Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs IG, 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, AJ Bell offers better pricing than IG 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 - AJ Bell would cost £100 per year, while IG would cost £136 per year.
12 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £135 per year, while IG would cost £96 per year.
36 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £255 per year, while IG would cost £108 per year.
120 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £495 per year, while IG would cost £360 per year.
3 fund trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £0 per year, while IG 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.
For UK investors seeking a reliable online brokerage, both AJ Bell and IG offer a variety of investment choices to meet diverse needs. AJ Bell provides trading options in shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. While it does not offer crypto trading, spread betting, or CFDs, AJ Bell is a solid choice for those interested in a broad spectrum of traditional investment vehicles. AJ Bell’s investment choices have earned it a commendable 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it 5th out of 18 brokers surveyed.
IG, on the other hand, offers share trading, ETFs, and investment trusts. It sets itself apart by including CFD trading in its repertoire, catering to those who seek more dynamic trading options. However, IG does not offer trading in funds, corporate bonds, or government bonds, nor does it facilitate crypto trading or spread betting. Despite these limitations, IG boasts a 4.5-star rating for investment choices and ranks 11th among its peers. Overall, both brokers stand as strong contenders in the UK's bustling financial market, each with unique offerings tailored to specific investor requirements.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading | No | 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 provided by AJ Bell and IG, both platforms offer users the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on their charts. However, IG leads in charting versatility with 19 drawing tools compared to AJ Bell's 8, as well as slightly more technical indicators, offering 33 against AJ Bell's 31. While AJ Bell allows adding index and stock overlays to charts, IG provides the added functionality of attaching notes, which can be a vital feature for traders seeking detailed annotations.
Both AJ Bell and IG offer browser-based trading platforms and supply their users with real-time market data and stock price alert functionalities, ensuring traders stay informed of market movements. In summary, AJ Bell excels in overlay features, while IG offers a broader range of drawing tools and annotation options, catering to more visual-oriented traders. This makes both platforms appealing depending on specific trading preferences and needs. For UK traders, choosing between the two may come down to prioritizing either charting flexibility or overlay capabilities.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
IG
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 33 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 19 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers AJ Bell and IG for UK retirement accounts, both platforms provide a range of services to meet diverse investment needs. AJ Bell and IG each offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing investors to enjoy tax-free returns on their investments. Additionally, both brokers provide Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), enabling users to manage their pension funds with more flexibility and control. Whether you're looking to maximize your savings through ISAs or manage your retirement plans with SIPPs, AJ Bell and IG both cater to these essential investment options, making them reliable choices for UK investors planning for the future.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of AJ Bell and IG in the UK, both brokers provide apps for iPhone and Android devices, ensuring flexibility and convenience for users on the go. AJ Bell's mobile app receives a commendable rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, positioning it at #9 out of 18 brokers. However, IG's mobile app excels with a perfect 5-star rating and ranks as the #2 app among its peers. The higher ranking suggests IG offers a more seamless and user-friendly mobile trading experience. For UK investors keen on mobile trading, IG's app might offer a slightly superior advantage in terms of usability and functionality.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing educational resources for beginner investors, AJ Bell and IG both offer client webinars, accessible live or on demand, and provide insights into share trading and retirement planning. However, AJ Bell has an edge over IG by providing additional educational content specifically focused on funds. Both platforms are highly rated, each achieving a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their beginner education offerings. Despite this shared acclaim, IG holds the top spot, ranked as the number one educational resource among 18 brokers, whereas AJ Bell comes in fifth. For UK investors looking to kickstart their learning journey, both platforms present valuable, yet slightly different, options.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing online brokers AJ Bell and IG for their market research features, both platforms provide research reports for funds and shares, as well as insights into ETFs. AJ Bell stands out for allowing users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with IG. AJ Bell also offers comprehensive research on funds and bonds, areas where IG falls short. However, IG caters to traders interested in CFDs research, which is not covered by AJ Bell. This makes AJ Bell a stronger choice for investors interested in a wider range of traditional investment options, whereas IG might be preferable for those focusing on CFD trading.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or IG? 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 |
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IG
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|---|---|---|
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While both online brokers AJ Bell and IG do not offer crypto trading, potential investors might consider other factors when choosing between them, such as fees, user experience, and the range of available investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | IG | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | IG Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £5 | £0-£10 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.50 | £3 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.50 | £3 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £100 | £136 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | £96 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £255 | £108 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £495 | £360 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.50 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £625 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £875 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £875 | £0 / £96 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | £0 - £8 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | £0 - £8 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | IG | |
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 33 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 19 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | AJ Bell | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | AJ Bell | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | IG | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | IG Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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