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.
When comparing the range of investment options offered by XTB and Halifax, UK investors will notice significant differences in the available choices for each platform. XTB provides opportunities for share trading, ETF investments, and CFD trading, catering to those interested in a more dynamic investment experience. However, it does not offer crypto, funds, or bond trading, and lacks advisory services. Meanwhile, Halifax shines in areas where XTB doesn’t, such as funds trading, bonds, and investment trusts, alongside providing advisory services – facilitating a more traditional, wide-ranging investment platform.
Both platforms have their strengths, but this is reflected in their rankings and ratings by UK.StockBrokers.com. XTB earns a commendable 4.5 stars for investment choices, though it ranks 13th out of 21 brokers in the UK. Conversely, Halifax is rated 5 stars, attesting to its broad investment offerings and holds the 7th spot in the rankings. For investors in the UK, the decision between XTB and Halifax will depend largely on whether they seek a more disrupted trading environment or a classic and comprehensive portfolio management approach.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| 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.
For UK traders comparing XTB vs Halifax trading tools, XTB’s charts are far more capable: it can display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends), supports 4 drawing tools and 13 technical indicators, and lets you add notes plus index and stock overlays. Halifax, by contrast, does not offer corporate events on charts, drawing tools, indicators, notes, or index/stock overlays.
Both brokers provide a browser-based platform. XTB includes real-time market data but no stock price alerts; Halifax offers price alerts but not real-time data. Choose XTB if you want richer charting and live data, or Halifax if simple web trading with alert notifications suits you better.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 13 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| 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 seeking to enhance their investment skills, XTB and Halifax offer contrasting educational resources. XTB provides educational content specifically on share trading, positioning itself as a valuable resource for those interested in this area. In contrast, Halifax does not cover share trading in its educational offerings. Neither broker offers webinars, archived webinars, or education on funds and retirement, which might limit beginners looking for a broader financial education. Reflecting these differences, UK.StockBrokers.com rates XTB higher at 4.5 stars compared to Halifax's 3.5 stars, ranking them 9th and 18th respectively out of 21 brokers for beginner education.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Retirement) | No | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors comparing online brokers XTB vs Halifax on market research features: both provide shares and ETF research, and neither offers research reports for funds or a way to see portfolio allocation by asset class. However, Halifax adds dedicated research on funds and bonds, while XTB does not. If you mainly want insights on shares and ETFs, either platform fits; for added depth on funds and fixed income, Halifax has the edge.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No |
| 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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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 | No | |
| 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 | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| 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 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 4 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | No |
| Education | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | No | |
| 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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