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.
When choosing an online broker, AJ Bell and XTB stand out with distinct offerings suitable for different investor needs. AJ Bell excels in providing a wide range of investment choices, including share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. This extensive selection has earned AJ Bell a 5-star rating for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com and a commendable ranking of 3rd out of 18 brokers. In contrast, XTB offers share trading and ETF trading and stands out with its inclusion of CFD trading, though it lacks options in funds, bonds, and investment trusts. XTB's investment offerings earned it a 4.5-star rating and a ranking of 14th, making it a strong choice for those interested in CFDs.
| 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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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing AJ Bell and XTB for their trading tools, both platforms allow users to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends on charts, along with offering real-time market data and browser-based trading platforms. However, XTB provides a wider array of charting capabilities with 20 drawing tools compared to AJ Bell's 8, and 39 technical indicators versus AJ Bell's 31. Additionally, XTB allows users to add personal notes to their charts, a feature not available with AJ Bell.
On the flip side, AJ Bell offers the ability to add both index and stock overlays to charts, unlike XTB, which supports neither. Both brokers allow for stock price alerts, providing valuable updates for active traders. While each platform has its strengths, traders may prefer XTB for its enhanced charting tools or AJ Bell for its more comprehensive overlay options.
| 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 considering online brokers for retirement accounts, AJ Bell and XTB offer different options to suit your needs. Both AJ Bell and XTB provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISA), giving you a tax-efficient way to invest. However, for those specifically interested in Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP), AJ Bell stands out as the preferred choice, offering this retirement account option, whereas XTB does not. By choosing the broker that aligns with your personal investment goals, you can make the most of your retirement savings.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both AJ Bell and XTB offer iPhone and Android apps, providing versatility for users on either platform. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, AJ Bell's mobile app earns a solid 4-star rating, ranking it impressively at number 3 out of 18 brokers reviewed for mobile app performance. On the other hand, XTB's mobile app slightly surpasses with a 4.5-star rating, yet it is ranked lower at number 10. While both brokers furnish quality mobile app experiences, AJ Bell's app stands out in overall ranking despite XTB's slightly higher individual rating.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to beginner investor educational resources, AJ Bell stands out by offering live and on-demand webinars, covering essential topics like share trading, funds, and retirement planning. In contrast, XTB provides education on share trading but lacks webinars and resources on funds and retirement. AJ Bell receives a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 3rd out of 18 brokers for beginner education, while XTB garners a respectable 4.5 stars, securing the 8th position. For comprehensive educational support, AJ Bell seems to be the more robust choice for novice investors.
| 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 excels in providing comprehensive research reports for both funds and shares, which XTB lacks. AJ Bell also offers insights into ETFs and bonds, while XTB shines in delivering CFDs research. Both platforms enable users to visualize their portfolio allocation by asset class, making it easy for investors to understand their investments. Though AJ Bell is a better choice for traditional investment research, XTB is ideal for those interested in CFDs. Each platform caters to specific investment research needs, offering distinct strengths in their features.
| 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 |
AJ Bell
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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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