Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Ally Bank
Where AJ Bell and Ally Bank differ
| Compare |  AJ Bell |  Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25 | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | $0 |
| Account fee | £3.50 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Funds, BondsCovers more |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | SEC, FINRA, FDIC |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa | Joint, IRA, Roth IRA |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.50 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Not confirmed |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Ally Bank scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only AJ Bell offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Ally Bank offers SEC, FINRA, FDIC.
- Markets: only Ally Bank offers Options.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers ISA, SIPP, Lisa.
- Account types: only Ally Bank offers Joint, IRA, Roth IRA.
- Support channels: only Ally Bank offers Email, Phone.
- Pricing model: only AJ Bell offers Low fees.
- Pricing model: only Ally Bank offers Commission free.
Our verdict on each
AJ Bell
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.
Ally Bank
Ally Bank suits US investors who want commission-free share dealing with a free account and a free inactivity charge, and it heads the cost table on the measures compared. The trade-off sits in the automated portfolios, which take a management fee of 0% to 0.3% and a starting investment of $100.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4A flat annual fee of £3.50 and £5 a dealing sit mid-table, while currency conversion costs 0.75%. | 9.4Higher$0 to trade shares, $0 account fee, $0 inactivity charge, with $0.50 per options contract and 0% to 0.3% on automated portfolios. |
| Offer | 9.2 | 9.6Higher |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.8Higher |
How they place
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 193 of 471 | 40 of 471 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed | FINRA 136131 FDIC FDIC cert 57803 |
Additional countries for AJ Bell: 1. Additional countries for Ally Bank: 1.
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | No |
| SIPP | Yes | No |
| IRA | No | Yes |
| Roth IRA | No | Yes |
| Joint | No | Yes |
| Lisa | Yes | No |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
Sources behind this comparison
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Ally Bank
- ally.com: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- banks.data.fdic.gov: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- files.brokercheck.finra.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokerchooser.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- fxleaders.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1919 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0% to 0.3% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | $100 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF, ESG, Cash |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Ally Bank | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.50below the median | $0.625 |
Median across 38 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
AJ Bell
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.
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.
Ally Bank
Pros
- A stock trade costs $0 and the account fee is $0, so holding a US portfolio costs nothing at the platform level.
- The inactivity fee is $0, and Ally ranks 1 on that measure among 56, so a dormant balance is not quietly drained.
- Regulated in the US by SEC, FINRA and FDIC, with investor protection recorded as SIPC up to USD 500,000 and an FDIC certificate of FDIC cert 57803.
Cons
- The automated portfolios take a management fee of 0% to 0.3% a year, so a free account is not the whole cost picture.
- Options carry $0.50 per contract, so the commission-free model in commission free does not reach derivative trading.
- Account types run to joint, ira and roth ira, with no wrapper for a tax-sheltered investor who is not saving through a retirement account.
Who each suits
AJ Bell
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.
Ally Bank
Who it suits
- US savers who want commission-free share dealing, a minimum deposit of $0 and an account fee of $0.
- Retirement investors, since joint, ira and roth ira covers individual retirement accounts and joint accounts.
- People who would rather ring than email, since email, chat and phone includes phone, chat, email and a help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders after forex, contracts for difference or crypto, since stocks, etfs and options stops at the US list while stocks, etfs and forex goes further.
- Anyone who wants leveraged index exposure on the same account, where CFI covers stocks, etfs and forex and Ally does not.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Ally Bank |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
AJ Bell
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.
Ally Bank
What does it cost to open a self-directed account and place a trade?+
Opening costs nothing beyond the deposit itself, and the minimum deposit is $0. Trading shares carries a fee of $0 and the account fee is $0, so a small starter order does not eat into the position. Options are the exception and are priced separately per contract.
Is there a charge if I leave the account empty?+
No. The inactivity fee is $0, which means an account you stop using carries no monthly drain on the balance. It matters most for anyone splitting cash between trading and holding, because a dormant account here does not quietly shave the value of what sits in it while a decision is pending.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- AJ Bell vs Vanguard
- AJ Bell vs Trading 212
- AJ Bell vs Interactive Brokers
- AJ Bell vs InvestEngine
- AJ Bell vs Charles Schwab
- AJ Bell vs Freetrade
- AJ Bell vs Fidelity
- AJ Bell vs M1
- AJ Bell vs Nutmeg
- AJ Bell vs Exness
- AJ Bell vs Titan
- AJ Bell vs Public
- AJ Bell vs Saxo
- AJ Bell vs Totality
- AJ Bell vs Moneyfarm
- AJ Bell vs Deriv
- AJ Bell vs ActivTrades
- AJ Bell vs XTB
- AJ Bell vs NAGA
- Ally Bank vs UNest
- AJ Bell vs eToro
- Ally Bank vs Linxea
- Ally Bank vs Mintos
- Ally Bank vs Revolut
- AJ Bell vs Empower Personal Dashboard
- Ally Bank vs Robinhood
- Ally Bank vs S Broker
- Ally Bank vs Kraken
- AJ Bell vs Lightyear