Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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, Trading 212 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.
Trading 212 and AJ Bell both let UK investors buy and sell shares, ETFs and investment trusts, so each platform gives access to some of the most common ways to build a portfolio. Neither broker offers adviser services, and neither supports crypto or spread betting. Trading 212 also offers CFD trading, while AJ Bell does not.
AJ Bell has the wider choice overall for account investments, as it also offers funds, corporate bonds and government bonds (gilts), which Trading 212 does not. That broader range helps explain why UK.StockBrokers.com rates AJ Bell 5 stars for investment choices and ranks it #4 out of 21 brokers, compared with Trading 212’s 4.5 stars and #10 ranking.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For charting and trading tools, Trading 212 has the edge over AJ Bell for most UK investors. Trading 212 offers 104 technical indicators, 15 drawing tools and the option to add notes to charts, while AJ Bell provides 31 indicators and 8 drawing tools, but no chart notes. AJ Bell does have one useful extra: it can show corporate events such as earnings, splits and dividends on charts, which Trading 212 cannot.
Both platforms offer a browser-based trading platform and let you set price alerts, so each is easy to use for everyday trading. Trading 212 also stands out for real-time market data, which AJ Bell does not offer, while neither broker supports index overlays or stock overlays on charts.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 31 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 15 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Trading 212 and AJ Bell both offer ISA and SIPP accounts, giving UK investors two ways to save for the future in a tax-efficient wrapper. If you want a simple online broker with low-cost investing, Trading 212 may appeal, while AJ Bell is a more established platform with a wider range of retirement account options and investment tools. In short, both providers support ISA and SIPP savings, so the better choice will depend on whether you prefer a low-cost app-style experience or a more traditional investing platform.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
UK investors can use both Trading 212 and AJ Bell on the go, with iPhone and Android apps available. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Trading 212’s mobile app is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #3 of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while AJ Bell’s app earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #12. If app quality and rankings matter most, Trading 212 has the edge; if you’re already with AJ Bell, its app still covers the essentials on iPhone and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investor education, both Trading 212 and AJ Bell cover key topics such as share trading, funds and retirement, but AJ Bell has the edge for UK beginners thanks to live educational client webinars that are also available on demand, which Trading 212 does not offer. This is reflected in UK.StockBrokers.com ratings, where AJ Bell scores 5 out of 5 and ranks 6th out of 21 brokers, compared with Trading 212’s 4.5 out of 5 and 10th place, making AJ Bell the stronger choice if you want more guided learning support.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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 tools of Trading 212 and AJ Bell for UK investors, AJ Bell stands out with its comprehensive research reports for funds, an area where Trading 212 falls short. Both platforms, however, allow users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring transparency in investment composition. In terms of research offerings, Trading 212 covers shares and ETFs, but lacks in providing insights into funds and bonds. AJ Bell excels here, offering research across shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, making it a more informative choice for those seeking detailed investment analysis. Whether you're prioritizing broad research or specific features, AJ Bell offers a more extensive suite of tools to guide investment decisions.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
AJ Bell
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Trading 212 or AJ Bell? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Trading 212 to be a better trading platform overall.
Trading 212 is a popular investing platform best known for its commission-free trading, easy-to-use mobile app, and support for low-cost investing in stocks and ETFs.
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AJ Bell
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Trading 212 offers crypto trading, while AJ Bell does not, making Trading 212 a more versatile option for investors interested in cryptocurrency.
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↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Trading 212 | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Trading 212 | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £250 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £5 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £1.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £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 | £0 | £0 - £625 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £625 - £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £875 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £875 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | AJ Bell | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Trading 212 | 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 | 15 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Trading 212 | AJ Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | 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 | Trading 212 | AJ Bell | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | AJ Bell Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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