Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs Freetrade, 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 Freetrade 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 and Freetrade both let UK investors buy and sell shares, ETFs, funds, gilts, and investment trusts. Neither supports crypto or CFD trading, and neither provides advisor services. A key difference is fixed income: AJ Bell offers corporate bonds, while Freetrade does not.
Based on investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates AJ Bell 5 out of 5 stars (ranked 5th of 21 brokers) and Freetrade 4.5 out of 5 stars (ranked 17th of 21). In short, AJ Bell suits those who want a wider product range that includes corporate bonds, while Freetrade covers the core options many beginners look for.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
In the AJ Bell vs Freetrade trading tools comparison, AJ Bell offers far more for charting and analysis. AJ Bell lets you show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts and includes 8 drawing tools and 31 technical indicators. Freetrade does not provide these features, and neither broker supports adding notes to charts, index overlays, or stock overlays.
Both AJ Bell and Freetrade have a browser-based platform and allow price alerts, but neither offers real-time market data. UK investors who want fuller charting and technical indicators may prefer AJ Bell, while those who want a simple setup might find Freetrade adequate.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing AJ Bell and Freetrade for UK investors looking at retirement accounts, both brokers offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP), making them attractive choices for those planning their financial future. While AJ Bell provides a comprehensive suite of investment options and tools aimed at experienced investors, Freetrade appeals to beginners with its easy-to-use app and straightforward investing approach. Whether you value AJ Bell's extensive resources or Freetrade's simplicity will depend on your personal investing needs and experience level.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
AJ Bell and Freetrade both offer iPhone and Android apps for UK investors. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, AJ Bell’s mobile app is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 9th out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Freetrade’s app scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 12th out of 21. If star ratings matter most, Freetrade edges it; if position in the site’s mobile rankings is your priority, AJ Bell sits higher. Either way, both platforms support iOS and Android so you can manage your investments on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing AJ Bell and Freetrade, AJ Bell offers live educational webinars plus an on-demand archive, while Freetrade does not provide webinars or replays. Both cover core topics—share trading, funds and retirement—but UK.StockBrokers.com rates AJ Bell higher (5/5, ranked 5th of 21) than Freetrade (4/5, ranked 16th of 21). If you want structured webinars you can watch back, AJ Bell is the stronger pick; if you just need basic guides, Freetrade still covers the essentials.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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.
AJ Bell vs Freetrade: For market research, AJ Bell offers much more for UK investors, including research on shares, ETFs, funds and bonds, plus fund research reports to guide decisions. Freetrade does not provide research reports or dedicated research for shares, ETFs, funds or bonds, making it better suited to a simpler, self-directed approach. Both platforms let you view your portfolio allocation by asset class.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| 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 Freetrade? 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 its new app, called Dodl, 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
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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Neither AJ Bell nor Freetrade currently offer crypto trading, making both online brokers similar in this aspect, allowing potential investors to focus on their other unique features for stock and investment opportunities.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | Freetrade | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250 | £1 | |
| 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 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £875 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £875 | £59.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | AJ Bell | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AJ Bell | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | Freetrade | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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