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 comparing the investment offerings between Fidelity International and Halifax, there are some key differences and similarities. Fidelity International provides an attractive option for those interested in share trading, ETFs, funds, and investment trusts, although it lacks options for trading corporate or government bonds. They offer advisor services to help guide your investment decisions. Meanwhile, Halifax offers a robust selection for those who are interested in ETFs, funds trading, as well as corporate and government bonds. Like Fidelity, Halifax also provides advisory services but does not support share, crypto, or CFD trading.
Overall, Halifax slightly edges out Fidelity International with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices compared to Fidelity's 4.5 stars. In terms of rankings among 18 brokers, Fidelity International holds the 12th spot, while Halifax impressively stands at the 7th position. Whether you're seeking diverse investment options or reliable advisory services, both platforms offer unique benefits that may align with your financial goals.
| 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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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing the trading tools of Fidelity International and Halifax, Fidelity clearly stands out. Fidelity offers the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on its charts, an advantage Halifax lacks. Additionally, Fidelity provides users with five drawing tools and 21 technical indicators, which can significantly enhance chart analysis. In contrast, Halifax offers neither drawing tools nor technical indicators, limiting the depth of technical analysis possible on its platform.
Both Fidelity International and Halifax offer browser-based trading platforms and stock price update alerts, ensuring flexibility and timely updates for traders. However, Fidelity furthers its lead with the ability to overlay indexes and individual stocks on charts, a feature Halifax does not have. While neither platform offers real-time market data, the range and depth of Fidelity's charting tools and enhancements make it a more robust choice for online traders seeking advanced charting functionalities.
| 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 choosing between Fidelity International and Halifax for your retirement savings, both offer competitive options for Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Fidelity International provides a user-friendly ISA and a robust SIPP option, ensuring flexibility and control over your retirement funds. Similarly, Halifax also offers both an ISA and a SIPP, catering to a wide range of investment needs. Whether you prioritize a straightforward online experience or a comprehensive retirement strategy, both Fidelity International and Halifax are solid competitors with offerings that accommodate diverse retirement planning goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both Fidelity International and Halifax offer comprehensive mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, catering to the needs of modern investors seeking to manage their investments on-the-go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Fidelity International's mobile app holds a slight edge with a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, compared to Halifax's 3.5 stars. In terms of rankings among 18 brokers, Fidelity International secures the 13th spot, just ahead of Halifax, which is placed 14th. These comparisons highlight Fidelity International's marginally superior user experience and functionality in the competitive landscape of mobile trading platforms.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to beginner investor educational resources, Fidelity International stands out compared to Halifax. Fidelity International offers a comprehensive suite of educational webinars that are available live and archived for on-demand viewing, providing in-depth knowledge on topics like share trading, funds, and retirement. Halifax, on the other hand, does not offer any webinars or specific educational content on these subjects, which might limit the learning opportunities for new investors. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Fidelity International shines with a 5-star rating and ranks 6th among 18 brokers for beginner education, while Halifax holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks 16th, indicating a more limited educational offering.
| 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, Fidelity International comes out ahead in offering comprehensive research capabilities. Fidelity provides research reports for funds and allows users to see portfolio allocation by asset class, aspects that Halifax lacks. Both online brokers support research for shares, ETFs, and funds, as well as bonds, offering robust analyses for these asset classes. However, neither Fidelity International nor Halifax provide research for CFDs. Overall, Fidelity International offers more insight into market research, particularly with its in-depth fund analysis and asset class portfolio breakdown.
| 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
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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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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