Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Vanguard Investor UK
AJ Bell
Vanguard Investor UK
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | AJ BellReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Vanguard Investor UKReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25Lower | £500 |
| Account fee | £3.50Lower | £48 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, FundsCovers more | ETFs, Funds |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, JisaCovers more | ISA, SIPP, Jisa |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Not confirmed |
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
- Vanguard Investor UK scores higher overall: 8.8 vs 8.7.
- Minimum deposit is lower at AJ Bell: £25 vs £500.
- Account fee is lower at AJ Bell: £3.50 vs £48.
- Markets: only AJ Bell offers Stocks, Bonds.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers Lisa.
- Support channels: only AJ Bell offers Chat, Help centre.
- Support channels: only Vanguard Investor UK offers Phone.
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.
Vanguard Investor UK
Vanguard Investor UK is a low-cost, fund-first platform for beginners, charging a management fee of 0.2% a year on ISA, SIPP and JISA accounts. It suits savers who want a set-and-forget portfolio, though the account fee of £48 makes it weaker for those who trade in small, frequent amounts.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5Higher | 8.2Management fee of 0.2% against a site median of 0.35%, plus an account fee of £48. |
| Offer | 9.2Higher | 8.8 |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.2Higher |
What each covers
| Markets | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Lisa | Yes | No |
| Jisa | Yes | Yes |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom |
Available in 1 country for both.
Which one suits you
Pick AJ Bell if cost, offer, minimum deposit, account fee, and markets matter most.
Pick Vanguard Investor UK if trust matter most.
A third option
Hargreaves Lansdown has minimum deposit at £0, against £25 for AJ Bell and £500 for Vanguard Investor UK.
Hargreaves Lansdown reviewHow they place
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 293 of 654 | 287 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 213 of 358 | 209 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 14 of 25 | 13 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 10 of 23 | 9 of 23 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Low fees |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | Vanguard Asset Management |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1975 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Phone |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0.2% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | £500 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25above the median | £500highest quarter | £15 |
| Stock trade fee | £5highest quarter | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | £3.50above the median | £48highest quarter | £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.
Vanguard Investor UK
Pros
- ISA, SIPP and JISA are all available, as isa, sipp and jisa shows, so one platform covers a pension, a junior account and a tax-free wrapper.
- Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, per Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), with Financial Services Compensation Scheme cover on investments.
- Portfolios are built from ETFs, as etf shows, keeping the range in etfs and funds narrow and focused on funds and ETFs.
Cons
- The account fee of £48 a year ranks 125 of 142 brands on that measure.
- The minimum deposit of £500 sits at 192 of 218 brands compared, which is a high bar for a small first payment.
- Support runs on phone only, so anyone who prefers written or live chat help has a single route.
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.
Vanguard Investor UK
Who it suits
- Beginners who want a set-and-forget portfolio, matching the beginners focus in beginners.
- Savers who want a tax-free or pension wrapper, since ISA, SIPP and JISA sit in isa, sipp and jisa.
- Long-term investors who prefer broad funds and ETFs over single shares, per etfs and funds.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after an active trading platform with a very low entry point: CFI takes a minimum deposit of $0 and suits traders rather than fund buyers.
- People who want a plain cash account instead of an investment account: bunq opens from a minimum deposit of €10 with no portfolio to hold.
- Borrowers rather than investors: Fiesta Credito MX is supervised by CONDUSEF, as CONDUSEF shows, and serves Mexican credit needs.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Vanguard Investor UK |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Vanguard Investor UK
What does Vanguard Investor UK charge?+
The platform takes a management fee of 0.2% on your holdings, plus an account fee of £48 for the ISA, SIPP and JISA accounts listed in isa, sipp and jisa. The total charge therefore works out as a percentage of what you hold plus a flat amount each year, which is easy to compare with flat-fee rivals.
Is my money protected at Vanguard Investor UK?+
Vanguard Investor UK is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, as Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) shows, which means it must follow UK rules on client money. Investor protection runs through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, covering eligible claims up to the cap the provider states rather than the full value of a portfolio.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
AJ Bell
Vanguard Investor UK