Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs InvestEngine
AJ Bell
Higher score in this comparison
InvestEngine
AJ Bell vs InvestEngine: the differences
| Compare | AJ BellReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | InvestEngineReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25Lower | £100 |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | £0Lower |
| Account fee | £3.50 | £0Lower |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, FundsCovers more | ETFs |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | Free |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Web, iOS, Android |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa | ISA, SIPP, Corporate |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 0% |
Same on both: Regulators (Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)), Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000).
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
- Minimum deposit is lower at AJ Bell: £25 vs £100.
- Stock trade fee is lower at InvestEngine: £0 vs £5.
- Account fee is lower at InvestEngine: £0 vs £3.50.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Stocks, Bonds, Funds.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Web platform, Mobile app.
- Platforms: only InvestEngine offers Web, iOS, Android.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers Lisa, Jisa.
- Account types: only InvestEngine offers Corporate.
- Support channels: only AJ Bell offers Chat.
- Support channels: only InvestEngine offers Email.
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.
InvestEngine
InvestEngine suits UK beginners who want a small, set-and-forget ETF pot with nothing charged for holding or trading. The account fee is £0, the minimum deposit is £100 and the only recurring charge is a management fee of 0.25%. The trade-off is that you hold ETFs and nothing else.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | InvestEngine |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5 | 9.0Higher |
| Offer | 9.2Higher | 8.8Account fee of £0, stock trade fee of £0 and a minimum deposit of £100. |
| Trust | 8.6Higher | 8.3 |
Pick AJ Bell if, pick InvestEngine if
Pick AJ Bell if offer, trust, minimum deposit, and markets matter most.
Pick InvestEngine if cost, stock trade fee, and account fee matter most.
Feature by feature
| Markets | AJ Bell | InvestEngine |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Account types | AJ Bell | InvestEngine |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Corporate | No | Yes |
| Lisa | Yes | No |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
Sources behind this comparison
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
InvestEngine
- investengine.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- blog.investengine.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- help.investengine.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | AJ Bell | InvestEngine |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 293 of 654 | 298 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 213 of 358 | 217 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 14 of 25 | 15 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 10 of 23 | 11 of 23 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | InvestEngine |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Fractional shares, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | InvestEngine (UK) Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2019 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Email, Help centre |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | AJ Bell | InvestEngine |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0.25% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | £1 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | InvestEngine | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25above the median | £100above the median | £15 |
| Stock trade fee | £5highest quarter | £0at the median | £0 |
| Account fee | £3.50above the median | £0at the median | £0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%above the median | Not confirmed | 0.4% |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 0%lowest 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.
InvestEngine
Pros
- No account fee at £0 and no stock trade fee at £0
- Fractional shares and a mobile app let you invest small amounts regularly
- Choose from ISA, SIPP and corporate accounts
Cons
- A management fee of 0.25% still applies, unlike a free commission-free brokerage
- Markets are limited to ETFs, so individual shares are not an option
- Support runs on email and help centre only, with no phone line
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.
InvestEngine
Who it suits
- Beginners who want to start small and add to the same pot each month
- Savers putting money into an ISA or SIPP for the long term
- Anyone who would rather hold a diversified basket than pick single shares
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who want to buy and sell individual shares
- Anyone who wants to speak to support by phone, since support runs on email and help centre only
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | InvestEngine |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
InvestEngine
What does it cost to hold an InvestEngine account?+
The account fee is £0 and the stock trade fee is £0, so there is nothing charged for keeping the account open or for dealing. The one recurring cost is a management fee of 0.25% on the money you hold. Deposits and withdrawals are free.
What is the smallest amount I can invest?+
The minimum deposit is £100, and the smallest investment the platform advertises is £1. Fractional shares are supported, so you can hold a slice of a fund rather than a whole unit. That keeps the starting point low even though the opening deposit is set higher than at many rivals.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
AJ Bell
InvestEngine