Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Dodl
AJ Bell
Dodl
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | AJ BellReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | DodlReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £5 | £0Lower |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, FundsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Funds |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | free deposits and withdrawals |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Dodl app |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, JisaCovers more | ISA, SIPP, Lisa |
| Account fee | £3.50 | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 3.8% |
Same on both: Minimum deposit (£25), Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000), Currency conversion fee (0.75%).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Dodl scores higher overall: 8.8 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only AJ Bell offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Dodl offers Financial Conduct Authority.
- Stock trade fee is lower at Dodl: £0 vs £5.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Bonds.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Web platform, Mobile app.
- Platforms: only Dodl offers Dodl app.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers Jisa.
- Support channels: only Dodl offers Email.
- Pricing model: only Dodl offers Commission free.
Our verdict on each
AJ Bell
AJ Bell suits UK savers who want a dealing platform, a pension and a tax wrapped account in the same place, with stated protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000 for careful planners. The per-deal charge of £5 makes it a weaker fit for frequent traders.
Dodl
Dodl suits UK beginners who want a low-cost way into markets without a dealing desk. It runs an ISA, SIPP and LISA in one app, charges £0 to trade shares, and answers to the Financial Conduct Authority with investor protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000, so getting started is cheap.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Dodl |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5 | 8.9Higher |
| Offer | 9.2 | 9.2A £25 entry point, 0.75% on currency conversion and commission free and low fees dealing across the ISA, SIPP and LISA. |
| Trust | 8.6 | 8.6 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Dodl |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 293 of 654 | 268 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 213 of 358 | 194 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 14 of 25 | 10 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 10 of 23 | 7 of 23 |
Which one suits you
Pick AJ Bell if markets and account types matter most.
Pick Dodl if cost and stock trade fee matter most.
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | AJ Bell | Dodl |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom |
Available in 1 country for both.
Sources behind this comparison
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Dodl
- dodl.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- help.dodl.co.uk: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Dodl |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | AJ Bell |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Dodl | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25above the median | £25above the median | £15 |
| Stock trade fee | £5highest quarter | £0at the median | £0 |
| Account fee | £3.50above the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%above the median | 0.75%above the median | 0.4% |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 3.8%highest quarter | 2.875% |
Median across 77 listed providers.
Pros and cons
AJ Bell
Pros
- The account fee of £3.50 is a set figure on the dealing account, which makes the holding cost easy to budget.
- You can open an account from a minimum deposit of £25, a small opening balance for a dealing platform.
- The accounts listed as isa, sipp and lisa mean an individual savings account, a pension, a lifetime account and a junior account all sit with the same provider.
Cons
- Each deal costs £5, so the platform punishes anyone who trades often rather than holds.
- Support runs on chat and help centre only, so anyone who wants a phone line will not find one here.
- Currency conversion adds 0.75% on top of the dealing charge, so a global portfolio carries a further, quieter cost.
Dodl
Pros
- Commission-free dealing: £0 to buy or sell shares, with free deposits and withdrawals either side of the balance.
- An ISA, SIPP and LISA sit alongside stocks, etfs and funds in a single app, so wrappers and dealing stay in one place.
- Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, with investor protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
Cons
- Foreign exchange costs 0.75%, so currency conversion is the charge that bites anyone buying shares outside sterling.
- Help runs on email, chat and help centre, with no phone route among them, so a complex dispute has to be put in writing.
- The market list is stocks, etfs and funds, which leaves out bonds, commodities and currency pairs.
Who each suits
AJ Bell
Who it suits
- Savers who want a dealing account and a pension under the same regulated firm, since the accounts listed as isa, sipp and lisa cover the main UK wrappers.
- People who plan to hold rather than trade often, because the per-deal charge of £5 works against frequent dealing.
- Investors who put weight on UK oversight and a stated protection limit, given Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone starting with a smaller sum than £25, where CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0.
- People who want a phone conversation with support, since help here runs on chat and help centre only; bunq suits those after a bank relationship rather than a dealing platform.
- Anyone whose need is borrowing rather than investing, where Fiesta Credito MX sits under CONDUSEF in a different market.
Dodl
Who it suits
- Beginners in the UK who want their first ISA or SIPP and do not want commission on a share dealing.
- Investors who keep a cash buffer alongside a portfolio and want interest on the part that is not invested.
- Pension savers who prefer one app for the SIPP, the ISA and the general account rather than several providers.
Who should look elsewhere
- Forex traders, who should look at CFI: it opens from a $0 minimum, and currency markets sit outside the stocks, etfs and funds on offer here.
- Anyone after a euro bank account rather than a UK wrapper: bunq's minimum deposit is €10, and that product sits outside the isa, sipp and lisa range here.
- Readers after credit rather than investments: Fiesta Credito MX is supervised by CONDUSEF, a different market from the Financial Conduct Authority's.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Dodl |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
AJ Bell
What does it cost to open and run an account?+
You need a minimum deposit of £25 to get going, which is a small opening balance for a dealing account. After that the account itself costs £3.50, and each deal you place costs £5. Add 0.75% if you convert pounds into another currency, and keep in mind that frequent trading is where a per-deal charge adds up fastest.
Is my money protected at AJ Bell?+
Your money sits with a firm regulated by Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK regulator, and the stated investor protection is FSCS up to GBP 85,000. That figure is the ceiling on what the protection scheme pays if the firm fails, not a return on your investments, so a fall in the value of your holdings is not covered by it. Account opening and dealing happen under the same firm.
Dodl
What does it cost to trade shares at Dodl?+
Dealing is commission free: £0 to buy or sell shares, and the same rate on the ISA, SIPP and LISA accounts. commission free and low fees describes the pricing. That dealing fee puts Dodl at position 1 of 166 brands ranked on stock trade fees on this site.
How much do I need to open an account?+
The minimum deposit is £25, low enough to start with a small amount and add to it later. On this site that ranks position 131 of 218 brands on minimum deposit, so it sits in the middle of the field rather than at the bottom of it.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
AJ Bell
Dodl