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.
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, Halifax offers better pricing than Hargreaves Lansdown for share dealing.
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.
Hargreaves Lansdown vs Halifax: both brokers let you trade UK and international shares, along with ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, gilts, and investment trusts. Neither supports crypto or CFD trading, and both offer access to advice services for those who want guidance.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Hargreaves Lansdown 5 stars (ranked 5th of 21) and Halifax 4.5 stars (ranked 8th of 21). If you want the widest selection, Hargreaves Lansdown edges ahead, while Halifax remains a solid option for mainstream investments.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Halifax
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual 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.
Hargreaves Lansdown vs Halifax: for charting tools, Hargreaves Lansdown has the edge on breadth, with 11 drawing tools and 109 technical indicators, compared with Halifax’s 8 drawing tools and 95 indicators. Neither platform shows corporate events or index overlays on charts. Only Hargreaves Lansdown supports stock overlays, while only Halifax lets you add notes to charts.
Both offer browser-based trading and price alerts. If live prices are important, note that Hargreaves Lansdown provides real-time market data, while Halifax does not. In short, choose Hargreaves Lansdown for deeper chart analysis, or Halifax if you value the ability to annotate your charts.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Halifax
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 109 | 95 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | 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.
Comparing UK brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and Halifax on mobile apps: both offer iPhone and Android apps. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Hargreaves Lansdown’s app 4 out of 5 stars and ranks it 11th out of 21 brokers, while Halifax’s app holds 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 15th. If app quality matters, Hargreaves Lansdown has a slight edge, but both give you access on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Hargreaves Lansdown vs Halifax for beginner investor education: Hargreaves Lansdown offers live educational client webinars and an on-demand library, while Halifax does not provide webinars or archived sessions. Both brokers teach the essentials—share trading, funds, and retirement—but Hargreaves Lansdown scores higher for beginners (5/5 stars, ranked 5th of 21 by UK.StockBrokers.com) than Halifax (4/5 stars, ranked 12th of 21). If you want webinars and flexible learning, Hargreaves Lansdown has the edge; if you only need straightforward guides on core topics, Halifax covers the basics.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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.
For UK investors comparing Hargreaves Lansdown vs Halifax on market research, both provide fund research reports and offer research on shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds. The key difference is portfolio insight: Hargreaves Lansdown lets you view your portfolio allocation by asset class, making it easier to see your mix at a glance, while Halifax does not include this breakdown. If you want straightforward research plus an allocation view, Hargreaves Lansdown edges it; if you only need share, ETF, fund, and bond research, Halifax covers the basics.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Hargreaves Lansdown is a leading U.K. investment platform best known for its extensive range of investments, wide selection of account types, and strong support for long-term investors.
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Hargreaves Lansdown
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Halifax
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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 | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual 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 | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100 | £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) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | Up to £1,125 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £1125 - £1750 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £1750 - £3000 | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £3,000 - £4,000 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | £9.50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | £9.50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £11.95 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £11.95 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £20 - £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
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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 | 109 | 95 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | Halifax | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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