ Bell does not charge deposit, withdrawal or inactivity fees. Currency conversion for international trades costs up to 0.75% on the first £10,000, 0.50% on the next £10,000 and 0.25% above £20,000. Dividend currency conversions carry a 0.50% FX charge. Accounts are GBP-only.

Regulation and safety

AJ Bell operates through entities authorised and regulated by the FCA. AJ Bell Securities Limited holds FCA reference number 155593 and is a member of the London Stock Exchange. Client cash is held in segregated trust accounts with authorised UK banks, with FSCS protection up to £120,000 per banking licence. Investments are held separately in nominee companies, with FSCS protection up to £85,000 per investor if the platform becomes insolvent.

Platform experience

AJ Bell provides access via a web platform and iOS and Android apps. The investment range covers more than 16,000 shares across 24 international markets, over 4,000 funds, over 3,500 ETFs, more than 400 investment trusts, corporate bonds, government bonds and UK gilts. Tools include live pricing, watchlists, educational content, webinars and podcasts. No demo account is available and the platform does not support fractional shares or cryptocurrency.

Pros and cons

AJ Bell's main advantages are FCA regulation and FSCS protection, capped custody fees for shares and ETFs, a wide investment range across 24 markets, no withdrawal or inactivity fees, and support for regular monthly investing with no dealing charge. Key drawbacks include the uncapped fund platform fee for large fund portfolios, no demo account, no fractional shares, no cryptocurrency, and FX conversion costs on international trades.