Written by StockBrokers.com
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.
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, AJ Bell offers better pricing than Interactive Brokers 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.
Interactive Brokers vs AJ Bell: both let UK investors trade shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, gilts and investment trusts. Interactive Brokers also offers crypto and CFD trading, which AJ Bell does not. Neither provides adviser services. Information on spread betting is not stated for either broker.
On investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both at 5 stars, but ranks Interactive Brokers #1 of 21 brokers and AJ Bell #4. If you want crypto or CFD access alongside mainstream markets, Interactive Brokers is the better fit. For long‑term portfolios built with shares, funds, ETFs, bonds and trusts, both are strong options.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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AJ Bell
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Comparing Interactive Brokers vs AJ Bell for UK investors, both platforms let you show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, run a browser-based platform, and create stock price alerts. Neither offers real-time market data.
Charting depth is the key difference. Interactive Brokers provides 85 drawing tools and 155 technical indicators, plus the option to add notes, index overlays and stock overlays to charts. AJ Bell is more basic, with 8 drawing tools and 31 indicators, and it doesn’t support notes or index/stock overlays. If you rely on detailed chart studies and annotations, Interactive Brokers offers far more flexibility, while AJ Bell suits simpler charting needs.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AJ Bell
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 31 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
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.
UK investors comparing mobile trading apps will find both Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell offer iPhone and Android apps, but UK.StockBrokers.com scores Interactive Brokers higher: 5 out of 5 stars and ranked 5th of 21 for Mobile Apps, versus AJ Bell’s 4 out of 5 stars and 12th of 21. If you prioritise app quality and features, Interactive Brokers edges ahead, while AJ Bell remains a straightforward choice for everyday investing on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing Interactive Brokers and AJ Bell, both provide educational client webinars with on-demand replays and easy-to-follow content on share trading, funds, and retirement. UK.StockBrokers.com rates their beginner education 5 out of 5 for each, but Interactive Brokers is ranked 4th out of 21 brokers while AJ Bell is 6th, giving Interactive Brokers a slight edge overall—though both are strong choices for learning the basics.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
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
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
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.
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AJ Bell
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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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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | 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 | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £250 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £5 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £1.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £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 | £0 | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £875 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3 | £5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | $30 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 31 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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