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.
Beginners building a habit, and first-time buyers using the Lifetime ISA.
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 TrustpilotUsers love the round-ups, the goal-based design and how painless it makes starting. 93% of customers surveyed in 2026 would recommend it.
The £1 monthly subscription on top of the platform fee is often flagged as expensive for balances under £5,000.
Read Moneybox reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | AJ Bell | Moneybox |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | £1/month subscription (waived at £5,000+) plus 0.15% to 0.45% platform fee |
| Share dealing | £5.00 per trade | US stocks available, 0.45% FX fee |
| Fund dealing | £1.50 per trade | Free (fund fees apply) |
| FX fee | 0.75% on the first £10k, 0.50% on the next £10k, 0.25% above £20k | 0.45% on US stocks |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge | Subscription plus 0.15% on Moneybox funds or 0.45% on other funds |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies, shares capped at £10/month (£120/year); no withdrawal fee in drawdown | 0.45% on the first £100k then 0.15% (other funds); 0.15% capped at £150 a year (Moneybox funds); no subscription |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £25/month regular investing; no stated minimum lump sum | £1 |
A 0.25% yearly fee gap sounds small. On £50,000 over 20 years it is about £5,900 (illustrative). Add your ISA and pension balances to Delphina yourself and see what your charges cost by retirement and whether you're on track.
See what my fees costIllustrative: £50,000, 5% a year growth before charges, 0.25% vs 0.50% a year in charges, no further contributions. Not a recommendation of AJ Bell or Moneybox. Delphina is guidance, not financial advice.
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.
Moneybox is designed for getting started. Round-ups, weekly deposits and simple starter portfolios remove the friction that stops most people investing, and its Lifetime ISA is one of the most popular routes to a first home deposit.
The convenience has a cost on small balances: £1 a month plus up to 0.45% is one of the higher fee stacks here below £5,000 in non-Moneybox funds. The subscription drops away at £5,000, and Moneybox's own funds carry 0.15% rather than 0.45%, so the total depends on your pot size and fund choice.
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 £1/month subscription (waived at £5,000+) plus 0.15% to 0.45% platform fee at Moneybox. On dealing, AJ Bell charges £5.00 per trade for shares and £1.50 per trade for funds, while Moneybox charges US stocks available, 0.45% FX fee for shares and free (fund fees apply) 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. Moneybox is best for beginners building a habit, and first-time buyers using the Lifetime ISA. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On AJ Bell's ISA: Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge. On Moneybox's ISA: Subscription plus 0.15% on Moneybox funds or 0.45% on other funds. Neither offers a flexible ISA, so anything you withdraw still counts against your annual allowance. Minimums are £25/month regular investing; no stated minimum lump sum at AJ Bell and £1 at Moneybox.
AJ Bell offers a SIPP (platform fee applies, shares capped at £10/month (£120/year); no withdrawal fee in drawdown). Moneybox does not offer a SIPP.
AJ Bell scores 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Excellent) from around 17,400 reviews. Moneybox scores 4.4 out of 5 (Excellent) from around 4,800 reviews. Occasional gripes about transfer times and the dealing charge compared with app-only rivals. The £1 monthly subscription on top of the platform fee is often flagged as expensive for balances under £5,000.
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 Moneybox 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 Moneybox, 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.