Updated September 29, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Trading 212
AJ Bell
Trading 212
Higher score in this comparison
AJ Bell vs Trading 212: the differences
| Compare | AJ BellReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Trading 212ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25 | £1Lower |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | £0Lower |
| Account fee | £3.50 | £0Lower |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, Jisa | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| 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).
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
- Trading 212 scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only AJ Bell offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Trading 212 is licensed in 1 more country.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Trading 212: £1 vs £25.
- Stock trade fee is lower at Trading 212: £0 vs £5.
- Account fee is lower at Trading 212: £0 vs £3.50.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only Trading 212 offers Forex, CFDs.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Mobile app.
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.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK beginners who want to start small and pay nothing to hold or trade. Stock trades cost £0, the account fee is £0, deposits start at £1, and help runs through help centre only, with no phone or chat route for anyone who needs a person.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5 | 9.3HigherStock trade fee of £0 and account fee of £0, with no inactivity charge of £0 and a minimum deposit of £1. |
| Offer | 9.2Higher | 8.9 |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.4Higher |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 293 of 654 | 110 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 213 of 358 | 75 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 14 of 25 | 4 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 10 of 23 | 2 of 23 |
What each covers
| Markets | AJ Bell | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Account types | AJ Bell | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Joint | No | Yes |
| Lisa | Yes | No |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
Which one suits you
Pick AJ Bell if offer matter most.
Pick Trading 212 if cost, trust, minimum deposit, stock trade fee, and account fee matter most.
What it costs in practice
A year: 5,000 invested, 4 US stock trades a month
AJ Bell
£243.50
48 × £5 + 1 × £3.50
Trading 212
£0
48 × £0 + 1 × £0
Trading 212 costs £243.50 less.
Excludes currency conversion fee (not stated by Trading 212). Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
What we checked
AJ Bell
- ajbell.co.uk: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Trading 212
- en.wikipedia.org: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- helpcentre.trading212.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2006 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centreCovers more | Help centre |
Savings
| Fact | AJ Bell | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Variable |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | Flexible Cash ISA with instant access; withdraw and add money at any time, interest paid monthly |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | ISA |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25above the median | £1below 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.
Trading 212
Pros
- Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so holding a portfolio costs nothing
- The inactivity fee is £0, so a dormant account is not quietly charged
- The minimum deposit is £1, far below the €10 bunq asks
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, so there is no live phone or chat route
- Trading 212 Markets Ltd is authorised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission on MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so the Financial Conduct Authority is not the only supervisor involved
- Markets cover stocks, etfs and forex, which leaves funds, bonds and options outside the range offered here
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.
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners opening a first UK investing account
- Savers who want tax-free cash in a flexible Cash ISA
- Small regular investors using fractional shares in small amounts
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants a phone line, since support runs on help centre only
- Readers wanting a lower entry amount than £1, since CFI asks $0
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
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.
Trading 212
How much does it cost to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is £0 and the stock trade fee is £0, so there is no charge to hold or to trade. It ranks 1 of 142 on account fee in our data. The only other cost line recorded is the inactivity fee at £0.
What is the smallest amount I can start with?+
The minimum deposit is £1, which puts the entry point low. That ranks 83 of 218 on our minimum deposit data. For comparison, bunq asks a minimum deposit of €10, so Trading 212 asks less of a first deposit than bunq does.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
AJ Bell
Trading 212