Accounts & headline costs
Sections ↑AJ Bell’s direct platform uses percentage custody charges alongside flat dealing fees, with free regular investing added in May 2026. The economics therefore depend on whether the customer buys funds or exchange-traded investments, the size of the account, trading frequency and whether instructions are placed as one-off trades or the recurring service.[1][3]
AJ Bell essentials
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Share account charge | 0.25%, capped at £3.50 per month | Published for exchange-traded investments in the dealing account.Source 1 |
| Fund account charge | 0.25% then 0.10%, with no charge above £500,000 | Tiered annual platform fee by fund value.Source 1 |
| Standard share trade | £5 | Frequent-trader rate is lower after the published prior-month threshold.Source 1 |
| Regular investing | £0 dealing charge | Available from £25 across named account wrappers and eligible investments.Source 3 |
| Platform customers | 762,000 | Group-reported count at the Q3 2026 update.Source 5 |
Account wrappers
| Account | Published purpose | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Dealing account | Taxable investments | Share cap and fund tiers from the dealing-account scheduleSource 2Source 1 |
| Stocks and Shares ISA | UK tax wrapper | Allowance and eligibility rules applySource 3 |
| Lifetime ISA | Eligible first-home/retirement wrapper | Withdrawal charges and eligibility rules are specificSource 3 |
| Junior ISA | Account for eligible children | Control and access differ from an adult accountSource 3 |
| SIPP / Junior SIPP | Pension wrappers | Cash rates and access rules differ from other accountsSource 4Source 3 |
Fees & holding costs
Sections ↑Holding charges in the dealing account
| Holding / band | Annual charge | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Shares, ETFs, investment trusts and bonds | 0.25%, capped at £3.50 monthly | Cap applies to this account’s exchange-traded holdingsSource 1 |
| Funds — first £250,000 | 0.25% | Percentage platform chargeSource 1 |
| Funds — next £250,000 | 0.10% | Band between £250,000 and £500,000Source 1 |
| Funds — above £500,000 | 0% | Underlying fund charges still remainSource 1 |
Dealing and transaction routes
| Instruction | Published fee | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Share / ETF / investment-trust trade | £5 | Standard website or app tradeSource 1 |
| Frequent-trader share trade | £3.50 | After ten or more qualifying trades in the previous monthSource 1 |
| Fund buy or sell | £1.50 | One-off online fund instructionSource 1 |
| Regular investment | £0 dealing fee | Recurring route from £25; investment and tax charges remainSource 3 |
| Telephone dealing | Higher service fee | The online schedule should not be applied to assisted ordersSource 1 |
The free regular-investing service creates a meaningful distinction between “how much does one deal cost?” and “how much does this investment habit cost?” Twelve £25 recurring purchases can avoid £18 of one-off fund dealing charges, but the account and fund charges still apply. This is arithmetic from the listed charges, not a performance forecast.[1][3]
Cash interest from 1 February 2026
| Account | Published AER | Balance basis |
|---|---|---|
| SIPP / Junior SIPP | 2.05% up to £100,000; 2.40% above | Tiered cash rateSource 4 |
| SIPP in drawdown | 2.65% up to £100,000; 3.15% above | Different retirement-income cash scheduleSource 4 |
| ISA / LISA / JISA | 1.75% | All cash balances under the cited scheduleSource 4 |
| Dealing account | 0.75% on first £2,000; 0% above | Large cash balances do not receive the first-tier rate on the excessSource 4 |
| Payment frequency | Quarterly in arrears | End of March, June, September and DecemberSource 4 |
The dealing-account cash schedule is especially easy to misread. A £10,000 balance does not receive 0.75% on the entire amount: the published first £2,000 earns that rate and the excess is currently at zero. A tiered description should stay beside any calculated example.[4]
Deposits, withdrawals & transfers
Sections ↑A sale instruction, settlement and a cash withdrawal are separate events. AJ Bell releases sale proceeds for withdrawal after the settlement date on the contract note; the requested payment then goes to the registered bank account. Pension and Lifetime ISA withdrawal processes differ from the ordinary dealing account.[8]
Cash release, transfers and records
| Area | Published position | Practical detail |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary cash withdrawal | Normally 1–3 working days to the registered bank | Request in the account’s Withdrawals menu after the cash has settled.Source 8 |
| Transfer to another provider | Cash or existing investments | Cash transfer requires sales; an investment transfer can move eligible holdings without selling.Source 7 |
| Keeping the account open | At least £100 in cash and investments | The key-features document distinguishes a partial withdrawal from taking the full account balance.Source 7 |
