Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
AJ Bell vs Wealthify
AJ Bell
Higher score in this comparison
Wealthify
Where AJ Bell and Wealthify differ
| Compare | AJ BellReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | WealthifyReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25Lower | £1,000 |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free withdrawals | No fees for deposits, withdrawals or transfers |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app | Web, iOS app, Android app |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa, JisaCovers more | ISA, SIPP |
| Stock trade fee | £5 | Not confirmed |
| Account fee | £3.50 | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Markets (Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Funds), 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
- Regulators: only AJ Bell offers Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Wealthify offers Financial Conduct Authority.
- Minimum deposit is lower at AJ Bell: £25 vs £1,000.
- Platforms: only AJ Bell offers Web platform, Mobile app.
- Platforms: only Wealthify offers Web, iOS app, Android app.
- Account types: only AJ Bell offers Lisa, Jisa.
- Support channels: only Wealthify offers Email, 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.
Wealthify
Wealthify is a straightforward robo-advisor for beginners who want a pension or ISA built for them and left alone. Cost is the weak point: a £1,000 deposit and a £1,000 to £5,000 minimum investment leave it at 68 of 82 on our data.
Score breakdown
| Area | AJ Bell | Wealthify |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Offer | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| Trust | 8.6Higher | 8.5 |
What each covers
| Markets | AJ Bell | Wealthify |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | AJ Bell | Wealthify |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes |
| Lisa | Yes | No |
| Jisa | Yes | No |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | AJ Bell | Wealthify |
|---|---|---|
| Investing | 293 of 654 | 306 of 654 |
| Stock and ETF brokers | 213 of 358 | 222 of 358 |
| Stocks and shares ISAs | 14 of 25 | 16 of 25 |
| Pensions and SIPPs | 10 of 23 | 12 of 23 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | AJ Bell | Wealthify |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Available in 1 country for both.
A third option
Hargreaves Lansdown has minimum deposit at £0, against £25 for AJ Bell and £1,000 for Wealthify.
Hargreaves Lansdown reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | AJ Bell | Wealthify |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Low fees |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | Wealthify Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2016 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AJ Bell | Wealthify | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25above the median | £1,000highest quarter | £15 |
| Stock trade fee | £5highest quarter | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | £3.50above the median | Not confirmed | £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.
Wealthify
Pros
- Deposits, withdrawals and transfers are free of charge, so moving money in and out adds nothing to the cost of holding a portfolio.
- Support runs on email, chat and phone, so help is available by phone and chat as well as in writing.
- The account range covers an ISA and a SIPP: isa and sipp, the two wrappers most UK first time savers open first.
Cons
- The 0.6% management fee is above the 0% listed for eToro and the 0% listed for Empower Personal Dashboard.
- A £1,000 deposit and a £1,000 to £5,000 minimum investment put the starting point far above the $100 at Axos Invest.
- Account choice is narrow: isa and sipp is the full list, so there is no general investment account for money held outside a tax wrapper.
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.
Wealthify
Who it suits
- Beginners who want the picking done for them: the stated audience is beginners.
- Savers putting money into an ISA or a pension: isa and sipp.
- People who want help by phone rather than by message alone: email, chat and phone.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone starting with a small sum, because the £1,000 to £5,000 minimum investment is far above the $100 at Axos Invest.
- Readers who weigh only ongoing cost, since 0.6% is above the 0% at eToro and the 0% at Empower Personal Dashboard.
Country by country
| Country | AJ Bell | Wealthify |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Wealthify
What does it cost to run an account with Wealthify?+
The headline cost is a management fee of 0.6% on the value of the portfolio you hold. Money movement is free: there is no charge for deposits, withdrawals or transfers, so adding or taking out money does not add a provider bill. The management fee is therefore the only line worth tracking.
How much do I need to put in to start?+
You need a deposit of £1,000 to get going, and the investment itself is £1,000 to £5,000. That range matters for anyone testing the water, since the lower end decides what the management fee works out at in cash terms. Both figures are in pounds, so the arithmetic stays in sterling.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
AJ Bell
Wealthify