Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Freetrade vs AJ Bell, 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, Freetrade offers better pricing than AJ Bell 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.
Freetrade and AJ Bell both let UK investors trade shares, ETFs, funds, investment trusts, and government bonds (gilts). Neither broker offers crypto trading or CFD trading, and neither provides adviser services. A key difference is bonds: AJ Bell includes corporate bonds, while Freetrade does not.
On investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Freetrade 4.5/5 (ranked 9th of 21) and AJ Bell 5/5 (ranked 4th of 21). In short, AJ Bell edges ahead for breadth—especially if you want corporate bonds—while Freetrade suits straightforward share and ETF investing.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Freetrade vs AJ Bell: if charting tools matter to you, AJ Bell pulls ahead. AJ Bell lets you see corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, offers 8 drawing tools, and includes 31 technical indicators. Freetrade has none of these features. Neither platform supports adding notes to charts or using index or stock overlays.
Both brokers provide a browser-based platform and let you set price alerts, but neither offers real-time market data. For UK investors who want deeper chart analysis, AJ Bell is the stronger pick, while Freetrade suits those who prefer a simpler setup without advanced charting features.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 31 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Freetrade vs AJ Bell: both serve UK investors with ISA accounts for tax-efficient investing and SIPP (self-invested personal pension) accounts for building retirement savings, so choosing between them comes down to comparing fees, tools, and ease of use to see which platform fits your goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Comparing Freetrade vs AJ Bell for UK investors: both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, but Freetrade stands out on mobile. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Freetrade’s app 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks it 7th out of 21 brokers, while AJ Bell’s app earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 12th. In short, both have strong app availability, but Freetrade edges AJ Bell on user ratings and overall mobile ranking.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Comparing Freetrade vs AJ Bell for beginner investor education in the UK: both brokers offer guides on share trading, funds and retirement, but AJ Bell also runs educational client webinars and provides an on‑demand archive, while Freetrade has no webinars. Independent ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com score Freetrade 4/5 (13th of 21) and AJ Bell 5/5 (6th of 21). If you want structured learning with webinars you can watch back, AJ Bell is the stronger choice; if you just need straightforward articles on core topics, Freetrade still covers the basics.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
Comparing UK online brokers Freetrade and AJ Bell for market research features: AJ Bell provides research on shares, ETFs, funds and bonds, plus fund research reports, while Freetrade does not offer research reports or dedicated research for those asset types. Both platforms let you view portfolio allocation by asset class. If you want integrated research tools, AJ Bell is the better fit; if you only need a simple portfolio breakdown, Freetrade may suffice.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | No | 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, Freetrade or AJ Bell? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Freetrade to be a better trading platform overall.
Overall Freetrade is a great platform to help you get to grips with investing. Costs are low, and its user-friendly mobile app offers great investment inspiration. Sophisticated investors, however, may find that other platforms offer a wider range of investment options and tools.
| Feature |
Freetrade
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AJ Bell
|
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In a Freetrade vs AJ Bell comparison, both online brokers do not offer cryptocurrency trading.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Freetrade | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Freetrade | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Freetrade | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £250 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £5 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £1.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £1.50 | |
| 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 | £59.88 | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £59.88 | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £59.88 | £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £59.88 | £875 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £0 | £5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Freetrade | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Platforms & Tools | Freetrade | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 31 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Freetrade | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | No | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Freetrade | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Freetrade | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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