Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs IG
Where AJ Bell and IG differ
| Compare |  AJ Bell |  IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £5 | £0Lower |
| Account fee | £3.50 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView |
| Minimum deposit | £25 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 69% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | Not confirmed |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.5% |
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Key differences
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only AJ Bell offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- IG is licensed in 1 more country.
- Stock trade fee is lower at IG: £0 vs £5.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only IG offers Forex, CFDs, Options.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Web platform, Mobile app.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Features: only IG offers Demo account, Fractional shares.
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.
IG
IG suits traders who want shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting under a single roof, with an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5% on uninvested balances. Share dealing runs commission-free, while the retail loss rate is 69%.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | IG |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.5Higher |
What each covers
| Markets | AJ Bell | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Spread betting | No | Yes |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | AJ Bell | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 193 of 471 | 48 of 471 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | AJ Bell | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Not confirmed | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed | SIPC SIPC member 71021 |
Where these facts come from
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional sharesCovers more |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | IG Europe GmbH |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Germany |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | IG | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25above the median | Not confirmed | £20 |
| Stock trade fee | £5highest quarter | £0at the median | £0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 69%below the median | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.5%below the median | 3% |
Median across 47 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.
IG
Pros
- Markets list stocks, etfs and forex, so shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting sit together.
- Regulated by Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, with client protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
- Platform choice runs Mobile trading, L2 Dealer and ProRealTime.
Cons
- Retail accounts that lose money come to 69%.
- The commission-free model in commission free applies to share dealing, and it does not extend to trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options or futures.
- Accounts sit with IG Europe GmbH in Germany, so compensation stops at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
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.
IG
Who it suits
- Traders who want stocks, etfs and forex reachable from the same account rather than several platforms.
- Share buyers who want dealing on a commission-free basis, since commission free covers their trades.
- EU clients who weight regulation and compensation, given Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC and EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a platform built around share dealing and crypto alone should compare CFI, whose stocks, etfs and forex is a shorter, simpler list.
- Investors priced in dollars rather than euros should weigh eToro, where the stock trade fee is $0.
- Anyone weighing only the account charge should know Vantage lists $0, so IG's €0 is not the only way to hold an account cheaply.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | IG |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
IG
What does it cost to trade shares with IG?+
Share dealing runs on a commission-free model, with a stock trade fee of £0 and an account fee of €0. Those are the two figures that matter for holding and trading, and both sit at the floor of the site tables. Trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options and futures are quoted apart from share dealing.
Who regulates IG and is my money protected?+
The regulators are Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, and the licences listed are MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 and SIPC member 71021. Client protection in the EU is EU ICS up to EUR 20,000, so a claim against the firm is covered only up to that ceiling. Any balance above the cap is your own exposure.
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