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.
Hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy.
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-term investors praise the low fund costs and the simplicity of LifeStrategy portfolios.
The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service.
Read Vanguard reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | AJ Bell | Vanguard |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year |
| Share dealing | £5.00 per trade | Not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) |
| Fund dealing | £1.50 per trade | Free |
| FX fee | 0.75% on the first £10k, tiered lower above | None (GBP funds) |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge | Platform fee applies |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies, capped at £120/year for shares | Platform fee applies |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £25/month or £500 lump sum | £100/month or £500 lump sum |
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.
Vanguard UK is the default answer for one-fund index investing. If your plan is a LifeStrategy or FTSE Global All Cap fund and nothing else, the combination of cheap funds and a capped 0.15% platform fee is excellent, especially above £32,000.
Below £32,000 the £4 monthly minimum changes the maths, and a free platform like Trading 212 or Prosper holding a similar Vanguard ETF can work out cheaper. You also cannot hold individual shares or other fund managers' products.
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 £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year at Vanguard. On dealing, AJ Bell charges £5.00 per trade for shares and £1.50 per trade for funds, while Vanguard charges not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) for shares and free 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. Vanguard is best for hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On AJ Bell's ISA: Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge. On Vanguard's ISA: Platform fee applies. 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 £100/month or £500 lump sum at Vanguard.
AJ Bell offers a SIPP (platform fee applies, capped at £120/year for shares). Vanguard offers a SIPP (platform fee applies).
AJ Bell scores 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Excellent) from around 14,000 reviews. Vanguard scores 4 out of 5 (Great) from around 5,000 reviews. Occasional gripes about transfer times and the dealing charge compared with app-only rivals. The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service.
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 Vanguard 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 Vanguard, 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.