Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs XTB
Where AJ Bell and XTB differ
| Compare |  AJ Bell |  XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25 | €0 |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | €0 |
| Account fee | £3.50 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNFCovers more |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | 0.5%Lower |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | XStation 5, XStation Mobile |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77% |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:30 |
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Key differences
- XTB scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only XTB offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), KNF.
- XTB is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at XTB: 0.5% vs 0.75%.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only XTB offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Web platform, Mobile app.
- Platforms: only XTB offers XStation 5, XStation Mobile.
- Support channels: only AJ Bell offers Help centre.
- Support channels: only XTB offers Email, Phone.
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.
XTB
XTB suits retail traders who want to hold stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto under one Cyprus-based account without a monthly charge. The account fee is €0, deposits cost nothing, and CySEC, FCA and KNF authorisations sit behind a legal entity founded in 2002.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4A flat annual fee of £3.50 and £5 a dealing sit mid-table, while currency conversion costs 0.75%. | 9.1Higher |
| Offer | 9.2 | 9.3Higher |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.6Higher |
Feature by feature
| Markets | AJ Bell | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
Sources behind this comparison
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
XTB
- xtb.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- hello-brokers.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- eupersonalfinance.eu: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- linkedin.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | AJ Bell | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 193 of 471 | 3 of 471 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app, CryptoCovers more |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | XTB Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2002 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | XTB | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10above the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77%highest quarter | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%highest quarter | 0.5%above the median | 0.45% |
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.
XTB
Pros
- Account fee of €0 on the standard account, and stock trades cost €0.
- Minimum deposit of €0, so the account opens without a funding floor.
- Regulated by CySEC, the FCA and KNF across Cyprus, the UK and Poland.
Cons
- An inactivity fee of €10 applies, unlike eToro, which has no such charge.
- Forex and CFD trading is not cost free: fx trading costs 0.5%.
- CFDs carry a high proportion of losing retail accounts, and XTB's own figure is 77%.
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.
XTB
Who it suits
- Retail traders in the UK and Europe who want stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto in one account
- Beginners who want a demo account and a mobile app before committing money
- Cost conscious traders who will not hold a balance large enough to trigger the inactivity fee
Who should look elsewhere
- Vantage, if a small minimum deposit of $5 suits a smaller starting balance better
- CFI, for traders who want forex and CFDs without paying an fx charge of 0.5%
- Anyone who plans to hold an idle balance for a long period, given the inactivity fee of €10
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
XTB
What does XTB charge to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is €0, so there is no monthly or annual cost to keeping the account open. A stock trade costs €0 on the same account. The only recurring charge to watch is an inactivity fee of €10 for traders whose balance sits idle.
Is there a minimum deposit at XTB?+
The minimum deposit is €0, which means the account can be opened and funded with a small amount. It is a lower floor than the $5 asked by Vantage, so it suits a trader testing the platform before scaling up.
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