Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Exness
AJ Bell vs Exness: the differences
| Compare |  AJ Bell |  Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25 | $10 |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, Metals |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | FCA, CySEC, FSA Seychelles, FSCACovers more |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | no deposit or withdrawal fee |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | MT4, MT5, Exness Terminal, Exness Trade App |
| Account fee | £3.50 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:Unlimited |
Same on both: Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000).
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Key differences
- Exness scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only Exness offers CySEC, FSA Seychelles, FSCA.
- Exness is licensed in 3 more countries.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers ETFs, Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only Exness offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Web platform, Mobile app.
- Platforms: only Exness offers MT4, MT5, Exness Terminal.
- Pricing model: only Exness 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.
Exness
Exness suits beginners and day traders who want to place stock trades without a dealing charge, with a stock trade fee of $0 and an inactivity fee of $0. Regulators listed are the FCA, CySEC, the FSA Seychelles and the FSCA, with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 stated for UK clients.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4A flat annual fee of £3.50 and £5 a dealing sit mid-table, while currency conversion costs 0.75%. | 9.3Higher |
| Offer | 9.2 | 9.6Higher |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.5Higher |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | AJ Bell | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ||
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | |
| Seychelles | Not confirmed | |
| South Africa | Not confirmed | FSCA 51024 |
How they place
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 193 of 471 | 54 of 471 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners, Day traders |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | Exness (SC) Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2008 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Exness | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | £3.50above the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| 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.
Exness
Pros
- A $0 stock trade fee, with the pricing model read as commission-free and low-fee.
- An inactivity fee of $0, so a dormant balance is not billed.
- Deposits and withdrawals carry no charge, so moving money costs nothing.
Cons
- Retail leverage is listed at 1:Unlimited, and 70.15% of retail accounts on this site lose money.
- Regulators listed include the FSA Seychelles and the FSCA alongside the FCA and CySEC, so the entity behind an account can differ by market.
- The market list, stocks, forex and cfds, stops short of ETFs and futures, so share investors wanting those should look elsewhere.
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.
Exness
Who it suits
- Beginners and day traders, the audiences the brand names.
- Traders who want a $0 stock trade fee and an inactivity fee of $0 on the same account.
- Desktop and mobile users who want to trade across MT4, MT5 and Exness Terminal.
Who should look elsewhere
- CFI, where the minimum deposit is $0.
- Vantage, with a minimum deposit of $5.
- eToro, which also covers ETFs and futures beyond the markets listed here.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Exness
What does Exness charge to buy a stock?+
Share dealing runs at a stock trade fee of $0, and the pricing model is listed as commission-free and low-fee. On this site's stock trade fee ranking Exness sits at 1 of 161, so the per-trade cost sits at the cheap end of the brands compared. Deposits and withdrawals carry no charge either.
Does Exness charge an inactivity fee?+
The inactivity fee is $0, so a dormant account is not billed for sitting still. Exness ranks 1 of 56 on this measure, at the top of the table of brands compared. Some rivals charge for unused accounts, so this saves money for anyone who opens an account and leaves it quiet for a while.
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