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.
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 Vanguard UK Investor 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.
AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor cater to UK investors, but they vary significantly in the range of investment choices available. AJ Bell allows for greater flexibility with share trading, trading of corporate and government bonds, as well as investment trusts, appealing to those who seek diverse opportunities beyond ETFs and funds. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor, while offering competitive options with ETFs and funds, lacks access to individual shares, bonds, and investment trusts, which might limit the scope for those who wish to tailor more varied portfolios.
When considering rankings, AJ Bell stands out with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices, placing 5th out of 21 brokers. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor has a 3.5-star rating and ranks 18th, which reflects its more limited investment offerings. Both platforms do not cater to crypto trading, spread betting, CFD trading, or offer advisor services, marking them similar in these areas but distinct in the breadth of asset classes they support.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual 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 |
|
|
Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing AJ Bell to Vanguard UK Investor for their trading tools, AJ Bell clearly offers a more comprehensive set of features. AJ Bell allows users to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on the charts, a feature absent from Vanguard's platform. With AJ Bell, traders can use eight different drawing tools and 31 technical indicators to conduct in-depth analysis; these tools are not available with Vanguard UK Investor. Both platforms support browser-based trading, but AJ Bell stands out by enabling added functionalities such as index and stock overlays on charts, which Vanguard does not offer.
Moreover, AJ Bell provides the ability to create custom alerts for stock price updates and access real-time market data, enhancing the user experience significantly. While AJ Bell brings a host of advanced charting and trading features to the table, Vanguard UK Investor falls short in comparison, lacking the basic tools and real-time updates that active traders often seek. Overall, for UK investors prioritizing full-featured charting and up-to-date market information, AJ Bell presents a more attractive option than Vanguard UK Investor.
| 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 in the UK, both platforms provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor each give users the flexibility to manage ISAs and SIPPs to build their retirement savings, ensuring both beginner and experienced investors have the necessary tools for investment growth within these tax-efficient accounts. This makes either option a solid choice for UK investors looking to secure their financial future through well-managed retirement accounts.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
In the competitive landscape of online trading platforms, both AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor offer convenient mobile apps for iPhone and Android users. AJ Bell leads with a highly-rated mobile app, earning 4.5 stars out of five from UK.StockBrokers.com, showcasing a commendable blend of functionality and user experience. It stands strong at 9th place out of 21 brokers for mobile app rankings. Conversely, Vanguard UK Investor's app receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks 19th, highlighting a difference in user satisfaction and app effectiveness. Whether you're looking for a top-tier mobile trading experience or a straightforward app, understanding these differences can guide your choice.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources of AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor, AJ Bell stands out with a comprehensive suite of offerings. AJ Bell provides live and archived on-demand educational webinars, covering essential topics like share trading, funds, and retirement. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor does not offer live webinars and lacks education on share trading, though it does cover funds and retirement. With a stellar 5-star rating and a ranking of #5 out of 21 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education, AJ Bell clearly excels. In comparison, Vanguard UK Investor holds a 3.5-star rating and a lower ranking of #17, highlighting a gap in its educational outreach to novice investors in the UK.
| 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 |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor for market research features, both brokers provide research reports for funds, along with insights into portfolio allocation by asset class. AJ Bell stands out by offering research on shares and bonds, which Vanguard UK Investor does not provide. Both platforms support research on ETFs and funds, while neither offers research on CFDs. UK investors looking for a comprehensive range of research tools might find AJ Bell's offerings more appealing due to its additional focus on shares and bonds.
| 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 |
AJ Bell
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Charges & Fees |
|
|
| Investment Choices |
|
|
| Mobile App |
|
|
| Website |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both AJ Bell and Vanguard UK Investor do not offer crypto trading, providing investors with robust platforms focused on traditional investment options instead.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| 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 | |
| Mutual 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 | |||
| 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 Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £625 | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £875 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £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) |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | AJ Bell Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
Trading 212 Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Hargreaves Lansdown Review
XTB Review
IG Group Review
eToro Review
Saxo Review
CMC Invest Review
Freetrade Review
Halifax Review
Vanguard Review