Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs Halifax, 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, Halifax 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.
AJ Bell vs Halifax: both platforms offer a wide spread of investment choices across their accounts, including share dealing, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Neither platform supports crypto or CFD trading, which keeps their focus on mainstream investments popular with UK investors.
Key differences come down to support and recognition. Halifax provides adviser services, while AJ Bell does not. For investment choice alone, UK.StockBrokers.com rates AJ Bell at 5 stars (ranked 4th of 21) and Halifax at 4.5 stars (ranked 8th of 21). If you want the highest-rated range, AJ Bell edges it; if access to advice matters, Halifax may suit you better.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Halifax
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|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Comparing AJ Bell vs Halifax for trading tools in the UK: AJ Bell’s charts can display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends, while Halifax cannot. Both offer eight drawing tools, but Halifax provides a wider range of technical indicators (95 vs AJ Bell’s 31) and allows you to add notes to charts, which AJ Bell does not. Neither platform supports index or stock overlays.
For platform access and monitoring, both AJ Bell and Halifax have browser-based trading and let you set price alerts. However, neither offers real-time market data. Choose AJ Bell if event markers on charts matter most, or Halifax if you want more indicators and in-chart note-taking.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 95 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing AJ Bell and Halifax for retirement accounts, both online brokers cater well to UK investors. AJ Bell provides Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), offering diverse choices for growing your savings and planning for the future. Similarly, Halifax offers both ISAs and SIPPs, ensuring users have the flexibility to manage their retirement savings effectively. Whether you choose AJ Bell or Halifax, UK investors have access to trusted options to help secure their financial future through these retirement accounts.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
AJ Bell and Halifax both offer iPhone and Android trading apps for UK investors, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates the AJ Bell mobile app higher at 4 out of 5 stars and ranks it 12th out of 21 brokers, while the Halifax mobile app scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 15th; if app quality matters, AJ Bell edges it for on-the-go investing.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing AJ Bell vs Halifax for educational resources, AJ Bell stands out: it runs client webinars and offers them on demand, while Halifax has no webinars. Both cover the key topics—share trading, funds, and retirement—but AJ Bell earns a higher score for beginner education (5 stars vs Halifax’s 4 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com) and ranks better (#6 of 21 vs Halifax at #12). If you want live sessions you can replay alongside clear guides on core investing areas, AJ Bell is the more complete choice; if you only need basic topic coverage, Halifax will suffice.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Halifax: both platforms deliver market research across shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, and each provides fund research reports. However, AJ Bell goes further on portfolio insight by showing your allocation by asset class, a feature Halifax lacks. For UK investors who want broad investment research plus a clear view of how their portfolio is split, AJ Bell has the edge, while Halifax still suits those who need core research tools.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or Halifax? 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
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Mobile App |
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Both AJ Bell and Halifax do not provide cryptocurrency trading options, making them similar in this aspect while investors seek alternative online brokers for crypto investments.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | Halifax | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £5 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £1.50 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £1.50 | £9.50 | |
| 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 | £0 - £625 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £875 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £875 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | £9.50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | £9.50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | Halifax | |
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 95 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | AJ Bell | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | AJ Bell | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Halifax | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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