Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs XTB, 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, XTB 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 XTB would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £135 per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £255 per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £495 per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £0 per year, while XTB 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 XTB offer a range of investment choices suited to UK investors, with both platforms facilitating share and ETF trading. However, while XTB allows CFD trading, AJ Bell provides options in funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts, which are absent from XTB's offerings. Notably, neither broker supports crypto trading nor spread betting, and advisory services are also unavailable on both platforms.
In terms of industry rankings, AJ Bell is positioned higher at rank #5 for investment choices according to UK.StockBrokers.com, receiving a full 5-star rating. Meanwhile, XTB holds a respectable rank of #13 with a 4.5-star rating. These distinctions highlight AJ Bell's diverse investment opportunities compared to XTB's selection, although both cater well to stock and ETF investors.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the online trading tools offered by AJ Bell and XTB, there are some key differences to consider. Both brokers allow users to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on their charts. However, AJ Bell offers only 8 charting drawing tools compared to XTB's 20. In terms of technical indicators, AJ Bell provides 31, while XTB offers 39. A notable difference is the ability to add personal notes to charts, a feature available with XTB, but not AJ Bell. On the other hand, AJ Bell supports adding index and stock overlays to charts, which XTB does not.
Both AJ Bell and XTB provide browser-based trading platforms, giving you the flexibility to trade from anywhere with internet access. Users can create alerts for stock price updates and access real-time market data with both brokers. While AJ Bell provides certain features like index and stock overlays, XTB compensates with a wider range of drawing tools and the ability to annotate charts. As a UK investor, selecting the right platform might depend on the specific trading tools and features that suit your trading style best.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 39 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing AJ Bell and XTB for retirement accounts in the UK, key differences can be noted in their offerings. Both AJ Bell and XTB provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing for tax-efficient saving. However, when it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), AJ Bell stands out as it offers these accounts, while XTB does not. This distinction makes AJ Bell a more comprehensive choice for investors seeking both ISAs and SIPPs for their retirement planning. Meanwhile, potential investors with XTB will need to consider alternative providers if SIPPs are part of their retirement strategy.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking mobile trading solutions, both AJ Bell and XTB offer versatile apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. AJ Bell's app achieves a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, reflecting strong user satisfaction. Similarly, XTB matches this 4.5-star rating, indicating a high level of approval for their mobile trading experience. Although ranked 9th out of 18 brokers for mobile apps, AJ Bell provides a reliable platform, while XTB claims a slightly higher 6th position, suggesting a marginal edge in user preference. Each offers a solid choice for those wanting to manage investments on-the-go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK investors keen on beginner education, AJ Bell stands out with their comprehensive offerings. They provide webinars for clients, which are also conveniently archived for on-demand viewing—XTB, by comparison, lacks such options. Both platforms offer share trading courses, but AJ Bell further broadens its educational scope by covering topics on funds and retirement, areas where XTB falls short. AJ Bell is rated higher for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com, garnering 5 stars and a ranking of #5 among 18 brokers, whereas XTB receives a commendable 4.5 stars, but only ranks #9. If you're starting out, AJ Bell’s richer educational resources may give you the upper hand.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing AJ Bell and XTB for market research features, AJ Bell stands out as a comprehensive option for UK investors interested in diverse asset classes. AJ Bell provides valuable research reports for funds that XTB does not offer. Both brokers allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring a clear understanding of investment distributions. Investors can access shares and ETFs research with either broker, but AJ Bell also excels by offering bonds research, a feature absent from XTB. In contrast, XTB specializes in offering CFDs research, which AJ Bell lacks. Overall, AJ Bell is a stronger choice for those seeking detailed insights into funds and bonds, while XTB caters to traders focused on CFDs.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or XTB? 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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XTB
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When comparing online brokers AJ Bell and XTB, neither offers crypto trading, highlighting a similarity in their investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | XTB | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | XTB Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB | |
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 39 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | AJ Bell | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AJ Bell | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | XTB | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | XTB Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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