AJ Bell Review 2026
AJ Bell is a long-established UK platform that repriced on 1 May 2026. Its custody charge is 0.25%, tiering down on funds above £250,000, and — crucially — capped on shares, ETFs and investment trusts. The cap depends on the wrapper: £3.50 a month in a dealing account or ISA, and £10 a month in a SIPP. The ISA cap is the lowest of the mainstream platforms, which makes AJ Bell one of the cheapest places to hold a large ETF or share portfolio in an ISA; the SIPP cap is nearly three times higher, though still below Hargreaves Lansdown's £150 a year.
Reviewed by Yaniv Barshaf, CPA · Fees verified 21 September 2026 · Our methodology
Disclosure: FeesWizard may earn a commission if you open an account through links on this page. This never affects our fee data or rankings — how we make money.
Our verdict on AJ Bell
AJ Bell: Cheaper than HL on shares, with a low monthly cap.
Visit the AJ Bell website →We earn no commission from AJ Bell.
Fees
- Stock commission: £5.00 per online share deal (£3.50 if you made 10+ share deals in the previous month); regular investing is free
- Withdrawal: Free to a linked UK bank account
- Inactivity: None
- Currency conversion: Foreign exchange charge on international dealing, capped at 0.75%
- Custody and spreads: Custody charge 0.25% on funds (0.10% £250k–£500k, nil above £500k); 0.25% on shares, ETFs and investment trusts, capped at £3.50/month in a dealing account or ISA and £10/month in a SIPP
Wondering how your money is protected? Read what happens if a broker goes bust →
Our AJ Bell score: 3.4/5
How this is calculated →Computed from the fee data on this page, not assigned by hand. Our commercial relationships are not an input.
- Cost (45% of the score)34/100
Averages 0.43% of the portfolio a year in charges across our three benchmark investors.
- Regulation & protection (20% of the score)75/100
Regulated by FCA. Tier-one regulators (FCA, BaFin, SEC and equivalents) carry the most weight.
- Market & account breadth (15% of the score)100/100
Covers 5 of the asset classes we price and 3 account types.
- Accessibility (10% of the score)50/100
Minimum deposit £500; no fractional shares; has mobile app.
- Fee transparency (10% of the score)100/100
Publishes a schedule complete enough to model every charge and charges no inactivity fee.
Pros and cons
AJ Bell
Pros
- +Shares and ETF custody charge capped at just £42 a year in an ISA or dealing account
- +£1.50 fund dealing and free regular investing
- +Full range of accounts including ISA, SIPP and Lifetime ISA
- +FX charge capped at 0.75%
Cons
- −£5 per share deal is high for frequent traders
- −0.25% fund charge beaten by flat-fee platforms on large portfolios
- −SIPP shares cap is £120 a year, nearly three times the ISA cap
- −£500 minimum to open an account
AJ Bell
Cheaper than HL on shares, with a low monthly cap
Visit the AJ Bell website →We earn no commission from AJ Bell. It is listed here because a fee comparison that leaves out the market leaders is not a fee comparison.
AJ Bell vs alternatives
| Feature | AJ Bell | Lightyear | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.4 / 5 | 5 / 5 | 4.9 / 5 |
| Stock commission | £5.00 per online share deal (£3.50 if you made 10+ share deals in the previous month); regular investing is free | UK personal accounts (GIA and ISA): no execution fee on UK, US and European stocks or ETFs. EU accounts: GBP 1 per order on UK stocks, EUR 1 per order on EUR-denominated stocks, 0.1% on other European stocks, and 0.10% (min $0.10, max $1) on US stocks. ETFs are execution-fee-free on both. | 0% |
| Withdrawal fee | Free to a linked UK bank account | Free by local bank transfer. USD wire payments are charged (up to $8.50 UK, $6.11 EU). | Free |
| Inactivity fee | None | None | None |
| Min deposit | £500 | None | £1 |
| Fractional shares | No | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | No | No | Yes |
| Regulators | FCA | FCA, EFSA | FCA, CySEC |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AJ Bell safe and legit?
AJ Bell is regulated by FCA and has operated since 1995. All investing carries risk of loss.
What are AJ Bell's fees?
Stock commission: £5.00 per online share deal (£3.50 if you made 10+ share deals in the previous month); regular investing is free. Withdrawal: Free to a linked UK bank account. Inactivity: None.
What is the minimum deposit for AJ Bell?
The minimum deposit is £500.
AJ Bell
Cheaper than HL on shares, with a low monthly cap
Visit the AJ Bell website →We earn no commission from AJ Bell. It is listed here because a fee comparison that leaves out the market leaders is not a fee comparison.