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Interactive Brokers vs AJ Bell 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

July 31, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs AJ Bell, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Interactive Brokers
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes
AJ Bell
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes

Your capital is at risk.

Fees

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, Interactive Brokers offers better pricing than AJ Bell for share dealing.

query_stats 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.

Investment Choices

For UK investors, both Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell provide a wide range of investment choices, making them appealing options for a variety of trading needs. Interactive Brokers offers share trading, cryptocurrency transactions, and the ability to trade ETFs, CFDs, and funds. Their platform also supports trading in corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. On the other hand, while AJ Bell also supports share trading, ETF trading, fund investment, and offers access to corporate and government bonds as well as investment trusts, it does not provide options for cryptocurrency or CFD trading.

Both Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell enjoy a strong reputation, with each being rated 5 stars for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com. However, Interactive Brokers is ranked slightly higher, securing the second position out of 21 brokers, while AJ Bell sits in the fifth spot. This slight edge might be attributed to Interactive Brokers' broader range of tradable assets, particularly in crypto and CFD markets, which AJ Bell does not offer.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
AJ Bell logoAJ Bell
Share Trading info Yes Yes
CFD Trading info Yes No
ETFs info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes Yes
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info Yes No
Advisor Services info No No
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

Featured Offers


4.5/5 Stars

Low-cost US and UK shares.

4.5/5 Stars

Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.

Trading Tools

For UK investors evaluating trading tools, both Interactive Brokers (IB) and AJ Bell seem to offer certain key features like the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on their charts, and allow adding both index and stock overlays. However, there are notable differences in the depth of their charting capabilities. Interactive Brokers stands out with 80 drawing tools compared to AJ Bell's 8, and offers 96 technical indicators whereas AJ Bell provides 31. Furthermore, IB provides the capability to add notes directly onto charts, a feature absent in AJ Bell's offerings.

When it comes to staying updated with market changes, both platforms enable users to create alerts for price updates and offer browser-based trading platforms for ease of access. However, if real-time market data is crucial, AJ Bell has an edge over Interactive Brokers by offering this service. These distinctions can be pivotal for traders who rely heavily on in-depth chart analysis and real-time information.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
AJ Bell logoAJ Bell
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 96 31
Charting - Drawing Tools info 80 8
Charting - Notes info Yes No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Overlays info Yes Yes
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes Yes

ISAs and SIPPs

For UK investors comparing retirement account options, Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell both provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Both platforms give you flexibility in planning your future, offering ISAs to help you save tax-efficiently and SIPPs for more control over your pension investments. Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell cater to diverse investor needs, allowing you to select either one for managing your long-term financial goals through these popular retirement accounts.

Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.

Mobile App

For UK investors seeking reliable mobile trading platforms, both Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell offer apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring accessibility on the go. While both brokers provide these essential tools, there are notable differences in user experience. Rated five stars for its mobile app by UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers showcases superior performance, ranking fourth out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, AJ Bell, with a respectable rating of 4.5 stars, holds the ninth position in the same ranking. As such, Interactive Brokers edges ahead in mobile app quality according to this evaluation.

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.

Beginners and Education

When comparing beginner investor educational resources, both Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell offer comprehensive support for UK investors. Each platform provides educational webinars that can be accessed live or on demand, covering essential topics like share trading, funds, and retirement planning. While both brokers offer similar content, AJ Bell slightly edges out with a higher rating of 5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com, compared to Interactive Brokers' 4.5 stars. Additionally, AJ Bell ranks 5th among 21 brokers for beginner education, whereas Interactive Brokers holds the 8th spot. This indicates that although both platforms are strong contenders, AJ Bell may offer a slightly more advantageous starting point for novice investors.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
AJ Bell logoAJ Bell
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Education (Share Trading) info Yes Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.

Market Research

When comparing the market research features of Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell, both platforms excel in offering comprehensive resources for UK investors. Each provides research reports for funds, enabling users to make informed investment decisions. Investors can also access detailed insights into their portfolio allocation by asset class with both brokers. Moreover, whether you are interested in shares, ETFs, funds, or bonds, Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell deliver extensive research options, equipping investors with the necessary information to tailor their investment strategies effectively.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
AJ Bell logoAJ Bell
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes Yes
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes Yes

Interactive Brokers vs AJ Bell Winner

Which broker is better overall, Interactive Brokers or AJ Bell? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.

Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
AJ Bell logoAJ Bell
Overall Rating 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Brokers or AJ Bell?

When comparing online brokers, Interactive Brokers stands out by offering crypto trading, unlike AJ Bell, which does not provide access to cryptocurrency markets.

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Compare

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Overall Rating Interactive Brokers AJ Bell
Overall Rating 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Review Interactive Brokers Review AJ Bell Review
Winner check_circle
Investments Interactive Brokers AJ Bell
ISA info Yes Yes
SIPP info Yes Yes
Share Trading info Yes Yes
CFD Trading info Yes No
Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
ETFs info Yes Yes
Bonds - Corporate info Yes Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes Yes
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info Yes info
Advisor Services info No No
Trading Fees Interactive Brokers AJ Bell
Minimum Deposit info £0 £0
Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month info £3 £5
Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month info £3 £3.50
Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month info £3 £3.50
5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info
12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info
36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info
120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info
3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) info
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 info £0 £0 - £625
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K info £0 £625 - £875
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m info £0 £875
Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over info £0 £875
Bonds - Corporate - Fee info 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) £5
Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee info 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) £5
ETFs - Fee info £3 £5
Investment Trusts - Fee info N/A £5
Telephone Dealing Fee info £25 £25
Broker Screenshots Interactive Brokers AJ Bell
Website Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Platforms & Tools Interactive Brokers AJ Bell
Web Platform info Yes Yes
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 96 31
Charting - Drawing Tools info 80 8
Charting - Notes info Yes No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Overlays info Yes Yes
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes Yes
Research Interactive Brokers AJ Bell
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes Yes
Education Interactive Brokers AJ Bell
Education (Share Trading) info Yes Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Overall Summary Interactive Brokers AJ Bell
Overall Rating 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Website 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Review Interactive Brokers Review AJ Bell Review
Winner check_circle
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