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.
For UK investors exploring online brokers, both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell offer comprehensive platforms for investment. Each broker provides access to share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (also known as gilts), and investment trusts, appealing to a wide range of investment strategies. However, neither Interactive Investor nor AJ Bell supports crypto trading, CFD trading, or spread betting, which may be a limitation for those interested in more speculative markets.
Both platforms have been recognized for their extensive investment options, each earning a perfect five-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices. Despite similar offerings, Interactive Investor holds a slightly higher ranking at #3 compared to AJ Bell's #5 out of 21 brokers reviewed. This distinction may sway investors who prioritize a higher-ranked service, yet both brokers remain solid choices for those seeking established and well-rated investment platforms in the UK.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | 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.
Interactive Investor and AJ Bell both let you show corporate events like earnings, splits and dividends on charts. For charting depth, Interactive Investor lists 104 technical indicators and supports adding notes and stock overlays, while AJ Bell offers 31 indicators, eight drawing tools and does not support notes or stock overlays. Neither provider offers index overlays.
Both brands provide a browser-based trading platform and let you set price alerts. However, neither offers real-time market data. In short, Interactive Investor suits UK investors who want richer chart analysis and annotations, while AJ Bell delivers simpler tools with a defined set of drawing features.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 31 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | 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 and AJ Bell both offer iPhone and Android apps for UK investors. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor’s mobile app is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 7th out of 21 brokers for mobile apps, while AJ Bell’s app is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 9th out of 21. If app quality and rankings are key, Interactive Investor edges AJ Bell, though both provide full access on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Comparing Interactive Investor and AJ Bell for beginner investor education in the UK: both brokers cover share trading, funds, and retirement, and each earns 5/5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com. The key difference is webinars—AJ Bell runs educational client webinars and offers on-demand replays, while Interactive Investor does not provide webinars. In the same review, Interactive Investor ranks #2 out of 21 brokers for beginner education, ahead of AJ Bell at #5. Choose Interactive Investor for a higher-ranked overall learning experience, or AJ Bell if live and catch-up webinars are a priority.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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.
The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
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Both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell are online brokers that do not offer crypto trading options.
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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 | No | 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 | £1.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £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 | £59.88 / £143.88 | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £143.88 | £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 | 8 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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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