Updated October 21, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Plum
AJ Bell
Plum
Higher score in this comparison
AJ Bell vs Plum: the differences
| Compare | AJ BellReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | PlumReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25 | £2Lower |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | £0Lower |
| Account fee | £3.50 | £0Lower |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, FundsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Funds |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile appCovers more | Mobile app |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, JisaCovers more | ISA, SIPP, Lisa |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000).
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Key differences
- Plum scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only AJ Bell offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Plum offers Financial Conduct Authority.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Plum: £2 vs £25.
- Stock trade fee is lower at Plum: £0 vs £5.
- Account fee is lower at Plum: £0 vs £3.50.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Bonds.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Web platform.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers Jisa.
- Support channels: only AJ Bell offers Chat.
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.
Plum
Plum suits beginners in the UK who want to start small and pay nothing to deal, with a minimum deposit of £2. The trade-off is a short market list, confined to stocks, etfs and funds, and an overall score of 6.5 that leaves the case resting on price rather than choice.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5 | 9.3HigherCosts are the strongest suit: account fee £0, stock trade fee £0, management fee 0.15% to 0.6%. |
| Offer | 9.2Higher | 8.9 |
| Trust | 8.6Higher | 8.5 |
What each covers
| Markets | AJ Bell | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | AJ Bell | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Lisa | Yes | Yes |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
Sources behind this comparison
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Plum
- withplum.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- finextra.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 293 of 654 | 243 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 213 of 358 | 176 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 14 of 25 | 9 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 10 of 23 | 6 of 23 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Fractional shares, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | Plum Fintech Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2016 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Email, Help centre |
Savings
| Fact | AJ Bell | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | Not confirmed | 3.05% to 3.65% |
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Variable |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | Same day access, no lock-in, no notice period |
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | Easy access |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | AJ Bell | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0.15% to 0.6% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | £1 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF, Cash |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Plum | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25above the median | £2below 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% |
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.
Plum
Pros
- Fractional shares are offered, so £2 is enough to hold a slice of a company rather than whole shares.
- Eligible money is covered by the protection scheme, with the ceiling given as FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
- The account types cover isa, sipp and lisa, so investing, retirement saving and a home deposit pot sit with the same provider.
Cons
- Markets stop at stocks, etfs and funds, so there is no dealing in listed bonds, overseas currency or crypto through the account.
- Help runs on email and help centre only, so a stuck withdrawal or transfer has no phone route.
- Managed portfolios charge 0.15% to 0.6%, which takes a slice from every pot you hand over.
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.
Plum
Who it suits
- Beginners in the UK who want to begin with £2 and see share dealing in plain terms.
- Investors building an ISA or pension habit on a phone, since access runs through Mobile app.
- Anyone happy with a market list of stocks, etfs and funds for a starter portfolio.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro is the place to check if the market list here, stocks, etfs and funds, is too tight for what you want to trade.
- bunq if you are starting from a €10 minimum rather than buying shares.
- cfi if you want no minimum deposit, since its floor is $0 against £2 here.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Plum
What does it cost to trade and hold with Plum?+
Dealing is commission-free and the stock trade fee is listed as £0. The account fee is £0 and the monthly subscription is £0, so holding an account costs nothing. Managed portfolios are the exception, charging 0.15% to 0.6% on the money you put into them. That covers the charging picture on the investment side.
Is my money protected if something goes wrong?+
Eligible investments sit under the protection scheme, and the stated ceiling is given as FSCS up to GBP 85,000. Cash held in the app is listed the same way under FSCS up to GBP 85,000. The figure is a limit rather than a promise of returns, and it applies to eligible money rather than to every balance on the account. Read the terms for the eligibility conditions before you rely on it.
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AJ Bell
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