Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AJ Bell vs Hargreaves Lansdown, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, AJ Bell offers better pricing than Hargreaves Lansdown for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £100 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. per year.
12 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £135 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. per year.
36 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £255 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. per year.
120 trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £495 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. per year.
3 fund trades per year - AJ Bell would cost £0 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1 per year.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
When comparing AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown for investment choices, both offer a robust selection that includes share trading, ETF trading, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. However, neither broker supports crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading. One notable distinction is that Hargreaves Lansdown provides advisor services, while AJ Bell does not, which might be a deciding factor for those seeking professional guidance in their investment journey.
Despite these differences, both brokers receive strong reviews for their investment choices, with each earning a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, AJ Bell edges out slightly in rankings, securing the #3 position out of 18 brokers compared to Hargreaves Lansdown’s #4 spot. Ultimately, both platforms present comprehensive options for investors looking to navigate the UK markets.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer strong trading tools, providing the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on charts. Each platform supports index and stock overlays, and delivers a browser-based trading platform coupled with real-time market data. While both allow users to set up stock price alerts, they fall short in enabling users to add notes to their charts.
In terms of charting capabilities, AJ Bell provides 31 technical indicators, surpassing Hargreaves Lansdown's offering of 15, making it a more attractive choice for those prioritizing technical analysis. However, if drawing tools are a key criterion, Hargreaves Lansdown offers a superior range with 11 tools compared to AJ Bell's 8. Both platforms provide a comprehensive suite of features, making them solid options for online trading, depending on your individual charting and technical analysis needs.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 11 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
When comparing online brokers AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown for retirement accounts, both offer a comprehensive suite of options, including Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Each platform is designed to provide a user-friendly experience for managing your retirement savings. Whether you're considering an ISA for tax-efficient saving or a SIPP for more personalized investment control, both AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown have you covered with competitive offerings. This shared focus on delivering robust account options makes either broker a suitable choice for individuals looking to plan their financial future efficiently.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown offer robust mobile applications for iPhone and Android users, ensuring their clients can manage investments on the go. AJ Bell's app is well-regarded, earning a solid 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and securing a commendable #3 ranking out of 18 brokers for mobile app performance. Hargreaves Lansdown, while narrowly behind AJ Bell in the overall ranking at #4, shines with a slightly higher rating of 4.5 stars, suggesting a slightly better user experience according to UK.StockBrokers.com. Whether you choose AJ Bell or Hargreaves Lansdown, both platforms provide reliable and accessible tools for mobile investing.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer robust educational resources for beginner investors, featuring client webinars and covering key topics like share trading, funds, and retirement. While both platforms provide live educational webinars, only AJ Bell archives these sessions for on-demand viewing, giving investors the flexibility to learn at their own pace. In terms of ratings, both brokers have earned an impressive 5-star review from UK.StockBrokers.com for their beginner education offerings. Ranking-wise, AJ Bell holds a slight edge, coming in at third place out of 18 brokers, while Hargreaves Lansdown ranks fourth. These features make both platforms accessible and informative for new investors, with AJ Bell offering a bit more flexibility through archived webinars.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown for their market research features, both online brokers equip investors with a comprehensive suite of tools. They each provide research reports for funds and share insights, alongside portfolio allocation views by asset class to help users better understand their investments. For those interested in a wider range of instruments, both platforms offer research covering shares, ETFs, and funds. Bonds research is also available with both brokers. However, if you're looking to dive into CFDs research, neither AJ Bell nor Hargreaves Lansdown currently offer this feature. These similarities ensure that both brokerages can cater effectively to the needs of their clients who prioritize robust market research in their trading endeavors.
| Feature |
AJ Bell
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, AJ Bell or Hargreaves Lansdown? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found AJ Bell to be a better trading platform overall.
You can invest in an extensive range of investments through AJ Bell. Charges are on the high side for those with large portfolios in mutual funds and those looking to execute one-off share deals; but its new app, called Dodl, offers much lower fees and also offers a more slim-lined and user-friendly service. Educational and research materials are strong, too.
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Hargreaves Lansdown
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While both online brokers, AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown, provide robust platforms for investors, neither offers the option to trade cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | AJ Bell | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | AJ Bell | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | AJ Bell | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £5 | £11.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.50 | £8.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.50 | £5.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £100 | £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £255 | £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £495 | £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.50 | £135 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £625 | Up to £1,125 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £625 - £875 | Up to £625 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £875 | Up to £1,250 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £875 | Up to £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £5 | £20 - £50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £5 | £20 - £50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5 | £5.95 - £11.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5 | £5.95 - £11.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £20 - £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | AJ Bell | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Platforms & Tools | AJ Bell | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 31 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AJ Bell | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AJ Bell | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | AJ Bell | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | AJ Bell Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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