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.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £100 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £135 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £255 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £495 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £0 per year, while AJ Bell would cost £0 per year.
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.
When choosing an online broker in the UK, both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell stand out for their comprehensive range of investment options. Both platforms allow investors to trade shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts, providing flexibility and diversity for various investment strategies. However, neither Interactive Investor nor AJ Bell offers services like crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, which could be a consideration for those interested in such products.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell receive a strong 5-star rating for their investment choices, demonstrating their capability to meet diverse investor needs. Interactive Investor is ranked slightly higher at 3rd place out of 21 brokers, while AJ Bell follows closely at 5th place. These high ranks reflect the strength of both platforms, making them attractive options for investors in the UK seeking a variety of traditional investment vehicles.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | ||
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When it comes to charting capabilities, Interactive Investor shines with a more comprehensive toolkit compared to AJ Bell. Both platforms allow users to display key corporate events like earnings and dividends on charts, and they support index and stock overlays. However, Interactive Investor offers 18 drawing tools and a substantial 104 technical indicators, while AJ Bell provides 8 drawing tools and 31 indicators. Furthermore, Interactive Investor enables users to add personal notes to their charts, a feature not available with AJ Bell.
Both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell provide convenient browser-based trading platforms and allow users to set alerts for stock price updates, ensuring you never miss a significant market movement. Real-time market data is also a standard across both services, ensuring that investors are always equipped with up-to-the-minute information. While both platforms have a range of features designed to enhance the trading experience, Interactive Investor offers a few more tools that might appeal to traders seeking a more versatile charting solution.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 31 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
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 mobile apps for iPhone and Android, catering to UK investors seeking convenient on-the-go access to their investment portfolios. Each app boasts a strong user experience, with UK.StockBrokers.com awarding both apps a commendable 4.5-star rating. Amongst 21 competing brokers, Interactive Investor holds a higher rank, placing 7th in the UK for mobile app performance, while AJ Bell follows closely in 9th position. Whether you choose Interactive Investor or AJ Bell, both platforms offer reliable mobile solutions to manage your investments efficiently.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Interactive Investor and AJ Bell both offer a wealth of educational resources tailored for beginner investors, including informative webinars that are available on demand. Covering crucial topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement, both platforms equip novices with essential knowledge. While UK.StockBrokers.com rates both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell with an impressive 5 stars for their beginner education, Interactive Investor takes the lead, securing the number two spot in a ranking of 21 brokers, compared to AJ Bell's fifth-place position. These resources make both platforms strong contenders for those starting their investment journey in the UK.
| 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, both platforms cater well to investors with a variety of needs. They each provide research reports for funds and offer the capability to view portfolio allocation by asset class. For those interested in shares, ETFs, and funds, both services deliver comprehensive research options. Additionally, both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell extend their research offerings to bonds. However, neither platform provides research for CFDs. Overall, both Interactive Investor and AJ Bell present a similar suite of resources, making them both capable choices for investors seeking detailed market insights in the UK.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| 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
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AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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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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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 | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| 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) | £79.83 | £100 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £135 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £255 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £495 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | £79.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £875 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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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 | 18 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| 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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