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.
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, IG 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.
IG and AJ Bell both cover core investments like share dealing, ETFs, and investment trusts. IG also offers crypto and CFD trading, which can suit more active traders. AJ Bell does not support crypto or CFDs, but it does offer funds, corporate bonds, and government bonds (gilts), which IG doesn’t. Neither firm provides adviser services.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both brokers 5 stars; however, AJ Bell ranks higher overall for Investment Choices (#5 of 21) than IG (#11 of 21). In simple terms: pick IG if you want access to crypto and CFDs; pick AJ Bell if you want funds and bonds alongside shares, ETFs, and trusts.
| Feature |
IG
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
|
|
Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For charting, both IG and AJ Bell let you show corporate events such as earnings, splits and dividends on the chart. IG offers 19 drawing tools versus AJ Bell’s 8, and 33 technical indicators compared with AJ Bell’s 31. IG also supports adding notes to charts and includes index and stock overlays, features AJ Bell does not offer.
On platforms and data, both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and let you set price alerts. The key difference is data speed: IG delivers real-time market data, while AJ Bell does not, which can help UK investors who want live prices when timing trades.
| 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 | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
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 investors comparing online brokers, both IG and AJ Bell offer iPhone and Android trading apps, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG higher for mobile: IG’s app earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while AJ Bell’s app receives 4 stars and ranks #9, making IG the stronger pick if app quality is your priority.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing IG and AJ Bell on educational resources, both brokers run client webinars and offer them on demand, and both provide learning on funds and retirement. AJ Bell also teaches share trading, while IG does not. Even so, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both 5 stars for beginner education, with IG ranked 1st out of 21 brokers and AJ Bell 5th—so IG is the higher-ranked pick for top-rated, accessible webinars and learning, while AJ Bell is a good choice if you want share trading guidance included.
| Feature |
IG
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
IG vs AJ Bell for market research: both brokers provide research reports for funds and let you view your portfolio allocation by asset class. IG offers research on shares and ETFs and publishes fund reports, but it lacks a dedicated funds research area and does not cover bonds. AJ Bell goes further with research on shares, ETFs, funds and bonds, alongside fund reports. For UK investors seeking broader coverage—especially on funds and bonds—AJ Bell is the stronger pick, while IG suits those focused on shares and ETFs with clear portfolio breakdowns.
| Feature |
IG
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | 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
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Charges & Fees |
|
|
| Investment Choices |
|
|
| Mobile App |
|
|
| Website |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
IG vs AJ Bell: IG offers cryptocurrency trading, while AJ Bell does not support crypto trading, making IG the better choice for investors seeking crypto exposure.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| 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 | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £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 | N/A | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £875 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| 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 | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | IG Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
Trading 212 Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Hargreaves Lansdown Review
XTB Review
IG Group Review
eToro Review
Saxo Review
CMC Invest Review
Freetrade Review
Halifax Review
Vanguard Review