Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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, XTB offers better pricing than Halifax 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.
Comparing XTB and Halifax for UK investors: both offer share dealing and ETFs, and neither supports crypto. XTB also provides CFD trading, which Halifax does not. Halifax, however, covers funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, and offers adviser services—none of which are available at XTB. Spread betting information for both brokers was not provided.
For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both XTB and Halifax at 4.5 stars. Rankings differ: Halifax sits 7th of 21, while XTB is 13th of 21. If you want CFDs, XTB fits the bill; if you need funds, bonds, investment trusts, or access to advice, Halifax is the better match.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
XTB vs Halifax for trading tools: XTB lets you show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) directly on charts and supports both index and individual stock overlays, plus simple notes. Halifax also supports notes, but doesn’t show corporate events or offer index/stock overlays. For pure charting depth, Halifax provides more drawing tools (8 vs 4) and many more technical indicators (95 vs 13), which may suit detail‑oriented UK investors.
Both brokers offer a browser-based platform. If you want price alerts, Halifax has them while XTB does not. If you need real-time market data in your platform, XTB offers it and Halifax does not. Your choice comes down to whether you prefer richer chart studies and alerts (Halifax) or real-time data and clearer context on charts via events and overlays (XTB).
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 95 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 8 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers XTB and Halifax for UK investors interested in retirement accounts, it's essential to consider the types of accounts each offers. XTB provides ISA accounts, allowing you to save or invest up to a certain limit each year without paying tax on gains. However, XTB does not support SIPP accounts, which are specifically designed for self-managed personal pensions. On the other hand, Halifax offers both ISA and SIPP accounts, providing a more comprehensive range of options for retirement savings and investment. Thus, if having access to a SIPP is important for your retirement strategy, Halifax might be a more suitable choice.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile apps of online brokers XTB and Halifax, both are compatible with iPhone and Android devices, ensuring accessibility regardless of your smartphone preference. However, XTB takes the lead with a higher customer rating of 4.5 stars according to UK.StockBrokers.com, while Halifax trails behind with a 3.5-star rating. Users looking for a top-tier app experience may favor XTB, which is ranked 6th among 21 brokers for mobile apps, significantly outperforming Halifax, which is ranked 18th. These differences highlight XTB's edge in providing a more highly regarded mobile trading experience for users in the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing XTB vs Halifax, neither broker runs educational webinars or offers on‑demand replays. Both provide share trading guidance, but only Halifax adds education on funds and retirement, giving it broader topic coverage. Even so, UK.StockBrokers.com rates XTB higher for beginner education (4.5/5, ranked 9th of 21) than Halifax (4/5, ranked 18th of 21). In short, XTB scores better overall for beginner support, while Halifax is the pick if you want materials on funds or planning for retirement.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors comparing XTB vs Halifax on market research, both brokers offer shares research and ETF research, but only Halifax provides fund research, bond research, and research reports for funds—features XTB lacks. If you need analysis on mutual funds or fixed income, Halifax is the stronger pick, while XTB suits those focused mainly on shares and ETFs. Note that neither platform shows portfolio allocation by asset class.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | No |
Which broker is better overall, XTB or Halifax? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found XTB to be a better trading platform overall.
XTB has set itself up as a strong competitor in commission-free share trading. Its low fees and solid educational content will make XTB particularly attractive to newer investors. It does not, however, offer an ISA or SIPP.
| Feature |
XTB
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Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
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| Mobile App |
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| Ease of Use |
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Both XTB and Halifax do not offer cryptocurrency trading options to their users, making them similar in this regard for those considering online brokers based on crypto trading availability.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | Halifax | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £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 | N/A | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £36 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £9.50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £9.50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £0 / £3.50 / £9.50 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Halifax | |
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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 95 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | No |
| Education | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | XTB | Halifax | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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