Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs Lloyds Bank, 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 Lloyds Bank 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.
AJ Bell and Lloyds Bank both offer share dealing alongside ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, gilts, and investment trusts. Neither supports crypto trading or CFDs. AJ Bell does not offer adviser services, whereas Lloyds Bank provides access to financial advice.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates AJ Bell at 5/5 (ranked 5th of 21) and Lloyds Bank at 4.5/5 (8th of 21). If you want a wide range of mainstream investments without crypto or derivatives, both are strong options: pick AJ Bell for the higher-rated selection, or Lloyds Bank if the availability of advice matters to you.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
AJ Bell vs Lloyds Bank: for charting, AJ Bell lets you show corporate events like earnings, splits and dividends directly on charts, while Lloyds Bank does not. AJ Bell provides 8 drawing tools (Lloyds Bank doesn’t specify a number), and 31 technical indicators. Lloyds Bank offers far more indicators at 93, plus the option to add notes to charts (AJ Bell does not). Neither provider supports index or stock overlays.
Both AJ Bell and Lloyds Bank have browser-based trading platforms for UK investors and let you set price alerts. Real-time market data isn’t available with either, so expect delayed quotes. In short, choose AJ Bell if you want corporate events shown on charts, or Lloyds Bank if you prefer a wide range of indicators and the ability to annotate your charts.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 93 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing retirement account options in the UK, both AJ Bell and Lloyds Bank offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) to cater to diverse investment needs. AJ Bell provides a range of online investment services, which can appeal to customers looking for a flexible and user-friendly platform for managing their retirement savings. Lloyds Bank, a longstanding financial institution, also offers ISAs and SIPPs, delivering traditional banking services alongside their investment products, which might attract customers who prefer banking with a well-established entity. Both options allow customers to effectively manage and grow their retirement savings, but the choice may ultimately depend on personal preference for digital experience with AJ Bell or the reassurance of a big bank with Lloyds.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
If you’re choosing between AJ Bell and Lloyds Bank for mobile investing in the UK, both provide iPhone and Android apps, but AJ Bell’s app scores higher overall. UK.StockBrokers.com rates AJ Bell 4 out of 5 stars and places it 9th out of 21 brokers for mobile apps, while Lloyds Bank earns 3.5 stars and ranks 17th. In short, both work across iOS and Android, but AJ Bell may appeal more if you want a higher-rated app experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners seeking investor education, AJ Bell stands out with its comprehensive resources, including live and archived webinars, covering key topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement planning. Unlike Lloyds Bank, which does not offer educational webinars or extensive topic-specific training, AJ Bell provides a more in-depth learning experience for novice investors. Rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education, AJ Bell ranks 5th out of 21 brokers, demonstrating its commitment to novice investors. In comparison, Lloyds Bank, rated 4 stars and ranked 14th, offers relatively fewer educational tools for beginners.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, both AJ Bell and Lloyds Bank provide comprehensive research reports for funds, along with insights for shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, catering to diverse investment strategies. However, AJ Bell edges ahead with the added capability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with Lloyds Bank. This feature can be particularly useful for investors looking to fine-tune their investment strategies with a clear visual breakdown of their portfolio. Overall, both platforms offer solid research options, but AJ Bell provides an extra layer of insight with its detailed portfolio allocation feature.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or Lloyds Bank? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found AJ Bell to be a better trading platform overall.
You can invest in an extensive range of investments through AJ Bell. Charges are on the high side for those with large portfolios in mutual funds and those looking to execute one-off share deals; but its new app, called Dodl, offers much lower fees and also offers a more slim-lined and user-friendly service. Educational and research materials are strong, too.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
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Lloyds Bank
|
|---|---|---|
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Both AJ Bell and Lloyds Bank do not offer crypto trading options, making neither suitable for investors looking to trade cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £250 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £5 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £1.50 | £8 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £1.50 | £8 | |
| 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 - £625 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £875 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £875 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | £9.50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | £9.50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | £9.50 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £35 |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 93 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | ||
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | AJ Bell | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Education | AJ Bell | Lloyds Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | Lloyds Bank | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Lloyds Bank Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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