Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG 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, IG 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 - IG would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £100 per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £135 per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £255 per year.
120 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £495 per year.
3 fund trades per year - IG would cost £0 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 comparing UK online brokers IG and AJ Bell, both provide opportunities for share trading and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), making them strong contenders for these popular investment avenues. However, AJ Bell extends its investment offerings with trading options for corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and funds, which are not available through IG. On the other hand, IG offers Contract for Difference (CFD) trading, a feature AJ Bell does not provide. In terms of investment trusts, both brokers stand on equal ground by offering these choices to their clients.
From a recognition perspective, AJ Bell shines brighter with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com specifically for investment choices, ranking 5th out of 21 brokers. This reflects its diverse range of investment options. In comparison, IG holds a respectable 4.5 stars and places 11th in the rankings. This suggests that while IG provides competitive trading services, AJ Bell might be more appealing to those looking for a wider array of investment choices in the UK market.
| Feature |
IG
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | ||
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors exploring online brokers, both IG and AJ Bell present strong options with effective trading tools. IG stands out by offering 19 drawing tools and 33 technical indicators for charting, exceeding AJ Bell’s 8 drawing tools and 31 indicators. Both platforms allow users to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on their charts, and provide the convenience of browser-based trading. Investors with IG can add notes to charts, whereas AJ Bell does not feature this ability, balancing out AJ Bell's offering of adding both index and stock overlays to charts, which IG does not provide.
When it comes to keeping informed, both IG and AJ Bell ensure access to real-time market data and offer capabilities to create alerts for stock price updates, keeping traders up-to-date with market movements. IG and AJ Bell both exhibit strengths and specific features, allowing UK investors the flexibility to choose based on their charting and analytic preferences.
| Feature |
IG
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 31 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
For UK investors exploring online brokers for retirement accounts, both IG and AJ Bell present appealing options. IG provides both ISA and SIPP accounts, catering to a range of saving and investment needs. Likewise, AJ Bell offers the same account types, making it simple for individuals planning for retirement to select between these two platforms. Whether prioritizing flexibility or comprehensive features, both IG and AJ Bell deliver accessible ISA and SIPP solutions, accommodating the diverse financial goals of UK investors.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK traders seeking top-tier mobile trading experiences, both IG and AJ Bell provide comprehensive iPhone and Android apps. IG shines with a stellar 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it at the impressive second position among 21 brokers for mobile apps. In contrast, AJ Bell is rated slightly lower at 4.5 stars, securing a respectable ninth place ranking. This makes IG particularly attractive for those prioritizing mobile functionality, although AJ Bell remains a strong contender with its own reliable app offerings.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing IG and AJ Bell, two leading online brokers in the UK, both offer valuable educational resources for beginner investors. Each platform provides educational webinars that are available on demand, allowing users to learn at their own pace. Both IG and AJ Bell cover essential topics such as share trading and retirement planning, with AJ Bell also offering education on investing in funds. Rated an impressive 5 stars each by UK.StockBrokers.com, IG and AJ Bell differ slightly in their rankings; IG is ranked #1 for beginner education out of 21 brokers, while AJ Bell holds the #5 position. This makes them both excellent options for new investors seeking comprehensive educational support.
| Feature |
IG
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features offered by online brokers IG and AJ Bell, UK investors will find both brokers provide research reports for funds, shares, and ETFs, meeting essential investment needs. AJ Bell stands out by allowing users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with IG. Meanwhile, IG offers research for CFDs, which AJ Bell does not. In terms of bonds research, AJ Bell provides insights while IG does not offer this feature. Both platforms cater comprehensively to different investment aspects, but AJ Bell slightly edges out with a broader spectrum of research features.
| Feature |
IG
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or AJ Bell? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
| Feature |
IG
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AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
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IG offers crypto trading options for its users, whereas AJ Bell does not provide cryptocurrency trading services.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | IG Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | ||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £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 / £96 | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 / £96 | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 / £96 | £875 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 / £96 | £875 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 - £8 | £5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 - £8 | £5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | AJ Bell | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 31 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
| Education | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | IG Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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