Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs Robinhood UK, 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, Robinhood UK 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 - AJ Bell would cost £100 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £135 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £255 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £495 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £0 per year, while Robinhood UK 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.
AJ Bell and Robinhood UK both offer share trading services, making them viable options for UK investors looking to dip their toes into the stock market. However, AJ Bell shines brighter in terms of investment choices, providing opportunities to trade exchange-traded funds (ETFs), funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. These diverse options cater to investors seeking a comprehensive range of investment vehicles, contributing to its high rating of 5 stars and its favourable ranking as the fifth-best broker for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com.
In contrast, Robinhood UK, while offering basic share trading, falls short in terms of variety since information about its offerings in ETFs, funds, bonds, and other financial products is unspecified. This limited scope positions Robinhood UK with a 3-star rating and a 20th place ranking among brokers for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com. For UK investors prioritizing a broad suite of investment opportunities, AJ Bell appears to be the more versatile option, offering a well-rounded platform for varied investment needs.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Robinhood UK
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | 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 comparing the trading tools of AJ Bell and Robinhood UK, AJ Bell stands out with a comprehensive feature set tailored for investors desiring a detailed analysis. AJ Bell provides the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, complementing this feature with a suite of 8 drawing tools and 31 technical indicators. This platform also offers users the capability to add index and stock overlays to their charts, enhancing the depth of analysis. Moreover, AJ Bell ensures real-time market data and stock alerts, making it a powerful choice for UK investors.
In contrast, Robinhood UK offers more basic charting features. Without the ability to display corporate events or add overlays, and with just 3 technical indicators and no drawing tools, it provides a simpler trading experience. Both platforms support browser-based trading and allow users to set alerts for stock price updates while offering real-time market data. Overall, AJ Bell offers a more feature-rich experience for those seeking advanced tools, whereas Robinhood UK may suit those who prefer a more straightforward approach.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 3 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
When considering retirement investment options in the UK, AJ Bell stands out by offering Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), providing a solid choice for those interested in long-term savings. On the other hand, Robinhood UK currently does not offer these investment vehicles, which could limit retirement planning flexibility for investors seeking tax-efficient savings solutions. Thus, AJ Bell's availability of both ISAs and SIPPs offers UK investors more comprehensive retirement account options than Robinhood UK.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When choosing an online broker in the UK, AJ Bell and Robinhood UK both offer iPhone and Android apps to cater to mobile investors. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, AJ Bell's app garners a 4.5-star rating, ranking it 9th among 21 brokers for its mobile experience. In comparison, Robinhood UK’s app has a respectable 4-star rating, placing it 13th. These ratings reflect user preferences and performance, with AJ Bell slightly ahead in terms of user satisfaction and app quality.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources of AJ Bell and Robinhood UK, AJ Bell stands out for UK users. AJ Bell not only provides live webinars for clients but also archives these webinars for on-demand access, unlike Robinhood UK. Both brokers cover education on share trading, but AJ Bell extends its educational offerings to cover funds and retirement topics, areas where Robinhood UK falls short. AJ Bell is rated higher by UK.StockBrokers.com with a perfect 5-star rating and ranks 5th out of 21 brokers for beginner education, whereas Robinhood UK holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks 20th. These distinctions make AJ Bell a more comprehensive option for beginner investors seeking educational resources.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of AJ Bell and Robinhood UK, AJ Bell stands out with its broad range of research offerings. It provides research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds, along with the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class. In contrast, Robinhood UK offers research on shares and ETFs but does not provide research reports for funds or bonds, nor does it allow users to see portfolio allocation by asset class. This makes AJ Bell a more comprehensive option for UK investors seeking detailed market insights.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Robinhood UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or Robinhood UK? 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 |
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Robinhood UK
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While AJ Bell does not provide crypto trading options, Robinhood UK offers users the ability to trade cryptocurrencies, presenting a notable difference between the two online brokers regarding crypto asset accessibility.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | Robinhood UK | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | ||
| SIPP | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £5 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.50 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.50 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £100 | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £255 | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £495 | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.50 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £625 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £875 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £875 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 3 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | |||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | AJ Bell | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
| Education | AJ Bell | Robinhood UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | Robinhood UK | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Robinhood UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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