Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs AJ Bell, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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, eToro offers better pricing than AJ Bell for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £100 per year.
12 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £135 per year.
36 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £255 per year.
120 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £495 per year.
3 fund trades per year - eToro would cost $50 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £0 per year.
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.
When it comes to investment choices, eToro and AJ Bell offer different sets of opportunities for their users. eToro allows for share and cryptocurrency trading, alongside ETFs and CFD trading, providing a robust platform for those interested in modern, diversified trading options. However, it misses out on more traditional investment avenues such as funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts, which are available through AJ Bell. AJ Bell, while lacking in crypto and CFD trading, covers a more comprehensive range of traditional investment offerings, catering to investors who seek a broad array of options including funds and bonds.
eToro earns a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, securing the 9th position out of 18 brokers. On the other hand, AJ Bell achieves a stellar 5-star rating, ranking 3rd overall. This comparison highlights eToro's strength in the modern trading sphere, particularly for crypto enthusiasts, while AJ Bell stands out for its traditional and extensive investment offerings. Both platforms cater to different segments of the market, providing unique value based on an investor’s individual preferences and objectives.
| Feature |
eToro
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing the trading tools of eToro and AJ Bell, both platforms cater to different user preferences. eToro stands out with its robust charting tools, offering 56 drawing tools and an impressive 106 technical indicators. Traders can also add notes to their charts and customize them with both index and stock overlays. While eToro does not display corporate events like earnings or dividends directly on charts, its comprehensive toolset and real-time market data are designed for those who prioritize detailed charting capabilities. Additionally, eToro’s trading platform is browser-based, allowing easy access from various devices.
On the other hand, AJ Bell provides a more streamlined charting experience, featuring 8 drawing tools and 31 technical indicators. While it lacks the ability for users to add notes to charts, it compensates with the ability to display corporate events directly on charts, which can be crucial for investors keeping track of essential financial happenings. Like eToro, AJ Bell supports index and stock overlays on charts and offers real-time market data and a browser-based trading platform. Furthermore, both brokers allow users to set alerts for stock price updates, ensuring investors stay informed about market changes.
| Feature |
eToro
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 31 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
When comparing online brokers eToro and AJ Bell for retirement accounts, it's essential to consider the types of accounts each offers. Both eToro and AJ Bell provide ISA (Individual Savings Account) options, catering to individuals looking to save or invest with tax advantages. However, for those interested in SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) accounts, only AJ Bell offers this option, making it a suitable choice for UK investors aiming to manage their own pension investments. eToro, while not offering SIPP accounts, can still appeal to those focused primarily on ISAs. Understanding these differences can help investors select the broker that best meets their retirement planning needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both eToro and AJ Bell provide seamless mobile trading experiences with apps available for iPhone and Android users, ensuring traders can access the market on the go. When it comes to ratings, eToro’s mobile app has garnered a perfect 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, highlighting its impressive user interface and features. Meanwhile, AJ Bell’s mobile app holds a respectable 4-star rating, reflecting its solid performance but slightly trailing behind in user satisfaction. Interestingly, in a ranking of 18 online brokers for mobile apps, AJ Bell takes the lead at #3, whereas eToro follows closely at #5. This comparison emphasizes that while both platforms offer excellent mobile experiences, they cater to different user preferences and needs.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources offered by eToro and AJ Bell, AJ Bell comes out ahead, particularly for those interested in webinars and diverse financial topics. AJ Bell provides live and on-demand webinars, covering essential subjects like share trading, funds, and retirement, offering a well-rounded learning platform for new investors. In contrast, eToro focuses primarily on share trading education and lacks the breadth of topics available at AJ Bell, with no support for webinars. AJ Bell's superior educational offerings are reflected in its higher beginner education rating of 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the 3rd position out of 18 brokers evaluated, while eToro holds a respectable 4.5-star rating but is ranked at #10.
| Feature |
eToro
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing eToro and AJ Bell for market research features, there are several key differences to consider. AJ Bell excels in providing comprehensive research reports for funds and bonds, which eToro does not offer. However, both brokers equally enable users to view portfolio allocation by asset class and provide research on shares and ETFs. A unique advantage of eToro is its detailed CFDs research, an area where AJ Bell falls short. Ultimately, your choice may depend on whether you prioritize a broad range of fund and bond research, favoring AJ Bell, or seek detailed insights into CFDs, leaning towards eToro.
| Feature |
eToro
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, eToro or AJ Bell? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found eToro to be a better trading platform overall.
eToro offers a wide range of assets and instruments and is well-known for its ‘social trading’ approach. It has among the lowest fees and best mobile app experiences of brokers we tested in the U.K., and offers a great starting point for those new to stock trading. Our analysis finds it better suited to short-term traders than long-term investors.
| Feature |
eToro
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AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
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eToro distinguishes itself from AJ Bell by offering cryptocurrency trading, a feature that AJ Bell does not provide.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | eToro | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | eToro Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | eToro | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | eToro | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £5 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £3.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £3.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £100 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £135 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £255 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £495 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £79.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £875 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £875 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | AJ Bell | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | eToro | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 31 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | eToro | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | eToro | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | eToro Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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