AJ Bell fees in 2026: the ETF cap is not a fund cap
£42 a year is AJ Bell's share and ETF custody cap for a stocks and shares ISA, not the price of holding every investment there. An ISA invested in an OEIC fund pays a percentage fee without that £42 ceiling. Treating the two as interchangeable can reverse a platform decision. For a long-term investor with £40,000 already invested and £200 going in at each month-end, I would pick AJ Bell for a buy-and-hold Vanguard ETF, but Vanguard Investor for the equivalent buy-and-hold Vanguard mutual fund. The investment wrapper is the same; the holding type changes the custody bill. Below, both platforms get the same starting balance, contributions and five-year horizon, with zero assumed investment growth so the fee comparison is transparent. This is a comparison of platform charges, not a promise of investment returns.