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Megan is a senior researcher and writer at Which?, with a background in data analysis and stats in the public and charity sectors.
AJ Bell is a long-established investment platform offering a range of services, including stocks and shares, junior and lifetime Isas.
It also offers a self-invested personal pension (Sipp), junior Sipp and income drawdown.
The minimum investment for using AJ Bell is a £25 regular monthly investment, or £250 lump sum.
Please note that this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an investment platform before committing to any financial products.
Strong ratings from customers (81%), and the widest choice of assets of any platform we analysed (hence a score of 100%), helped AJ Bell overcome its middling fee score of 62% to be named a Which? Recommended Provider.
77%
Annual fees (for funds)
of 23 providers
Annual platform charge:
Trading charges:
Find out how these fees compare to other stocks and shares Isas.
If you're thinking of using AJ Bell to take an income from your pension in a drawdown plan, read our comparison of pension drawdown plans and charges.
Megan Thomas, Which? investments writer, says:
AJ Bell's long been a fixture at the upper end of our investment reviews, and is a Which? Recommended Provider once again this year.
Due to the huge number of investments available, it might seem intimidating if you're setting up a stocks and shares Isa for the first time.
However, AJ Bell offers a range of funds geared to certain appetites for risk (you'll need to work out what your appetite is), which are then managed for you. It also has a favourite funds list and lots of investing education on its website.
If you're more experienced, the diversity of investments may appeal, as might the access to bonds and gilts, and stocks from 24 international markets.
Ethically minded investors can filter investments by Morningstar's sustainability rating – a measure of how well funds are managing ESG (environmental, social, and governance) risks.
AJ Bell isn't the cheapest platform, but it isn't the most expensive either. It's recently cut its fees for buying and selling shares, although it continues to charge a small fee (£1.50) for trading funds, a practice that's increasingly unusual.
AJ Bell also runs another investment platform, called Dodl, which is designed for newer investors and is app-based.
Dodl has lower fees (0.15% compared to 0.25% for AJ Bell) but has a much reduced range of investments, including AJ Bell's funds, themed funds and ETFs and some shares.
We didn't get enough responses from Dodl customers to rate its service.
AJ Bell customers scored it 81%, the highest score of any platform in our survey.
Comments from AJ Bell customers who took part in our survey include:
Visit AJ Bell to find out more about its accounts, services and investment options.
| Aspect of service | Star rating |
| Customer service | |
| Ease of use | |
| Information on investments | |
| Value for money |
These results are based on a January 2026 online survey of 3,053 adults – members of the Which? Connect panel and members of the public – who shared 4,146 experiences. AJ Bell results based on a sample size of 369. The customer score is based on satisfaction with the brand and likelihood to recommend. ‘-’ means not enough responses to include a star rating.
AJ Bell is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
If AJ Bell went bust and its other arrangements to protect your money failed, the FSCS will cover up to £85,000 of investments per person, per platform. You can claim for free online at fscs.org.uk: there's no reason to use a claims management company.