Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Fidelity International vs Halifax, 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, Halifax offers better pricing than Fidelity International 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 - Fidelity International would cost £127.50 per year, while Halifax would cost £83.50 per year.
12 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £108 or £180 per year, while Halifax would cost £150 per year.
36 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £144 or £360 per year, while Halifax would cost £378 per year.
120 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £270 or £990 per year, while Halifax would cost £1,176 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £1000 per year, while Halifax would cost £0 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 considering investment platforms in the UK, both Fidelity International and Halifax offer a range of choices, yet they cater to different needs. Fidelity International provides options for share trading, ETFs, funds, and investment trusts, along with expert advisor services. However, it lacks access to corporate and government bonds, and it doesn't cater to crypto or CFD trading enthusiasts. On the other hand, Halifax doesn't support share trading, but it does offer access to ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, investment trusts, and advisor services. Although both platforms have their limitations, Halifax emerges slightly ahead in investment choices, receiving a perfect score of 5 stars, compared to Fidelity International's 4.5 stars, as rated by UK.StockBrokers.com.
In terms of overall ranking for investment choices among 21 brokers, Halifax secures the 7th position, while Fidelity International sits at 12th. This ranking highlights Halifax's comprehensive offering, especially its inclusion of bond trading, appealing to investors looking for a broader spectrum of investment opportunities. Whether prioritizing share trading or a more diverse bond portfolio, UK investors can choose between Fidelity's deeper focus on certain investment areas and Halifax's broader accessibility, both supported by in-app advisory services.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | 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 Fidelity International and Halifax, Fidelity International offers a more feature-rich charting experience. Investors can view corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts with Fidelity, a feature not available with Halifax. Fidelity also provides five drawing tools and 21 technical indicators to help analyze stock trends, whereas Halifax does not offer any. For those who appreciate layered data, Fidelity International allows for both index and stock overlays on charts, a capability that Halifax lacks. Both brokers share some similarities, like their availability of browser-based trading platforms and the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, but both fall short in offering real-time market data or the option to add personal notes to charts.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 21 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 5 | 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 in the UK for retirement savings, both Fidelity International and Halifax offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) to their users. These types of accounts provide tax-efficient ways to save for the future. Whether you choose Fidelity International or Halifax, both platforms allow you to take control of your retirement planning. Consider factors such as fees, investment options, and digital tools to determine which broker best suits your financial goals and investing style.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing mobile apps of online brokers, Fidelity International and Halifax both offer iPhone and Android apps. Fidelity International's app is rated 4 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, while Halifax's app receives a rating of 3.5 stars. In terms of rankings out of 21 brokers, Fidelity International holds the 15th spot for mobile apps according to UK.StockBrokers.com, whereas Halifax is positioned at 18th. These ratings and rankings can help users choose the mobile banking experience that best suits their needs.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing educational resources for beginner investors, Fidelity International surpasses Halifax with a variety of helpful tools. Fidelity International provides clients with educational webinars that are both live and archived for on-demand viewing, covering essential topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement. In contrast, Halifax does not offer webinars or specific education on these topics. This commitment to investor education reflects in Fidelity International's high rating of 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 7th out of 21 brokers. Halifax, on the other hand, receives a rating of 3.5 stars and ranks 18th, highlighting a significant difference in the educational support offered to novice investors.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Fidelity International and Halifax for market research features, UK investors will appreciate the more comprehensive offerings from Fidelity International. Fidelity provides research reports for funds and enables users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, features not available with Halifax. Both platforms offer research on shares, ETFs, and funds. They also provide information on bonds, but neither offers research on CFDs. This makes Fidelity International a preferable choice for those seeking a broader range of market insights for informed investment decisions.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Fidelity International or Halifax? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Fidelity International to be a better trading platform overall.
Fidelity offers thousands of investments to choose from and also offers financial advice for those wanting more direction. It's best suited to traditional investors who hold a range of accounts through the platform, enjoy the great research material available and who may also use Fidelity for financial advice. The platform can be expensive for those with portfolios of less than £20,000 and those with portfolios above £40,000.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
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Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Mobile App |
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Both Fidelity International and Halifax do not offer crypto trading, highlighting a gap in their online brokerage services for investors interested in digital currencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Fidelity International | Halifax | |
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| Review | Fidelity International Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Fidelity International | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Fidelity International | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1000 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £9.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £127.50 | £83.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 or £180 | £150 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £144 or £360 | £378 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £270 or £990 | £1,176 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £105 | £64.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £90 - £875 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £500 - £1,000 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £1,000 - £2,000 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £2,000 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £7.50 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £7.50 | £9.5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £30 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Fidelity International | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Platforms & Tools | Fidelity International | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 21 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 5 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Fidelity International | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Fidelity International | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Fidelity International | Halifax | |
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| Review | Fidelity International Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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