Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Your capital is at risk.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, AJ Bell offers better pricing than eToro for share dealing.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
AJ Bell vs eToro: both let you trade shares and ETFs. AJ Bell also offers a broad mix of traditional investments you can hold in a UK account, including funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. eToro, by contrast, adds crypto and CFD trading to its line-up and also supports investment trusts and ETFs, but does not offer funds or bonds. Neither firm provides adviser services.
Independent ratings: UK.StockBrokers.com scores AJ Bell 5/5 for investment choices and ranks it 4th out of 21 brokers in the UK. eToro earns 4.5/5 and ranks 11th out of 21. In short, AJ Bell suits investors who want funds, bonds, and gilts, while eToro is a better fit if you want crypto or CFDs alongside shares and ETFs.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
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eToro
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors comparing AJ Bell vs eToro trading tools, both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and price alerts. AJ Bell supplies 8 drawing tools and 31 technical indicators, and uniquely lets you display corporate events such as earnings, splits and dividends on charts. eToro offers 9 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators but does not show corporate events.
When it comes to extras, AJ Bell doesn’t support index or stock overlays and doesn’t allow notes on charts; eToro supports both overlay types but also lacks notes. eToro also provides real-time market data, while AJ Bell does not. Choose AJ Bell if charting corporate events matters most; pick eToro if you want more indicators, overlays and real-time data.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
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eToro
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 106 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
When comparing online brokers AJ Bell and eToro for UK retirement accounts, it’s essential to consider the types of accounts they offer. AJ Bell stands out by providing both ISA and SIPP accounts, catering to a wider range of retirement saving needs. This means that you can invest for the future with tax-efficient savings and dedicated personal pension plans in one place. Conversely, eToro also offers ISA accounts, allowing for tax-efficient investment opportunities, but lacks SIPP accounts, which might limit long-term retirement planning options for some investors. Therefore, if having access to both an ISA and a SIPP is important for your retirement strategy, AJ Bell might be the better choice.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
AJ Bell and eToro both offer iPhone and Android trading apps for UK investors. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro’s mobile app is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranks 4th out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while AJ Bell’s app scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 12th. If mobile experience is your priority, eToro leads, though AJ Bell still provides a well-rated app on both iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing online brokers, AJ Bell offers a richer education experience than eToro: AJ Bell provides live and on‑demand client webinars and covers share trading, funds, and retirement, while eToro offers education on share trading only and has no webinars. Both are rated 5 stars for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com, but AJ Bell ranks 6th out of 21 brokers versus eToro’s 7th, making AJ Bell the slightly stronger choice for broad learning support.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, AJ Bell provides a comprehensive experience for UK investors, offering detailed research reports on funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds, alongside tools to view portfolio allocation by asset class. eToro, on the other hand, matches AJ Bell with insights into shares, ETFs, and portfolio allocation, but it lacks research reports for funds and bonds. So, if you prioritize having extensive research features at your fingertips, AJ Bell stands out with its broader range of resources and reports.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or eToro? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found AJ Bell to be a better trading platform overall.
You can invest in an extensive range of investments through AJ Bell. Charges are on the high side for those with large portfolios in mutual funds and those looking to execute one-off share deals; but the Dodl app offers much lower fees and also offers a more slim-lined and user-friendly service. Educational and research materials are strong, too.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Mobile App |
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While AJ Bell does not offer crypto trading, eToro provides this service, offering users the ability to trade cryptocurrencies alongside traditional investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | eToro | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250 | $50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £5 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £1.50 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £1.50 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £625 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £875 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £875 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | eToro | |
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 106 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | AJ Bell | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AJ Bell | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | eToro | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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