Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Lloyds Bank 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 Lloyds Bank 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 - Lloyds Bank would cost £95 per year, while Halifax would cost £83.50 per year.
12 trades per year - Lloyds Bank would cost £40 - £172 per year, while Halifax would cost £150 per year.
36 trades per year - Lloyds Bank would cost £40 - £328 per year, while Halifax would cost £378 per year.
120 trades per year - Lloyds Bank would cost £40 / £1,000 per year, while Halifax would cost £1,176 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Lloyds Bank would cost £0 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.
For UK investors seeking diverse opportunities, both Lloyds Bank and Halifax present compelling options. Lloyds Bank offers share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, as well as investment trusts, all complemented by advisor services. Halifax matches these offerings, providing investors with a similarly wide array of investment choices, including ETFs, funds, bonds, and investment trusts, alongside expert advisor services. Both platforms earn a commendable 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices.
Despite their equivalent ratings in investment offerings, Lloyds Bank is ranked slightly lower at 8th place among 21 brokers, while Halifax secures a 7th place. While neither platform currently offers crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, their comprehensive range of traditional investment options makes them strong contenders in the online brokerage arena for UK investors looking to diversify their portfolios.
| Feature |
Lloyds Bank
|
Halifax
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| 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 online trading tools offered by Lloyds Bank and Halifax, both brokers provide basic chart functionalities but lack in areas often sought by active traders. Neither bank supports the integration of corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends into their chart displays. They also do not offer drawing tools or technical indicators, key features for those looking to perform detailed chart analyses. On a positive note, both Lloyds Bank and Halifax offer the convenience of browser-based trading platforms and allow users to set alerts for stock price updates.
However, investors looking for advanced chart customization options might find both offerings somewhat limited, as neither broker supports adding notes, index overlays, or stock overlays to charts. Additionally, while both Lloyds Bank and Halifax provide platforms accessible through web browsers, investors may need to explore alternative resources if real-time market data is a critical requirement for their trading activities. These considerations are key for UK investors weighing their options between the two institutions for online trading solutions.
| Feature |
Lloyds Bank
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
Lloyds Bank and Halifax are popular choices for UK investors seeking online brokerage services, each offering a similar range of retirement-focused accounts. Both platforms provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), allowing investors to save for retirement while enjoying tax benefits. Whether you choose Lloyds Bank or Halifax, you can expect a straightforward experience in managing your retirement savings with the ability to invest in a range of assets tailored to your financial goals. The choice between the two may ultimately come down to specific service preferences or additional features offered by each platform.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing mobile apps from Lloyds Bank and Halifax, both offer iPhone and Android apps, making banking on the go a breeze for users of either platform. Each app has been rated 3.5 stars out of 5 by UK.StockBrokers.com, reflecting a similar level of satisfaction and features for users. When it comes to ranking out of 21 brokers, there’s a slight edge for Lloyds Bank, claiming the 17th spot, while Halifax comes in at 18th place. Both options provide reliable mobile solutions for managing your finances with ease.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Lloyds Bank and Halifax both offer educational resources for beginner investors, but they differ in certain areas. Lloyds Bank provides educational client webinars, some of which are archived for on-demand viewing. In comparison, Halifax does not offer webinars in either live or recorded formats. Both brokers offer educational content on share trading, funds, and retirement planning. However, Lloyds Bank's educational offerings for beginners are rated slightly higher, with a 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, while Halifax receives a 3.5-star rating. In terms of rankings, Lloyds Bank is placed 14th among 21 brokers for its beginner education resources, whereas Halifax ranks 18th.
| Feature |
Lloyds Bank
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | ||
| Education (Share Trading) | ||
| Education (Funds) | ||
| Education (Retirement) | ||
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online brokers Lloyds Bank and Halifax, both institutions offer extensive research options for UK investors, though there are some differences to note. Lloyds Bank provides research reports for funds, while it's unclear if Halifax offers the same. Both brokers allow clients to access shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds research, aiding in informed decision-making. However, it's not specified whether either broker provides the ability to see portfolio allocation by asset class or CFDs research. For those looking for comprehensive research options, both Lloyds Bank and Halifax supply detailed insights into key investment areas, but potential clients should confirm the features that are most vital to their investment strategy.
| Feature |
Lloyds Bank
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown |
Which broker is better overall, Lloyds Bank or Halifax? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Lloyds Bank to be a better trading platform overall.
It's easy for current Lloyds Bank customers to open a Lloyds Bank Share Dealing investment account. But there are other platforms that are easier, more comprehensive and cheaper to use, including Halifax, which is also owned by Lloyds Banking Group.
| Feature |
Lloyds Bank
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Halifax
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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Both Lloyds Bank and Halifax online broker platforms currently do not offer cryptocurrency trading services.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Lloyds Bank | Halifax | |
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| Review | Lloyds Bank Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Lloyds Bank | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | ||
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Lloyds Bank | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £8 - £11 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £8 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £8 | £9.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £95 | £83.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £40 - £172 | £150 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £40 - £328 | £378 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £40 / £1,000 | £1,176 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £44.50 | £64.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £40 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £40 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £40 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £40 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £8 - £11 | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £8 - £11 | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £8 - £11 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £8 - £11 | £9.5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £35 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Lloyds Bank | Halifax | |
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| 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 | Lloyds Bank | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | |||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | |||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | |||
| Charting - Index Overlays |
| Research | Lloyds Bank | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown |
| Education | Lloyds Bank | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | |||
| Education (Funds) | |||
| Education (Retirement) | |||
| Client Webinars | |||
| Client Webinars (Archived) |
| Overall Summary | Lloyds Bank | Halifax | |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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| Review | Lloyds Bank Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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