Dodl review

Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Dodl is an AJ Bell app aimed at UK beginners who want to sidestep dealing costs entirely. Stock trades cost £0 and cash earns 3.8%, so the saving comes from the fee-free model rather than from a richer market list.

Key facts

Best for
First-time investors in the UK who want a fee-free stocks, ETFs and funds app and can accept app-only dealing.
Minimum deposit
£25 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Stock trade fee
£0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Markets
Stocks, ETFs, Funds (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Regulators
Financial Conduct Authority (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Investor protection
FSCS up to GBP 85,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Currency conversion fee
0.75% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Deposit and withdrawal fees
free deposits and withdrawals (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Platforms
Dodl app (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Account types
ISA, SIPP, Lisa (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Interest on cash
3.8% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
AJ Bell (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Email, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Features
Mobile app
Pricing model
Commission-free, Low fees
Audience
Beginners
Official website
dodl.co.uk

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere
Xfacebook.cominstagram.comtiktok.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Stock trades cost £0, the lowest stock trade fee recorded in this comparison
  • free deposits and withdrawals means moving money in and out adds nothing to a portfolio
  • Cash held with the account earns interest of 3.8% while you save for a purchase
  • Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 behind eligible balances
  • Built for beginners, with a mobile app for Dodl app

Cons

  • Cash interest of 3.8% is a variable rate, so the return on uninvested money can move
  • Dealing runs on Dodl app only, which suits casual investors less well than a desktop platform
  • Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, so there is no phone line for urgent account problems
  • Foreign exchange charges of 0.75% apply when you buy shares priced in another currency
Dodl

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Scored 8.8 / 10 by BrokerCue.

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Who it suits

  • UK beginners opening a first stocks, ETFs and funds portfolio
  • Investors who want dealing fees at £0 and want to keep cash earning 3.8%
  • Savers setting aside money in an ISA, SIPP or LISA before investing

Who should look elsewhere

  • Traders who need a desktop dealing platform, because dealing sits on Dodl app
  • Anyone wanting phone support, since help runs on email, chat and help centre
  • Investors who trade often in foreign currency, where 0.75% charges apply

How your money is protected

Dodl is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and money held with the firm sits under FSCS up to GBP 85,000. The operator behind the app is AJ Bell, a name readers may recognise from its larger brokerage, and the accounts offered cover an ISA, a SIPP and a LISA. Protection is stated as a limit per eligible claim rather than as a blanket promise on any loss, so a fall in share prices is not the same as a failure of the firm. The regulator and the scheme limit are the two facts that matter most here, and both point the same way: this is money in the hands of a regulated UK provider rather than an offshore outfit.

Fees and costs

The headline cost is £0 on a stock trade, and the pricing model is built around commission-free dealing rather than a small charge per trade. Money moving in and out is the other line that matters, and here Dodl states free deposits and withdrawals, so a transfer is not a source of leakage. The cost that does apply is currency conversion: 0.75% when shares are bought or sold in a currency other than sterling, which catches investors who hold international funds or US-listed names. Cash left uninvested earns 3.8%, so the account pays something while you build up a deposit, though that rate is variable and can change. Read together, the picture is a very low cost of holding, with the exchange charge as the one line to watch.

Account opening and funding

Opening an account starts from a minimum deposit of £25, which keeps the first step small enough for a first-time investor and sits well inside what the wider market asks for. Funding is straightforward because deposits and withdrawals are free deposits and withdrawals, so the entry point is not eaten up by moving cash in. The account types available are an ISA, a SIPP and a LISA, so the same app can hold a tax-sheltered investment account, a retirement pot and a longer-term wrapper. The platform list is short, listing the Dodl app, which tells you the account is designed to be opened and run on a phone rather than on a desktop terminal.

How it compares on our data

Set against the brands in this comparison, Dodl sits at the very top of the field on dealing cost. On stock trade fee it ranks 1 out of 161, which is the strongest showing of any brand measured on that figure. On minimum deposit the picture is different: Dodl ranks 128 out of 213, reflecting a small but not minimal entry requirement. The spread between the two rankings is the trade-off in one line. Nothing here is priced like a premium platform, and the entry figure is low enough for a starter, but it is not the lowest on the table.

