Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs Vanguard UK Investor, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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, Vanguard UK 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 - AJ Bell would cost £100 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £135 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £255 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £495 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost £500 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 comparing AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor, AJ Bell offers a wider range of investment options for its users. It allows share trading, something Vanguard UK Investor misses out on. Both platforms offer ETF and funds trading, but AJ Bell edges out with additional options like trading corporate and government bonds, as well as investment trusts, which Vanguard does not provide. Neither AJ Bell nor Vanguard UK Investor offers crypto trading, spread betting, or advisor services.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, AJ Bell scores an impressive 5 stars for its investment choices, ranking 3rd out of 18 brokers. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor manages a decent but lower rating of 3.5 stars, placing it 16th in the same category. For investors seeking more comprehensive trading capabilities, AJ Bell seems to be the more robust option compared to Vanguard UK Investor.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When it comes to the trading tools available from AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor, AJ Bell clearly provides a more robust set of features designed to enhance the trading experience for its users. AJ Bell allows investors to display corporate events, such as earnings, splits, and dividends, directly on their charts—a functionality not offered by Vanguard UK Investor. Additionally, AJ Bell offers an impressive array of charting tools, including 8 different drawing tools and 31 technical indicators, while Vanguard unfortunately offers none. AJ Bell users can also enhance their chart analysis with index and stock overlays, another feature that is absent for Vanguard investors.
Both platforms offer a browser-based trading platform, which provides flexibility for users trading from different devices. However, AJ Bell sets itself apart by offering real-time market data and the ability to create alerts for stock price updates, empowering users to stay informed and react swiftly to market changes. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor does not provide these capabilities, potentially limiting users looking for immediate market interaction. While neither platform currently allows users to add personal notes to their charts, AJ Bell's suite of features presents a more comprehensive set of tools for active traders.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor for their retirement account offerings, both platforms provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), catering to individuals seeking flexible and tax-efficient ways to save for retirement. AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor enable investors in the UK to build their financial futures with tailored options to suit personal retirement goals, ensuring accessibility and efficiency in managing long-term savings.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor, both online brokers provide apps available on iPhone and Android platforms. However, AJ Bell's mobile app stands out with a higher rating of 4 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it as the third best among 18 brokers. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor's app is rated slightly lower at 3.5 stars, ranking it at 17th out of the same group, indicating a significant difference in user satisfaction and mobile experience between the two services.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors between online brokers AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor, AJ Bell positions itself as a leader with 5-star ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking third out of 18 brokers. AJ Bell offers a rich array of resources including live and on-demand educational webinars, with a focus on topics like share trading, funds, and retirement planning. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor—rated 3.5 stars and ranked 14th—provides a more limited educational scope. While they also offer on-demand webinars, Vanguard focuses predominantly on funds and retirement education, lacking resources on share trading. For beginners seeking a comprehensive learning experience, AJ Bell presents a more versatile educational platform.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| 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 online brokers AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide research reports for funds and allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class. AJ Bell stands out with its comprehensive coverage by offering research on shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor covers research for ETFs and funds but does not provide insights into shares or bonds. Neither platform offers research on CFDs, making AJ Bell a more versatile choice for investors seeking a wider array of market research options.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or Vanguard UK Investor? 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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Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
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Both AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor do not offer crypto trading, providing investors with robust platforms focused on traditional investment options instead.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £5 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.50 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.50 | N/A | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £100 | N/A | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | N/A | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £255 | N/A | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £495 | N/A | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.50 | £108 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £625 | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £875 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £875 | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | 0.02% to 0.14% | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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