Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor 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, Interactive Investor 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.
Interactive Investor and AJ Bell both give UK investors a wide choice of account investments, including shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts) and investment trusts. Neither broker offers CFD trading, and there is no crypto or spread betting listed for either provider. Both are highly rated for investment choice by UK.StockBrokers.com, with 5 out of 5 stars, although Interactive Investor ranks slightly higher at #3 out of 21 brokers, compared with AJ Bell at #4.
For people who want a broker with extra help, Interactive Investor has adviser services, while AJ Bell does not. If you are mainly looking for a platform with a broad range of investment options for a UK account, both brokers are strong choices, but Interactive Investor may appeal more if you value access to adviser support as well as a slightly better ranking for investment choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For charting and analysis, Interactive Investor gives UK investors more to work with than AJ Bell. It offers 104 technical indicators, 12 drawing tools, chart notes and stock overlays, while AJ Bell has 31 technical indicators, 8 drawing tools and adds corporate events such as earnings, splits and dividends directly to charts. Neither platform offers index overlays or real-time market data, and both provide browser-based trading and price alerts.
In simple terms, Interactive Investor is the better choice if you want a wider set of charting tools and more ways to study price moves. AJ Bell may suit you if seeing corporate events on the chart matters more, but it has fewer charting features overall.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 31 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 12 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing UK online brokers Interactive Investor and AJ Bell, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). These accounts allow you to grow your investments tax-efficiently and plan for retirement. Whether you're looking at Interactive Investor or AJ Bell, you'll find essential options for managing your savings and retirement funds effectively. Both brokers provide a range of services designed to meet your financial planning needs, ensuring you have access to valuable options for your future.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Interactive Investor vs AJ Bell for UK mobile investing: both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, but Interactive Investor scores higher for app quality. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #8 of 21 for Mobile Apps, while AJ Bell is rated 4/5 stars and ranks #12 of 21. For a higher-rated app experience on iOS or Android, Interactive Investor has the edge, though AJ Bell still delivers solid apps on both platforms.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Interactive Investor and AJ Bell both give beginner investors plenty to learn from, with educational webinars that you can watch live or later on demand, plus useful guides on share trading, funds and retirement. Both brokers are rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education, but Interactive Investor edges ahead on ranking, coming in at #3 out of 21 brokers compared with AJ Bell at #6, making it the slightly stronger choice for those starting out.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
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 Investor and AJ Bell, UK investors will find that both platforms deliver comprehensive resources. Interactive Investor and AJ Bell both offer a wide range of research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds. They both also provide the capability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, helping investors make informed decisions. Whether you're focusing on specific assets or looking to diversify your portfolio, both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell provide the necessary tools to help guide your investment strategy.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
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 Investor or AJ Bell? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
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AJ Bell
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While Interactive Investor does not offer crypto trading, AJ Bell also similarly lacks provisions for trading cryptocurrencies, indicating a gap in both platforms' services for investors seeking digital asset opportunities.
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↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | 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 | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £250 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £5 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £3.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £3.50 | |
| 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 | £71.88 / £179.88 | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £179.88 | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £179.88 | £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £179.88 | £875 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | £5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | £5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | £5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | AJ Bell | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 31 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 12 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Interactive Investor | 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 Investor | 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 Investor | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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