Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Hargreaves Lansdown 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, Hargreaves Lansdown offers better pricing than Halifax 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 Halifax would cost £83.50 per year.
12 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. per year, while Halifax would cost £150 per year.
36 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. per year, while Halifax would cost £378 per year.
120 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. per year, while Halifax would cost £1,176 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1 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 it comes to investment choices, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Halifax offer a broad range of options suitable for UK investors. Hargreaves Lansdown stands out with its ability to facilitate share trading, a feature not available with Halifax. However, both brokers provide access to ETFs, funds trading, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, ensuring diverse opportunities for investors. Both platforms also offer advisor services to help guide your investment decisions, though neither provides crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading.
In terms of recognition, Hargreaves Lansdown has earned a five-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, placing it in a prestigious fourth position out of 21 brokers. Halifax also shares a commendable five-star rating but ranks slightly lower in seventh place for investment choices. This ranking highlights the slight edge Hargreaves Lansdown has in offering a more comprehensive suite of investment opportunities for UK investors. Whether you're keen on share trading or seeking guidance through advisor services, both brokers offer notable platforms that can cater to a variety of investment needs.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | 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.
For UK investors seeking advanced charting tools, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out compared to Halifax. Hargreaves Lansdown allows users to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on their charts, a feature Halifax lacks. Offering 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators, Hargreaves Lansdown provides investors with comprehensive charting capabilities. In contrast, Halifax does not offer any drawing tools or technical indicators. Moreover, Hargreaves Lansdown also supports index and stock overlays, giving traders additional layers of information, whereas these features are unavailable on Halifax's platform.
Both platforms provide the convenience of browser-based trading and the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, catering to the needs of active traders. However, Hargreaves Lansdown takes the lead by offering real-time market data, while Halifax lacks this essential feature. This could be a deciding factor for individuals who rely on timely and precise data for their trading decisions.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
Hargreaves Lansdown and Halifax both offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them appealing options for UK investors planning for retirement. Whether you're looking to maximize your tax-free savings with an ISA or manage your pension investments more actively with a SIPP, both brokers provide these essential retirement account types. Choose between Hargreaves Lansdown's diversified investment choices and extensive resources, or Halifax’s straightforward approach and seamless integration with existing banking services, to find the right fit for your retirement saving needs. With both options supporting ISAs and SIPPs, investors have access to tax-efficient financial tools to help secure their financial future.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
In the realm of online trading, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Halifax offer convenient mobile apps for iPhone and Android users in the UK. Hargreaves Lansdown shines with a commendable 4.5-star rating for its mobile app from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it 10th among 21 brokers. In contrast, Halifax's mobile app receives a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 18th. This makes Hargreaves Lansdown the preferable choice for those seeking a more highly-rated mobile trading experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to beginner investor educational resources, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out compared to Halifax. Hargreaves Lansdown offers educational client webinars, focusing on key topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement. While Halifax does not provide webinars or extensive education for these topics, Hargreaves Lansdown supports beginner investors with interactive learning opportunities. Although both brokers do not archive these webinars for on-demand viewing, Hargreaves Lansdown's educational efforts are highly regarded, earning them a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking from UK.StockBrokers.com. In contrast, Halifax receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks 18th among 21 brokers. For those new to investing, Hargreaves Lansdown provides a more comprehensive educational experience.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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 market research features for UK investors, Hargreaves Lansdown and Halifax present distinct offerings. Hargreaves Lansdown provides research reports for funds and allows users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, features that Halifax does not offer. Both platforms offer research on shares, ETFs, and funds, but neither supports CFDs research. Furthermore, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Halifax offer insights on bonds, making them strong choices for investors seeking comprehensive information in these areas. Overall, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out for those looking for deeper fund insights and asset allocation details.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
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, Hargreaves Lansdown or Halifax? 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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Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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When comparing online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and Halifax, neither offers crypto trading, but both provide extensive investment options, robust platforms, and reliable customer support, catering to UK investors seeking diverse portfolios despite the absence of cryptocurrency markets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £11.95 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £8.95 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £5.95 | £9.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. | £83.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. | £150 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. | £378 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. | £1,176 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | £64.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | Up to £1,125 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | Up to £625 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | Up to £1,250 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | Up to £1,000 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | £9.5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £20 - £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | 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 | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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