AJ Bell stocks and shares ISA review: Is it worth it?

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for reference purposes only. Wise does not offer to buy or sell stocks, and all information on this page should not be considered financial advice. All investment decisions should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. Remember that investments, even in low-risk funds, are never guaranteed and your capital is at risk.

If you’re considering using a stocks and shares ISA to invest, you’ll need to choose a provider. One of the popular options available in the UK is AJ Bell, a British stockbroker and investment platform.

But is AJ Bell the right choice for you? Read on for a comprehensive AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA review, where we’ll run through features, trading and commission fees, eligibility and everything else you need to know.

This should help you compare the ISA to others out there, and decide if it’s the right option for you.

Table of contents

Who the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA is best for? Who can open an account? What currencies are supported? AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA features AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA fees Does the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA have an account fee? Trading fees with AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA How much does AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA charge for UK stocks? AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA withdrawal fees AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA commission fees How to buy stock with AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA Buying stock in another currency? How is the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA mobile app? AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA customer service Alternatives to the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA FAQs about investing with AJ Bell S&S ISA Can you withdraw cash from an AJ Bell ISA? What you can invest in with an AJ Bell S&S ISA? Is AJ Bell good for beginners? Grow your international money with Wise

Who the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA is best for?

The AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA can be used by any kind of UK investor, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced investor.

This is because it has managed funds, as well as the option for DIY investments - where you choose all of your investments yourself.

If you opt for managed funds, you can either choose one of the AJ Bell ‘favourite funds’ or go for a fully managed, hands-off investment fund.

Read more about how stocks and shares ISAs work below.

📚How stocks and shares ISAs work

Who can open an account?

To be eligible for the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:¹

• You’re a UK resident (or are working as a Crown employee overseas, or are the spouse of one)
• You’re at least 18 years old

To apply, you’ll need to have your National Insurance (NI) number to hand - this is required to open all ISAs in the UK, including cash ISAs. You’ll also need your debit card details.¹

What currencies are supported?

When you open an Stocks and Shares ISA with AJ Bell, your account will be denominated in British pounds (GBP) and all trades will be carried out in GBP.²

This doesn’t mean you can’t buy and sell stocks on international stock exchanges, but a currency conversion will be required if you do.² Fees will apply for this, which we’ll look at shortly.

AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA features

Now, let’s take a look at the key features of the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA:³

• Choose your own investments or opt for fully managed fund
• Easy access withdrawals
• Start investing from just £25 a month or a one-off payment of £250
• Transfers in from other S&S ISAs allowed
• Manage investments online or via the AJ Bell mobile app
• 24/7 access to your investments.

It’s also useful to know that this isn’t a flexible ISA,³ which means that any money you withdraw and then put back in will affect your annual ISA allowance. Find out more about how ISAs work here.

AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA fees

Before you open any kind of ISA or investment account, you’ll need to know exactly how much it’s going to cost you.

Here are the main fees and charges you need to know about for Stocks and Shares ISAs with AJ Bell:⁴

Type	AJ Bell fees
Account fee	0.25% for shares accounts (max. £3.50 per month) 0% to 0.25% for funds (depending on value)
Dealing charges (including international)	£5 for shares (£3.50 for 10+ transactions a month) £1.50 for funds
Fund management fee	Varies by fund
Withdrawal fees	None
Foreign exchange charge	0.25% to 0.75% (depending on value)5

Does the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA have an account fee?

Yes, AJ Bell has an account fee which varies depending on what kind of investments you make with your Stocks and Shares ISA and the value of them.

For share accounts, the fee is 0.25% - capped at a maximum of £3.50 per month.⁴

For funds accounts, you’ll pay 0.25% on the first £250,000, 0.10% on investments between £250,000 and £500,000 and no fee above that.⁴

There are also fund management costs, which vary depending on your portfolio.

Trading fees with AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA

The trading fees (also known as dealing charges) at AJ Bell are £5 for each shares transaction made online. It drops to £3.50 per trade if you’ve made 10+ trades in the previous month.⁴

For funds dealing, there’s a flat fee of £1.50 per transaction.⁴

These fees are only for online transactions - the charges are likely to be much higher if you carry out any trades over the phone.

How much does AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA charge for UK stocks?

AJ Bell S&S ISAs have a trading charge of £5 for UK stocks bought or sold online, with a reduced dealing charge of £3.50 if you’ve made more than 10 trades in the previous month.⁴

AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA withdrawal fees

AJ Bell doesn’t charge for cash withdrawals from its Stocks and Shares ISA,⁴ so you should be able to withdraw freely.

You’ll just need to make sure that the funds you want to withdraw aren’t tied up with an investment. If so, you’ll need to sell the investment before you can cash out.

Read our guide below on how to withdraw from an AJ Bell investment account for more information.

