Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Halifax vs Bestinvest, 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, Halifax offers better pricing than Bestinvest 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.
Halifax vs Bestinvest: both UK online brokers cover the essentials for long‑term investors. You can trade shares, ETFs, funds, and investment trusts with either provider, and both offer access to adviser services. Neither supports crypto or CFD trading, and spread betting isn’t listed by either.
The key difference is fixed‑income access. Halifax lets you buy corporate bonds and UK government bonds (gilts), while Bestinvest does not. For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both at 4.5 out of 5; Halifax is ranked 8th of 21 brokers, and Bestinvest’s ranking isn’t available.
| Feature |
Halifax
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Bestinvest
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| 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.
For UK investors comparing Halifax vs Bestinvest on trading tools, neither broker shows corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts. Halifax offers 8 drawing tools and 95 technical indicators, while Bestinvest has 9 drawing tools and 36 indicators. Both let you add notes and don’t support index overlays; only Bestinvest allows stock overlays.
Both online brokers provide browser-based trading platforms and price alerts, but neither includes real-time market data. If you want a larger set of indicators, Halifax has the edge; if you prefer an extra drawing tool and stock overlays, Bestinvest may suit you better.
| Feature |
Halifax
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 95 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Halifax vs Bestinvest: both UK brokers offer a Stocks and Shares ISA and a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), so you can invest tax-efficiently in an ISA and build your retirement through a SIPP with either provider. Since both have ISA and SIPP options, compare fees and features to decide which suits your needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing Halifax and Bestinvest mobile apps: both offer iPhone and Android apps, and both are rated 3.5 out of 5 by UK.StockBrokers.com. Halifax is ranked 15th of 21 brokers for mobile apps, while Bestinvest has no ranking listed. If you want iOS and Android access with similar review scores, either could suit, with Halifax’s mid-table position providing an extra point of reference.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK comparing Halifax and Bestinvest, both provide education on share trading, funds, and retirement, but Bestinvest adds live webinars and an on-demand library, which Halifax lacks. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Halifax 4/5 stars for beginner education and ranks it 12th of 21 brokers, while Bestinvest scores 5/5 stars (ranking not available). If webinars and catch-up learning matter, Bestinvest is the stronger choice; if you only need core topic coverage, Halifax still fits the bill.
| Feature |
Halifax
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| 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.
Halifax vs Bestinvest: both offer market research across shares, ETFs and funds, and each provides research reports for funds. Halifax adds bond research, which Bestinvest does not provide. Bestinvest, however, lets you view portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature Halifax lacks. For UK investors, Halifax may suit those who want bond research, while Bestinvest is better if you want to track how your portfolio is split, with both covering core shares, funds and ETF research.
| Feature |
Halifax
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Halifax or Bestinvest? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Halifax to be a better trading platform overall.
Halifax is a U.K. investment platform best known for its simple, flat-fee pricing structure, support for ISAs and SIPPs, and low annual costs for holding larger portfolios.
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Bestinvest
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In the Halifax vs Bestinvest comparison, neither online broker offers crypto trading, meaning investors seeking cryptocurrency exposure must use alternative platforms.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Halifax | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Halifax Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Halifax | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Halifax | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £9.50 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £9.50 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £9.50 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| 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 | £36 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £36 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £36 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £36 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £9.50 | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £9.50 | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Halifax | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Halifax | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 95 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Halifax | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
| Education | Halifax | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Halifax | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Halifax Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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