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.
Hargreaves Lansdown vs Barclays: for charting tools, Hargreaves Lansdown clearly offers more. It includes 11 drawing tools and 109 technical indicators, plus the option to add stock overlays. Barclays provides no drawing tools or indicators and doesn’t support stock overlays. Neither broker shows corporate events on charts, and neither lets you add notes or index overlays.
Both brokers have browser-based trading and let you set price alerts. If you need live prices, Hargreaves Lansdown supplies real-time market data, while Barclays does not. Traders who rely on charts and indicators will likely prefer Hargreaves Lansdown; if you only need basic trading with alerts, Barclays may suffice.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 109 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | 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.
Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays both offer iPhone and Android investing apps in the UK, but their ratings differ: UK.StockBrokers.com scores the Hargreaves Lansdown app 4 out of 5 stars and ranks it 10th out of 21 brokers, while the Barclays app earns 2.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 21st. If you want a more highly rated mobile trading experience on iOS or Android, Hargreaves Lansdown is the stronger choice, though both let you manage investments on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing Hargreaves Lansdown and Barclays for investor education, Hargreaves Lansdown offers live webinars plus an on-demand library, while Barclays does not provide webinars. Both cover the key topics of share trading, funds and retirement. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Hargreaves Lansdown scores 5/5 stars and ranks 4th of 21 for beginner education, whereas Barclays scores 4.5/5 and ranks 10th. If you want webinars and replays, choose Hargreaves Lansdown; for core topic coverage, both fit the bill.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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.
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.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
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Barclays
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|---|---|---|
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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 | £100 | £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 | £1125 - £1750 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £1750 - £3000 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £3,000 - £4,000 | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £11.95 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £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 | 109 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | 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) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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