📚 Withdraw from AJ Bell

AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA commission fees

AJ Bell doesn’t charge any extra commission fees, as it's all covered under the account fees, fund management costs and dealing charges.

How to buy stock with AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA

It’s pretty straightforward to buy shares with an AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA. It’s easiest and cheapest to do it online, or via the AJ Bell mobile app.

Simply follow these steps:

1. Login to your account
2. Go to ‘Buy and Sell’
3. Search for the stock you want to invest in, and enter the amount/value of shares you want to buy
4. Check the details and confirm.

As long as it’s within the particular stock market’s trading hours, the order should go through right away.

Buying stock in another currency?

Buying or selling a stock or shares that aren’t traded in your local currency? Don’t let the currency conversion trip you up. Convert your stocks or shares into any currency with our handy tool, and you’ll always know what you’re getting.

Check out our international stock ticker tool.

Explore international stocks 🌍

Disclaimer: Wise's international stock ticker provides information for reference purposes only. This tool and platform does not offer to buy or sell stocks, and the data displayed here should not be considered financial advice. All investment decisions should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and users should exercise caution and seek professional guidance when making investment choices.

How is the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA mobile app?

You can use the AJ Bell mobile app for managing your Stocks and Shares ISA.

It’s available for both Android and iOS devices, and lets you check and manage your portfolio at any time. You can manage your investments, buy stock and withdraw funds.

AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA customer service

If you need help with your AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA, there are a few ways to contact customer services:⁶

• Use the webchat function at the AJ Bell website
• Call 03455 432 600 - available Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm, and Saturday from 10am to 2pm
• Email help@ajbell.co.uk.

Alternatives to the AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA

AJ Bell is far from the only provider of stocks and shares ISAs in the UK. There are plenty of alternatives you can choose from, such as:

• Barclays Investment ISA
• NatWest Stocks and Shares ISA
• Halifax Stocks and Shares ISA
• HSBC Stocks and Shares ISA
• Lloyds Stocks and Shares ISA
• Trading 212 Stocks and Shares ISA
• Moneybox Stocks and Shares ISA
• Vanguard Stocks and Shares ISA.

FAQs about investing with AJ Bell S&S ISA

Can you withdraw cash from an AJ Bell ISA?

Yes, you can withdraw cash from your AJ Bell ISA whenever you want, free of charge. Just bear in mind that this isn’t a flexible ISA, so anything you take out and then re-deposit will count towards your annual ISA allowance.

What you can invest in with an AJ Bell S&S ISA?

You can invest in the following investment products with an AJ Bell Stocks and Shares ISA:

• Shares
• Funds
• Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
• Investment trusts
• Bonds and gilts

Is AJ Bell good for beginners?

Yes, AJ Bell is a great option for beginners as it has fully managed funds as well as DIY investment options.

Why not check out our AJ Bell investment platform review below to learn more about the fees and features.

🌍 AJ Bell platform review

Grow your international money with Wise

Not sure about using a stocks and shares ISA to help you save?

With Wise Interest, you can earn a return by investing your GBP, EUR and USD, and choose how your money is used. Simply select your chosen currency in your Wise account then under ‘Options’, select ‘Earn’ and choose ‘Stocks’ or ‘Interest’. Capital at risk. Growth not guaranteed. You may have to pay tax on your earnings — for example, capital gains tax.

All your money is held as ‘cash’ by default, so you can’t earn a return on what you spend, but it isn’t at risk in the market.

If you select the ‘Stocks’ option, we’ll invest some or all of your money (you can choose to allocate all or part of your chosen currency account) in the index tracking fund we’ve chosen. As with any investments, please make sure to go through the Key Investor Information Documents of the chosen fund and consult a professional advisor to understand the risks of investments, before making any such decisions.

And if you opt for Wise Interest you can choose to give us permission to invest all or some of your money in the interest-earning fund we’ve chosen, this will depend on the currency.

Wise Interest can help grow your international money and start earning a return on the pounds, euros and dollars in your account. When you use Wise Interest, you can send and spend your money whenever you want, including your gains and you can transfer up to 10,000 GBP (or equivalent) each day from Interest currencies. Anything above will add a processing time of up to 2 working days.

To protect your account, we may occasionally need to temporarily limit the amount of money you can withdraw, send, or spend daily. In this case you’d still get full access to your money within 2 working days.

We invest your money in government-backed asset funds. This means that when the central bank rates change, your return does too. You can check the 7 day past performance on the Wise Interest page. Past performance doesn't guarantee future growth. Capital at risk. Growth not guaranteed.

Consider turning on Wise Interest to help boost your money.

Turn on wise Interest 💰

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Sources used for this article:

1. AJ Bell - eligibility
2. AJ Bell - holding foreign currency
3. AJ Bell - features
4. AJ Bell - charges and fees
5. AJ Bell - international share dealing
6. AJ Bell - contact details

Sources checked on 01-Sep-2025