Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Interactive Brokers
What sets them apart
| Compare |  AJ Bell |  Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25 | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, StocksCovers more |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | SEC, FCA, SIPCCovers more |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa | ISA, SIPP, IRA, Joint, Corporate |
| Account fee | £3.50 | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.38% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.65 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 3.38% |
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Key differences
- Interactive Brokers scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only Interactive Brokers offers SEC, SIPC.
- Interactive Brokers is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Interactive Brokers offers Forex, Futures, Options.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Web platform, Mobile app.
- Platforms: only Interactive Brokers offers Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers Lisa, Jisa.
- Account types: only Interactive Brokers offers IRA, Joint, Corporate.
- Support channels: only AJ Bell offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Interactive Brokers offers Community.
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.
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers suits investors who want a single account across ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint and corporate holdings, with stocks, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures behind it. It ranks 1 of 213 brands on minimum deposit at $0, and stock trades are charged at $0.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4A flat annual fee of £3.50 and £5 a dealing sit mid-table, while currency conversion costs 0.75%. | 9.3HigherStock trades cost $0, the minimum deposit is $0 and an options contract costs $0.65. |
| Offer | 9.2 | 9.6HigherAccount types cover isa, sipp and ira, and the market list spans bonds, etfs and forex. |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.8Higher |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 193 of 471 | 44 of 471 |
Licences and countries
| Country | AJ Bell | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | FCA 208159 | |
| United States | Not confirmed | SIPC SIPC member 53615 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Fractional shares, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1978 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Help centre, Community |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | AJ Bell | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Interactive Brokers | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | £3.50above the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.38%below the median | 8.75% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.65above the median | $0.625 |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 3.38%above the median | 3% |
Median across 43 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.
Interactive Brokers
Pros
- A stock trade costs $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, the pairing behind rank 1 of 161 on stock trade fees among the brokers tracked here.
- The account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira, so an ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint or corporate account all sit under a single provider.
- bonds, etfs and forex puts stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures on the same account, with a margin rate of 4.38% for geared positions.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community, so a phone line and live chat sit outside the offer.
- bonds, etfs and forex covers shares, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures but leaves out crypto and CFDs, which eToro lists in stocks, etfs and forex.
- An options contract costs $0.65 against a stock trade at $0, so options strategies pay a visible premium per contract.
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.
Interactive Brokers
Who it suits
- Investors holding money across several wrappers, since the account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira.
- Traders who want options, futures, forex and bonds alongside shares on a single account, per bonds, etfs and forex.
- Anyone starting with a small balance: the minimum deposit is $0 and fractional shares appear in the feature list (fractional shares and mobile app).
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who trades crypto or CFDs, since bonds, etfs and forex leaves both out while eToro lists them in stocks, etfs and forex.
- Readers who want a stated entry figure as a signal of the provider's target size, since Vantage publishes $5 where this broker's minimum is $0.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Interactive Brokers
What does it cost to trade shares?+
A stock trade is charged at $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, so opening an account and dealing in shares carry no charge. The money sits in derivatives and leverage instead, where an options contract costs $0.65 and the margin rate is listed at 4.38%.
Is my money protected?+
The regulatory list runs to SEC, FCA and SIPC, and investor protection is stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000. The UK entry is the FCA under licence 208159, while the US side names the SEC and the SIPC membership SIPC member 53615. The protection figure describes the scheme stated for the account and says nothing about how a trade performs.
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