Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Hargreaves Lansdown vs Barclays, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Your capital is at risk.
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, Barclays offers better pricing than Hargreaves Lansdown for share dealing.
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.
For UK investors seeking a platform with diverse investment selections, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays present compelling choices. Both brokers facilitate share trading, ETF investments, funds, as well as the opportunity to trade in corporate and government bonds. Investors can leverage these platforms to diversify their portfolios further with investment trusts. However, neither broker supports cryptocurrency or CFD trading, nor do they offer spread betting. Despite having similar offerings, Hargreaves Lansdown has garnered a higher rank for investment choices, standing at #4, in contrast to Barclays, which is positioned at #9 according to UK.StockBrokers.com ratings.
Both brokers boast a perfect 5-star rating for their investment choices, showing an alignment in customer satisfaction and service quality. Additionally, each provides advisory services to help meet the varied needs of investors, making them both strong candidates for individuals keen on accessing balanced and comprehensive investment opportunities. UK investors can thus look towards both as valuable options, though Hargreaves Lansdown might offer a slight edge in terms of investor ranking and variety.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays for UK investors, Hargreaves Lansdown provides a wider array of features. It displays corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, an option not available with Barclays. Chart enthusiasts will appreciate Hargreaves Lansdown's offering of 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators, whereas Barclays provides none. Additionally, Hargreaves Lansdown supports adding both index and stock overlays to charts, which isn’t an option with Barclays.
Both Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays provide browser-based trading platforms and allow users to create alerts for stock price updates. However, Hargreaves Lansdown provides real-time market data, giving traders a significant edge in making informed decisions, while Barclays does not offer this feature. Neither platform currently supports adding notes to charts, leaving room for further enhancement in this area. Overall, for those prioritising comprehensive charting capabilities and up-to-date market information, Hargreaves Lansdown appears to be the more equipped option.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays for their retirement account offerings, both platforms cater to UK residents with a range of options. For individual savings accounts, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays provide ISA accounts, allowing users to save and invest with tax benefits. Additionally, both brokers offer SIPP accounts, enabling users to plan and invest for retirement with flexible contributions and tax advantages. By offering these key account types, Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays give users the essential tools needed to manage their savings and retirement planning efficiently.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
In the UK, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays cater to mobile-savvy investors by providing apps for iPhone and Android devices. However, when it comes to user satisfaction, Hargreaves Lansdown's mobile app shines with a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it at an impressive 10th out of 21 brokers. In contrast, Barclays' mobile app receives a lower 2.5-star rating, ranking it at the bottom of the list at 21st position. This suggests that users find Hargreaves Lansdown's app significantly more appealing and effective for their trading needs compared to Barclays'.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners looking into investment education, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays provide resources on key topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement. Hargreaves Lansdown distinguishes itself by offering live educational client webinars, although neither broker archives these sessions for on-demand viewing. When assessed by UK.StockBrokers.com, Hargreaves Lansdown earned a perfect 5-star rating for its beginner educational resources, ranking fourth out of 21 brokers. In contrast, Barclays received a commendable 4.5-star rating, placing it at the tenth spot in the same ranking. This makes Hargreaves Lansdown a slightly more attractive choice for beginners seeking educational support.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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.
For UK investors comparing market research features, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays provide comprehensive options. Each platform provides research reports for funds, enabling users to make informed investment decisions. Both services also allow clients to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, helping investors manage and adjust their investments. Additionally, investors can access research on shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds through either provider, ensuring they have the insights needed to navigate different investment opportunities. Whether you choose Hargreaves Lansdown or Barclays, you can expect a wealth of information to support your investment journey.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| 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, Hargreaves Lansdown or Barclays? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Hargreaves Lansdown to be a better trading platform overall.
As the U.K.’s biggest investment platform for individual investors, Hargreaves Lansdown offers a wide range of investment choices for either beginners or seasoned investors. However, its fees are generally more expensive than rival brokers, which can become an issue for large investment pots.
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Hargreaves Lansdown
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Barclays
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When comparing online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays, neither platform offers cryptocurrency trading, highlighting a shared limitation for investors seeking exposure to digital assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual 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 | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £11.95 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £8.95 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £5.95 | £6 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | Up to £1,125 | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | Up to £625 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | Up to £1,250 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | Up to £1,000 | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | £6 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £20 - £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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