The company behind it

The app runs on AJ Bell, which is the operating company behind the brand rather than a separate legal shell of its own. Support is offered through email, chat and help centre, which is enough for routine questions and for the kind of help a beginner needs while setting up an ISA or SIPP, though it rules out a direct phone conversation. The platform list is short, showing the Dodl app as the way in, so the whole proposition is a mobile one aimed at a particular kind of saver. For readers who like a named, established UK operator behind a simple interface, that combination checks out.

How Dodl compares

Where Dodl is available

Available
United Kingdom
Licence in United Kingdom
Financial Conduct Authority, checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does it cost to buy shares at Dodl?+

A stock trade costs £0, which is the figure that stands out on this platform. The pricing model is commission-free rather than low-fee, so dealing is designed to cost nothing. Money in and out is also free deposits and withdrawals, so a transfer adds nothing extra. The one charge to watch is 0.75% on currency conversion when you buy shares priced outside sterling.

Is my money protected at Dodl?+

Dodl is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and eligible balances are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000. That protection is a stated limit on a claim to the firm, not a promise that investments cannot fall in value. The company operating the app is AJ Bell, so the account sits with an established UK provider rather than an offshore entity.

How much do I need to open an account?+

The minimum deposit is £25, which keeps the opening step small for a first-time investor. Deposits and withdrawals are free deposits and withdrawals, so the entry figure is not eaten by moving money in. On our data the minimum deposit ranks 128 out of 213, so it is low but not the lowest available.

What account types can I hold at Dodl?+

The account types available are an ISA, a SIPP and a LISA, so a tax-sheltered investment account, a retirement pot and a longer-term wrapper all sit in one place. Because the minimum deposit is only £25, the same entry point works for a small starter account or a larger ongoing one. Accounts are opened and run through the Dodl app rather than a desktop platform.

Can I earn interest while I save up for investments?+

Yes, cash held with the account earns interest of 3.8%. That makes the waiting period productive if you are building a deposit before buying shares. The rate is variable, so the return on uninvested cash can move over time. Buying shares still carries market risk, and interest does not offset a fall in the value of your investments.

What are the charges for currency conversion?+

Foreign exchange charges apply at 0.75% when you buy or sell shares priced in a currency other than sterling. This is the main ongoing cost on the platform and it applies to international holdings. It does not affect dealing, which is £0 a trade, and it does not affect moving money in or out, which is free deposits and withdrawals. Readers who buy heavily in foreign currency should factor it in.

How do I get help if something goes wrong?+

Support runs through email, chat and help centre, which covers the main written routes for questions about the account. It suits routine enquiries and the sort of help a beginner needs while setting up a wrapper. There is no phone line listed, so a problem needing a live conversation will have to go through those written channels. The account is run on the Dodl app, so the app is the main place to start.

Who is Dodl aimed at?+

The audience is beginners, and the shape of the platform matches that. Dealing is £0 a trade, the minimum deposit is £25, and the app is listed in the platforms available. Readers who already trade often on a desktop may find the app-only setup limiting. Beginners who want a straightforward way into stocks, ETFs and funds are the natural fit.

Sources

  • dodl.co.uk checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Interest on cash, Features, Minimum deposit, Platforms

    “earn 3.80% AER variable interest on cash in your account”

  • dodl.co.uk/about checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Audience, Investor protection, Legal entity, Markets, Regulators, Support channels, Licences

    “Never invested before? Dodl makes it feel easy”

  • dodl.co.uk/charges checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Account types, Deposit and withdrawal fees

    “same for every Dodl account, be it an investment ISA, Lifetime ISA, pension or general investment account”

  • help.dodl.co.uk/en/articles/5830554-what-are-dodl-s-charges checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Pricing model, Stock trade fee

    “There are no dealing charges on Dodl to buy and sell your investments”

  • help.dodl.co.uk/en/articles/6655200-what-are-foreign-exch... checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Currency conversion fee

    “The FX charge to buy or sell US shares is tiered: First £10,000 0.75%”

Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Account fee, Inactivity fee, Retail accounts that lose money.

Dodl

Dodl

First-time investors in the UK who want a fee-free stocks, ETFs and funds app and can accept app-only dealing.

8.8/10See alternatives

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