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.
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, 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.
For United Kingdom investors exploring online broker platforms, Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest offer several investment choices tailored to various financial goals. Both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest provide share and ETF trading, along with funds and investment trusts, giving you diverse options to build your portfolio. While neither platform supports crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out by offering trading in corporate and government bonds, which Bestinvest does not currently provide. If advisory services are a priority, investors will find offerings from both brokers to cater to their needs.
When it comes to reputation and ratings, Hargreaves Lansdown receives a full five-star rating for its investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the fourth position out of 21 brokers in the UK. Conversely, Bestinvest maintains a respectable 4.5-star rating, placing it tenth in the same ranking. Whether your focus is on comprehensive bond trading or seeking slightly more focused investment options, understanding these distinctions can help inform your platform choice.
| 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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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest for UK investors, each platform offers unique advantages. Hargreaves Lansdown allows users to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on their charts, a feature Bestinvest lacks. While both platforms provide stock overlay options, only Hargreaves Lansdown offers the ability to add index overlays. On the other hand, Bestinvest lets users add notes to their charts, a feature missing from Hargreaves Lansdown.
In terms of charting tools, Hargreaves Lansdown provides 11 drawing tools compared to Bestinvest's 9, but Bestinvest offers a superior selection of 36 technical indicators, significantly more than Hargreaves Lansdown's 15. Both platforms feature browser-based trading platforms and enable users to create alerts for stock price updates. However, for those seeking real-time market data, Hargreaves Lansdown delivers this capability, unlike Bestinvest. These differences reflect varying strengths that cater to traders with different priorities and investment styles.
| 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 |
When comparing Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest for your retirement account needs in the UK, both platforms present appealing options. Both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing you to grow your investments tax-efficiently. Furthermore, if you're looking to secure your future with a pension plan, both brokers provide Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), giving you control over your retirement savings with a range of investment choices. Whether you're starting an ISA or planning for retirement with a SIPP, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest have accessible options to help tailor your financial strategy.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, catering to the needs of investors who prefer trading on-the-go. When evaluated by UK.StockBrokers.com, Hargreaves Lansdown's mobile app garners a commendable rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, placing it at the 10th spot out of 21 brokers. On the other hand, Bestinvest receives a rating of 3.5 stars, resulting in a ranking of 16th among the same group of brokers. This comparison highlights Hargreaves Lansdown as the more favorably rated option for those prioritizing mobile app performance in their trading experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Both Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest excel in providing beginner investor educational resources, each earning a commendable 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. They both cover essential investment topics, including share trading, funds, and retirement. However, a key difference lies in Bestinvest's offering of archived educational client webinars for on-demand viewing, a feature not available with Hargreaves Lansdown. Hargreaves Lansdown is ranked slightly higher in the UK.StockBrokers.com evaluation, securing the 4th position among 21 brokers compared to Bestinvest's 6th place, indicating a slight edge in overall beginner education offerings. Despite this, both platforms provide valuable educational support for novice investors in the UK.
| 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 |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest for their market research features, both platforms provide comprehensive research reports for funds and detailed insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, making them suitable choices for investors interested in understanding their investments. Both brokers offer research on shares, ETFs, and funds, ensuring investors have access to critical information across a range of investment types. However, for those specifically looking for bonds research, Hargreaves Lansdown holds a slight edge by providing this feature, whereas Bestinvest does not. Neither platform offers CFDs research, maintaining a focus on more traditional investment categories.
| 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.
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Bestinvest
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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 | |||
| 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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