| Investment documents | Contract notes and annual tax summary | Use the contract note for the actual settlement date; an account valuation alone does not establish withdrawable cash.Source 7Source 8 |
Protection & regulation
Sections ↑Company and account responsibilities
| Company / relationship | Published role | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| AJ Bell Securities Limited | Platform and custody operating company | Company 02723420; FCA reference 155593Source 6 |
| AJ Bell plc | Listed parent company | Group ownership and reporting; not the customer account by itselfSource 6Source 5 |
| Regular investment service | Recurring order mechanism | Available across named wrappers from May 2026Source 3 |
| Cash held on platform | Operational cash awaiting investment or withdrawal | Interest schedule differs by wrapper and balanceSource 4 |
Opening an account & support
Sections ↑The Dealing account is an execution-only account: the customer selects the investments. It accepts adults resident in the UK for tax purposes, but the key-features document excludes US and Canadian citizens or tax residents. Joint, bare-trust and company registrations have separate application forms.[7]
Dealing-account funding and eligibility
| Area | Published position | Practical detail |
|---|---|---|
| Initial contribution | £250 one-off, or £25 monthly Direct Debit | A transfer-in does not require an additional cash contribution.Source 7 |
| Payment methods | Debit card, Instant bank transfer and monthly Direct Debit | Payments must come from a UK account in the customer’s name; the document says cheques are not accepted.Source 7 |
| Regular investment cycle | Dealing on the 10th calendar day or next working day | Instructions need sufficient cash and can be changed up to midnight before the dealing day.Source 7 |
Service and complaints use 0345 54 32 600 or [email protected]. A complaint can also be sent to AJ Bell at 4 Exchange Quay, Salford Quays, Manchester M5 3EE. The published complaints route provides escalation to the Financial Ombudsman Service if the response is unsatisfactory.[9]
Company background & evidence
Sections ↑The operating company is AJ Bell Securities Limited, while AJ Bell plc is the listed parent. The group reported 762,000 platform customers and £121.5 billion of assets under administration at its June 2026 quarter end. Those are group-scale measures; client assets are not company revenue or a guarantee of service outcome.[5][6]
Q3 2026 operating measures
| Metric | Reported amount | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Platform customers | 762,000 | Group platform-customer countSource 5 |
| Assets under administration | £121.5 billion | Platform AUA at the period endSource 5 |
| Quarterly gross inflows | £6.0 billion | Gross additions before withdrawalsSource 5 |
| Quarterly net inflows | £3.0 billion | Gross inflows minus outflows under the company definitionSource 5 |
| Assets under management | £11.4 billion | Managed-investments measure, separate from platform AUASource 5 |
- Headquarters
- Manchester, United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1995
Legal entities & licences
These are source-dated records, not a blanket assessment of the broker. Read each issuer, identifier, status and scope together.
AJ Bell Securities Limited
United KingdomSource 6
| Issuer & identifier | Recorded status | Date & scope |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Conduct Authority155593 | Authorised | Checked 9 Oct 2026AJ Bell-published FCA reference for the platform company.Source 6 |
AJ Bell plc
No separate licence entry is recorded in this panel.
Additional Information
Sections ↑Sources & further reading
- AJ Bell dealing-account charges AJ Bell · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- AJ Bell dealing account overview AJ Bell · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Free regular investment dealing AJ Bell · 1 May 2026 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Interest rates paid on account cash AJ Bell · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- AJ Bell Q3 2026 trading update AJ Bell plc · 17 Jul 2026 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- AJ Bell corporate and regulatory information AJ Bell · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Dealing account key features: eligibility, funding, transfers and withdrawals AJ Bell · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- How to withdraw money from an AJ Bell investment account AJ Bell · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- How to raise an AJ Bell complaint and escalate it AJ Bell · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
This profile reports dated public information, including broker-published services and terms. It does not independently test or guarantee execution, pricing or withdrawals. Inclusion is not an endorsement. Permissions and protections apply only to the named legal entity, service and client category; check the current official records and your contract.