Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Hargreaves Lansdown vs Bestinvest, 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, Hargreaves Lansdown offers better pricing than Bestinvest 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 - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. per year, while Bestinvest would cost £144.75 per year.
12 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. per year, while Bestinvest would cost £119.40 - £179.40 per year.
36 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. per year, while Bestinvest would cost £238.20 - £357.60 per year.
120 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. per year, while Bestinvest would cost £654 - £714 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £50 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 investment offerings, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest provide robust options for share, ETF, and investment trust trading. However, if you're looking to expand into bonds, you'll find that Hargreaves Lansdown covers more ground. It offers trading of both corporate and government bonds, whereas Bestinvest does not include these options in its portfolio. Notably, neither platform supports crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, keeping the focus on more traditional investments.
Investment advisory services are available through both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest, ensuring expert guidance no matter your choice. In terms of market reputation, Hargreaves Lansdown receives high praise with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 4th out of 18 brokers for investment choices. Bestinvest, while strong with a 4.5-star rating, lacks a formal ranking position in this category. This nuanced comparison helps potential investors select the broker that aligns best with their investment goals and preferred asset classes.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| 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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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing the trading tools of Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest, both platforms offer a variety of features for enhancing your trading experience. Hargreaves Lansdown leads in chart visualizations by allowing users to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends, and it also supports index overlays. It provides 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators for in-depth analysis, and offers real-time market data to keep traders updated. Meanwhile, Bestinvest shines with its 36 technical indicators and offers the convenience of adding notes to charts, though it lacks corporate event displays and real-time market data.
Both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest have browser-based trading platforms and both enable users to create alerts for stock price updates, ensuring traders never miss out on important market movements. Additionally, both platforms allow stock overlays on charts, giving traders flexibility in their analysis. While each platform has its strengths, the choice between them will depend on the specific tools and features you value the most.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
Comparing online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest, both platforms offer attractive options for retirement savings with their ISA and SIPP accounts. Hargreaves Lansdown provides a robust range of investment options within ISA accounts, making it a solid choice for those seeking a tax-efficient way to save for the future. Similarly, Bestinvest offers ISA accounts designed for flexibility and potential growth. When it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) accounts, both brokers allow investors to manage their own retirement investments with ease. Hargreaves Lansdown is known for its comprehensive tools and educational resources for managing SIPP accounts, whereas Bestinvest stands out with its personalized investment advice and planning support. Ultimately, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest provide competitive retirement account offerings, catering to different investment needs and preferences.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest offer mobile applications for iPhone and Android users, making them accessible for investors on the go. However, when it comes to user experience and satisfaction, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out with a higher rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, compared to Bestinvest’s 3.5 stars. This distinction is further highlighted by Hargreaves Lansdown's impressive ranking as the 4th out of 18 brokers for mobile apps, whereas Bestinvest is not ranked. Whether you’re looking for smooth navigation or comprehensive features, Hargreaves Lansdown appears to provide a superior mobile trading experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest both provide robust educational resources for beginner investors, offering webinars and learning materials on key topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement planning. While both brokers host educational webinars, only Bestinvest provides archived versions for on-demand viewing, enhancing accessibility for new investors. Rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for their beginner education resources, Hargreaves Lansdown is ranked #4 out of 18 brokers, underscoring their commitment to financial education. Conversely, Bestinvest also receives high ratings, but specific ranking details were not noted. Both platforms serve as strong educational foundations for novice investors looking to expand their financial knowledge.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest offer comprehensive resources for investors. They both provide research reports for funds and the capability to view portfolio allocation by asset class, making it easy for users to manage and assess their investments. Additionally, both brokers offer research for shares, ETFs, and funds, though neither provides research for CFDs. A key difference lies in their bonds research offerings: Hargreaves Lansdown provides bonds research, while Bestinvest does not, giving Hargreaves Lansdown a slight edge for investors focused on bonds.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Hargreaves Lansdown or Bestinvest? 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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Bestinvest
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|---|---|---|
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Neither Hargreaves Lansdown nor Bestinvest offer crypto trading, directing users to explore alternative platforms for cryptocurrency investments.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Hargreaves Lansdown | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Hargreaves Lansdown | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Hargreaves Lansdown | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £11.95 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £8.95 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £5.95 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. | £144.75 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. | £119.40 - £179.40 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. | £238.20 - £357.60 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. | £654 - £714 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | £60 or £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | Up to £1,125 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | Up to £625 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | Up to £1,250 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | Up to £1,000 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £20 - £50 | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | Hargreaves Lansdown | 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 | Hargreaves Lansdown | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Hargreaves Lansdown | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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