Both are FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected. The real difference is fees, account types and how each platform feels to use. Verified against each provider’s published charges.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Investors who want funds and shares on one platform without paying Hargreaves Lansdown prices.
Portfolios above roughly £60k where a flat fee beats percentage charges.
Tick what you need. No account, no email. The answer is on this page.
Tick what you need above and we'll tell you which of the two covers it.
Account availability verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Reviewers repeatedly mention that the platform is easy to use and communication is clear. AJ Bell has been Which? Recommended for eight years running.
Occasional gripes about transfer times and the dealing charge compared with app-only rivals.
Read AJ Bell reviews on TrustpilotLong-standing customers value the flat fee and the breadth of investments.
The 1.5% headline FX fee and occasional platform outages are the recurring complaints.
Read Interactive Investor reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | AJ Bell | Interactive Investor |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | 0.25% on funds up to £250k (tiered lower above); shares capped at £3.50/month in an ISA and £10/month in a SIPP | Core £5.99/month (up to £100k); Plus £14.99/month (no limit); Premium £39.99/month |
| Share dealing | £5.00 per trade | £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) |
| Fund dealing | £1.50 per trade | £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) |
| FX fee | 0.75% on the first £10k, tiered lower above | 1.5% on the first £25k, tiered lower above |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge | Included in the monthly plan |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies, capped at £120/year for shares | Included in the monthly plan |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £25/month or £500 lump sum | No minimum (£25/month for regular investing) |
AJ Bell sits in the sweet spot between cheap app-only brokers and expensive full-service platforms. You get funds, shares, ETFs, a well-regarded SIPP and a Lifetime ISA, with caps that keep costs sensible for share investors.
It suits people who want one account for everything, particularly ETF investors who benefit from the £3.50 monthly cap in an ISA. Fund-heavy portfolios above six figures should compare the 0.25% fee against a flat-fee platform like Interactive Investor.
Interactive Investor charges a flat monthly subscription instead of a percentage. On a £200,000 portfolio, £5.99 a month is a fraction of what percentage-fee platforms charge, which is why ii keeps winning larger DIY investors.
The equation flips for small pots: £71.88 a year on £10,000 is 0.7%, more than almost any rival. Work out your portfolio size first, then decide.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. AJ Bell's platform fee is 0.25% on funds up to £250k (tiered lower above); shares capped at £3.50/month in an ISA and £10/month in a SIPP, against core £5.99/month (up to £100k); Plus £14.99/month (no limit); Premium £39.99/month at Interactive Investor. On dealing, AJ Bell charges £5.00 per trade for shares and £1.50 per trade for funds, while Interactive Investor charges £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) for shares and £3.99 per trade (£2.99 on Premium) for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
AJ Bell is best for investors who want funds and shares on one platform without paying Hargreaves Lansdown prices. Interactive Investor is best for portfolios above roughly £60k where a flat fee beats percentage charges. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On AJ Bell's ISA: Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge. On Interactive Investor's ISA: Included in the monthly plan. Neither offers a flexible ISA, so anything you withdraw still counts against your annual allowance. Minimums are £25/month or £500 lump sum at AJ Bell and No minimum (£25/month for regular investing) at Interactive Investor.
AJ Bell offers a SIPP (platform fee applies, capped at £120/year for shares). Interactive Investor offers a SIPP (included in the monthly plan).
AJ Bell scores 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Excellent) from around 14,000 reviews. Interactive Investor scores 4.6 out of 5 (Excellent) from over 28,000 reviews. Occasional gripes about transfer times and the dealing charge compared with app-only rivals. The 1.5% headline FX fee and occasional platform outages are the recurring complaints.
Yes. UK platforms accept ISA and SIPP transfers in, and you start the transfer with the receiving provider rather than the one you are leaving. AJ Bell charges free on withdrawals and Interactive Investor charges free. Transfer as cash and you are out of the market while it settles; transfer in specie and you keep your holdings but it takes longer.
AJ Bell or Interactive Investor, the account is the easy part. What decides when you can retire is how much goes in and for how long. Delphina works that out from what you already hold and what you pay in each month.
Free to check. No card required. Takes about two minutes.