Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Empower Personal Dashboard
AJ Bell vs Empower Personal Dashboard: the differences
| Compare |  AJ Bell |  Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25 | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | $0 |
| Account fee | £3.50 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, FundsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Funds |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa | IRA |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Not confirmed |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| 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
- Empower Personal Dashboard scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.7.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Bonds.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers ISA, SIPP, Lisa.
- Account types: only Empower Personal Dashboard offers IRA.
- Support channels: only AJ Bell offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Empower Personal Dashboard offers Email, Phone.
- Pricing model: only Empower Personal Dashboard 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.
Empower Personal Dashboard
Empower Personal Dashboard suits US savers who want a managed retirement account without a fee attached. The management fee is 0% and the minimum investment is $0, so the cost side is as light as it gets. It fits people who would rather set it and leave it than trade.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4A flat annual fee of £3.50 and £5 a dealing sit mid-table, while currency conversion costs 0.75%. | 9.9HigherManagement fee 0%, account fee $0 and minimum investment $0 sit at the free end of costs. |
| Offer | 9.2Higher | 8.8 |
| Trust | 8.6 | Not confirmed |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | AJ Bell | Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | AJ Bell | Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | No |
| SIPP | Yes | No |
| IRA | No | Yes |
| Lisa | Yes | No |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | AJ Bell | Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Sources behind this comparison
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Empower Personal Dashboard
- empower.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 193 of 471 | 12 of 471 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | Empower Advisory Group, LLC |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United States |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Empower Personal Dashboard | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
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.
Empower Personal Dashboard
Pros
- Management fee of 0% and an account fee of $0, so nothing leaves the balance each year.
- Minimum investment of $0 and a minimum deposit of $0, so a small first contribution is enough.
- Stock trades cost $0 across stocks, etfs and funds, with managed portfolios in ETF and cash styles.
Cons
- The account type is an IRA, so it is a retirement account rather than a general dealing account.
- Markets stop at stocks, etfs and funds, with no crypto, options or forex added on.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so there is no live chat for quick questions.
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.
Empower Personal Dashboard
Who it suits
- US savers building a retirement account who want it run for them at no annual charge.
- People who prefer ETF and cash portfolios over picking their own shares.
- Long-term investors content with a conventional asset range.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, where the managed portfolios start at $500.
- Vivid Standard, which charges a management fee of 0.5% to 1.5%.
- Axos Invest, where managed portfolios start at $100.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
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.
Empower Personal Dashboard
What does Empower Personal Dashboard charge?+
The management fee is 0% and the account fee is $0, so nothing is taken out of the balance for holding or running the account. Trading is separate, and the stock trade fee is $0, which keeps running costs thin overall.
Is there a minimum to get started?+
The minimum investment is $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, so you can begin with a small amount rather than waiting for a large balance. That makes it a practical first step for anyone building a retirement pot gradually.
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 ActivTrades
- Empower Personal Dashboard vs DKB (Deutsche Kreditbank)
- AJ Bell vs XTB
- AJ Bell vs NAGA
- AJ Bell vs eToro
- AJ Bell vs Bitpanda
- AJ Bell vs CapTrader
- AJ Bell vs Lightyear