Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs eToro
Where AJ Bell and eToro differ
| Compare |  AJ Bell |  eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £5 | $0 |
| Account fee | £3.50 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, Futures |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), SIPC |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, JisaCovers more | ISA |
| Minimum deposit | £25 | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- eToro scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only AJ Bell offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only eToro offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), SIPC.
- eToro is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only eToro offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers SIPP, Lisa, Jisa.
- Support channels: only AJ Bell offers Chat.
- Features: only eToro offers Crypto, Demo account, Fractional shares.
- Pricing model: only AJ Bell offers Low fees.
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.
eToro
eToro suits readers who want to hold shares, ETFs, crypto, forex and CFDs in one app without paying commission on trades. Costs look light on the standard account, with a stock trade fee of $0 and account fee of $0, though the account fee applies to the virtual portfolio rather than every standard account.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4A flat annual fee of £3.50 and £5 a dealing sit mid-table, while currency conversion costs 0.75%. | 9.3HigherCommission-free pricing with a stock trade fee of $0 and account fee of $0, but currency conversion on non-USD balances sits outside that headline. |
| Offer | 9.2Higher | 8.8 |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.3Higher |
What each covers
| Markets | AJ Bell | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Account types | AJ Bell | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | No |
| Lisa | Yes | No |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
How they place
| Ranking | AJ Bell | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 193 of 471 | 6 of 471 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | AJ Bell | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 213800GIFQMSV7HROS23 |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed | SIPC SIPC member 70212 |
What we checked
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
eToro
- etoro.com: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Crypto, Demo account, Fractional shares, Copy trading, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | eToro (Europe) Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2007 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centreCovers more | Help centre |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | AJ Bell | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | $500 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF, ESG, Cash, Crypto |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | eToro | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25above the median | Not confirmed | £20 |
| 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.
eToro
Pros
- No commission on share dealing: stock trade fees are $0
- No account fee on the standard dealing account: $0
- Regulated in Cyprus by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, and a SIPC member in the US
Cons
- A separate management fee of 0% applies to the managed portfolio service, so headline dealing costs are not the whole bill
- Support runs on help centre only, so there is no stated phone or live chat route for account problems
- The same commission-free model at XTB comes with a stated stock trade fee of €0, so commission alone does not separate the two
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.
eToro
Who it suits
- Beginners who want commission-free share dealing plus fractional shares
- Readers who want stocks, ETFs, crypto, forex and CFDs in one place
- Anyone saving in a currency other than US dollars who wants to watch the cost of conversion
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want a stated phone or live chat support channel, since support runs on help centre
- Day traders who judge a broker on spreads alone, as no spread figure is listed
- Anyone wanting managed portfolios at no cost, since the management fee is 0%
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
eToro
What does it cost to buy shares with eToro?+
The stock trade fee is $0, and the account fee is $0. Both sit at the low end of the market, and eToro is ranked at 1 on trade fees and 1 on account fees among the brands compared here. Currency conversion can still apply if your balance is not in the account currency.
Is there an account fee on the standard eToro account?+
The account fee is $0 for the standard dealing account, which is why eToro places at 1 out of 138 brands on that measure. The managed portfolio service is charged differently, at a management fee of 0%, so treat the dealing and portfolio costs as two separate lines.
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