AJ Bell* and AJ Bell Dodl* are two different investing platforms from the same provider. AJ Bell is a fully-fledged online investment platform that allows investors to invest in unit trusts, shares, investment trusts and ETFs through a variety of products including a SIPP, ISA, Junior ISA or a General Investment Account (GIA). It produces a range of investment guides and an investment magazine and offers a variety of pre-made investment portfolios. AJ Bell Dodl is a stripped-down, app-only version of the main platform allowing users to invest straight from their phone. As a result, it is one of the cheapest platforms on the market and generally appeals to beginner investors thanks to its simplified approach.
In this independent comparison, we will highlight the similarities and differences between the two services offered and explore the range of products and costs associated with each option.
AJ Bell vs AJ Bell Dodl - which is better?
| AJ Bell | AJ Bell Dodl | |
| Services | Ready-made portfolios
AJ Bell funds Favourite funds list Investing guides, videos and podcast Dodl investing app (coming soon) |
Investing app
Ready-made investment portfolios managed by AJ Bell Choice of 37 funds and 81 UK & US stocks |
| Products | Cash savings
ISA, GIA, LISA, SIPP, JISA, Junior SIPP Dealing account Platinum SIPP Platinum SSAS |
ISA, GIA (General Investment Account), Lifetime ISA, SIPP |
| Minimum investment | £1 (or £25 per month) | £100 or £25 monthly investment |
| Fees | £0-£250,000 - 0.25%
£250,000-£1m - 0.10% £1m-£2m - 0.05% Over £2m - 0% Additional underlying fund charges Investments in shares, investment trusts and ETFs - 0.25% (capped at £42 per year) Buying and selling investments: Funds - £1.50 per deal Shares - £9.95 per deal Shares (10 or more deals in previous month) - £4.95 per deal |
0.15% annually (minimum £1 per month per product)
Additional underlying fund charges |
| Customer reviews (Trustpilot) | 4.8/5.0 | 4.6/5.0 |
| Money to the Masses Offer | n/a | n/a |
AJ Bell vs AJ Bell Dodl - services
AJ Bell* offers a wide range of investment options including funds, shares, investment trusts and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Users can choose from a range of in-house funds and ready-made portfolios, which are likely to appeal to beginner investors. To support its users, AJ Bell has a range of guides to help explain investing fundamentals.
AJ Bell Dodl* is a simplified version of what is offered by the main AJ Bell brand. It is an app-only platform that offers eight ready-made, risk-rated funds and a range of 29 themed funds managed by AJ Bell. There are also 37 funds and 81 UK and US shares available for users to build their own portfolios. While the main AJ Bell proposition offers a far broader range of investments, the stripped-back Dodl platform could appeal to novices.
AJ Bell vs AJ Bell Dodl - products
AJ Bell* users can open a savings account, dealing account, stocks and shares ISA, GIA (general investment account), Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA, SIPP or Junior SIPP. There is also the option to get a premium version of its SIPP or a SSAS (Small Self Administered Scheme), which are more sophisticated versions of the standard products that allow for different investments and management.
The AJ Bell Dodl* product range is more limited, but it still offers popular accounts such as a stocks and shares ISA, GIA, Lifetime ISA and SIPP. This means you cannot get a Junior ISA and there is no option for a savings account or Junior SIPP. However, the accounts that are available through Dodl are likely to be sufficient for its target market of beginners looking to start investing for the first time. Additionally, AJ Bell Dodl is currently paying 5.09% AER variable interest on any uninvested cash held in its investment ISAs.
AJ Bell vs AJ Bell Dodl - minimum investment
AJ Bell* offers the option of opening an account with just £1 (or a £25 minimum for a regular monthly investment). Unsurprisingly, this is about as low as a minimum investment requirement can get and should appeal to those looking to explore new investment platforms or start their investment journey.
In contrast, AJ Bell Dodl* has a much higher minimum opening investment at either a £100 lump sum or a £25 monthly commitment. That being said, a £100 lump sum or a £25 monthly commitment is still a relatively low starting point. For example, Vanguard requires a £500 minimum investment, though rival app-based platform Freetrade users only need £1 to get started.
AJ Bell vs AJ Bell Dodl - fees
AJ Bell* customers pay an account charge starting at 0.25%. However, the fee is tiered, meaning you'll pay less if you invest more than £250,000. Its fee for holding shares is 0.25%, capped at £42 annually. Users will also need to pay £1.50 for each fund switch, and the fee for trading shares is £9.95 per deal. This is important to consider if you think you will be updating your portfolio regularly.
AJ Bell Dodl's* pricing is more straightforward and is one of the lowest in the UK, alongside Vanguard. Users will pay 0.15% a year, per account, with a minimum payment of £1 per month per product. Keep in mind that this minimum payment will mean that you would need to invest more than £8,000 to actually get the 0.15% rate. However, Dodl users will not need to pay commission for buying or selling.
As with all platforms, additional fund charges will be applied to the underlying holdings.
AJ Bell vs AJ Bell Dodl - customer reviews
AJ Bell* is very well received by its customers, with review site Trustpilot showing it scoring an impressive 4.8 out of 5. Of the platforms more than 6,000 reviews, 81% rated it five stars, with its customer service particularly praised. There were still 5% of customers who rated the platform at one star, citing a variety of different technical reasons.
AJ Bell Dodl* is close behind on Trustpilot, albeit with a much smaller sample size of under 250 reviews at the time of writing. It has a strong score of 4.6 out of 5.0, with 76% of reviewers giving a five star score. They highlight its excellent customer service and ease of use. However, 7% rated it at one star with some citing a slow complaints process.
Summary: AJ Bell vs AJ Bell Dodl
As you might expect from two platforms operated by the same provider, AJ Bell* and AJ Bell Dodl* are aimed at different audiences. Dodl is app-only and has a range of risk-rated, ready-made funds. This, along with its simplified and relatively low pricing, means it is likely to appeal to beginner investors. The main AJ Bell platform offers a comprehensive range of investment products and options, though with a more complicated pricing structure that rewards larger investments. This suggests that novices will enjoy Dodl and more experienced investors may prefer AJ Bell. However, there are issues with that categorisation.
Firstly, AJ Bell has a lower minimum investment than Dodl. This could attract those looking to dip their toes into the investment world with a small initial amount, even though it seems that demographic would be more suited to Dodl. What's more, AJ Bell has a wide range of research tools and investing guides that would help a beginner get to grips with the platform. Dodl users may find it hard to reach an optimum level of diversification with the limited tools available on the platform.
Ultimately, the best choice for you will come down to what you want from your platform and how much you are willing to pay. The simplicity of Dodl will certainly be useful for a significant number of people, while the range of options (and costs) with AJ Bell could prove overwhelming. Alternatively, the stripped-down nature of the Dodl app will be limiting for some, while the low minimum investment and learning tools on offer from AJ Bell could be an enticing draw.
For more detailed insight, read our AJ Bell review and our AJ Bell Dodl review. You can also see how AJ Bell stacks up against Hargreaves Lansdown or how Dodl compares to Freetrade.
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